Dog Collars - What you Need to Know

Author: Stephen Dolan

Dog collars come in a variety of materials, colors, styles and even functions. There's the obedience or choke collar, bark control collars, flea collars, and a whole array of just good old plain pooch collars. So which one do you choose? If you are taking your pooch to a special event or to a special gathering and you want them to look really good try getting a fancy dog collar and leash. For small dogs a simple flat collar will suffice. For larger dogs you might try a prong collar a wide leather band.

The dog collar market is swamped with conventional as well as more unusual types of dog collars. These serve a variety of functions and needs. As a pet lover and canine owner, you should know that different kinds of dogs need different types of collars.

What Type Of Dog Collar Are There?

Buckle Collars are pretty much just what they sound like, collars that are fastened with a buckle. They are typically made of leather or nylon and they are either flat or rolled. Buckle collars are usually adjustable and do not tighten on your pet's neck once fastened. Using a rolled leather collar avoids the chafing or hair breaking that can occur using flat collars.

Quick Release collars are fundamentally flat nylon buckle collars with a plastic closure. This clip is similar to some luggage strap fasteners and makes getting the collar on and off a little easier.

Choke chains are metal chain links of various sizes with a ring on each. These collars should only be used while actively training or exercising your canine. This type of collar is usually sold by length, so ask for assistance when buying a slip collar.

Head collars go over your pets head but they are not a muzzle. While wearing a head collar, your a hound can still pant, bark, drink and eat, even bite! They should only be used for training.

If you have a very tight lead on a dog, the strap around the muzzle will push into its eyes, and that is as bad as a Halti which pushes into the eyes anyway. While some trainers will use flat buckle type collars, especially on puppies, these collars do not always provide the most useful control for more unruly dogs. For a very aggressive dog, the pinch collar can actually make the animal worse.

What Do I Need To Know About Dog Collars?

You need to ensure that your best friends collar fits well. Badly fitted collars and their incorrect usage may be harmful to your pet and in the worst case it can prove to be fatal. A properly fitted collar has at least a two finger width space between the collar and the neck of the dog but it should not slip over his ears.

If you don't like the sound of clinking dog tags or if you worry that the metal tags will discolor your pet's fur, then you can use a special tag pouch, available at most pet stores.

For hunting dogs certain pet tracking systems allow the dog handler or owner to determine what your dog is doing by using certain behavior systems that form part of the collar. You will be able to tell if a pet has stopped, is still moving, if a hound is barking, or if he has treed an animal. Pet tracking collars are used when you are out hunting with your dog. They can be used by houndsmen, upland bird hunters, beaglers, coon hunters, field trial (bird dogs) and hog hunting.
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Finally pick a dog collar that suits your dogs personality and size. A giant black leather collar with studs may not suit a toy poodle, or a pink ribbon style collar a British Bulldog. After all it is part of your pet's image so pick the correct one!

About the Author:

Steve Dolan is a dog lover and long time dog owner. For more information about dog collars and tags click Dog Collars and Tags, and for more about dog health and keeping your dog happy click Dogs and Puppies Online.

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