I get asked about prong collars and e-collars all the time. Are they good? Are they bad? The truth is, tools don't make the trainer. A hammer can build a house or tear it down; it all depends on the person using it. The same goes for training equipment.
Before we even discuss tools, we have to talk about the foundation. My entire philosophy is built on one core idea: clarity is kindness. If your dog doesn't understand what you're asking, no tool in the world will fix that. It's my 9th Commandment for a reason: never correct a dog before they understand what's expected. Correction without understanding is just noise, and it's unfair.
Think about my leash walking stages. We start with a simple slip lead and focus on teaching the dog to yield to pressure, not to pull against it. We're building a language of communication. We don't jump to a corrective collar because the dog is pulling; we first ask *why* they're pulling. Is it excitement? Lack of focus? Have we progressed too quickly? Remember, faster is usually not better.
A prong collar in the right hands can provide a clear, physical communication that’s akin to how dogs communicate with each other. But in the wrong hands, it becomes a tool of punishment that creates fear and damages your relationship. The same is true for e-collars. They can be a fantastic off-leash communication tool for recall, but only after months of foundational work. You must build the behavior first.
My 10th Commandment is that all corrections must be fair. Fairness means the dog understands why the correction happened and how to avoid it in the future. It's about guiding them to the right choice, not punishing the wrong one. Before you reach for a specific collar, ask yourself: Have I been clear? Have I been consistent? Have I built a relationship where my dog wants to work with me?
Ultimately, your most important tools are your knowledge, your patience, and the bond you share with your dog. Get those right, and the equipment becomes secondary.
