Holy crap. Amazon sells "prong collars" for dogs - these are horrible. No images inside, but

[Flaxbee]

please consider signing the petition to stop Amazon from selling them. Amazon UK stopped recently.

http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/amazon-stop-selling-prong-collars

Here's an article with information if you wish to click through:
http://www.dogheirs.com/tamara/posts/5416-amazon-uk-pulls-prong-collars-after-e-petition-gets-support

[GReedDiamond]

1. Here is a picture of one...

How is using this on a dog not animal abuse?

[magical thyme]

9. Because the collar is not fitted tightly

and doesn't exert any pressure unless they press really hard against it. The prongs go between folds of loose skin around their neck if they exert enough pressure, they then feel the prongs and then stop pulling against them.

My rhodesian ridgeback still pulls me up hills, but doesn't drag me anywhere against my will, pull my shoulders out of my sockets, or try to bolt across the street towards squirrels.

Despite using prong collars for years, my dogs look forward to their walks. And thanks to prong collars, so do I.

[KamaAina]

2. Are you sure they're for dogs?

[geardaddy]

3. Signed.

[TorchTheWitch]

4. there's nothing wrong with prong collars when fit and used correctly

That's what can happen when not fit and used correctly not to mention as a torture device. I've always used a prong collar with my dogs the RIGHT way that makes pain or any damage to the dog impossible. The only way a dog could be caused pain or even have the skin punctured is that the wrong size was used, put on wrong and the dog was hung by the leash.

Actually, in order for a dog to be punctured by the prongs the collar would have had to have been tampered with adding a portion of a choke chain in place of the right number of links and removing the chain part of the prong collar. There's no way to even get a prong collar ON a dog's neck without changing it that way. If you knew how the collar worked you'd know that it's impossible to even get the collar on without having tampered with it in a deliberate way in order to purposely cause pain or even skin puncture. In fact, the biggest danger with a prong collar not fitting correctly is that if you do yank on the leash the links separate, and the collar falls off. That's happened to me a couple of times when I first started using one and why ever since I connect it to a regular collar (so the dog wears both) which is recommended for that reason. That way even if the links get separated so the prong collar falls off you still have the dog connected to the leash by the regular collar.

There's also the annoyance of a cheaper metal prong collar causing fur discoloration... I wouldn't want to use one on a white haired dog. You also don't use it on the dog at any time other than when they are on a leash. My dog goes naked (no collar of any kind) unless he's on the leash to avoid matting or hair breakage of his long bushy hair around his neck.

Prong collars have been around for a very long time, are much safer and more humane than choke chains, but like anything else must be fit and used correctly.

http://leerburg.com/leerburg_chrome_prongcollars.htm
Click on "videos" link for how to correctly fit and use a prong collar

[Demoiselle]

5. I agree with you, Torch.

I've always found that a prong collar enables me to control my dogs with much less pulling on my part. It gets their attention right away, and they behave sensibly very quickly.

[mcar]

6. I've used a prong collar on my dog forever

The prongs are not sharp and it in no way hurts my dog. It IS much better than a choke collar. Recommended by the local dog trainers who are the most avid dog lovers I've ever known.

[magical thyme]

7. I've used prong collars on both my dogs forever as well. They both have lots of neck skin

and simply don't feel a normal collar. Mine were recommended by a local dog trainer. Choke collars are much worse, and over the long term can damage their airways.

Even with the prong collar, Luna can (and will) drag me up hills if I'm not going fast enough to suit him.

They show no sign of discomfort with the collars. And it's saved my shoulders from being pulled out of their sockets.

Of course, I don't pick my dogs up and hang them by their leashes or yank on them, either. Prong collars may look barbaric, but they aren't. They don't cause any pain unless you really, really abuse the collar by hauling on them. There is no need to do that.

They've also saved my dogs lives. Each of them just once started to bolt into a busy street when they saw something on the other side. They hit the end of their collars and stopped. I don't know if I could have held onto them otherwise.

[mike_c]

8. our dogs were essentially unwalkable until a pro trainer turned us on to prongs....

They pulled relentlessly. Walking them was an awful choking and gagging experience. It stopped IMMEDIATELY when we fitted them with prong collars, which they only wear when leashed, and they wear up high, above the larynx. Turned an experience nobody wanted to have into a satisfying daily ritual. Prong collars are awesome.

[bamademo]

10. They don't hurt dogs. I had one for my Goldens that would lunge after everything.

Until I got one they pulled me down in the street and caused me to break a foot. They were very loose on the dogs and kept them from lunging.