Choker collars are quickly becoming a tool of the past, but many aren’t sure why they’re falling out of style. Whether you grew up with a dog in a choke collar, or you’re new to dogs and want to make the right choice: these are the top things to know about which collar or harness you should pick.

Why Choker Collars Are Used

When dogs pull and tug while you’re walking with them or transporting them anywhere, it can get stressful quickly. This can lead to you getting dragged if you’re using a basic collar and leash and can lead to harm happening to you.

Instead of allowing this to happen, many turn to prong collars, also known as choker collars, because they notice that these apply pressure and stop the dogs from pulling or running off.

It’s true that dogs will stop when they’re faced with these: but they’re not the best option and have been proven to lead to countless health issues.

Why They’re Considered Inhumane

Choker collars can become a large health issue quickly. Even well-fitted ones can damage the thyroid and salivary glands and damage the salivary lymph nodes. All of these are extremely painful injuries that can have life-long side effects.

Beyond this, ill-fitting ones can do far worse, leading to them getting embedded in the dog’s skin and causing infections, bleeding, wounds, and possibly even death.

These collars also have terrible psychological effects, increasing your dog’s anxiety, leaving them fearful of you, and making them fear going on walks over time.

Some dogs don’t experience these side effects, or aren’t vocal about them, so owners think that they’re okay: but these are inhumane and cruel. They’re not comfortable and not a great way to build a healthy relationship with your pet.

How Harnesses Work

A good dog harness works by holding the torso firmly and evenly and stopping the dog from moving forward or yanking away. Using even pressure over the torso also helps with dogs that have anxiety.

Harnesses are great because they can create a more trusting and pain-free relationship between the dog and owner. Still able to stop a dog from barking or lunging, good harnesses help your animal feel more secure, teach them to stop, and give them the confidence to walk at your side: all without hurting them or scaring them.

Harnesses also mean that if anything happens and you can’t grip the leash: you can still grip the harness to stop your pup: something that’s simply not possible with a choke collar.

This is also best for small dogs like Boston terriers and pugs, which can’t use normal collars because of the pressure it adds to the base of their skull. Using a harness is the perfect way to keep them safe and comfortable without having to fear them running off or pulling.

Every Dog Deserves to Be Safe and Healthy

Whether you’re new to owning dogs or you’re questioning the way you’ve always done things: harnesses are the best choice out there. Pick a great harness for your dog, and you’ll never look back!