Pet Owners Guide: How to Find the Ideal Collar for Your Dog’s Lifestyle
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As a good dog owner, you should equip your dog with a properly fitted, dependable collar without a leash attachment. A good dog collar is safe, appropriately sized, comfortable, and, most importantly, can keep up with your dog’s active lifestyle. When looking for the essentials for your new puppy, any old dog collar will most likely suffice, but the right collar will last longer and be safer for both you and your pooch.
Types of Dog Collars
Collars with Personalized Tags
One of the most important steps as a dog owner is buying personalized dog tags to keep them safe. Reading a current dog ID tag on your pooch’s collar is the quickest way for someone to contact an anxious owner whose dog has been lost.
Of course, you’ll need a fashionable tag that reflects your dog’s breed and style, but you will also need the essential information, such as your dog’s name, cell phone number, and city, engraved on your personalized dog tags. If there is some space left, you may want to include some optional information, such as a second phone number, email address, or a full home address, although some opt not to do this for personal security reasons.
Personalised dog tags are made from various metals for decorative and long-lasting purposes. Aluminium, Brass, Stainless Steel, or Non-Metallic dog name tags are the most common.
Basic Collars
Basic collars are usually nylon or leather and have plastic or metal buckles. They come in a variety of styles, patterns, and even materials. A simple collar is typically worn throughout the day and even at night, so it should be a loose, comfortable fit that sits lower on the neck.
Led Dog Collars
LED dog collars are ideal for walking your dog early in the morning or late at night and are especially useful if you are camping or hiking with your dog. These collars have either solid or flashing lights and reflective materials so that cars and other pedestrians can see your pooch when you’re out for a walk.
Reflective safety strips are also found on many standard nylon dog collars. You can also find attachable lights or reflectors that fit most collars as an alternative.
Water Proof Collars
Waterproof dog collars are in high demand for pets living in wetter climates and outdoor summer activities. The soft material of waterproof dog collars is comfortable enough to be worn all day or just on rainy days and for activities such as water sports.
How to Size a Dog Collar
Before you start looking for the best dog collars, you should know the size of your dog’s neck. Collars may be labelled as small, medium, or large, but each brand will have a different measurement for those terms. What’s more, some collars are labelled based on the collar’s length rather than the neck size that the collar is intended for. As a result, a 14″ collar may only fit a dog with a 10-12″ neck size. So, don’t rely solely on these ambiguous sizing labels. To see if the collar will fit your dog, measure its neck and compare it to the size of the collar in inches. Also, keep in mind that most collars are adjustable.
How to Measure Your Dog’s Neck
Using a flexible measuring tape is the simplest way to determine your dog’s neck size. Wrap the tape around your dog’s neck near where the collar will be worn. You want it to be snug against his neck but not too snug.
Double-check your measurements. If you get different results, repeat the measurements to get the most accurate one.
When you put your dog’s flat collar on, two fingers should fit underneath your dog’s body and the collar. Use the same method when taking measurements. With one hand, wrap the measuring tape or string around your dog’s neck and slide two fingers underneath, flat against the dog’s neck.
Things to Consider When Buying a Collar
You should opt for collars that are not too wide, not too narrow. Only then can the pressure be distributed optimally to avoid injuries, such as the larynx and unpleasant wearing sensations for the dog. The size of the dog also matters-small dogs prefer narrower collars.
It is also recommended that the collar has rings to which the leash can be attached. D-rings or round rings are appropriate for this. Because most leashes have a carabiner for fastening, a ring or other loops are handy. Most dog owners would also like a matching collar and leash set. When purchasing the collar, the availability of the set should also be considered.
The buckle must be the appropriate size and trustworthy, which is especially important with large dogs. If a dog pulls hard on the leash, the clasp should be strong and secure. Strong buckles and pin buckles are ideal for this application. This way, road traffic safety will be ensured.
How to Get Your Dog Used to a Collar
The simplest way to get your puppy used to a dog collar is to put it on him and let him wear it in stages throughout the day. While some puppies will not be bothered by the collar, others will be bothered by it at first and find it disturbing. In this case, you should only leave it on for a few minutes before turning it off. You can try it again and repeat the process until your dog feels completely at ease in it. You can remove the collar from your dog as soon as it is no longer bothering him.
Once your dog gets used to the collar, you can experiment with various collars to find the one that suits you, based on your dog’s needs and personal preferences.