How To Change Sprenger Dog Collar Link

Written by Ed Frawley

Posted on March 12, 2015 • Last updated on Apr 05, 2022

How to Fit a Prong Collar

I railroad train dogs with prong collars. In that location are very few dogs that I would not train with a prong collar. I recommend them to new canis familiaris owners, new trainers, and people who own dogs with behavioral problems. While some think a prong looks nasty, the fact is they are far more humane than a normal choke collar.

The biggest problem with prong collars is that new dog owners don't know how to put them on, how to size them, or how to accept their domestic dog wear them. This commodity will address these issues.

Normal choke collars demand to exist ordered by length (i.e., 22 inches long, etc.) Prong collars are ordered by size (small, medium, large, or extra big). They all come in a standard length which is adapted to fit the neck of the domestic dog by removing or adding links to the collar.

Prong collars are meant to be put on and taken off before and after daily training sessions. Unlike a asphyxiate collar that is ofttimes left on the dog all the time (in some cases this can be a dangerous do).

A common problem new trainers have is they don't remove enough links to get the correct snug fit. When that happens the collar hangs down on the dog'south neck which results in the collar not working the way that it was designed. A prong collar should fit the way you see it in the photo of Sonny, our Yellow Lab.

This photo demonstrates the correct and wrong way to fit a prong collar. The correct way is when information technology sits right under the jawline. The wrong fashion is when the collar is too loose and riding too far down on the dog'south neck.

The right position for a prong neckband is to sit right behind the ears and upward under the jawline like you lot see in the photograph above. The photos below show how many people mistakenly let a dog habiliment a prong and the correct way to wear a prong.

Sizing the Prong

Adding and Removing Links

Some people mistakenly try and put a prong collar on their canis familiaris by slipping it over the canis familiaris'southward head and then moving information technology down on the neck. That'southward incorrect. Prong collars are designed to be put on and taken off by unhooking links and unsnapping the collar from around the neck.

The correct way to unhook a collar is to compression one of the links and pull information technology autonomously. Taking the neckband off is always easier than putting it dorsum on.

Proper Placement Once the Collar is on the Canis familiaris

Most of the fourth dimension when a prong collar is put on a dog, the handler connects the collar with the links behind the dog's ears—this is the easiest place to admission the links. Once the collar is on the neck, the rings to connect the leash to are under the domestic dog'south chin. This is incorrect! You must rotate the neckband and then the rings are in the proper spot on the dog's neck. This is usually on the right side of the cervix.

A Doberman Pinscher wearing a properly fitted prong collar. The prong neckband is sized properly, sitting in the right spot on the domestic dog's neck, and the rings are located in the correct spot for the ternion to exist attached (right side of the cervix).

Prong Collar Sizing Video

If you're still unsure how to size the prong neckband, watch this brusk and quick video for a quick demonstration on how we put on a prong collar.

Types and Styles of Prong Collars

Size of Prongs

Dead Ring vs. Live Ring

There are 2 means to attach a leash to the prong collar. Information technology can either be connected to the live-ring or the expressionless-ring. Which 1 yous cull volition depend on the dog and what yous are trying to do.

When the snap is on the alive-ring the correction is amplified because more slack is taken out of the collar when the correction is given and the leash is popped. The live-ring is used if a canis familiaris does non respond well to the snap being placed on the dead-ring.

The first time a prong is used on a dog the snap should be on the dead-ring. When a correction is practical and the leash is attached to the dead-ring the correction will not take as much slack out of the neckband as when it is fastened to the live-ring.

Recommended Safety System for All Prong Collars

A perfect condom process is to use along with a prong is a Ascendant Dog Neckband™. I offer this advice to ALL those trainers who apply prong collars.

It is not unheard of for a mistake to happen and a prong neckband comes apart when you need information technology the most. Past having a dominant domestic dog collar on the canis familiaris at the same time every bit the prong, this volition never be a problem. Simply attach the clip on the leash to both the prong and the ring on the dominant dog collar.

The Ascendant Domestic dog Collar is designed specifically for ascendant and aggressive dogs to control their behavior. When used appropriately, dominant domestic dog collars are a humane culling to prong and electric collars. This neckband is non intended to requite a painful correction. When used appropriately, tightening should take the air abroad from a dominant aggressive canis familiaris just enough to correct unwanted behavior. Some dogs will go overstimulated by a prong collar, resulting in a more than hectic and aggressive domestic dog. Using a dominant dog collar correctly on aggressive dogs takes the drive and fight out of the dog.

A helpful training tool that you lot tin can find only at Leerburg is the Prong Collar Leash. This Amish-fabricated latigo leather leash has high-quality stainless steel snaps. This leash is fabricated then that a prong collar is attached to one clip and Ascendant Dog Collar™ (or fill-in collar) is attached to a second clip. There is a 6-inch tab attached to the clip end of the ternion for the 2nd neckband. When or if the prong collar fails and comes off the dog, the second collar is already attached without interfering with the prong collar corrections.

An example of how the Prong Collar Leash is setup with a prong collar and our Dominant Canis familiaris Collar™. You can buy all 3 as a kit here.

Debunking Prong Collar Myths

Ed Frawley

Ed Frawley is the founder of Leerburg. He has been training dogs since the 1950s. For 30 years, Ed bred working bloodline German Shepherds and has produced over 350 litters. During this time, Ed began recording dog training videos and soon grew an interest in law service dogs. His narcotic dogs have been involved in over 1,000 narcotics searches resulting in hundreds of arrests in the state of Wisconsin. Ed now solely focuses on producing dog training courses with renowned dog trainers nationwide. If you want to larn more than about Ed, read about his history here.