Selecting a Dog Collar For your Best Friend

Why Do You Need ACollar For Your Dog?
A dog collar is essential for any dog owner because it is helpful in handling the animal if you need to do so. It is important to have a properly fitting the collar so that you can control your dog in emergencies.
It is also necessary for displaying your dog’s tag. (The Control of Dogs Order which came into force in 1992, states that any dog in a public place must wear both a collar and an ID tag with the owners name and address on it. Failure to do this could lead to a fine of £5,000.)

Dog collars can be purchased in various designs and sizes, from expensive leather to coloured flat nylon webbing. Collars should have a smooth finish inside to avoid any unwanted rubbing or irritation to your dog’s neck.

Cheap thin nylon collars do not usually last very long and cheap dye can leach into your dog's coat especially if you are caught out in the rain. Leather collars can look good on certain breeds of dog but they can become stiff or even hard, especially if they get wet. In any case they are not suitable for small dogs.

Check or slip collars are excellent for training a dog BUT ONLY IF YOU LEARN HOW TO USE THEM. They are designed to give a dog a short sharp check but they should never be used to pull a dog in any way.
Certain collars, such as decorative (Jewelled) collars or spiked collars, are made more for display, and can cause injury to your dog if it is left unattended when wearing such a collar.

The soft protection dog collar is about the best type available for normal use and long life. This type of collar fits all the essential criteria.

What Size?
Using a tape measure made from flexible material. (the sort a dressmaker uses) Measure around your dog’s neck to establish the collar size. Hold the tape in the middle section of your dog’s neck and measure the circumference at that point. Assuming a medium sized dog, add 2" (5cm) to the measured circumfrence to allow for enough length for adjustment

Example. If your dog has a neck circumfrence of (say) 13. 8 inches you should order a collar that is 13.8 + 2 = 15.8 inches so you would order the nearest size above which would be a 16 inch collar. For a large dog add an extra 3 inches long (7.5cm)

The collar should be wide enough to be comfortable, but not so large that the collar presses into the neck when the dog is eating, drinking or playing.

Fitting The Collar
When fitting the collar adjust it to the appropriate size and fasten the buckle. The collar should be tight enough so that it does not fall off or allow the dog to pull it's head out of the collar if it tries to pull backwards away from you. The collar must be loose enough to allow your dog to move it's head up and down and so that breathing and swallowing are not restricted in any way. If you over-tighten your dog’s collar. you might restrict it's breathing and even cause severe damage to the dog's windpipe.

Getting the degree of "tightness correct is a bit difficult at first but if in doubt "too loose" is better than "too tight". If fitted correctly you should be able to slide two or three fingers comfortably, in side your dog's collar. This can be harder to judge if you have a dog with a long thick coated, but you should be able to use the method of sliding your fingers under the collar to assess if you have left enough room for your dog's neck with out any restrictions
When you purchase a new collar allow your dog to wear it for a few days and then check to make sure that it is still a proper fit.

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