# Resizing a prong ..



## Geoff Empey (Jan 8, 2008)

Hey I have a odd problem. The small HS prong with the 2.25mm prongs has to much of a bite for my liking with my dog. The medium 3.25mm the prongs are the right size, but the chain is to long so I have to take out to many links to make it fit my girl so that the teeth of the prong only go 1/2 way around her neck. 

Is it worth it to try to shorten the chain? I have a welder friend who could slice and dice stainless. Is there any reason why the chain can't be shortened? That way I can leave more links on the collar so that it has enough bite but not as much as the 2.25mm one, the 3.25 seem to be sturdier as well.


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

I would bet money I am going to have the same problem with Soda PoP and her scrawny neck. Why not resize the chain ??? I would bet their are many people out there with the same problem.


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## Geoff Empey (Jan 8, 2008)

Jeff Oehlsen said:


> Why not resize the chain ???


Is there any reason why I couldn't/shouldn't? 

If Sodapop is gonna be around 50lbs like my girl yup thats the problem. 3.25 to big 2.25 to small and nothing in between that fits. I hate the bite on the 2.25mm there is just to much there. It's ok for walking a young dog that is pulling but for giving harder corrections I've found that on a somewhat softer to correction dog it is way to much.


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

I cannot imagine a problem at all.


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## Kristen Cabe (Mar 27, 2006)

If you put the tip covers on the smaller size prong, would that help lessen the bite enough? That's a lot easier solution than trying to resize the chain.

Or what about putting it inside a sock with the toe cut out? Kind of like a sleeve.


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## Gerry Grimwood (Apr 2, 2007)

The solid area on a quick release are abit shorter if you are using yours on the dead links, like this one.

http://dogsportgear.com/Quick_Release_Dog_Prong_Collar.htm

They are sized to 16 " and up.


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## Geoff Empey (Jan 8, 2008)

Gerry Grimwood said:


> The solid area on a quick release are abit shorter if you are using yours on the dead links, like this one.
> 
> http://dogsportgear.com/Quick_Release_Dog_Prong_Collar.htm
> 
> They are sized to 16 " and up.


Yeah I've seen those but to me with that design the correction is ok but there isn't enough live action to make a real snappy correction like with a chain. To me it is a compromise.


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

We did one a few years ago and failed to weld it. Bolt cutters on the chain was easy and took less time than a hack saw. Doing that would work. Feeding the dog will not help? LOL


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## leslie cassian (Jun 3, 2007)

I tweaked my prong to make it easier to use. Can't remember exactly, but I cut one of the links or rings to release the chain and then used a quick link to attach a snap. Easier than fiddling with the prongs to open and close the collar. Minimal tool use required.

I'm thinking that you could cut the central ring, shorten the chain, then use a good caribener style snap through the end links to replace the cut ring and clip your leash to. Hoping that makes sense.


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## Mike Mano (Aug 17, 2007)

Hi....
You can more easily attach the leash snap to the chain itself. Put the collar on the dog and position it on the dogs neck where you like it to sit, then even up the chain of the prong and attach the leash snap to the 2 links on each side of the chain and then attach the end ring of the prong to the snap also, so it doesnt get in the way by dangling there.
Basically all you are doing is shortening the chain on the prong with the leash snap.
Hope this helps....
Regards...
Mike


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## Geoff Empey (Jan 8, 2008)

Yeah that makes sense. I was thinkign of that Leslie even using a stainless key ring close to the size fo the original HS ring. With a carabiner or key ring I could play with the sizing until I got it just right.


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## Tammy McDowell (Dec 4, 2006)

Geoff Empey said:


> Yeah that makes sense. I was thinkign of that Leslie even using a stainless key ring close to the size fo the original HS ring. With a carabiner or key ring I could play with the sizing until I got it just right.


We have done this with a key ring and it worked perfectly!


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## Leslie Patterson (Mar 6, 2008)

I like the collars without the chain better because the correction is quicker. I have one like that from Dogsport Gear and have a home made one. If you want to keep the chain you can easily cut as much chain off as you want and reconnect with a key ring or something like that. 
This is my collar (I think this is probably what you did too Leslie C.?)


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## Kristen Cabe (Mar 27, 2006)

So my ideas are no good, I guess?


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

I want to see how shortening the chain works out.


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## Gillian Schuler (Apr 12, 2008)

The picture Leslie Patterson posted is exactly how we altered ours to fit dogs with different neck sizes. In my mind the best solution.

Attaching the lead to the prong collar with a chain would in my mind not be quick enough for training but for a dog that needs correction for pulling it's ok.

Do you all use them with blunt prongs? Just curious.


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## leslie cassian (Jun 3, 2007)

Leslie Patterson said:


> I like the collars without the chain better because the correction is quicker. I have one like that from Dogsport Gear and have a home made one. If you want to keep the chain you can easily cut as much chain off as you want and reconnect with a key ring or something like that.
> This is my collar (I think this is probably what you did too Leslie C.?)



Thanks for the picture... my camera died and I haven't gotten a new one yet. 

Yes, pretty close to what I did.I used a caribener style snap after my quick links bent and opened.


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## Julie Ann Alvarez (Aug 4, 2007)

Leslie Patterson said:


> I like the collars without the chain better because the correction is quicker. I have one like that from Dogsport Gear and have a home made one. If you want to keep the chain you can easily cut as much chain off as you want and reconnect with a key ring or something like that.
> This is my collar (I think this is probably what you did too Leslie C.?)


Very cool. I have some old HS pinch collars that I am going to have to play with. 

Julie


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## Geoff Empey (Jan 8, 2008)

[B said:


> Kristen Cabe [/B]]So my ideas are no good, I guess?


No not at all I just want it to work like a prong and exert the same amount of control mechanically that the chain affords. With the rubber tips and other stuff I'm never sure of the exact level of correction that goes from the leash to the collar. 



Leslie Patterson said:


> I like the collars without the chain better because the correction is quicker. I have one like that from Dogsport Gear and have a home made one. If you want to keep the chain you can easily cut as much chain off as you want and reconnect with a key ring or something like that.
> This is my collar (I think this is probably what you did too Leslie C.?)


This is the same thing as the prong with the quick release snap with the nylon webbing that HS sells directly. The correction is not the same as the chain with this type of setup. I'd say the correction would work while out on a walk, but I'm talking about being able to put a consistent correction on a Malinois in full bore drive in bitework. For that you need the chain on the live ring. I'd guess that the correction on a setup like this would be even softer than being on a dead ring. 

My take still is going with a medium prong vs a small as there will be less surface area but chopping down the chain to make it fit with the same amount of links. That way the action will be exactly the same with no guesswork what is goin gdown the leash.


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

Without the chain you don't get the pinch. So you are just mashing the open prongs into the dog ??? Don't read way into this, just asking about the pinching.


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## Kristen Cabe (Mar 27, 2006)

Jeff, pretty much. It's just like hooking the leash to both rings on the chain (dead ringing). Some people say it gives a stronger correction because, like you said, there is no pinching action and you're just jerking the ends of the prongs into the dog's neck. Others say a dead ring correction is less severe because of the same reason - no pinching sensation.


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

Sounds retarded. Now where is that guy that can chop and weld dammit !!!:grin: :grin: :grin:


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Jeff Oehlsen said:


> ..... where is that guy that can chop and weld dammit !!!:grin: :grin: :grin:


You mean the village 'smithy??


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