Herman Sprenger prong collars: comparing the models
Herman Sprenger prong collars come in four designs: semi-slip without a buckle, semi-slip with a ClickLock buckle, fixed-circumference with a ClickLock buckle and the plate-type Neck-Tech Sport. They differ in how you put them on (over the head or from the side) and whether they tighten when the leash tightens. Wire thickness, length and material are chosen only within a specific design.
Herman Sprenger is a German manufacturer from Iserlohn, in business since 1876. In IGP (a working dog sport of tracking, obedience and protection) its prong collars are the standard. We have the widest choice of Herman Sprenger prong collars, so you'll find each of the four designs in several lengths and materials. Below we compare them side by side.
Herman Sprenger prong collars compared in a table
The key difference is how the collar goes on and what it does when the leash tightens. The other parameters (wire, length, material) follow from the versions Sprenger makes of each design.
| Semi-slip, no buckle | Semi-slip with ClickLock | Fixed circumference with ClickLock | Neck-Tech Sport | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| How it goes on | over the head | from the side, with a buckle | from the side, with a buckle | from the side, with a buckle |
| Does it tighten when the leash tightens | yes, within the chain's range | yes, within the chain's range | no | 48 and 60 cm no, semi-slip 50 cm yes |
| Where the leash clips on | the ring on the chain | the ring on the chain | one or two fixed rings by the buckle | the D-ring by the buckle, on the semi-slip the ring by the swivel |
| Wire thickness | 1.5 / 2.25 / 3 / 3.2 / 4 mm | 2.25 / 3 / 3.2 mm | 2.25 / 3.2 / 4 mm | no wire, flat 30 × 20 mm links |
| Lengths we stock | 32-63 cm | 43-58 cm | 40-60 cm | 48, 50 and 60 cm |
| Materials | stainless steel, black stainless steel, chrome-plated steel, Curogan | stainless steel, black stainless steel, Curogan | stainless steel, black stainless steel, Curogan | stainless steel, matt stainless steel, matt black |
| Our prices | from 121 zł | from 223 zł | from 178 zł | from 299 zł |
On all of them you adjust the length with links, no tools needed.
Herman Sprenger semi-slip prong collar without a buckle
A semi-slip prong collar has a chain that runs through the collar and ends in a ring for the leash. A pull on the leash closes it evenly around the whole neck, and the length of the chain limits how far it can close. It goes on over the dog's head.
This design has the widest range of sizes: from 32 cm with 1.5 mm wire to 63 cm with 4 mm wire. A centre plate sits at the front of the neck and takes pressure off the larynx, and the links are rounded, with no sharp edges.
Since the collar goes over the head, sizing is not only about the neck circumference but also about the head at its widest point. That decides whether the collar will go on at all.
Sprenger also makes several variants of this design:
- MICRO - 1.5 mm wire and a 2 cm link, 32 cm long, for small dogs.
- mini - 2.25 mm wire and a 3 cm link, 41 cm long.
- short links - a 3 cm link like the mini, but with thicker 3 mm wire. The manufacturer recommends it for active dogs for whom 2.25 mm can be too delicate, and gives the Malinois as an example.
- Easy-On - a mechanism that lets you put the collar on and take it off with one hand while the other holds the leash.
- 1 ring, 2 rings, swivel ring - three different ways to clip on the leash. The swivel ring stops the leash from twisting around the links.
Semi-slip prong collar with a ClickLock buckle: side or centre
On a semi-slip with ClickLock, a tightening leash works just as on the semi-slip without a buckle, but you put it on from the side, without pulling it over the head. Sprenger makes it in two versions that differ in where the buckle sits.
ClickLock is Sprenger's patented buckle. It closes with one move and has a safety lock against accidental opening during work.
| Side ClickLock | Centre ClickLock | |
|---|---|---|
| Where the buckle sits | by the side plate, next to the martingale chain | opposite the chain, in place of the centre plate |
| Centre plate | stays | replaced by the buckle; the links clipped into the ClickLock face away from the larynx |
| Wire and lengths we stock | 2.25 mm (43 cm), 3.2 mm (58 cm) | 3 mm (50 and 58 cm) |
| Extra | a swivel that stops the leash from twisting | shorter links with the thicker 3 mm wire |
This design makes the difference for dogs whose head barely fits through a semi-slip without a buckle, when you want to keep the chain action.
Fixed-circumference prong collar with a ClickLock buckle
A fixed-circumference prong collar has no martingale chain, so its circumference stays the same when the leash tightens. The ClickLock buckle sits on top of the collar, and the leash clips to a fixed ring by the buckle. Opposite the buckle is a centre plate that takes pressure off the larynx.
You can choose a version with one or two rings. With two rings you clip the leash to one of them or to both at once, depending on how you work.
| Wire | Link | Lengths we stock |
|---|---|---|
| 2.25 mm | 3 cm | 40 cm |
| 3.2 mm | 4 cm | 52 and 58 cm |
| 4 mm | 5 cm | 60 cm |
On the 60 cm / 4 mm version a black strap runs on both sides of the buckle, separating it from the chain of links.
