Are Prong Collars and E-Collars Dangerous? | Which is RIGHT for your AKITA | The Akita Life 

Love your videos ! Keep up the good work

I love your video’s and I’m ready for the Akita gear🙌🏼🙌🏼

I have a Huskita, but I don't use prongs. I'm not necessarily against them, but I personally don't want to cause my dog pain. Few seem to know how to use them properly. Why are 90 percent of dog owners not trained to use the collars correctly? I see most people apply constant pressure when a dog lunges or pulls. A sharp tug, as with a standard choke chain, is what’s required.

Damn, how did I not find this channel! Thanks!

Thanks for a good overview. Like others we tried positive training (unsuccessfully) and then found a better trainer for our Akita. He tought us more than we expected about dog psychology and how to handle a dog that will test to see who is in charge. A gentle bump with the prong collar and our baby girl easily responds. It's like power steering. And our 75 lb son can walk her at the farmers market with no problem. Lots of time with our 95 lb 18 mo old has yielded a great, and well trained, family member. Great channel!

I’ve got a 5 year old Akita, I was fairly resistant to use an e-collar when I first got him. My trainer sold me on trying one and it was the best decision I made. I put it on myself first and used it at all levels so I had an idea of what he’d feel. Excellent video so I won’t just echo more points already made. But I do want to echo some other posters here, I don’t think the positive only methodology training actually works for akitas given how strong willed and independent they can be.

Wow, it is nice to see another Akita that hops like ours. He is like a bunny jumping all over the place, as if he is trying to position himself for a blitz. Now that I think about it, it is like a line backer or shifting and showing blitz.

Thanks for another well done video. I have had a positive and helpful experience with both a prong collar and e collar and agree with your assessment. With regards to the mention of retractable leashes, in the words of several dog trainers I have read and spoken to, retractable leashes belong in the trash can and regrettable they are even sold. Reason one, Google retractable leash injuries for both dogs and owners. Second they are useless for training.

oh man, the video of your bear as a puppy, so cute. I remember our dog as a puppy, just a little fat sausage of hair, lol.

I don't use them for every dog, or even for most dogs. But when I do, I actually put one on myself and let owners correct me with it, so they can see that it doesn't hurt and isn't meant to hurt. The problem is that there are a lot of people who don't have correct timing or pressure, so it's not a tool for everyone. I look at them like a surgeon's scalpel: it's a specialized tool designed to help when all other options are ineffective. But, just like a scalpel, you have to be trained how to use it properly, otherwise you can hurt someone accidentally.

I have a Yorkshire Terrier, Belgian Malinois and Britttany. They are not something I would use, but that's my choice. Some owners leave them on at all times. This is an especially uncalled-for breed of misuse. I can usually spot this particular sin when I see tags attached. All I can offer in these owners' defense is that at least they’re using tags!

This video is great advice for working specifically with Akitas! All those commenting how unacceptable this is definitely don’t know the breed. For about 8 months of getting my Akita I tried to avoid aversive tools because all I have ever known was positive reinforcement training. Let me tell you due to the Akita being a primitive breed, positive reinforcement and force free DID NOT WORK FOR HER! I almost ruined my relationship with my dog because I focused too much on being socially accepted and following what was backed up by so called “science.” Instead i should have initially worked with the dog In front of me and not try to push a square peg in a round hole. Not providing a consequence to unacceptable behavior made my dog very frustrated. She wanted communication from me and all I was doing was putting her to bed because I thought she was tired. All her needs had been met and still positive reinforcement only did not work for her. She was asking for more from me. So I am glad we started using a prong collar because it helped for me to better communicate with my Akita. At the end of the day the question comes down to advice from people who work, live and breath Akitas vs those who work with dogs but not specifically a breed as strong as an Akita. So the advice from my breeder was what I should have listened to as opposed to going with what is socially accepted.

I have an ultra ultra reactive dog who will literally keep any kind of pain aside and pull like crazy😢 what do you suggest will be a better tool for him based on your experience. Please do tell.

Hi Tony! Could you please make a video on training an american akita how to be alone? Like when owners have to go to work and leave the puppy alone for 6-8h. What do you think about crate training? Seems like a good idea at first since its a safe space for them, keeps the house in order if the puppy isnt trained yet ( not to chew on something they shouldnt or knock something over that could maybe hurt them etc) but is it healthy for them to be in a crate for such a long period of time, not having much movement? What are some of your suggestions for training a new puppy as a solo owner who works a 9-5? Thank you

My Akita is 7 months old and barks and growls at everyone or everything. We have put him in foggy daycare to socialize he has never barked or attacked but he does not allow anyone to come near .. any tips?

I use both for my 2 mutts

These videos are best for Akita owners that I've watched on RU-vid. My past Akita actually liked to be trained; it made her so excited to see me excited that she remembered what we learned to do together--even til the end! I used Brenda Alloff's book called Dogs with Aggression. I intended on showing her AKC, she was a Mariah Akita from Indianapolis. In the beginning we both lacked training. We just lived our life together on the farm and had fun; she will be missed.

Hey man what about a chow chow?

This is probably a stupid question but can you use the prong collar with the dog on a line or is it for the leash only? Thank you

I know this isn’t in the video but we’re planning to muzzle train our Akita does anyone have a recommendation for it?

