Illusion Collar & Leash Dog Training Set

The illusion collar has been great for my dog, Emma. Being a golden retriever, her neck is shaped so that regular choke collars just slide down to the base above her shoulders. Ideally you want a choke to be right at the top under the jaw. That way your corrections can be much softer and will turn their head toward you.

Then we had a trainer who wanted to only use positive reinforcement so we bought a harness. This worked a little better but I think only because Emma identified it with class and got more into a working mode while wearing it. If something really got her attention though it really wasn't much beter.

Then we tried a prong collar. This was much better at getting her attention with much getler pulls but still tended to slide halfway down her neck even when fitted properly.

So we ordered on of Ceasar Milan's Illusion collars. This is great! The choke is always right under her jaw, we don't have to correct nearly as hard (or as often). The only difficulty is it is not a quick on/off device. There are straps to feed through buckles that have to be checked to make sure they aren't twisted. It is totally possible to put it on inside out or backwards. However, once you get the hang of it you will be quite pleased you took the time. I think your dog will too.

Pros: Keeps the choke in optimal position at the base of the jaw.

Cons: Takes a minute or two (and some practice to put on).

Our trainer introduced this collar to us for our 2 beagles and beagle-pit-boxer mix. The 1st 2 are incredibly stubborn and if they see a rabbit or fox at the park, they take off. We needed something effective that would not choke them. This works for them.

Pros: Keeps a stubborn dog inline

Cons: Can be tricky to put on in a hurry