Julie Ruthers of Foster City recently called the Peninsula Humane Society. While walking along the levee, she'd been passed by a young woman on inline skates. The woman was moving fast, getting a good workout -- and dragging her helpless dog behind her. The dog's leash was attached to a training, or "choke," collar, and the dog was literally choking. Wrong activity to share with a dog, made more dangerous still by the dog's wearing the wrong collar.

For starters, all dogs should have a basic flat collar. For some -- well trained -- dogs this kind of collar is just right for on-leash walking; for all dogs, it's the perfect place to hang a name tag. (Current and complete name tags are critical canine fashion.) Collars come in a variety of widths and sizes: larger, wider bands are made for bigger, stronger dogs. The collar should sit high on your dog's neck, snug but not tight. (To test fit, slip two fingers between your dog's neck and the collar. You should have just enough room to do this comfortably.) Too loose collars can slip over your dog's head; they can also catch on cabinet handles and other objects, trapping and potentially hanging your dog. Be sure to check fit periodically, especially with growing puppies.

While it is very possible to train a dog using a traditional collar, lots of patience and healthy helpings of both treats and praise, dogs who are stronger willed or who tend to tug heavily on the leash will learn faster with a headcollar or a training collar.

Headcollars, such as the Gentle Leader, are new but already earning high marks from dog guardians and trainers alike. The Gentle Leader allows you to gently lead your dog by the head; it provides a quick and effective means for controlling pulling, lunging, jumping, barking and even aggression. PHS' animal behaviorist, Tehani Mosconi, finds the Gentle Leader an excellent choice for puppies, dogs who need a little more control and large dogs.

Brigid Woodford is co-owner of Morrigan's Dog Walking and Petsitting and a volunteer "answer person" on PHS' free Animal Behavior Helpline. With four to eight walks a day she sees a lot of dogs with a lot of different collars. One of her regular clients, a Doberman named Greta, was too strong to be controlled effectively with a choke chain and was terrified of the sound her pinch collar made when pulled. The solution? Woodford introduced Greta's guardians to the Gentle Leader and instructed them in its proper use. These days Greta's walking a very happy walk.

If a Gentle Leader sounds right for your dog, be sure to have the collar properly fitted by a behaviorist or dog trainer. The Gentle Leader should be loose enough so your dog can pant and drink water; eventually, after you both get used to it, it can be loose enough for your dog to carry a tennis ball in his mouth while wearing it!

Heavy metal
Chain-slip collars (or choke chains) and pinch (or pronged) collars are special devices that should be used only for training sessions and walks: never leave one on your dog in place of a nylon or leather flat collar.

The number one complaint from would-be dog trainers is that their dog's training collar isn't doing its job. "We do see a lot of dogs coming to obedience class with their training collars on backwards," explains Mosconi. Be sure to buy your dog the right size collar -- and learn how to use it. When worn correctly, a choke chain will easily and immediately release after you jerk it tight. However, if you put it on your dog backwards, it will simply become tighter with each tug, causing discomfort and preventing training.

Pinch collars should be used only on the most stubborn leash pullers, and never on puppies or dogs with a delicate trachea, such as Pekinese, pugs and Yorkshire terriers. "The pinch collar does look like a torture device," Mosconi admits. "However, it is a humane training tool when used correctly." When pulled, a pinch collar distributes pressure evenly around a dog's neck to correct behavior without pain.

Just walkin'
Harnesses are not neckwear, nor are they training devices. They are useful for walking dogs without putting pressure on their throats. While they can, to an extent, control your dog's pulling, they cannot help you stop him from wanting to pull in the first place.

Note: Our Best Friends, PHS' onsite pet supply store, carries a full like of collars. The staff love to share their expert advice with customers and are sticklers for making sure all dogs leave the store wearing the right neckwear. Our Best Friends' staff have been trained to fit the Gentle Leader headcollar.