A choke chain is made primarily from metal with a sliding ring that is attached to the leash of your dog. Choke chains have often been the term used when referring to a training collar. There is a reason for that! No boundaries exist on how taut the training collar can be around your dog's neck. So a real chance exists that your dog really does choke. In addition, these choke chains aka training collars also cause other injuries and health conditions:
1. Damage to the esophagus and trachea 2. Injury to the blood vessels in the eyes 3. Fainting spells 4. Sprained necks 5. Paralysis in the foreleg 6. Nerve damage in the larynx area
These types of cases are on record at hundreds of vet offices around the world. Choke chains can be an effective tool in the training process, but it takes a real pro to know how to use them safely. If you are a do-it-yourselfer when it comes to training, don't try and use choke collars on your own, at least not without some guidance.
One of the best collars in use for training purposes and even every day use it the collar with a flat buckle. They can be found in leather or nylon materials. This flat buckle type of collar should fit closely but still leave some room for you to fit two fingers between your dog's neck and the collar. If you get it any looser, the collar may fall off. And the tighter it is, the collar may rub your dog the wrong way.
Thinking of the types of material for the collar, there is not right or wrong answer - just a particular preference. With nylon material, you will find a wide variety of colors and patterns. These are easily washed when your dog gets dirty. With the leather, it is sturdy and will last a long time. The oils from your dog's fur will make the leather collar more limber over time.
Choosing the width of your dog's collar should reflect how big your dog it. If you have a large breed dog, you will want a wider width, not only for comfort, but also for looks. And with a smaller breed, a smaller width is most appropriate.
If you have a large dog who is taking a little longer with obedience training, you might be comfortable using a harness on him. This type of restraint fits around the rib cage and neck which takes out any chances of choking. A harness gives you, as the owner, more control over a large rambunctious dog. Small dogs could also benefit from harnesses. Because their bone structures are more delicate, if they tug too much on a collar, they could choke themselves. A harness would not do that with them.
Once you have the dilemma of the collar solved, don't forget to obtain an identification tag to hang on the collar. If your dog was ever lost, a Good Samaritan would know who your dog belonged to. Plus, if animal control picked it up, they would know that your dog was not a true stray.
