Hey Dog Lovers,
Today we talk about finding the best collar for your puppy. This can always be changed in the future but for puppy-hood we just want them to get used to the feeling of a collar.
A standard collar works well in displaying your puppies identification and contact information should they get lost.
In this post we will discuss if a standard collar is the best idea for walking your puppy or if a harness would have more benefits.
Why Collar Choice is Important?
- A quick jerk on the leash especially with a running start can cause more injury to your dogs neck and your shoulder
- Medical conditions you should opt for a harness or head halter
- Laryngeal Paralysis
- Collapsing trachea (common in smaller terriers)
- Kennel Cough
- Slipped Disk, arthritis, or other causes of neck pain
- Horner’s Syndrome – nerve damage
- Canine wobbler syndrome – neurological problem affecting the spine in the neck region
Dog Collars and Harnesses
- Standard flat neck collars
- Most common in pet stores/online
- Made of nylon or leather
- Breakaway collars are great for puppies while they are unsupervised so they won’t choke.
- Martingale Collar (Aussie uses this as well as I highly recommend to my clients)
- Contains an extra loop of material that allows the collar to tighten when the dog pulls on the leash
- Common for greyhounds and whippets
- No-pull head collar
- Compared to a horse brindle
- Not a muzzle (common misconception)
- Works as a deterrent to leash pulling
- Allows owner to keep the dog from picking up trash
- Humane and extremely effective at decreasing leash pulling when used effectively.
- Back Clip harness
- Fits around the dogs chest and leash attachment on their back
- Works well with dogs short snout such as pugs, boston terrier small breeds and dogs prone to tracheal collapse
- No-pull harness-front clip (Easy Walk)
- Fitting around the dogs chest and clips to the chest
- Help reduce leash pulling by redirecting the dog
- Spares dogs neck and throat
- Prong collar
- Designed with metal or plastic prongs that rest on the dogs neck
- Aversive type collar that depend on the pressure and pain they inflict to the dog when the dog pulls on the leash
- Choke chain
- Typically made of metal chains fit loosely around the dog’s neck but when tighten when the leash is pulled causing it to choose and constrict around the dog’s neck.
- Depend on the pressure and discomfort they inflict to the dog when the dog pulls on their leash
Choosing the right dog collar
- Depends on the breed, age, energy level, and how much they pull on the leash.
- If you are still working on loose leash walking your best bet will be a harness or head collar
Perfect fit for your New Puppy
- Appropriate width and hardware for the size of the puppy
- Flat collar fit snug around your puppy’s neck with enough room to fit two fingers between the collar and the neck
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