Your go-to guide on choosing the right collar for your canine friend.

 Choosing the Right Collar for Your Dog

 Picking a collar for your pup, on the surface, may seem fairly simple. But in reality the options available in finding a collar that fits your doggie needs may seem endless!

 In the end, you want a collar that is well fitting and safe, functional for tags and of course you must show off your puppy's paw-fect personality - right?

 No worries, we’re here to help. Here is a quick and easy guide to make your decision process on choosing a collar just that much easier.

 Are Collars Safe for Dogs?

 There are some important guidelines to follow when choosing a safe collar for your dog. You’ll find that the pros of collar wearing for dogs will in most cases will outweigh the cons.

 Collars can be safe for dogs to wear indoors and outdoors provided the following safety checks are in line.

 Finding the Proper Fitting      

Let’s be real: It’s no secret that dogs tend to find themselves in some mischievous situations. With an ill-fitting collar or a collar that isn’t designed specifically for our canine pals, you may easily find yourself with a vet bill that will break the bank.

 Ensuring a proper fit is essential. Too tight or too loose of a fit is almost guaranteed to become a recipe for disaster.

 It doesn’t take much for dogs to accidentally slip a paw through a collar that is too loose, and get stuck in a dangerous position. Once they realize they’re stuck in a bad position, they’ll probably end up worse off after a fit of panic.

 And well, too tight of a collar could lead to damage of the trachea or potentially a slow cut off of the airway. This can be detrimental to their health and quite obviously life-threatening.

 You need to be able to easily slip one to two fingers between the collar and neck to make sure the fit isn’t too tight. If you can fit three or more fingers between the collar and neck then the collar will need to be tightened.

  Properly Introduce Your Pup to Wearing a Collar

 When puppies are first starting out, desensitizing them to collars is important. Some puppies will tolerate collars better than others, but when learning to wear a collar close supervision is a must.

 Most times you will find puppies scratching at their neck while clumsily rolling around in an attempt to remove their beautiful new necklace. They just don’t know quite how fabulous they look, yet! Eventually they’ll learn that this strange fabric or leather around their neck is not so bad, but until then keeping it on may be a struggle.

 Adult canines that are new to collar wearing may throw more of a fit than usual. If this is an issue, allow them to wear the collar for short periods of time. Slowly extend the time of wearing the collar and they eventually will no longer notice their newest fashion statement!

  Collars Help Identify Ownership

 On occasion accidents happen and sometimes dogs will slip out of the front door when you are least expecting. Having the ability to identify your beloved Buddy can be difficult without a collar that has an ID tag securely attached.

 Though to some dogs, the thought of stepping outside of their kingdom (formerly known as your house) is completely unbearable for more than a quick potty break, others enjoy playing in the yard.

 There is always the risk of your canine friend getting loose and running off.

 Thankfully these days the power of social media can help us quickly find our pets but we need to be able to identify them properly. Typically by a description of your dog along with what type of collar they are wearing is most helpful in a stressful event as such.

 There are many different options for collar identification such as tags and even embroidery, so make sure your canine friend is easily identifiable outside of a physical description.

Canine Collar Options

 Quick Release Collars

Quick release collars are an excellent safety measure when it comes to placing a collar on a dog. As dogs go running through the yard, there is always the risk of them catching their collars on something or another.

 Even dogs who are primarily inside still run the risk of catching their collars on indoor furniture.

 Quick release collars have a safety feature which allows the clasp of the collar to release with a good tug. This allows your dog to free their neck in an instant to avoid being hung or stuck in a less than ideal situation.

 If the clasp releases and the collar is found, the collar can easily be placed back on your pup. Just ensure that the collar is properly fitted again and you’re good as new.

 Quick release collars can be made in most fabrics or leather, a variety of color options and even cute designs to fit your puppy’s spunk!

 Roller Buckle Collars

 Roller buckle collars are easy to place on your dog and just as easy to remove. Similar to a belt you may wear, the buckle fastens through pre-measured holes in the collar material.

 Just like the quick release collar, these can be styled in a wide variety of options, so finding the perfect roller buckle collar shouldn’t be too hard!

 Roller buckle collars are suggested for wear only under close supervision due to the buckle being unable to disengage.

 These are a great option for the dogs who enjoy leash walking, as there is no risk of them pulling on the collar and separating the clasp. Again, just be sure to fit your roller buckle collar properly to ensure your dog doesn’t accidentally slip away!

 Material Options

 The material you choose can be vital to your pet’s skin care. There are many great options to choose from in terms of buckle materials (plastics, metals, etc.), and collar material (leather, nylon, etc.) so be sure to watch closely for any sort of irritation.

 Remember to also clean and sanitize the collar regularly! 

With all the fashionable collars out on the market, we know you’re now prepared to find and fit the paw-fect collar to let your canine pal show off some good old-fashioned tail wagging!