Choke chain collars .

Most owners practice this , but I wanted to make lurkers to beware . Always remove a chain collar when not used for walking etc. I had 2 close calls years ago , before I knew better. Once 2 of my Goldens were playing and one got his tooth caught in the other's collar . Both paniced ..... luckily I heard them before anyone got hurt . The second time , my Golden was sunning on the deck and the O ring slipped between the decking .....again , I was nearby . The third wasn't mine ..... a dog hung himself on a chain link fence .

VERY good advice and I totally agree, they are for training ONLY.

Agreed!!! It bothers me to see any training deevice left on a dog all the time be it choke chains, prong collars, head halters, or harnesses, they shouldnt be left on 24/7

Both my dogs are on flat collars when in the house, and on harnesses when out in public. It would be too easy to get the harness caught on something.

-Rosefern

Both my dogs go 'naked' in the house and when they're outside, Virgo has on her buckle and Sawyer his martingale.

Great post! I have this conversation on a regular basis with clients that show up with their dogs checking in for boarding, with i.d tags attached to choke chain rings. (That always clues me into these being the dogs daily collar, verses a buckle collar) It's very sad when owners find out about this the hard way.

Good post. We had a very close call last year when watching this rowdy mutt for a friend. Both dogs -- Dutch the mutt, and Loki my APBT -- had had baths that day and were still wearing their chokes from that. I didn't think much of it. They played for a while as the hubby and I watched TV.

Suddenly hubby bounces out of bed screaming "No, drop it!" or something like that. I thought the dogs were fighting at first. Turns out Dutch had gotten her whole bottom jaw worked under Loki's choke, which was digging so far into her neck that you could barely see it. (Its a well-fitted choke that barely goes around her head.) Loki was gasping for air and Dutch was crying and panicking. It was horrible. We had to get needlenose pliers and cut the choke off Loki's neck. Then we had to pin her down because she was understandably very angry at Dutch for "attacking" her.

They both came away okay. Both had chipped their teeth in the process, and Loki had this nasty welt around her neck. But they were alive, and we learned a hard lesson. Now playtime is naked time.

eek, *goes to take off Hershey's* I do use it for training though. I am using it on walks, on the road, he does well. And soon, I hope to never put it back on him. With the collar, he knows he overpowers me. So thats why I use it on walks, and I reward him when the choke is loose. And I am training him a different way too.