Choke Collar??

[VegasMOM]

Okay so it is not a pug but I did not know where else to put this. My mom is using a choke collar with her psycho BT and I think that is not a good idea. Thoughts? (poor guy)

[HomerNMarge]

I've always heard that it's not the best idea to use those kinds of collar's on any dog that has a smushed/or semi-smushed face, because they already have enough breathing problems, and those can make it harder for them to breathe

[Asia'sMom]

I wouldn't use a choke collar or a pug.

[Fla. Pugs]

Is your Mother using a choke collar when walking to keep her BT from pulling?
If so, please tell her a harness works much better and will not harm the throat area.
A good friend of mine has three hyper BT, she uses a harness whenever they are on a leash, keeps them from pulling her down the street as she says.

[VegasMOM]

She is using it on walks because he goes pyscho when he sees another dog. She says she just pulls up to get his attention and then releases. Both of the boys (BTs) have actual muzzles and are not smooshy faced like our pugs. I just went round and round with her on the phone. I HAVE talked her into neutering both boys but now she has to convince my dad. Argh. She got the advice( choke collar) and the collar from a petstore owner (yet another argument we just had)

[ViralMD]

It sounds to me like she and the dog both need to be working on training. Nothing is as good an investment as working with a trainer who uses positive training. I don't think that a choke collar should be used on ANY dog. To my thinking, it's an expedient way to control the dog when no training has been done. It's not fair to punish the dog because the owner doesn't want to work with it and train it. A choke collar is NOT necessary if a dog is trained appropriately.

Any prospective trainer should be interviewed thoroughly and any trainer who doesn't use ONLY positive methods should be thanked and not contacted again.

[ayleash]

I suppose I will incur the wrath of PV, but I have used the Triple Crown PLASTIC prong collar on my pug... one firm "pop" - but NOT abusive - with his first offense in the morning.. about once a month now as a reminder, and he does not pull all day... I even change the clip off of the prong collar after the first offense, so it's not "on" him with any accidental pulls, but he remembers that he is to stay in line...

I would much RATHER he CHOOSE to stay "in line" and most of the time he does... but without the reminders, he slides back in to pull pull pull...

so I would say... USE IF YOU MUST, BUT WITH AWARENESS OF THE RISKS AND JUDICIOUSLY...

[Chingo]

I really must tell you this, we had a bull terrier about 10 years ago and he was wearing a choke chain, he jumped over a fence and the chain got caught up on the wood, he died.

Please tell you Mother it really is not worth the risk to use these things.

Sorry to tell you such an awful story but it shows how awful choke chains are.

[cmdoppler]

She is using it on walks because he goes pyscho when he sees another dog. She says she just pulls up to get his attention and then releases. Both of the boys (BTs) have actual muzzles and are not smooshy faced like our pugs. I just went round and round with her on the phone. I HAVE talked her into neutering both boys but now she has to convince my dad. Argh. She got the advice( choke collar) and the collar from a petstore owner (yet another argument we just had)

If she is all set on using choke collars, I would reccomend a martingale collar, it is soft (not a chain) and a MUCH kinder option.

[VegasMOM]

I tried to tell her about getting a trainer and also about the martingale collar. She is getting results with what she is doing so there is disuading her. My only hope is that when my dad gets home next week, he will lay into her about it. She said it is a HUGE chain? Sorry I jumped on here and starting typing while she and I were talking, I just get so frustrated with her! She is only using the collar when walking. Thanks for all your input so quickly, I just love PV!