Dog collars are essential pieces of kit. Besides looking attractive on your pet, they fulfil a number of important purposes, which makes them a must have item for your dog. Used in conjunction with harnesses, halters and leashes they provide a means for you to keep your dog under control. And should the worst happen and your pet wanders off without you, the name and phone number attached to the collar can make the difference between being reunited with your four-legged friend and saying goodbye forever.
Leather Dog Collars
I like to use a leather collar for my dog’s “normal” collar that he wears every day. I’ve chosen this type after trying out a few different ones because I think he finds it the most comfortable. There are various types of dog collar – rolled or flat, nylon web or leather, even metal slip-collars.
The one I bought him is a strong, flat version with a sturdy buckle fastening and looks really smart on him. It also does a great job of carrying his tags, which is essential because we live in the countryside and he sometimes goes for long walks by himself across the farm fields. Once or twice he’s been picked up by hikers and delivered back to my door. He’s such a loveable (and loving) chap that I fear if he wasn’t wearing his collar, he’d have been mistaken for a stray and could easily have been claimed by someone passing through.
Another reason I plumped for the leather type is that the nylon collars just seemed to irritate the heck out of him. I don’t know why, maybe he didn’t like the color, but whatever the reason, he was always scratching at it and trying to chew the thing off. Leather suits him so much better.
Dog Training Collars
There are a number of different types of training collar on the market, each of which serves a particular niche. Each of the various kinds available has its own strengths and weaknesses. Depending on your needs, and those of your pet, you can choose from a slip collar, a partial slip collar, pinch (or prong) collars, head halters or electric dog collars.
Used correctly, these collars can be a great help with training and controlling your dog. The most common type is probably the slip collar, which some people refer to as a “choke collar” or “choke chain”. This is a terrible misnomer because you should never choke your dog with such collars. The correct way to use the collars is with a short, sharp tug, or “snap” on the leash. This gives your dog instant feedback on his (bad) behaviour, but if you’re choking your dog, you’re using the collar incorrectly and are likely inflicting some level of cruelty on the poor fellow.
Shock Collars for Dogs
A quick word on electric shock collars. Don’t use them unless you are under the guidance of an expert dog trainer. Unless these collars are used in a very precise way, with a good understanding of dog training theory and very good sense of timing, they are actually quite cruel and will not give good results. I know they are sold in just about every pet shop, but I would encourage you to avoid them until you’ve exhausted all other options. And if you must use one, get some proper help from an experienced dog trainer first.
So that’s my 2 cents worth on dog collars, take a look at what’s available yourself. Browse the colors that are out there and see what your dog is happy wearing.
There’s no reason why you can’t get a selection of different collars to suit any occasion – just don’t go too mad with the bling!
