What training tools should you use to train your dog? This common question brings up a lot of controversy anywhere you look. Even between professionals, there is not one answer that is agreed upon. Prong collars, head halters, flat collars, martingale collars, front clip harnesses, back clip harnesses, ecollars, slip leads, long lines- the options are endless.
For me, the answer is simple. What tool are you the owner comfortable with using, and what works well for your dog?
There is no training tool that was designed with the goal to physically harm your dog. Any tool can cause harm when used incorrectly. A Improperly used prong may imbed into a neck (over time), a improperly used front clip harness can cause serious shoulder damage, a improperly used flat collar could cause strangulation. Used correctly, all these tools can be so beneficial. But none of them are inherently evil. This is something you may hear some trainers flinging around to promote the tools they prefer working with. Every trainer has a preference, generally due to what has worked for them in the past, what has not worked for them, and often based on the opinions of other trainers they have learned from or look up to.
For example, I dislike using head halters. I have found most dogs I train to dislike them, and am more comfortable using other tools to get the same results. However, I have seen many trainers who love the head halter and do great work with them. Does this mean I will never use a head halter? Absolutely not. If a client comes to me and really wants to train with one, I will show them the correct way to use it and happily work with them with it. I have been sure to give myself experience with every tool through the years to ensure I can use them the right way, knowing that not everyone likes the same things.
No dog is one size fits all. That is why it’s so important to be well versed in many different ways of training. By getting stuck in a rut and training every dog the same, you will ultimitely fail one. By keeping an open mind and being willing to work in many different ways, you will never run into a dog you cannot help.
This is why you should choose a tool that fits you and your dog. If you feel forced into a tool choice, you are not going to utilize it the way it is meant to be used, therefore making it an inefficient choice for you. If a tool does not work well for your dog, there are countless other options out there, so why force something that is causing conflict in your relationship? All good trainers want good results show off by HAPPY dogs. Find something that works for you both, and get out there and train your dog.