Is Martingale Collar Training Right for You?

Is martingale collar training the right technique for you and your dog? Well, it all depends on the dog and the training technique used. While some dogs learn quickly with the use of a traditional buckle-on collar & leash, others need a little more help. One tool that works very well as a leash-training aid is a martingale dog collar. Martingale collar training may be the answer for your and your dog.

How do you know if you should use a martingale collar for leash training? Here’s a few situations where a martingale would be ideal:

• You have a puppy that you would like to leash train and learn some basic commands associated with leash walking
• You have a rescue or older dog that you would like to train for the same reasons as in the above
• You have a dog with a narrow head, or your dog is a master at backing out of his/her current collar
• You have other training needs that require a new method of getting your attention (maybe hand signals or clicker training hasn’t worked).

If any of the above resonates with you, then you might want to give martingale collar training a try.

How a Martingale Collar works

A martingale collar works similarly to a choke chain collar in that it tightens around a dogs neck when your dog or you pulls, when on a leash. The tightening action is the action that your dog will learn, through training and key verbal commands, to do what it is that you want him/her to do.

The basic martingale collar has no buckles – it is a one-piece collar that slips over your dogs neck, and once on, is adjusted down to fit the neck comfortably without any constriction. Some use a martingale collar for training; some for walking their dogs; and others use it as a safety collar. How you use it will depend on you and your dogs needs. For more information on the different kinds of martingale collars you can use, see our blog article, Martingale Collars, Types & Uses.

Getting the Right Fit for a Martingale Collar

Once you determine that a martingale collar training is for you, you will need to properly fit your dog for a martingale. It’s a little bit different that with a regular dog collar. You will measure the largest part of your dogs head or neck (whichever is bigger) and add at least 2″ for the collar so that it will comfortably slip over your dogs head. Once on, you can adjust it down to fit snugly yet comfo

rtably around your dogs neck. We have a video that demonstrates how to measure and fit your dog for a martingale, which we suggest to take a look at.

While martingale collars are not plentiful in your local Petco or Petsmart, you can find them online. Most martingale Collars are designed as a slip-on (no buckle),but some collar manufacturers like The Artful Canine offer buckle style martingales for those finicky dogs that don’t like the sensation of the collar being pulled over their ears.

Once you’ve got your martingale collar, the real fun begins! There are many videos that demonstrate the use of a martingale for training, but the best course of action is to get a few lessons in with a good trainer. Below is a video we found that will give you a a better sense of how martingale leash training works.

How to Train a Dog to Walk on Leash without Pulling

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