Your dog's collar.

[jenluckenbach]

Does your dog's collar fit properly, or do you leave it loose enough to slip off?

[vinjashira]

it's loose enough to insert 2 fingers in but not so loose that it slips off.

[Ginger's Mom]

I have had to go to a martingale collar, because no matter how tight I had it Ginger could slip out of it if she was scared. I switched to the martingale about a year ago, and thought it was working great, until about three weeks ago when she became frightened by a large dog and slipped her lead. But that was the only time she has done it with that collar. If she does it again we will need to go to a harness.

Why do you ask?

Edit: Oh never mind, I just went to General and I see why you asked. Let me just say that as an owner of an Eskie, their heads must be smaller than their necks, because they can get out of a collar very quickly if they want to. :rolleyes:

[jenluckenbach]

Why do you ask?

I ask mainly because 9 out of 10 dogs that come into the grooming shop have collars WAY too large for them. Now, they may walk nicely with their owner, but they DON'T want to willingly come into the shop and they are constanly slipping out and getting away. It is frustrating and I think very dangerous for a dog to be able to get off its leash/collar.

And yes, that story reminded me that I wanted to make this poll.

[AllAmericanPUP]

all of my dogs collars are snuggly fit so that they cant slip over their heads.

except maggie, when she wears her collar(rarely) it's pretty loose because she's 13 and moves slow anyhow, i never put a leash on her, of course unless she is going to the vet, then the leash is on and the collar is snuggly fit

I dont think most people realize the risks of a loose collar, all it takes is the dog to move backwards and the collar is off, then they can bolt and you may never find your pet again.

[wolfsoul]

Personally I think a dog should have different collars for different things -- I think that for a walk, it shouldn't be able to slip off. But for wearing around the house, it should be able to slip off. I've heard way too many horror stories about dogs hanging themselves and whatnot.

My catahoula will have a martingale for walks -- they are safe and comfortable and won't slip off -- for around the house, a simple collar that can slide off if the dog is caught on something.

[Kfamr]

My dog's collars are loose around the house, but when we go for walks they get tightened or wear harnesses.

[GoldenRetrLuver]

Originally posted by vinjashira
it's loose enough to insert 2 fingers in but not so loose that it slips off.

Yep, same here.

They have their collars on when they go to the dog park, out for walks, etc. but when they're just playing or relaxing in the house I take their collars off.

[Twisterdog]

Originally posted by Kfamr
My dog's collars are loose around the house, but when we go for walks they get tightened or wear harnesses.

That's what I do, too. I want their ID tags on them, if they should happen to get out. But in the rare chance they might get their collar hung up on something, I want them to be able to pull out of it.

When I take them for walks, I just slip a choke chain on them.

[Pam]

Harnesses for my two! That is because Ripley is a magician when it comes to slipping out of his collar. Around the house I keep a collar on him in case, God forbid, I let him outside and find that someone has tampered with the gate. On walks the little stinker wear a halter in addition to his collar. Bella wears nothing around the house but on walks wears both her collar and harness.

[Cincy'sMom]

We also use Martingale collars. Dogs can still slip out of these if they are too loose and you grab the collar as a whole, but if they are fir preoperly, the dog can't slip out of them. Even when worn too loose, if you use grab only the outer loop of the collar, it tighens, so they can not slip out.

[Vette]

My dog doesnt wear a collar at anytime. he scratches the ever living daylights out of his neck if i leave one on.

luckily we live in the country with a huge fenced in yard. so collar and tags really arent quite that manditory. plus he never goes outside by himself anyway.

[slleipnir]

Josie's normal collar is very loose and can slip over hear head, but I walk her with a training collar that fits properly.

Zeke's fits properly

[Shelteez2]

The shelties never ever wear collars.... and in the very odd case that they do need one on, say a trip to the vet then the collar is so loose it slips right on over their heads.

[Giselle]

Martingale for the Greyhound who requires it (and in many expensive designs ;) ), and no-collar/harness for the Peke. I didn't vote because my two use different products.

[jesse_3]

Well, Jesse is little Ms. Houdini, SO, she has figured out that if she pulls her leash hard enough, her collar will loosen:eek: Then she can slip out. I keep tightening it, but there have been one or two times when she has escaped!

