Dog collars are an important part of any dog’s life – they can help with training, identification, and safety. However, many dog owners use collars on their dogs without knowing the negative effects of using collars on dogs. Here are some of the most common negative effects of using collars on dogs and what you can do to combat them.
Physical Health
The use of prong collars may lead to physical health problems such as neck, back and spinal cord injuries. Some dogs may even be at risk for cardiovascular damage or high blood pressure because of their nervousness caused by wearing a prong collar. The use can also cause minor puncture wounds to their necks, resulting in redness, swelling and inflammation. While these problems do not tend to occur too often with normal usage, they have been reported among some dog owners. It is important that you check your dog after each walk to ensure he is not suffering from any type of reaction due to his collar. Be sure you are properly trained before using one yourself and that you monitor your pet’s reactions when wearing it.
Behavioral Effects
Aversive training methods—which include shock collars—can cause your pet to become more aggressive over time. The study also found that dogs may elevate stress levels and less likely to listen to their owners than non-shocked dogs. By using a collar, you’re introducing fear into your relationship with your dog, which can have lasting consequences. When they feel fearful, they’re more inclined to react with aggression or disobedience in other situations as well. Simply put: if you train with intimidation or fear you will get an emotionally unstable dog who is not very enjoyable to be around.
Emotional Consequences
Using a collar on your dog will cause him or her to feel anxious and uncomfortable for several reasons. First, a collar is used to contain a dog, so he or she will likely perceive it as an oppressive and undesirable restriction. Second, a collared dog can’t physically interact with other dogs as usual—playing and fighting are big parts of canine socialization. And finally, put yourself in your pet’s place: it’s likely that you’d feel uncomfortable too if you had a collar digging into your neck all day!
Necessary Precautions
Before beginning to train your dog to walk without a collar, it is important to make sure he is healthy enough to do so. If your dog seems sick, exhausted or injured in any way, seek veterinary attention before attempting any training session. This also applies if your pet has recently undergone a long period of confinement or isolation—in such cases it is best for them to ease into normal activities gradually. If you are an active person and have a high-energy dog that loves to run around outside and play, then using a collar all day may cause him some physical distress. When dogs pull against their collars for extended periods of time, they can develop neck injuries and muscle strain; even short walks can result in pain and injury if you use only a collar, and one factor to keep in mind when deciding whether or not to let your dog walk unsupervised off his leash is how often he will be doing so.
