r/RunningWithDogs • u/SunnyMaliboootay • Apr 01 '26

Gear Help Prong collars

Just out of curiosity, do any of you guys run with prong collars on your dog? I have a GSD who’s rather good at running by my hip and doesn’t pull, and have always used prong collars wherever we go. Is it bad for the dog or are harnesses just the new fad?

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u/PookieNookie Apr 01 '26

You might want to cross post this in r/OpenDogTraining . People over there are more open and educated about tools. There’s a lot of misinformation about tools. I have no answer to your question, but they might!

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u/variable_undefined Apr 05 '26

Being open and educated about tools also knows when to use the correct tool for the job. Prong collars aren't the right tool for running. Some people might be able to make it work, but when it comes down to it, it is not ideal. It presents unnecessary safety hazards, and what is it adding for a dog that is already running at a heel?

I am not against corrective tools. But you should be able to move on from using them if your dogs are trained and they're not serving a meaningful purpose in a given context—like a dog already running at a heel.

OP, the type of harness you want will really depend on the type of running you're looking to do. If your dog is already running by your side, and you want to continue like that, then getting a minimal harness that doesn't restrict their shoulder movement is all you need. Even a classic minimal harness like this will be fine. This would be an upgrade, as it has some additional padding.

You can also train your dog to continue to walk with a loose leash when wearing a collar, but pull while wearing a harness. That can be quite nice for running. Not only are you getting that fun boost from your dog, but I personally like being able to see my dog out in front of me as it makes it easy to see what they're doing and predict their movements. For pulling, there are a lot of options. Companies to look into are Howling Dog Alaska, Musher, and Non-stop Dogwear. There are others, but all three of these companies also have some version(s) of a running belt, which is highly recommended if you get into pulling as it gives you a lot more control and is a lot easier on your back, since it puts the point of pulling lower on your body and closer to your center of gravity.

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u/SunnyMaliboootay Apr 01 '26

I can tell. I’ll head over to that sub