Be careful when going to a trainer! Be sure you are going to some who won't teach you how to harm your dog! My mother went to a "dog trainer" for a Havenese another dog notorious for being stubborn and this lady had my mom putting a sharp prong collar on a puppy 10 weeks old

For my Am Akita the prong has been most effective. The ecollar I use to prompt him for a command. When he is focused on birds lizards snakesI must use ecollar or he will not stop when focused

Hmm, our Akita is hyper sensitive to other dogs. He goes ballistic, not snarling aggressive but just overly excited, when he sees another dog. Yet he goes to doggie day care and has no issues with the dogs unless they fence surf and bark at him...then he responds in kind. Car, he could care less but I wish he would pay more attention because he acts like they don't even exist!!

I have to admit I kind of failed with my Male. He pulls a bit. Out of all the American Akitas we have had the females were perfect. They stayed consistent at my side. But our big boy push’s and gets half a foot to far forward. In general if when their young they keep focused on you early they tend to be easy walkers. Males can be more difficult in some ways.

For my Akita we go with prong and its really been great, especially for my wife. We tried the e-collar, I put it on my neck first and buzzed myself. Tried it on my boy and he didn't even feel it, so that wasn't it for us.

I use both of these tools with Beorn and I'm so glad I found these resources as he's a more spirited akita than our last. I highly recommend reading The Art of Training Your Dog: How to Gently Teach Good Behavior Using an E-Collar by the Monks of New Skete and Marc Goldberg, or also the ebook by Larry Krohn (he does great RU-vid videos!)

Best E collar for Akita?

If owners resolutely defend their use of a prong collar because getting dragged down the block is a very real risk (when a dog bolts after a cat, for example), I’d urge them to rethink their choice of dogs the next time around. Big, strong dogs are awesome, but they’re not for everyone.

yes they could be dangerous if you don't use them correctly

Not gonna torture my boy. He does everything he can to mask pain and fear. Why would I intentionally inflict it. If that means I need to keep him away from society, I accept that. But so far, he has no negative or destructive thoughts in his brain. Gonna keep it that way. Not judging. Just not joining.

Prongs are not supposed to squeeze your dogs neck over a long time, nor should it be used for letting your dog decide when it’s time to stop based on he’s tolerance. Please sir, educate yourself before stating or making a video about a tool you clearly lack the information about. Prong are supposed be a quick snap (jank) as a correction from you as the handler. You decide and you give the command. You snap the leash quickly so the prongs closes fast so you communicate with the dog. It’s not supposed to sit in he’s skin and pressure him into thinking I’m not supposed to drag my owner. Your video example when your Akita is “charging the car” or truck. When you say it’s tightens up. Oboy you really don’t know. Your Akita will develop anxiety and feel a correlation with the truck and the fight or flight situation because he’s feeling chocked. A mother dog snaps, quick and fast bite to correct. Like a snap of a finger. Not a overtime thing. Your wife or girlfriend is simply holding the leash giving zero communication to the dog. The prong is a tool, not the communicator. You are supposed to do the movement with the tool to reach to the dogs language. People really thinks by using a prong, the dog automatically will understand / stop bad behaviors. This is no personal attack. But please do me a favor and research more about this. My country have prongs banned, so we haven’t been able to use them for over 50 years. Still, I have a American Akita that I can communicate with, simply by snapping the Leah letting him know. The prong is only to amplify that affect. The snap effect around the neck.

These are cruel. They cause pain to a dog. You can’t argue that. That’s how they work. That’s how you use those to “train” dogs. There are more effective and humane ways to train dogs. If you wouldn’t want to hurt your own children when teaching them, why would you be happy to use pain and cruelty to train your dog? These are cruel and should be banned. Let’s stop pretending or arguing that choke chains are not cruel. How would a choke chain work to control a dog if they didn’t hurt or cause discomfort to a dog? Those horrible choke chains, along with shock collars, can cause terrible injuries to dogs. Oh, and none of this, “They aren’t cruel if used properly,” shit. Whether they are used properly or not, they are still cruel. They still probably hurt the dog, and that is how they work. Some people will also try to demonstrate that a shock collar is not cruel by letting you try it on your wrist. The difference is that you would probably have it on low on your wrist. The neck, however, is a very sensitive area on both a human and on a dog. It would hurt more if it were actually around your neck and on high. They can cause serious burns and other injuries to dogs. I am not a dog carer. I do not have any experience in training dogs. I do not have experience with hard-to-control dogs. I am, however, a kindhearted animal lover with morals, empathy, compassion and love, a desire not to intentionally hurt or kill other sentient beings. I also absolutely love dogs, have studied them since an early age and have an NVQ in Animal Care. I don’t have to have my own child to know that child abuse is wrong, I don’t have to have my own dog to know that dog abuse is wrong. If I did have a hard-to-control dog with behavioural issues, even aggression, I would still not want to use cruel devices, or other cruel methods, to train them. I would want them to be trained in a humane and kind way, not using methods that would physically hurt them or put them in danger. I am not the only one who disagrees with these. Many dog carers, as well as behaviourists and trainers (including Victoria Stilwell of “It’s Me or the Dog” fame), rescue centres and other dog experts don’t agree with them. Dogs, including aggressive ones, including any breed of dog (including Akitas), can be effectively trained humanely, without the use of choke chains, shock collars or prong collars. These are unnecessary and cruel. Period.