Product Review: Classic Kong

The classic Kong is a natural rubber chew toy in a distinctive snowman-type shape. It is durable and hollow in the middle, allowing the toy to be stuffed with edible treats. The Kong is available in six sizes to fit every dog from "that's not even a dog" through "pony".

Photo by Erin Koski

This is the flagship product of a highly successful dog toy company. Today they offer dozens of products for dogs, cats, parrots, and horses. The classic Kong dates back to 1976, when it was inspired by a rubber car part and a dog that liked to chew on rocks. The classic Kong shape is designed to bounce erratically for exciting chasing and play. It is non-abrasive on canine canines, and squishes pleasantly when chomped.

Today the classic Kong is a staple of the dog world. There are a variety of toys made from the original red rubber, from plain fetch balls to dental bones. The original snowman shape has been produced in several different types of rubber, from soft formulas for puppies and seniors, to super-tough materials for power-chewers.

Brisbane isn't a big fan of chasing or fetching the Kong, but for most dogs I know, the value of the toy is in its ability to be stuffed. I can cram this thing full of peanut butter, soaked kibble, wet dog food, cooked sweet potato, bananas, anything Brisbane thinks is worth slurping out of a toy. Freeze it solid, and he will spend at least ten minutes unstuffing it. The bigger the Kong, the bigger the challenge. Brisbane can safely chew a Medium Kong, but I prefer to give him a Large like the one shown here. We also have a couple of Extra Smalls for Ru, but he prefers to hide them in the couch rather than lick the peanut butter out of them.

There is really no limit to the ways a Kong can be used to entertain a dog. At one point the company sold a device that contained four Kongs that could be released at set times to help keep a dog busy for an extended period. I have personally duct taped stuffed Kongs inside several layers of cardboard boxes so that Brisbane had to destroy them in order to get to the food. When he was eating a premade raw diet, I would stuff his meals in them and freeze them so I could hand him one before I left for work in the morning.

Pros: Super durable, long-lasting, and dishwasher safe. Endlessly versatile, smear peanut butter inside, jam a biscuit in sideways, wedge it between the bars of the crate, toss it, bounce it. Use it to construct elaborate puzzles fro the dog to solve.

Cons: I want to say these last forever, but my experience has been that they actually have a lifespan of about 7-8 years of freezing, chewing, and dishwashering before they begin to crack. The decay is pretty obvious though, and it's slow enough that it's easy to tell when it's getting close to time to replace them. I think our Planet Dog Orbees have actually lasted longer than the Kongs. Despite the marketing, many dogs don't find an empty Kong terribly exciting.

Bottom Line: Every dog should have a Kong. I still had Oakley's classic Kong until a year or two ago. We have one Large and two Extra Small classic Kongs that I can find, and a Large and Medium that are currently at large under the furniture somewhere. We also have at least four other Kong rubber toys in various sizes and shapes, along with some of their newer offerings, including some Kong Quest toys and a Kong Marathon. At this point, my response to the news that Kong has made a new toy is "shut up and take my money!" Seriously. Kongs.

All About Prong Collars

A prong, or pinch, collar can be a useful training tool in certain situations. It can provide "power steering" for large and insensitive dogs, and allow powerful dogs to be walked safely. That said, there are some downsides to this device. Like most training tools, prong collars are often used incorrectly. Even those who know the basics are unaware of some of the different ways to alter the action of the prong collar to make it more or less severe. Even at their most severe, prong collars are less damaging and make far better training tools than choke chains.

I have used a prong collar on Brisbane in the past, when I was walking both of my dogs along with my roommates dog and often at least one foster dog. At the time, I needed something that would allow me to stop the entire pack when they spotted something chaseable, so Brisbane and the roommate dog got prong collars. In retrospect it wasn't the best choice because prong collars do cause pain or discomfort. Today I would not put a prong collar on a sensitive or reactive dog because I don't want to teach them that seeing a trigger makes their neck get pinched.

Size

Photo by Erin Koski

Prong links come in three different sizes. Bigger prongs are for bigger dogs, right? Wrong! Any size prongs can be used on any size dog, the difference in size just changes the level of severity.

The bigger the prong links, the more harsh the collar. It is perfectly acceptable, and actually preferred, to get a tiny prong collar and just add links until it fits the dog. This is ideal for dogs that are easy to handle on their own, but get difficult in groups. Walking multiple dogs is tough, they tend to feed off each others excitement.

If a small prong collar, properly fitted, isn't enough to control a large, insensitive, not-reactive dog, a medium or large collar is an option. I just hate to see giant prong collars on large, well-behaved dogs just because people think that the size of the prongs should be determined by the size of the dog.

