The worst possible thing imaginable happened yesterday.

Amaretto was walking out on a prong that we just fitted to address some behavior issues. We were walking on the sidewalk right outside my house, located at an busy intersection at the downtown of a small city. Somehow, when she pulled a little on the prong, one of the links CAME LOOSE. She ran from the side walk INTO the busy traffic both ways. We have just started restrained recall, and we both SUCK at it. So naturally, she wagged her tail and thought it was the best game ever. Traffic stopped both ways and she was just running rampant on the road. At one point, she ran slightly under the front of an SUV, and the SUV decided, "oh, no dog on the road, must be safe to start driving now". I screamed like in the movies "puuppppyyy". And I guess the driver must've seen the horrific look on my face and stopped.

I ran across the street and into an empty lot slightly fenced with cement blocks. Luckily, pupper followed me in. About 10 pedestrians came and helped me block off the little gaps between the cement blocks and help grab her as she bolted around. She thought it was the best game ever. Someone helped me grab her collar as she was running, and I immediately hooked her back to her flat collar. We went to the pet store, and got a tab for her prong instead.

The prong was just a quick thing I bought at a local pet store. One of the links came out again when I was correcting from the tab. Needless to say, I am NEVER going out with that prong as our main collar again.

This is a lesson on the importance of recall and the importance of buying quality equipment.

Thanks to the people of Kingston for stopping in the road, and for helping me catch her.

I posted this exact story on the "other" forum, and know most of you guys frequent that one as well. But I thought it was such a potent experience that everyone should hear about it, and if not already on prong + backup or prong + rock solid recall, HOP ON THE BANDWAGON NOW NOW NOW!

OH MY GOD!!!!!!

Okay now that you are breathing again........

Buy a Herm Sprenger.

When you attach the leash clip it to the prong and the ring on the flat collar. If this ever happens again you still have a leash and collar attached.

I have used prongs for 20 plus years and this has never happened to me but I know it has happened to others. Shame on me for not thinking of it and mentioning it on your other thread! You are a new dog owner and would have never thought of this. Why would you?

Let me look around for some links for a good prong for you.

Found my favorite site. They have a US and Canadian shipping I think they are actually in Canada.
I like the second one with the two straps, it does not tighten, so is more moderate. This is very similar to the one I use. Harder to pop open but I still clip the leash to the Martingale collar my dogs wear all the time.

http://www.dogsportgear.com/Prong-Collars_c_57.html

These are the martingale collars I use for daily wear and where I order them from. Mine have name and phone number embroidered on them too. There are many places that make stuff similar. Pikoda on this site makes them too and many order from her. The D rings and loops are big enough to easily accommodate double clipping leash to both collars.

http://cozycritter.com/martingaleclip.htm


Thank goodness she was not hit. That is my WORST nightmare.

Did you also see the other post over there where someone bought a prong for the specific reason of not having this happen? Their friend's dog slipped their regular collar and hit a car, killing herself. So this person bought a prong...thinking it would be safer.

I use a no-slip collar back up and a coupler with harnesses too.

When I first got Anna I used 2 leashes with her harness and no-slip collar!

I am glad she's okay. VERY scary and one of my panics...

Kathy,

Thank you for your posts! I am ordering one right away. What size and material do you use? It completely isn't your fault, my trainer said I didn't need another collar when I asked if I can keep the flat on as well. But of course, after yesterday, Amaretto is only wearing the prong on a tab. It suits my needs too. I'm just worried her tab is too heavy/long.

Her behavior is MAGICAl on this prong collar. I don't use it for ANYTHING else other than biting because stuff like leash pulling, etc, can be trained positively for her.But just 1 day, and maybe 4 corrections. She bolted out of her crate today and went for my slippers. Usually, I put them on and she is still chewing and sometimes moves to my legs. Today I put them on, she chewed, I said NO. She backed off immediately. She doesn't mouth my hands and is a JOY to pet now. LOVE HER and LOVE you guys for getting on me immediately to use it.

Jean,

Yes. WORST nightmare of mine. I would feel SO guilty if my dog were injured from my negligence in collar use.

Two views of Havoc with his martingale and standard (slip prong that tightens)





A view of Kayos with her snap prong (does not tighten) and her martingale. The pink tab is just a key ring for me tell the collars apart easily. Havoc has a snap prong too with a blue tab on it. I tend to use the standard prong more on him tho.




Sorry they are grainy, just took them with my cell phone for this purpose.