Steph and Jes

[sabies]

Sadie wears her collar a bit loose. It can't get tight enough for her small head so she wears a harness almost all the time outside and always if someone else is walking her!

[rizzy]

Sallys collar could slip off if its pulled on. That is mostly because they are too big for her. Usually its about right though.:)

[Uabassoon]

Payson can slip out of his collar. He has a head and neck shaped like a greyhound (we think he's part whippet). Even if his collar his properly tightened he can still slip out since his neck is nearly the same size as the base of his head. When we go for walks he wears a harness that he can't slip out of. We just ordered a martingale collar from Ebay, so just waiting for it to arrive.

[cloverfdx]

My guys dont wear collars at home. When out walking they have martingales for onlead walking, then they are removed at the park. They have flat cotton webbing on at Flyball, with tags on (Before and after training), which are loose enough to slip off over their heads.

[RobiLee]

Katie and Tori's are pretty loose around the house. When we go for walks they either have their martingale type collars on or their prong collars. I am paranoid of my girls slipping out of their collars because they are both runners, especially Miss Tori! I try to make absolute certain that it won't happen.

[lv4dogs]

I couldn't really post an reply to the poll as my dogs are different.
Nanooks collar is loose, he can slip out of it if needed. He has developed sensative skin a couple years ago as he aged. So he has to wear a special collar & wear it loose. But if I were to take him somewhere where someone else had to handle him I'd tighten it so he can't slip out.

Raustyks collar is loose but she can't slip out of it.

Kaige's collar is loose. I tried to have it tighter so he can't slip out of it but then he itches like crazy at it, so bad he gave himself a few scratches. Now he has yet to slip out of it, but he could if he really wanted to. I do plan on tightening it up a bit once he gets used to it more.
But when I take him somewhere & he is on a lead I do tighten it up a bit just to be safe.

[ParNone]

No collars for mine around the house. Mine aren't runners, so I think in their case that's a safer option. If they were runners, I'd probably keep a loose collar on them too.

When we're out and about though, Murph wears a Harness, Oz and Gull a Martingale. I really like the Martingale, because it stays loose around their neck and seems more comfortable for'em.

I do however use a Harness for the Collies, if we're hiking in rocky areas. I had Oz slip off a rock once and the leash got caught. Luckily he was wearing a Harness, so all he got was some chaffing under his arms. Hate to think how painful (or worse) having his neck snap back would have been, if the leash had been attached to his Collar.

Par...

[IRescue452]

Autumn's fits snug enough but I can pull it over her head rather than unbuckling it when I switch collars. She would have a hard time pulling it off as it would get caught up behind her ears. She's never refused to walk anywhere though.

[Bigyummydog]

Originally posted by wolfsoul
Personally I think a dog should have different collars for different things -- I think that for a walk, it shouldn't be able to slip off. But for wearing around the house, it should be able to slip off. I've heard way too many horror stories about dogs hanging themselves and whatnot.
I agree.

MAXIMUS' could get his off if necessary. He wears a prong for walks. Can't have him dragging us both out in the street.

The only time he doesn't wear his collar, is after a shower. He gets to be naked for a night.

[Smilla]

Lefty's collar has a little "give." It used to be even looser, and once he got out of it and charged the mail truck. :rolleyes: I feel bad making it any tighter, though.

[Buddy Blaze Lover]

Blaze's collar fits well, is loose, but not so much that it could slip off.:)

[pitc9]

Mine both can slip out of their collar's, but when we go anywhere I use choke collars.

[Smilla]

Does anyone else feel that their dog looks naked and kind of small without their collars? Lefty always looks that way to me--kind of small and pitiful, really.

[Giselle]

Nah. I think dogs look more beautiful nekkid. Both my pups are nekkid at home. For one, a collar restricts the growth of the neck fur (on my Peke), and ALL collars (satin lined even) cause Giselle to itch. Besides, she looks so much more elegant without a collar ;)

[Smilla]

Heehee...maybe I'll try to think of Lefty differently, but I don't think there's any way he could be described as "elegant." :)

[k9krazee]

I like my dogs collarless as well, I absolutely hate the way the hair grows on the neck from the collar, I just got back from a month away and my mom can't stand naked dogs so Jack now has that lovely ring around his neck...So I usually keep the collars off or very loose in the house and tighten them up for walks or slip on a harness or halti.

