Dog owners - beware of choke chain collars!

[Peregrine Took]

My friend has a Lab who has a Lab dog friend. They are neighbors and often play together.

Yesterday my Friend noticed the other Lab was wearing a new choke chain collar.

The women chatted out in the yard as the dogs played together when all of a sudden my friend's dog began to scream and howl (don't worry this has a "happy" ending) They ran over to see that my friend's dog's mouth was all caught up/trapped in the other dog's chain and they couldn't get him out. His tongue was somehow twisted in it, too, and he was hollering in pain and shock.

They couldn't do anything to separate them without making things worse so they called someone they knew who had cutting tools and begged him to come over. After a while (what took him so long I can't imagine!) he showed up and cut the chain.

Her dog was ok afterwards but his mouth is all bruised up and he feels pretty miserable, obviously.

Motto? No choke chains - even though I understand they help people control big dogs by allowing them to pull them around when they need to do so. Just use a regular collar. Personally, we always use harnesses.

[seemunkee]

1. Martingale collars work well

They are usually marketed for sight hounds but would work for any dog. They cinch tight when pulled but are limited to how small they well go.

Link on how they work
http://www.collargirl.com/how_martingale_work.htm

[flvegan]

3. Martingales are all I'll use

I have used them on everything from bassets to dobermans to pits to great danes.

[EFerrari]

2. Those skinny choke collars are horrible.

Poor baby.

[demmiblue]

4. Regular collar, Halti for walks/vet (depending on the situation).

I tried a harness, but my dog has a weird ribcage (the fit wasn't quite right).

Poor little pup! I never liked choke chains.

Thanks for the heads up!

:hi: