Herm Sprenger is the brand we have to credit for the creation of the Herm Sprenger Ultra-Plus Training Collar. Herm Sprenger is a German brand that puts all its resources and ideas into the design and creation of dog training equipment.
With this brand, there are no regular collars or regular anything actually. All its products are carefully designed to teach dogs certain behaviors.
Metal seems to be Herm Sprenger’s go to material for production. The brand apparently seems to think that metal makes for more durable and effective training equipment.
That said, the collar we are reviewing is a prong collar which is usually used to teach dogs to not pull on their leashes.
We will point out here, that we are not entirely comfortable with prong collars, irrespective of how ‘safe’ they may be.
For more information on training collars and what we think of each kind, we advise that you go read this article on dog training collars.
So now, this question:
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Who Can Wear The Herm Sprenger Ultra-Plus Training Collar?
Now, if your dog must wear this collar, he most definitely must not be a puppy younger than 6 weeks old. Young puppies have really fragile throats. So wearing something that is going to be poking them there could be disastrous.
Generally, any dog that does not need training should not be wearing this collar. Even those that are getting trained should not be wearing the collar all day every day.
As for size, the collar is available in four different sizes; small, medium, heavy and extra-heavy. Size small is about 12 inches, size medium is about 16 inches, size heavy is about 18 inches while size extra heavy is about 20 inches.
Features Of The Herm Sprenger Ultra-Plus Training Collar
1. Material
The Herm Sprenger Ultra-Plus Training Collar is made of metal and also coated for good measure. And the idea behind coating it is to make sure that the collar is resistant to such things as rust and tarnish.
There are no colors with this one. You just have the regular color of the coat.
2. Design
The collar, as we earlier said, is a prong collar. This means that it is composed of links of prongs. The prongs on this collar are curved in and blunt.
So, they will make your dog uncomfortable (that’s how the collar grabs the attention of the wearer) but should not be painful.
The prongs are joined together as a chain of links. You can remove a link or add additional links.
Prong collars usually do not have any form of adjustment mechanism. So you usually have to adjust them by adding or removing links.
Now if you want to add or remove links, it is best you do it where the metal plate attaches to the prong or where the rings attach to the links. Addition or removal is better that way.
Now, as regards addition of links, you’ll have to buy extra because the Herm Sprenger Ultra-Plus Training Collar doesn’t come with additional links.
We should also mention that unhooking the links is how you get your dog to wear this collar. Seeing as there is no clasp of any kind.
One more thing! The idea of the metal plate is not primarily for easy adjustment. It is there to relieve the pressure on your dog’s trachea.
With the way it is designed, there are no prongs in that area, so there is nothing puncturing the trachea. Not like there is anything puncturing anything though.
3. Chain Loop
This collar is designed to tighten when it is pulled on. And the feature responsible for this is the chain loop. This loop does not have any prong and it really doesn’t need to, seeing as it doesn’t touch the wearer’s skin.
The chain loop is attached to the main collar by two rings; one on each side. Now, there are two rings on the loop itself. One on either side of it. However, the one you want to hang your dog’s leash on is the one that is slightly heavier.
Your dog might not need an ID tag when he’s wearing this collar. This is due in part to the fact that there is no provision for that.
However, it is largely due to the fact that they shouldn’t be wearing the collar unsupervised in the first place.
Is The Herm Sprenger Ultra-Plus Training Collar User Friendly?
Yes, it kinda is. You basically just have to learn how to remove and add links and we don’t expect it to give you so much of a problem.
However, we advise that your dog trainer or veterinarian be in the know of your getting this collar. They are actually in the best position to determine if a prong is what your dog needs.
Pros Of The Herm Sprenger Ultra-Plus Training Collar
1. Rust Resistant
The Herm Sprenger Ultra-Plus Training Collar is made of metal that is coated which should make it resistant to rust.
2. Works
Now, despite the fact that we are not excited about this collar being a prong collar, we can’t take away the fact that it works. We don’t think it is a humane training collar option but dogs have been known to respond to it.
3. Blunt Edges
We also appreciate the fact that the edges of the prongs are blunt. So that even if they cause discomfort, they do not lead to injuries and pain.
Cons Of The Herm Sprenger Ultra-Plus Training Collar
There is so much addition and removal of links going on with this collar. And we cannot honestly say that it is the easiest thing to do. Plus, you’ll have to do this quite frequently because your dog cannot wear this collar to bed.
Alternative Options To The Herm Sprenger Ultra-Plus Training Collar
Option With A Buckle
Coastal Pet Prong Dog Collar
The Coastal Pet Prong Dog Collar comes with a plastic buckle. So, while you’ll still need to do the addition and removal of links to adjust the collar, you just need to do it that once. The buckle will do the work of securing the collar around your dog’s neck.
Does it make any difference that this collar is more affordable than our featured collar? We’ll allow you answer that on your own. Head on over to this review for more information on the Coastal Pet Prong Dog Collar.
Safer Option
Pettom Prong Training Dog Collar
We’ve listed the Pettom Prong Training Dog Collar as our safer option because each prong features a rubber stopper. So, in addition to the prongs being blunt, there is an extra layer that is supposed to ensure comfort.
The rubber stoppers are removable if, for whatever reason, you do not need them. For more information on the Pettom Prong Training Dog Collar, refer to this review.
Opposite Spectrum
StarMark Training Collar
The StarMark Training Collar is our opposite spectrum because it is not made of metal. The entire collar is made out of plastic and it will actually look like your dog is wearing a plastic neck band and not a training collar.
It comes in only one color; black. The StarMark Training Collar is another collar that you don’t have to mess with the links to get your dog to wear.
It features a metal clip for that purpose. However, you’ll still need to mess with the links to get the collar to be your dog’s proper size. Check out this review for more information.
Comparison Table
Herm Sprenger Ultra-Plus Training Collar
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Coastal Pet Prong Dog Collar
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Pettom Prong Training Dog Collar
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StarMark Training Collar
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| Material | Metal | Metal and nylon | Metal | Plastic |
| Clasp | None | Plastic buckle | None | Metal clip |
What People Think About The Herm Sprenger Ultra-Plus Training Collar
A good number of people are actually happy with this collar. It seems to work well on the wearer and is not exactly painful.
Our Take
We still do not like that the Herm Sprenger Ultra-Plus Training Collar is a prong collar. But if you think it is OK (and your dog trainer or veterinarian is OK with it), then why not? Go right ahead!
