The Truth About Prong Collars

You know those “cruel” prong collars everyone whispers about at the dog park? The ones that make people mutter about “positive only” training?

I’ve been training dogs for 18 years, and I’m about to tell you something that might surprise you: I’ve seen WAY more dogs injured by regular flat collars than by prong collars.

Actually, let me be more specific—I’ve never seen a prong collar injury. Not once. Not in 18 years and thousands of dogs.

But trachea damage from flat collars? I see it all the time.

The Physics Nobody Explains

Let’s talk about what actually happens when your dog pulls on a leash.

When your 70-pound Lab launches after a squirrel wearing a flat collar, ALL that force—every single pound of it—crushes into the front of their neck. It’s like taking a rope and pulling it tight against your windpipe. That concentrated pressure is exactly how tracheas get damaged, sometimes permanently.

A prong collar works differently. It distributes pressure evenly around the entire neck. Instead of one crushing point of pressure on the windpipe, the force spreads out across multiple contact points on the dog’s neck muscles. It’s basic physics, but somehow this never makes it into the “prong collars are cruel” discussions.

You’ve Been Shown Propaganda

Ever seen those horrific photos online of dogs with wounds supposedly from prong collars? The ones with captions about “torture devices”?

Here’s what those posts don’t tell you: those injuries happen when someone leaves ANY collar on 24/7 for weeks. It’s called pressure necrosis—basically bed sores. A dog could get the same injury from a flat collar, a harness, or even from lying in one position too long.

Those gruesome photos are propaganda from groups pushing to make these tools illegal. They know full well those injuries are from neglect by a human, not from the tool itself. But shocking images get shares and donations, so the truth becomes optional.

Want to know what a dog’s neck actually looks like right after removing a properly used prong collar?

Nothing. No marks, no injuries, no drama. Because when used correctly, you barely need to apply any pressure at all.

The Irony That Drives Me Crazy

People will call prong collars “cruel” while their dog:

• Chokes themselves out on every walk
• Drags them down the street like a sled dog
• Can’t go anywhere because they’re “too strong”
• Develops permanent trachea damage from years of pulling

Meanwhile, they’re popping ibuprofen for their shoulder pain and avoiding walks altogether.

That’s not humane. That’s suffering for everyone involved—dog and human.

Here’s What Actually Happens

The typical flat collar walk:
Dog pulls → You pull back → They pull harder → You yank → They choke and cough → Everyone’s miserable → Eventually someone gets hurt

The prong collar walk:
Dog starts to pull → Tiny correction → They immediately respond → Walk continues peacefully → No one gets hurt

It’s less force needed, not more. The prong collar actually prevents the hardcore pulling and yanking that happens with flat collars. The dog feels the slight pressure immediately and responds, instead of building up to a full-force pull that ends in a yanking match.

“But My Dog Doesn’t Pull That Bad…”

Perfect! Then they don’t need one.

This is what people miss—prong collars aren’t for every dog. We train dogs every week who’ve never worn one and never will. If your dog responds well to a flat collar or harness, stick with what works.

But for dogs who don’t care when the leash goes tight? For dogs who could hurt themselves or their owners with their pulling? For dogs whose owners are considering rehoming them because walks have become dangerous?

This is safety equipment, not punishment.

The Tool Doesn’t Train the Dog

Here’s something else that needs to be said: a prong collar is just a tool. It’s not a magic solution. It doesn’t train your dog any more than a hammer builds a house by itself.

Used incorrectly, any tool can cause problems. Used correctly, as part of proper training, a prong collar can be the difference between a dog who gets walked daily and one who stays home because they’re “too much to handle.”

Making an Informed Decision

I’m not here to convince you that every dog needs a prong collar. They don’t.

But I am here to tell you that the black-and-white “prong collars are cruel” narrative is preventing dogs and their owners from getting the help they desperately need.

If you’re curious about the difference, come see for yourself. We offer free evaluations where I’ll show you exactly how these tools work. You can even feel it on your own arm (spoiler: it doesn’t hurt—it feels like a squeeze).

Then you decide what’s actually safest for your dog.

No judgment either way. We aren’t dependent on tools to train your dog, but when appropriate, they can speed up the training process significantly and make it safer for everyone involved.

Your dog deserves walks. You deserve to enjoy them. Sometimes the “kindest” thing isn’t what it appears to be on the surface.

After 18 years of watching dogs and owners struggle unnecessarily, I’ve learned that real compassion means being open to what actually works—not just what sounds nice at the dog park.