Fit

This collar is too loose and sitting too low. Photo by Erin Koski

The fit of the prong collar dramatically alters the effectiveness. Unlike a choke chain, a prong collar should not hang loosely around the dog's neck before it is pulled tight. Prongs work like a martingale collar, with a small loop that pulls the big loop tight, but limits how tight. If the prong collar is loose enough to tighten all the way up, it's not going to be very effective.

That said, a loose prong collar with giant links is going to be less severe than a properly fitted one. I see a lot of labradors and golden retrievers wearing huge, floppy prong collars. Not very effective, but probably kinder to the dog.

This collar is properly fitted. Photo by Erin Koski.

A properly-fitted prong collar should in the middle of the neck, halfway between the shoulders and ears. It should be so tight that it stays up there, tight enough that it's slightly difficult to put on, but not tight enough to actively cause discomfort until leash pressure is applied.

The correct position is the one shown here, with the prongs around the back of the neck where the muscles are, and the leash attachment at the front or to the side. Again, the collar should be adjusted small enough that it remains in this position without sliding down or rotating.



Leash Attachment

Photo by Erin Koski.

The chain loop on a prong collar has two rings. Most people attach the leash to one of these rings, so that the collar tightens when leash pressure it applied. However, the collar can be made less severe by attaching the leash to both rings. This prevents the collar from tightening, so that the dog feels less of a correction. I always used Brisbane's prong collar like this, he is sensitive enough that he didn't need the collar to tighten.

The collar can also be made less severe by putting rubber tips on the prong. The kindest, gentlest prong collar is one with small links and rubber tips, with the leash clipped through both rings.

The most severe prong collar is one with large links and bare metal tips, with the leash clipped only to one ring. This collar would be the most effective on a strong, insensitive dog. I would not use it on a reactive dog, or one with behavior issues rooted in anxiety.

There are better training tools out there, and I don't really use prong collars anymore. Still, they probably have their place. I believe them to be most effective on big doofy gun dogs like labradors, golden retrievers, and weimeraners. Any handler using this type of collar needs to be aware that is an aversive tool that can make fear and anxiety issues worse, or even cause issues if the dog learns to associate the pain of the collar with certain stimulus. This should be a training tool that is eventually eliminated. I think that head halters work better as a safety measure for a small handler walking a large dog.

Safety!
Anyone who uses a prong collar needs to be aware that they can pop open suddenly for no reason. I always used a slip collar or martingale with the prong collar. The leash clips through the ring on each collar, so if the prong fails the martingale still safely contains the dog. It's a little bit bulky and a little bit inconvenient, but if will be worth it if it prevents my dog from getting away from me at the worst possible time.

Product Review: Mendota Slip Leads

Mendota slip leads are made from braided polypropylene rope. They come in two widths and are available in 4' and 6' lengths. The leashes are accented with oiled leather, and have a leather slide to prevent the ring from sliding too far toward the handle. This allows the slip lead to tighten up as much as necessary, but limits how big it can get so it doesn't slip off.

Photo by Erin Koski

Slip leads are super convenient, and Mendota slip leads are soft and pliable. This makes them easy to cram into my pocket or stuff in a purse. They make great my-dog-doesn't-really-need-a-leash leashes, and also wonderful maybe-I-should-use-a-leash-when-we-walk-from-the-house-to-the-car leashes. Brisbane is wearing a small 4' Mendota leash. We've had it for at least six years, and it looks great.

I don't use this for a regular walking leash, so it's pristine. I have seen ones that have been used as an everyday walking leash for several years, and they eventually start to go a bit fuzzy. The rope stays soft and pliable, though. Mendota leads are comfortable enough for dogs that don't pull, but I prefer to well-worn leather for Brisbane's everyday walking leashes because it doesn't give me a rope burn when he spots a squirrel. Mendota also makes martingale leashes called Dog Walkers, but I prefer the Lone Wolf martingale leads because the collars fit Brisbane perfectly without choking him.

Pros: Super convenient, just slip it on and go. Soft and pliable, not abrasive. Very sturdy and durable, will likely last longer than the dog. The thinner leads are very space-efficient and make great spares, car leashes, and emergency leashes. Escape-proof. The slip lead style allows for leash corrections.

Cons: Not as grippy as Lone Wolf or Timberwolf rope leashes. So far the Lone Wolf slip leads get my vote for maximum grip with minimal hand damage. Slip lead design strangles dog.

Bottom Line: I don't actually use this leash that often, but it is perfect for capturing loose dogs. I use it mostly as an emergency backup, a fail-safe for skittish dogs, and a leash that lives in my car. It's much nicer than those skinny little nylon belt slip leads that vet offices give away.