Choosing the Best Dog Collar For Your Dog

Picking out a dog collar is one of the fun dog supplies you can pick out for your pup. Your dog’s collar speaks of not only his personality, but yours, as well. It is important, however, that the collar you choose is the right one for your dog. There are many types of collars, but the two most important ones are walking collars and tag collars.

In order to pick out any collar, you must first know how much your dog weighs now and how much he will potentially weigh at adult size. It is also important to understand your dog’s age and breed characteristics. A dog that chews a lot needs a very sturdy collar. A young dog will have a lot of growing, so an adjustable collar is advised. Knowing all this information prior to picking out your dog’s collar will prevent a lot of frustration.

A tag collar is used primarily for holding dog tags. This is your dog’s version of a wallet. This collar can be any color shape or size, but it is important that you get the right fit for your dog. You should always be able to fit two fingers between the collar and your dog’s skin. Dogs grow very quickly; be sure to check your dog’s collar weekly to make sure it has a proper fit. You can choose your dog’s tag collar out of many different material types. Some are nylon or leather, some have buckles, and some have clips. Whichever fashion you choose, make sure that it is easy to use and your dog’s identification is easy to find.

It is not advised to walk your dog on the same collar that holds his identification tags for many reasons. One of the primary reasons is if your dog’s collar breaks while walking and he escapes, then he will have no identification. More importantly, walking your dog on his identification collar can be unsafe. The ID collar will typically put pressure on your dog’s trachea, causing him to choke when used for walks. To avoid choking or other problems, there are options you can use for walking collars:

• Choker chain: This is a long chain that is wrapped around the dog’s neck and, when pulled, the diameter of the chain becomes smaller, thus choking the dog. This suits many people, especially if your dog is an easy walker who stays by your side. One must be extremely careful, however, because if the dog pulls too hard on the choker chain, you can break his trachea. If this is the option you decide to use, please be sure you know how to properly use this collar. There is a correct and incorrect way to put this collar on your dog. Putting it on the wrong way will prevent the collar from relaxing once you release a pull.
• Walking harness: This is typically used for larger dogs because of the strain they put on collars. This harness wraps around the dog’s legs and shoulders. The leash is hooked to the top of the harness, which rests on your dog’s back. When using this harness, you must be careful not to inadvertently teach your dog to jump on people. The further your dog moves away from you, the more his shoulders are pulled up, causing your dog to stand on his back two legs. This motion can teach dogs very quickly to jump when excited.
• Pinching collar: While this is the most feared collar, it is actually designed for the safety of your dog. The collar has large spikes wrapped around the inside of a chain. The further your dog walks from you, the more the spikes come closer to each other, which pinches your dog’s skin. Because of this uncomfortable feeling, most dogs walk close enough to leave the collar loose around his neck, which can help train your dog to walk beside you. Because of the pinchers, this collar actually protects your dog’s trachea and prevents any choking or damage.
• Other fine examples of walking collars, such as: Gentle Leaders, belts, muzzles, or Haltis. These other walking collars offer similar benefits to the ones listed above, and also provide extra features. Gentle Leaders and Haltis are face collars that allow you to walk your dog without additional pulling. Similar to the body harness, these face collars give you control on where you dog tries to go if he pulls or moves in a direction you do not wish him to go. Belts are used when you wish to go running with your dog – you can put the belt around your waist, hook the leash to your belt, and enjoy a safe run with your dog. Muzzles are used if your dog has a tendency to snap at people.

Choosing the right identification and/or walking collars should be based on the comfort level both you and your dog have with the items. Once your dog is adjusted to his new collars and feels comfortable using them, you both with rest easy knowing that your dog’s identification will remain safely on his body and going on walks will be safer for your dog’s neck.

Comments

[Susan Burt]

I found this article very good, as a dog breeder of two different sized breeds (Great Danes&American Cocker Spainels) it would make a fantastic hand out in my puppy packs. I intend to use this information with every puppy I sell. Thank You Susan