Training your dog or puppy to walk on a leash can be a challenging task without the proper techniques or tools.
One tool that works very well in aiding dog owners in their training sessions with their new dog or puppy is a martingale collar.
So how do you know when a martingale collar is right for you and your dog? Here's a few situations that may sound familiar:

• 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 a martingale dog collar training a try.
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 martingale collars just for training; some for walking their dogs; and others use if for everyday wear.
How you use it will depend on you and your dogs needs.
Fitting your dog for a martingale is easy.
Simply 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 comfortably around your dogs neck.
While martingales are not plentiful in your local Petco or Petsmart, there are a plethora of them online.
Most martingale Collars are designed as a slip-on (no buckle), but some collar manufacturers 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.
In my next blog article, "Training Your Dog Using a Martingale Collar," I will cover the basics in leash training using a martingale dog collar.