This is a solidly made prong color. It is nicely made with a buckle closure making it easy to get on and off. It is fairly easy to remove the prongs to adjust the length. The black fabric portion is not adjustable. You must remove links to size. I've been using this with two different German Shepherds. The first is a young female who goes from calm to Cujo in three seconds. This collar works well with her. and demonstrates her ability to rein herself in. The second is a senior male rescue. His training weakness is leash work. He is oversized and can be determined. A light correction with this has resulted in substantial improvements. I have used the all metal versions previously. although overall performance is about equal this is a tad easier to adjust and much easier to get on and off the dogs.

While this collar does the job well, I feel like other prong collars worked better. It did in fact stop my dog from pulling excessively, but it didn't stop it as well as I had hoped simply because I thought it was a bit awkward. I noticed that even with a bigger dog like mine (80 lb. German Shepherd), using the Herm Sprenger collar with the smaller links and just adding more to fit properly worked much better to correct my dog and instantly stop the tugging. I also prefer the all chained collar where the circles line up compared to the black material part of this collar. This collar is also not the easiest to take apart and put back together, which is SO important when you absolutely NEED to make sure it fits your dog properly and is in the right location. Otherwise, this collar still helped with pulling but for my dog or any dog that is extremely strong and has that drive, I prefer the other one to this. That is simply the only reason for the four stars not five! It is very durable and does the job but it was just a matter of preference with me!

Thank goodness this was for fine tuning not heavy training or we would have been chasing our dog several times as it just pops undone.
We had to splay the closing prong out a couple of times before that stopped. Otherwise seems to work as needed.

I train dogs as a hobby and work with a dog frequently, so I take training methods and tools pretty seriously. I usually only recommend a prong collar as a last resort, because most owners do not know how to use them properly (or, better said, are apt to misuse them when frustrated). A prong collar should never, *ever* be jerked, it should never choke the dog, and it should never cause the dog actual pain. The entire purpose to give them a surface pinch that prevents them from hurting themselves. It's a training tool, not a harming tool.

I love this collar because it is actually the right size of prong for any dog over 25 lbs (thick, so that it doesn't stab the poor guy). It even can be used with caps, for those with less faith in their use of the tool. I use it with a dog that is incredibly well trained, yet still has the bad habit of getting distracted on walks. He's fine when working, but off duty he is a real pill. This collar helps both my poor shoulders and his poor neck. He doesn't choke himself and he listens to all his cues. He's happier when wearing it. You pull the thing out and he runs to get it on, even if you have to switch it with his other collar. And the fabric side i a great touch for extra safety, comfort, and strength. We have two, one for the car and one for the home, and they're really helpful for everything.

This is a great training collar. It immediately improved the leash manners of our two Shiloh Shepherds, one 110 lb and the other 80 lb. We got this one because my wife isn't strong enough to open the links on a regular prong collar. The plastic snap buckle is VERY VERY strong...in fact it's almost as hard to open it as it is to remove a link, but it's easier on the fingers. The prongs are smoothly rounded so they won't injure your dog. BE SURE you know how to fit and use this. It should be closely fitted...comfortable, but no slack...at the top of the neck, just behind the ears and under the jaw. Remove or add links to get a correct fit. Keep the leash just barely slack...the dog should not be able to move more than a few inches from his heel position without the collar tightening slightly. You won't need to jerk the leash, the dog will administer his own correction if he gets out of position. There are lots of great videos on the web showing the correct way to use a prong collar. ONLY use the collar for training or walks, do not leave it on 24/7.

UPDATE, May 2018. After using these collars for several months, we remain completely satisfied. They are still like new, and our big, strong dogs walk beautifully with us, under complete control. Happy dogs, happy people!