Do I need a backup collar with a Prong Collar?

Written By Steve Courtney
Qualified & Accredited Obedience Trainer, Behaviour Consultant & Law Enforcement dog Trainer.

I would first like to start this article with a pre cursor, that is that, I have used prong collars for about 15 years, I have always used the Herm Sprenger brand, I have used the standard and quick release collars and now the Neck Techs, I have never had a prong collar open or pop off on me, never.

However, it is known around the world that some people have had this issue, I hope to outline why I think people have this issue and offer a solution.

I have listed all the prong collars available and the reasons I think people can have problems.

All Prong Collars (excluding Neck tech).
Prong collars need to be fitted snug, high up on the dogs neck. If they are fitted loose, this will change the angle of the links and they can be pulled apart, so making sure the collar is the right size and fitted snugly will overcome this problem.

Cheap no brand prong collars
There are a number of cheap, Chinese, chrome plated prong collars around, the material is not strong and the links bend, bent links will disengage.

There is a further problem with these collars, it has been reported in a number of places that the chrome plating flakes, this can pierce and enter the dogs skin, causing a serious infection that can require medical treatment. This will never happen with the German made Herm Sprenger collars, we only sell Herm Sprenger at K9 Pro.

If it doesnt say Herm Sprenger on it, don't touch it.

Below is a picture of a Chinese collar!

Quick release Prong Collars
These are generally aimed at the sport or protection market, they come off in a flash so the dog can engage a decoy with no collar fitted. If the collar is not fitted snug you can either bump the quick release snap or the links can disengage due to the reasons above.

These collars are much easier to fit than standard linked prong collars. If you choose a quick release collar, use a back up collar.

Prong collars are a superb correction collar, not because they can give more correction, but because they can give an effective correction without the handler having to be a master of correction.

It allows the handler to give an effective correction without becoming frustrated, and of course they give smaller handlers power over large dogs.

Their design means that they can become disengaged if not fitted correctly, this is a handler error or cheap collar error, but because this possibility exists, we recommend using a Stabilisation collar or K9 Pro Martingale as a backup collar with your prong collar, then you have no concern that your dog will end up unleashed.