Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 11:10 am Post subject: is half check better than full check???...........
the reason i ask is that OH's mum walks Coal when i work and because she has 3 dogs out at once she needs coal to behave and heel... which he does about 60% of the time with me on his own but when he's out with other dogs he feels the need to trot out the front of you and the others!
She uses a choke/check chain on him whereas i normally use a flat collar. He does heel very well when using the check chain.
but here's my query - i need to buy a chain for her to use as the one she currently uses is a little big for him. Now do i buy a full choke or will a half check one work just as well but make me feel better???? also i occasionally walk with her and the other dogs and i'd like to have the same control over him but am worried about using the choke chain incorrectly..... help.....
He has a canny collar but he still pulls when wearing it and to be honest we now use it at GT's as it helps calm him (not sure why but it does ) but not for heel work...
anyone with any advice???????????????????????????????
I was going to recommend a canny but you have tried that already - personally I detest choke and half choke chains they are designed to cause pain to make them stop pulling
Have you tried other head collars? Or even a non pull harness?
____________ Vicky, Ruby and Lily xxxx
Ruby´s Album
If half checks are used properly they don't cause pain at all but I only use mine for obedience training not for a normal walk.
When not used properly they can cause pain and gagging which is not a detterent to stop pulling as the dog usually keeps on pulling and it practically strangles them.
I don't like checks but am perfectly happy with half checks if they are positioned correctly and not tight enough to nip the dog
Don't like choke chains as most people don't know how to use them properly and can cause loads of pain to your poor dog. Jack is on a half check at the moment combined with a slip lead while training him to walk at heel. I do have a halti for him and will use it when the occasion needs it and I need to control him better.
while we are on the subject can anyone explain the 'right' way to use them - I have read over and over that they need to be used properly but for the life of me cannot work out how to 'use' a collar in my eyes you just put it on
Can one of you that uses them tell me how is the right way to use them please? Just out of curiousity
____________ Vicky, Ruby and Lily xxxx
Ruby´s Album
I will probably be shot down in flames here but I have always used half check collars and have never had a problem with them. However, I always have my half checks slightly looser than recommended. When you pull the collar tight there is still room to get 3/4 fingers under rather than 2 as recommended and they aren't chocking or gagging if they do pull. They soon learn with gentle training and lots of treats in my hand not to pull too hard.
My dogs aint perfect by any means but a little tug on the lead and the sound of the chain plus heel curbs the initial excitement when we head off on our walks. I have tried flat solid collars and they haven't worked any better and I keep going back to the half check as they seem to suit us and our dogs. There is a fine line between good and bad use of half check but I think a lot of that is down to the dog/owner relationship
The collar is high up behind the ears with the chain bit at the top and the fabric bit under the chin, I have mine loose so the sound corrects not the squeeze that some do as I don't think this is necessary.
If the collar slips I stop and move it up to behind the ears and we start again.
I have seen people put them on and hope that is the cure with there dogs pullinhg and gagging
The chain noise is quite distinctive and this sound brings Maj back into line
Can one of you that uses them tell me how is the right way to use them please?
Right full check chains......They should be worn round the dogs neck with the ring end under the neck and nearest your leg. It should be allowed to hang loose. When the dog is in the corrct heel position the collar just hangs, as the dog moves out of position, you pop the lead (give it a little tug) this makes a noise and gives the neck a little squeeze (you are not aiming for strangulation). As you get the dogs attention you ask it to come back to Heel, as it does the collar automatically slackens.
Full check chains are very effective, if used this way, but like most training timing is absolutely essential. Just placing the collar around the dogs neck and allowing it to pull into it will do absolutely nothing, apart from choke the dog.
Half checks work on the same method, the noise and swift gentle squeeze reminds the dog to pay attention. If correctly adjusted half checks will not pinch the dog at all, and you get a limited squeeze, which is why some dog schools will allow the use of these, but because it's so easy to over squeeze your dogs neck in a full check, most dog schools don't allow them.
At the end of the day a full check collar works on exactly the same principal as a slip lead, but with the added clicking noise that the chain makes.
To be honest I have used both, but nothing works on it's own and nothing beats training, training, training.
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) but not for heel work...