Neck-Tech Sport: how it differs from a wire prong collar
Neck-Tech Sport is the plate version: instead of a single wire it has flat, wide links with prongs bent towards the inside of the collar. From the outside it looks like a metal collar, not a prong collar. The links are rounded, with no sharp edges.
A Neck-Tech link is 30 mm long and 20 mm wide. The manufacturer points out that the wide, flat links are especially comfortable for short-coated dogs. Neck-Tech Sport comes in two versions:
- fixed circumference, 48 and 60 cm - a ClickLock buckle with a D-ring that the leash clips to. You put it on from the side, and the lock releases with two fingers. Opposite the buckle is a centre plate that takes pressure off the larynx.
- semi-slip, 50 cm - it has a martingale chain with a swivel, and the leash clips to the ring by the swivel. The ClickLock buckle sits at the centre, in place of the centre plate.
Neck-Tech Sport comes in three finishes: natural stainless steel, matt stainless steel and matt black. You'll find them all in our Neck-Tech collection.
Semi-slip or buckled prong collar: which to choose
Two things decide between a semi-slip and a buckled collar: whether the collar should tighten when the leash tightens, and whether you want to put it on over the head. If the dog's head is much bigger than its neck, a semi-slip without a buckle may not go on, and then the ClickLock version is the way to go.
Put simply:
| If what matters to you is… | Design |
|---|---|
| the chain action and the widest choice of sizes | semi-slip, no buckle |
| the chain action, without pulling it over the head | semi-slip with ClickLock |
| a fixed circumference and closing with one move | fixed circumference with ClickLock |
| a collar that doesn't look like a prong collar | Neck-Tech Sport |
You choose the length separately, from the neck circumference. How to measure it and what to do when the measurement falls between sizes is explained step by step in our prong collar sizing guide.
Prong collar wire thickness by model
Sprenger wire prong collars have wire from 1.5 to 4 mm, and each thickness comes with a different link length. The thicker the wire, the gentler it feels, because the same pressure spreads over a larger prong surface.
| Wire | Link | Which designs |
|---|---|---|
| 1.5 mm | 2 cm | semi-slip (MICRO) |
| 2.25 mm | 3 cm | semi-slip, semi-slip with side ClickLock, fixed circumference |
| 3 mm | 3 cm or 4 cm | semi-slip, including short links, semi-slip with centre ClickLock |
| 3.2 mm | 4 cm | semi-slip, semi-slip with side ClickLock, fixed circumference |
| 4 mm | 5 cm | semi-slip, fixed circumference |
Which thickness to choose for your dog's size and strength is covered in our sizing guide. Spare prong collar links are chosen to match the material and wire thickness of your collar.
What Herman Sprenger prong collars are made of
Wire prong collars come in stainless steel, black stainless steel, chrome-plated steel or Curogan, and Neck-Tech in stainless steel in three finishes. The material doesn't change how the collar works, it changes its durability, look and price.
- Stainless steel - resists corrosion and moisture, doesn't wear through and doesn't stain light coats.
- Black stainless steel - the same steel with a black galvanic coating. The manufacturer notes that the coating wears through over time, and on very light coats it can discolour the hair.
- Chrome-plated steel - the most affordable version, which we stock in semi-slip collars. With regular use the chrome plating can rub off, especially on the prongs.
- Curogan - a nickel-free alloy of copper with tin and zinc, in a warm, golden colour. The most hypoallergenic material in Sprenger's range.
Each material is covered separately in our article What are Herman Sprenger prong collars made of.
Coloured Herman Sprenger prong collars
Coloured prong collars are factory Sprenger ULTRA-PLUS collars that we paint in our workshop in full, including the rings and the buckle. You can choose a semi-slip 41 cm / 2.25 mm or 55 cm / 3 mm, without a buckle or with a ClickLock in place of the centre plate, or a fixed-circumference 58 cm / 3.2 mm, always with a ClickLock.
Each collar is painted to order, and the painting itself takes 3 working days. A personalised prong collar can't be returned or exchanged; your right to make a complaint stays unchanged. All the colours are in our personalised collection.
Are all Herman Sprenger prong collars ULTRA-PLUS
Almost all Sprenger wire prong collars belong to the ULTRA-PLUS line, including semi-slip, mini and buckled ones. The MICRO model has its own name but is built on the same system, with a centre plate and a chain that limits how far it closes. The only separate model is the plate-type Neck-Tech Sport.
So a prong collar without a ClickLock isn't an "older line", just a different design in the same family.
What each of these prong collars is for
All four designs are equipment for work on the leash during training. Don't leave a prong collar on your dog day to day, during free running, in transport or when the dog is left alone.
Not sure which model to choose? Compare the designs in the table above, and pick the length and wire thickness with our sizing guide. If you'd rather we chose the collar for you based on your dog's measurements and photos, book a sizing consultation.