Quote Originally Posted by shepgirl View Post
SemivaLady --- I love your Anatolians, we have a few around here as well, but they aren't that well known. Supposedly make good guard dogs for livestock.

Anyway, about the training of dogs....you really don't need anything but love and understanding to train a dog. I've watched some people train their dogs with no collar otr leash.
This is where you can apply the old adage "you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar".
I've watched people train dogs with almost every kind of gimmick out there. It doesn't mean the dog wouldn't learn without them, but their choice is to use training tools.which is perfectly fine, I've also used training aids.
But this is why a SD facility would never use a prong to train a dog for service work. They are amazing the way they train dogs. If a dog comes along that needs a prong or harsh training methods he is simply ruled out of the program and given to a pet home or back to the foster home that nurtured them. They can also become EAD.
The ordinairy trainer has more choice in what they wish to use to train their dogs. Without prongs some owners would have to give their dogs up, so prongs do have their place in training. A 65 yr old lady would never have the strength to train a boistrous boxer, or a strong willed large dog, but with a prong it gives her the advantage she needs. a time and place for everything.
Agian you are false. Some facilities do use prongs. Why? Because some people, Like people that are severally paralized, are very weak in the hands so they need a collar that will get a quick response. Agian just because you have not see it does not mean it is not done. I am on enough training groups for Service dogs that have trainers from facilities and owner trainers to know this.
Nicole