Comfort Tips for Prong? Yes or No?

I bought walker a prong this weekend. A little late for the trip since the stupid neighbor couldnt keep her dog in the yard and not even 3 minutes after i took him out the 10 lb mutt had a death wish. (BTW walker was on leash in a martingale but theres only so much a martingale will help) It is a Titan Collar nice and heavy VERY well made but it didnt come with comfort tips. It DOES have rounded tips and Walker wore it that way all weekend and wasnt phased that it didnt have the tips. So the question is should I buy them or not? I pulled it against my arm and it didnt hurt at all so I dont know.

I didn't vote because I don't know! LOL. I use a prong for Orson, he doesn't have the tips on it..........never has hurt him yet. Never broken skin, never has yelped even a tiny bit. Basically, he doesn't TRY to pull when he has it on. The sensation of it BEING on is enough to keep it in his head to be nice I think, LOL

Coop thats what im thinking too. Walker has his because of stupid dogs like this weekend. The dog got IN HIS FACE, with me blocking and walker with his martingale keeping his head as high as i could.

Tips is a human preference, mostly. ALL prongs should have rounded tips. On some dogs the rubber tips can help the collar stay in place as its less slippery than the metal (mostly for short-haired dogs), however I rarely use tips.

The last one i had didnt have rounded tips like this one. They were cut flat but had the tips so i didnt worry.

So he should be fine sans tips?

I dont think it really matter, most prongs have rounded tips, I use the herm sprenger with no issues.

i think it's fairly ironic to be debating the use of comfort tips on a piece of equipment that works because it causes discomfort.

and yes, i use a prong collar at times. it does not have rubber tips.

kinda what I was thinking.

Ditto.

Sierra's doesn't have comfort tips (TBH I've never even heard of them, let alone see them in person...) and she dances for me to put her prong on.


(I think this is the first time I've admitted to using a prong on Chaz... I've kind of avoided the subject like the plague.)

I agree with the others who said it should have rounded tips. If the points are sharp, the collar isn't well made.

I've seen some brands that come with the tips in an attached bag ... not on the collar.

His old one came with them but admittidly wasnt the best made one i got it from dog.com cheap, its not to cause him discomfort its for the added discomfort so to say. I dont use it for training I use it for security I have a strong dog who does not like other dogs and martingales will "strech" so to speak so he can get closer.

Thanks for the tips.

For good reason. You're likely to get jumped all over for a lot of things, so I really don't blame you.

opcorn:

And I can assure you it won't do any of the "jumpers" good to do so Nilly is a loving dog owner, she rescued Sierra, loves her very much and does everything in her power to see she is happy, healthy and well cared for.

Any would be jumpers are more than free to bring it on.........I have ALWAYS openly admitted to using a prong for Orson. I use it properly, it is fitted properly, and I find it better than choke chains.

Understand I am not trying to explain this to you Saeleofu, I am pointing it out for anyone to see

Absolutely. There actually is more risk of damage with choke chains than with prongs, even if both are properly fitted. A choke chain can tighten with no limit. A prong collar is a limited slip.

And I wanted to add, because I left it out in my original answer...if the prongs did NOT have rounded tips already, then yeah, I'd use the rubber tips just to make rounded ends...if that made any sense.

I also still have the offer open for anyone to come pop me (the way I pop for corrections...not yaking, just a quick light pop) on a prong collar properly fitted around my own neck if they don't believe me that they don't really inflict pain.

Thank you Coop, I really appreciate that I feel like I've been in hiding for fear of what might be said, even though it is by FAR the most successful tool I've ever used with her and doesn't shut her down.

if they didn't inflict pain, they wouldn't work. there is no magic to them- they make it uncomfortable, so the dog doesn't pull. plenty of dogs learn to tune out the discomfort of a prong and pull just as hard as they do on a flat collar.

Elegy beat me to it.



everything else I want to say I will leave alone. As the "Jumping" can go in both directions.

We used to use them with Alaska and Buddy. Alaska was 100 lbs. and when he got his mind set on something, there was no stopping him, especially when he had the urge to hump the Rottweiler or the Rottweiler's owner across the street. :rolleyes

A prong collar seemed to help, but the problem with that is: most dogs, when a prong collar is used on them, will only listen when a prong collar is used on them. I don't think it is a very useful tool for training.

Buddy was a pit bull and he had a TON of strength when he wanted to. He could be gentle as can be when he wanted to, and strong as hell when he wanted too, also; so a prong collar came in handy when needed.

I've never had to use them on Georgia; she's never had any problems staying in "heel".