General Information

There are several criteria you should take in account when choosing a collar for your pet. Color, collar size and general appearance should not be the only guiding line. Knowing more about material and design will help you to define the right one.

Material of the Collar

Now there is a large selection of Collar materials and each has its pros and cons. We have investigated hundreds of them and are ready to present the main types, differences etc.

Leather

Leather is a classic collar material. Depending on the quality it has different price and different appearance.  Expensive collars are usually beautiful, reliable and longlasting. Cheap ones often stretch and even crack if the dog pulls the leash heavily.

In any case, you should not allow your pet to bathe wearing a leather collar or leave the collar in the sun – leather can get solid and crack. Clean the collar carefully from time to time, or even oil. And protect from scratches.

Metal Chain

Metal chain is a very contradictory material. It has many nuances. Depending on the metal type, it may rust after contact with water or color the light dog hair. Weaving can rub the hair, so pay attention to it. Bad quality chains can break down (the links are unbent). If you want exactly the chain – read these subtleties. It is possible to find a quality chain that will be a reliable ammunition and decoration for a dog. As a rule it is expensive.

Nylon

Nylon and other “synthetics” – the best option for every day and not only. High-quality nylon is a durable and light material. It does not require special care and does not change its properties after becoming wet. No stretching or fading. It can be easily washed just in the washing machine. And all this at a reasonable price.

Good nylon collars are usually changed not because they are spoiled, but just if you want something new! The only negative – poor-quality nylon can color dog hair.

Biothane

There is also a new generation material – Biothane. It is waterproof, soft to touch, do not rub dog’s neck, able to endure heavy loads, easy to wash.

Design of Dog Collar

The classic design is a basic collar with a fastener – it can be either a buckle (like a belt) or a fastex.

Buckle

The first option is more familiar, but less convenient. Besides, as a rule, the presence of a buckle makes it possible to fasten the collar only on specific holes (plus a collar with a buckle always has a tail sticking out – more or less long).

Fastex

Fastex, as a rule, is present on collars that have fine adjustment and you can adjust the size of the collar to the exact width of your pet’s neck. Plus – there will be nothing extra sticking out.

On the other hand, the buckle allows you to securely fix the collar length and never unbutton itself (only if the tongue of the buckle is not long or hard enough). And fastex on cheap collars can break from heavy load or spontaneously unfasten if it has a too “soft” clasp.

Martingale Collar

The alternative is a  Martingale collar. The meaning of this design is that the collar normally lies on a dog’s neck loosely, like a necklace. And when the leash is pulled, it is pulled down to the selected minimum, which prevents the dog from turning out of the collar as if it were an option on the clasp.

Usually such collars do not have a fastener at all, but are put on simply over the head. The advantages are obvious – the free-lying collar does not crush the dog’s throat, does not rub the hair and in addition – dogs are less likely to pull in collars with such a design.

There are choke training collars like choke chain and nylon choke collars.

Choke Chain Dog Collar

One variant of training collars is choke chain collar. The main difference from the previous one is the absence of any stopper, so it is not suitable for every dog ​​and not for any event. Leaving a dog unattended in a choke collar is unacceptable, especially on a leash!

Round Training Dog Collar

An attractive alternative to choke chains is a round nylon training collar. It helps to control dogs without matting or damaging hair.

Pinch Collar

Pinch Collar is training collar for correction of behavior.

What to Look for When Choosing the Best Collar

     Quality of Fittings

• Fittings – the fastener and the karabiner ring must be of high quality.
• Tongue of the buckle should not slip inwards.
• Fastex should not open with one touch, as well as be a too hard and tight construction – spare your fingers.
• The ring for the leash should be welded or cast ( if it is just bent it can get straightened and fall out).

Have you made up your mind on a collar type? Now it remains to choose the right size for your pet.

Size of Collar

Measure your dog’s neck and select the size based on the data.

For this you can take any ribbon, attach it to the neck and measure it. Measure the resulting length with a ruler. For example, you got 16 inches length.

If you do not have the opportunity to try on the collar directly on the dog, then look at the label where the size is indicated. All good quality manufacturers always indicate the range for which the collar is designed (not the total length of the collar!)

The range means the length between the buckle and the first hole and the buckel and the last hole.

Choose a size that will NOT begin or end with your number. Since when measuring, an error could occur. This way the collar will eventually be large or small.

So, coming back to the example: 16-20 inches is not your choice, as well as the size of 12-16 inches. But 14-18 inches collar is quite suitable, because it  has space in both directions.

Now you are prepared to move to the next step – to make the final choice! 😊