Depending on your obedience trainer's theory, you might be required to use a choke chain, but ONLY during training. Used correctly, choke chains and prong collars are not bad training tools. But I must say again, only when used correctly. We have had a lot of success using the choke chain when training and walking. Quick pops are all it takes and the noise makes the correction, not the pop. Plus, our obeidience school required them for training purposes, but they fitted the dogs and showed us how to put them on properly. You always form a "P" shape and place it over the dog's head. Then you can make your corrections in the proper manner. Neither Honey or Lilly have had a problem.