I would never dream of using a choke chain on Jake I personally think their cruel. The kennel club GCDS class Jake attends don't allow them. Instead I use positive ways of training Jake it has worked he walks to heel on a loose lead. My boyfriends Rotweiller also attended the same class and a choke chain in any way shape or form was never used on him he also also walks to heel on aloose lead. A choke chain probably trains your dog quicker however I believe it's far nicer to spend the hours training them positiveley. It takes longer however Jake walks by my side because he wants to. Just my opinion but I don't like choke/half choke chains.

Jake, as I and others say, there's no one correct method for training all dogs - each dog responds well to something different. I don't think any responsible owner would start off with a choke/check chain without trying other methods first, but for some dogs positive reinforcement alone doesn't work, and a strong, powerful puller can be a danger to himself, the owner and the public.

I know Dani has been trying long and hard to help Bruno with his behavioural issues, and I also know the choke chain wasn't her anywhere near the top of her list of ideal training methods - but as I said in a post above, if he's not pulling now (at all) and he was pulling so much with a flat collar, it's actually less damaging for him to wear a choke.

Becs

Hi Jake

as Becs mentioned, whats right for one dog isnt necessarily righ tfor the other - and also as becs rightly pointed out - I have tried many many things with bruno including an expensive behaviorist who couldnt sort his problems. In one night not only did we go from excessive pulling to NO pulling, we also had a previously aggressive dog - so much in fact that his previous owners were going to put him to sleep due to it - last night he was allowing other dogs to lick his face - dogs to sit beside him - and to interact with him - HE HAS NEVER DONE THIS B$ EVER !! - and I am shouting cos I am so HAPPY !!

It was amazing to see a previously insanely aggressive dog allowing this.

In all honesty I thnk the check chain works better because I dont pull on the lead AT ALL cos I am too worried about hurting him - so therefore the lead is loose therefore Bruno picks up no tension from it so therefore does not react !!

Everyone is entitled to their opinion and I was very anti check collars as I my opinion is that they are cruel - but I will amend that to add - IN the wrong hands and also that with bruno perhaps he needs the stronger influence and firmer training to make him do something as nothing else of the kinder and more time consuming variety has worked on his aggression or his pulling.

I have a different dog today than I did yesterday and for that I am overjoyed.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I have a different one today than I did yesterday on the whole check collar issue
Dani

Hiya Brundog, Please don't think I was condeming you in any way!! It is only my personal opinion and i'm afraid I just feel very very strongly against them. That is just my opinion it don't mean i'm right

I am sorry you had a bad experience with a behaviourist there are so many "cowboys" out there I work for the BBC and one man who was reccomended to me is a man who goes by the name of The dog whisperer he has been on TV several times and I have seen him in action with the dogs he is a real modern day doctor Doolitlle if you ever need advice again maybe check him out?

http://www.thedogwhisperer.co.uk/

Good luck with it all I really do hope it works out for you. Bringing a dog up is not easy. Jake was a rescue dog himself he came to me with seperation anxiety and no one had even bothered to teach him to sit. I don't know why because he is very intelligent and it only takes a few minutes for him to pick things up. I wish you all the luck in the world and I really do hope things work out.

Kindest Regards
Laura