Measuring instructions should be on the website. I order either the 3/4 inch wide or 1 inch wide for Kayos. She is a little smaller. Havoc gets a 1 inch wide collar.

I can only imagine your fear when she was in traffic. And wow - kudos to all who stopped to help you. There are places that would not have happened. You have good people around you!

Kathy, I'm confused. If someone is using a prong for corrections, how do you do that with it attached the way you show it? Wouldn't it pull on the martingale also and limit the prong correction?

Am I just not seeing it right?

When I order a prong I always use the small links and order 2 extra links. That will be plenty long enough and allow room for growth. I think the links are the 2.25 mm?

For the martingales I order the 1 inch wide mostly. (Kayos is wearing a 1 Inch in the picture). You can measure her flat collar and use that as the length to order. The martingale is adjustable so there is room for growth too.

Mine are cotton and I like the soft feel and the fun patters. Havoc is wearing mossy oak and Kayos is wearing pink butterflies. They are washable, when the dogs get a bath I wash collars too.

Both dogs have a few collars. Kayos has squirrels, daisies, and pink tie die and Havoc has tractors, US flags and chili peppers. I change them out every now and then for variety. The dogs could care less I am sure.

Well, not so much negligence as trusting that the thing that is supposed to be around their neck is designed to do so and will stay there.

I had this happen with my first foster. He evaled as shy and timid. Perfect for me. Turns out he was just sick and was a 10 month old completely untrained male GSD/maybe with a touch of Malinois. And he could be a total JERK! HA! So they said put a prong on for walks, I did, and he saw this poor little white dog and lunged, breaking the prong (and it was a HS) and he was on that dog...and we were near a major truck route - so 2 dogs in danger. My dog who was with me went to protect the little dog, the poor little old lady with the dog kept clear, thankfully, until I was able to get to him and hold him down. I was so ticked about that collar!!!!!! And had a good day of replaying that incident and the what ifs...over and over again. So I get that feeling - you did a good job, really good job.

We can both knock wood that there was no damage to anyone, anywhere!

Bonnie you are right. It does limit the correction but there is still room for correction. I use the live ring on the martingale so I am able to use it for corrections more if I want. It almost acts just like the snap prong that does not tighten. There is correction behind it but it is more mild.

I think if you felt the need to really correct hard you might use a tab or short leash on the prong and a 6 foot leash on the regular collar. I have never done that but have never needed to use the prong that hard either. Don't know that I would want to. And I don't think I would with a pup that is just 6 months old.

Another method to try if you want more ability to correct would be the Leerburg dominant dog collar. It is that nylon snap around choke that fits just under the ears. I have one but rarely use it. Most of my prong use is when I walk both dogs and I use it to control the team pulling they like to do when they compete for 'who is out front more'. I can still give a correction if I need to but it is more mild than a correction with the straight prong.

I suspect Marshies is not going to use the prong for that hard a correction especially with a puppy. I think she is using it to stop the leg grabbing so I think this combo should work.

I do use the straight prong in obedience to fine tune heeling in an adult dog. I do not think I ever remember popping a dog hard enough to yelp tho, which I think would be too hard.

I haven't used a prong for about 20 years and then very short term and limited. I was just curious based on the pictures.

Your explanation makes perfect sense. I just wasn't getting it.

Thanks.

How scary. Glad Amaretto is ok.

I really like these prongs collars because the slip on over the head like a martingale. It is much easier on my fingers than dealing with the links Benny's has lasted well over a year. They come in pretty colors too and in different sizes.

Lolalimited

I have not had it break but still always have the leash attached to his regular collar.
I even ordered an extra one to put away in case they go out of business

I am NEVER going out with that prong as our main collar again.-- i was hoping that your trainer would have told you the importance of a backup and a good quality prong.you must always always check your prong for imperfections. recently cuvees prong got squished and bent.i thought i had fixed it but when i was training, it complaetely fell off. i had gotten lax in the "backup"idea and luckily didnt hae to pay the price of my stupididty.... i am so thankful the ameretto is ok and so are you. how terrifiying.

Hi Guys,

Again, thank you for the thoughtful messages. She is on a flat collar as her main collar now with the prong on tab. I only use the prong for biting, so I don't need to hold it on leash all the time. She got the idea quickly, but it's only been 2 days so I'm keeping it on just in case.

I, too, am VERY thankful that she is alright. SO MANY THINGS could've gone wrong. I got a new, sturdier prong collar today.

Debbie, the collar you linked looks perfect. It's so pretty and easy to put on too!

i am so lucky that my Roy is good on recall.Has been good from day one thankfully