[ParNone]

Yeh I think mine look better when nothing's interfering with their neck hair, especially Oz and Gull. They have such thick, gorgeous manes around their necks, I hate to see a collar ruining it. I think they look best in pictures with nothing around their necks (squashing the hair down) too, so it's all poofy. :)

Par...

[cali]

well my dogs a a million differnt collars, harnesses and halters lol Ripley ALWAYS wears a tight fitting collar. period. he is a master escape artist, and while he no longer takes off out doors are slips through the gate, people DO open our side gate sometimes, whilke I had the gate locked for a while, our front door died(it no longer opens at all, my brother or I have to lean out the window to bring in the mail and newspaper lol) so my brother had to go back to useing the side gate. for flyball he has a tight none tagged collar. he actually wears it all the times right now as his tagged collar broke and none of our other collars fit him properly.

Misty has her tagged smily face collar wich she wears most of the time, tightly, she always wears a collar not because she goes anywhere, she wont leave the yard with the gate standing wide open lol but because Perky and Blair like to provoke her to fight, and we need to be able to grab her easy. she also has several un-tagged collars, a harness and a halti, and she wears a clipped up chain collar(I added a clasp to a training collar,so it works like a martingale) when I want to give her hair time to grow in properly.

Happy sometimes wera s a collar and sometimes does'nt, latly she has been though as the summer games are going on near my house, and well sports gets Happy rearing to go play with them lol otherwise she does not wear a collar at all, its not like she is going to run away, she wont even leave my side lol

Blair and Perky always wear their collars, Perky because she looks weird without one, but she also has decorated collars for freestyle, Blair has no tags but he is a brat and we gotta be able to grab him somehow, my mom always complains when I take his collar off lol they both wears then tight enugh to slip 2 fingers in.

[cyber-sibes]

Mine are a little loose, but I don't think they can slip out.

[sandragonfly]

my crayola has a permnante orange plastic collar that can be slipped out. (orange collar is for service dogs) -

but I do sometimes take it (and martingale) off only in the house (impossible to run away) so he can sleep all he want to! :)

on outrips, at parks or everywhere, he has his own blue martingale, impossible to slip off. but it doesn't matter because he almost never is on leash (in fenced areas) and never would try to run away.




posted by jenluckenbach
I ask mainly because 9 out of 10 dogs that come into the grooming shop have collars WAY too large for them. Now, they may walk nicely with their owner, but they DON'T want to willingly come into the shop and they are constanly slipping out and getting away. It is frustrating and I think very dangerous for a dog to be able to get off its leash/collar.

this is why I put on our leash (without latch) on any dog and put one side through the loop (handler) before we ask the owners to take the leash off! :) maybe you can try this so they'd not run away. I know, beside our shops, they still should tight a little bit. :/

[crsvstang]

Reggie & Tori's collars fit well so they don't slip over their heads.

Mick he wears a harness since he slips out of his collar.

[Suki Wingy]

Niño has loose skin on his neck (forgot what that was called) and it bunches off so his is loose enough for him to slip out of it but I would never dream of attaching a lead to it! It is only for ID, he wears a prong outside the house. (and still pulls hard)
edited to add he will take any and every opportunity to run away so ID is a must and of course he is chipped too.

[*LabLoverKEB*]

Originally posted by vinjashira
it's loose enough to insert 2 fingers in but not so loose that it slips off.

Same here!

We take sadie's collar off at night, so when she shakes her head, the tags don't make any noise.

[lute]

if your dog's collar could sip over the top of his head, why have one on him. it won't do much good.

[Suki Wingy]

Yes it would, for ID purposes, but if he gets caught on something he won't strangle himself!

[king2005]

When I had a dog, he was collarless. they seemed to bother his throat & he would barf. but when I removed the collar, he didn't get sick.

He just had a very sensitive system. He was well trained to there was no issue of him running away. If he wasn't in the yard, we knew where he was. he walked around the block to go see the other parent (our parents split up & dad moved around the block)