Choke chains were once common in dog training, but we now know they’re harmful and ineffective. Here’s the word on why from my daughter, trainer Mikkel Becker, and me, in our joint response to a reader.
Q: What’s wrong with using a choke chain? It’s how I trained all my previous dogs, but the trainer I’m going to with my new puppy doesn’t allow their use.
A: We’re glad you found a trainer who uses positive reinforcement techniques. Choke chains, or slip collars, have been out of style in dog training for a while now, for a number of good reasons.
One is that they’re dangerous to dogs. People leave them on when they’re not walking or training the dog, and the collar rings can become caught on the tooth of another dog while they’re playing, on a fence or on some other item, and the dog chokes to death or, at best, is injured and traumatized.
Another reason is that they’re often used improperly. People don’t know how to put them on correctly or how to use them when they are on. If the moving part of the chain is under the neck, the chain doesn’t release easily when the leash is loose, meaning it is constantly tight around the dog’s neck. That’s ineffective and even cruel if the dog is pulling on the leash because he hasn’t been taught to walk on a loose lead.
We recommend collars that buckle or snap together for everyday wear, including for training. Your trainer will show you techniques that are both kind and effective, easy to accomplish by the average person and don’t require the tightening effect around the neck provided by the choke collar. For other dogs, a head halter or front clip harness can be helpful during training.
All of these options are unlikely to accidentally harm your dog, so feel free to toss your choke chain and go with your trainer’s recommendation. You can find more on collars and harnesses here.
There’s more in Pet Connection, the weekly nationally syndicated pet feature I co-write with Kim Campbell Thornton and my daughter, trainer Mikkel Becker.
