Kendall Jenner Under Fire for Using Metal Link Collar on Her Dog

Kendall Jenner has been called out for apparently using a prong collar to walk her dog. The 24-year-old model can be seen strolling with her Doberman Pinscher on a metal link collar, which appears to be the kind with sharp prongs on the inside to keep dogs from pulling on the leash. Many animal lovers see this as a kind of “torture.”

Jenner wore a smile in the photo of her controversial dog walk, while her pup wore a chrome metal collar. The photo is old, dating back to August, but this week it resurfaced on Twitter and sparked a fresh controversy for the model.

A prong collar typically consists of rectangular metal links with prongs jutting in at a diagonal angle. The ends of usually blunted, so they poke or pinch the dog without breaking the skin or drawing blood, if used correctly. At each end is a metal loop, through which a separate chain is run which can be attached to the leash. This ensures that the collar is tight.

Many dog lovers are against prong collars and similar “aversive training tools.” The Humane Society’s website notes that prong collars are a last resort for strong, misbehaved or potentially dangerous dogs, and they should not be used lightly.

“More humane collars and good obedience training should make it unnecessary to resort to this aversive collar. If you insist on using one, consult an experienced trainer to learn how to properly size, fit, and use it,” it says.

Users on Twitter seemed to agree. Many remarked on the resurfaced photo this week, condemning Jenner and prong collars in general. Some even pointed out other common practices with Doberman, saying that these are cruel too.

“Kendal Jenner is just gross. Cutting your dog’s tail, sticking rods in its ears, training it with devices that cause pain. All so she can get a cool pic for her Instagram, not to mention she’s had about 5 different dogs. Whatever looks aesthetically good with her feed. Gross,” one person tweeted.

“If you can’t handle a big dog don’t get one simple!” added another. “There is no excuse, this is animal cruelty.”

“You can discipline a dog without needing to be physical at all, if not then you probably shouldn’t own one,” wrote a third.

Others defended Jenner, and prong collars in general. They argued that Jenner, of all people was most likely employing a capable dog trainer, and therefore using the collar appropriately. They also cited a 2018 report that Jenner’s Doberman had tried to bite a little girl at a restaurant, arguing that this justified extreme training methods. However, at the time Jenner’s reps told TMZ that the story was false.

So far, Jenner has not responded to the outrage.