Dog Collars
Dog collars - the options you have available
Before you duck out and buy your beloved dog a dog collar, have you really considered the options available and
which collars are the most suitable for your particular dog? First and foremost, I'm not saying that what your dog
has on is 'wrong' and that you made an incorrect decision in buying that particular collar for your dog. What I am
hoping to achieve here is to list out all the available options that you do have in terms of dog collars.
Dog collars - the 'conventional' ones
By these I'm referring to the ones you get from your local petstore. They come in a variety of colors
and can be nylon or leather. Some come with those snappy clasps (as seen in the picture) or the belt
type adjustable collar. If you are after leather dog collars, they really only come in your belt type
adjustable clasp. These collars are relatively inexpensive (I'm talking about the nylon ones) and do a
pretty good job of having somewhere you can attach your lead to. I find that the snappy dog clasps
tend to disengage with time with continual tugging. The leather collar that I have on my dog outlasted the nylon one but when it did start to give, it was easy enough to see and I could replace it before the
collar failed to secure the dog to the leash. This may not be the case with the nylon type collars with the snappy
clasps.
Dog training collars - electronic collars and choke chains
Dog training collars - choker chains
I'll start with the choke chains because that's what a lot of people think of when they say 'dog training collars'. Generally used for bigger more powerful dogs, these dog training collars have some value. For one thing, they aren't terribly expensive but the real problem I have with them is their
use by inexperienced dog owners. For a start, there is a certain way that you need to put it on your dog so that it releases when the tugging stops. If you put it on wrong, you are effectively strangling your dog
because it doesn't release, it just gets tighter and tighter. Improper use of these collars amounts to dog cruelty in
my eyes. If you take your dog to obedience classes and teach him/her to heel, then these training collars aren't
necessary in my opinion. Does it really offer you more control? I seriously doubt that the choking will do anything
to a dog that is likely to lunge or 'walk you' anyway. The constant pressure that it places on the
trachea/windpipe of some dogs has been implicated in a lot of neck and windpipe injuries. Needless to say if you
have a choker chain on your dog, take it off after walks, many a dog has strangled itself after catching those links
on a fence when the owners haven't done so.
Dog training collars - the pronged collars
If there is something to take the cake as the least favorite of my choice of dog collars, it would have
to be these torture like devices. As if the choker chain was insufficient in causing pain, this is ten
times worse. Armed with prongs that claim to exert pressure on the dog's neck when it pulls, I
seriously cannot imagine that it would just exert pressure and not harm. Really, if you think that
your dog requires such an implement to control it on normal walks then I would suggest that you may
not have put enough time into dog obedience training in the first place.
Dog training collars - the halter type ie Halti or Gentle Leader
These dog collars act like a halter (like a horse halter) and you control their whole head rather than just their
neck. They work well with controlling bigger dogs but excessive use and tugging can result in spinal injuries if your
dog struggles a lot with it and you persist in taking control. However used properly, it is a real asset for dogs where a little bit more control is necessary. Brand wise, it would appear that the Gentle Leader is
better made than the 'Halti' as a lot of owners have reported that the Halti seems to rub up against
their dog's faces or ride up more. Note that this type of dog collar is not a muzzle, your dog can still
bite but it does seem to convey the message to passerbys that your dog isn't to be tampered with
so you may avoid having to ward off wellmeaning people who keep wanting to pet your dog
Dog training collars - electronic, shock type collars
These dog collars act like a halter (like a horse halter) and you control their whole head rather than just their
neck. They work well with controlling bigger dogs but excessive use and tugging can result in spinal injuries if your
dog struggles a lot with it and you persist in taking control. However used properly, it is a real asset for dogs where a little bit more control is necessary. Brand wise, it would appear that the Gentle Leader is
better made than the 'Halti' as a lot of owners have reported that the Halti seems to rub up against
their dog's faces or ride up more. Note that this type of dog collar is not a muzzle, your dog can still
bite but it does seem to convey the message to passerbys that your dog isn't to be tampered with
so you may avoid having to ward off wellmeaning people who keep wanting to pet your dog
Designer dog collars
These come with sparkly rhinestone or dangling charms. Not all are functional - some are purely decorative in nature - often termed costume jewelry for pets. Generally more suited for lap dogs or toy dogs which you are apt to cart around in your arms rather than put on a leash. There are some of these designer collars that are both functional and decorative. These inevitably come at a price. CatsPlay has one of the biggest range of designer dog collars I've ever seen - click here to visit.
Dog collars - a final note
In my opinion, getting your dog a collar is one thing, having a dog that is well behaved and a good canine citizen is priceless. Do not use dog collars as a cure-all for a badly behaved dog. You are much better served paying for that obedience class and teaching your dog basic obedience commands. After all, you are the 'top dog' in his/her eyes and you want to keep it that way!
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