A Small Dog

Small Dog Collars

Posted on 29. May, 2009 by Jeff K. in Small Dog Care

Does the title of this article refer to small collars for dogs or collars for small dogs? The title is ambiguous, and the issue of matching a collar to your dog can be equally confusing. You don’t need me to tell you there are thousands of choices in collars for your small dog, although not all collars are created equal. Beyond choosing a collar by style, your choice of collar should not only fit your dog well, but also fit your dog’s lifestyle. Perhaps most importantly, a collar of the proper size for your dog’s neck must be worn properly to do its job and to be comfortable.
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Slip Collars

First, let’s move through the issue of slip collars. Slip collars, sometimes called training collars, are usually made of lightweight chain. A slip collar is essentially a noose—designed to strangle. While a hanging noose is designed to tighten and remain tight around the neck, a slip collar only remains tight for as long as pulling force is applied to one end of the chain. A soon as the pulling force is relaxed, the slip collar instantly goes slack and the strangling action stops. The idea behind a slip collar is to give “corrective feedback” to a dog that wears the collar. Most people use a slip collar to stop a dog from pulling against a leash. When the dog pulls, tension is applied to the slip collar which tightens around the dog’s neck. When used correctly, there should be no prolonged strangling action by the collar. Dog trainers tell us to briefly snap the collar closed with a quick jerking action. Some dog trainers believe this brief gripping action is analogous to the feedback a mother dog would give a misbehaving pup. I disagree with the analogy. A mother dog will sometimes gently bite the neck of her puppy to make a point. The emphasis is on “gently.” A mother’s corrective bite does not completely encircle the puppy’s neck; nor does her bite strangle the puppy, even for an instant.

There are several ways to misuse a slip collar. Even a person with the best intentions can accidentally apply too much pulling force to a slip collar, causing temporary or permanent damage. Small dogs in particular are vulnerable to an overzealous yank on a slip collar. Injuries from slip collar are common. Damage can range from neck bruises or torn fur to collapsed windpipes, crushed larynx and broken necks. We care for two dogs at Kelsey’s Dog House that are partially paralyzed from slip collar injury.

I personally hate slip collars, not only because they are dangerous to small dogs, even in competent hands, they also are part and parcel of punishment-based training. As I have said many times in this forum, punishment-based training rarely works as intended and carries a high level of risk. If you are having a hard time getting your dog to heel when you walk together, any of the halter-type collars are much safer and work much better than slip collars. I trained my obstinate Miniature Pinscher, Royce, how to heel using a halter. I will cover how to use a halter collar in another article.

Flat Collars

Let’s move past training collars and talk about flat collars for everyday wear. First, know that there is no such thing as a one-collar-fits-all product. The nylon collar your neighbor loves on her Labrador may not look or fit well on your Dachshund. Also know that no collar is going to last forever, so take the pressure off yourself and find something that fits your dog now and looks good.

Nylon or Leather?

Which is better, nylon or leather? Nylon lasts longer and holds its color better than treated leather. Leather collars tend to fade, curl, and dry out over time, but the edges of leather collars tend to be thicker, softer, and generally suppler against your dog’s neck. Generally, nylon collars come with quick-release, plastic latches that make putting on and removing the collar very easy. Leather collars typically have buckle-type connectors that are harder to use on a squirming dog. The latches on nylon collars tend to be bulky. If you have a dog with a particularly narrow neck, such as a Chihuahua or Chinese Crested, you may find the plastic connector on a nylon collar takes up 1/3 to ½ of the circumference of your dog’s neck.

Speaking of plastic connects on nylon collars, some people want to know about those collars with safety connectors that disconnect when the collar’s dog tags get caught in something. The safety connector will unlatch as your dog twists the collar in an attempt to dislodge his tags. This type of emergency can happen when dog tags get entangled in the bars of a kennel crate. I have not tested this product, nor will I ever test it because I NEVER put a dog in a crate with his collar still attached. At Kelsey’s Dog House, where we cycle dogs through drying cages 30 to 40 times per day, our number one rule of operation is: Never, under any circumstance, put a dog in a crate with the collar still attached.

Get the Right Width

I believe a flat collar should be of sufficient width that it does not leave an indentation mark on the back of your dog’s neck after a long day of wear. Collars that fit small dogs are not only small in circumference; they are also generally fairly narrow. Some owners of small dogs, who cannot find a small enough collar, tend to use cat collars that are extremely narrow. Narrow-band collars tend to concentrate the weight of multiple dog tags on a very small area on the back of your dog’s neck. This problem is particularly significant for very small dogs. The smallest dogs typically carry one rabies tag plus one I.D. tag, as a minimum. Any additional attachments, such as electric dog door activators, anti-bark devices, and medical information tags or containers, also add weight. Imagine what it would feel like to have a narrow collar with weights attached, pressing down on one vertebra of your neck all day.

Dog Tags

Speaking of dog tags, you would not believe how many dogs come into Kelsey’s Dog House without any I.D. attached to their collars. There are so many circumstances in which your dog might become separated from you and your family. An I.D. tag with your phone number attached to your dog’s collar is probably your last and only hope of ever seeing your dog again. Even if your dog has a microchip I.D. under his skin, there is no guarantee the person who finds your dog will know it is there if your dog becomes lost. Also, there is no single standard for microchip I.D. so there is no guarantee that your dog will land in the hands of a veterinarian or animal control facility with a chip reader matched to your dog’s microchip. An I.D. tag with your phone number on your dog’s collar is the simplest, cheapest, and nearly fool-proof method of having your lost dog returned to you.

Proper Fit

Finally, let’s take a moment to talk about properly fitting a collar to your dog. At Kelsey’s Dog House, we see two types of problem with collar fit. Either the collar is fitted to the dog so loosely that the collar slips off the dog’s neck when we try to guide it on a leash. Or, the collar was fitted to the dog years ago and then the dog gained weight. In this circumstance, the collar has become so tight, it’s a wonder the dog’s eyes do not pop out. I’m not kidding. Extremely tight collars can high intra-ocular pressure, or high cranial blood pressure, both of which can lead to injury. Additionally, pulling on a collar that is too tight can cause an eye to pop out of the socket in certain breeds of dogs. At Kelsey’s Dog House, we groom a couple of unrelated Shih Tzu’s who, in the past, had an eye pop while being man-handled by less careful groomers at other shops.

To properly fit a collar to your dog, you should be able to easily slip your index finger underneath the attached collar without causing the collar to tighten further. If you can easily slip your thumb under the collar without the collar tightening, the collar is probably too loose.

Finding the right collar for your dog is a matter of style and fit. Opt for a flat collar in nylon or leather. Make sure the collar is wide enough to spread the weight of any attachments across a broad area of your dog’s neck. Once you have chosen a collar, make sure it fits just snug enough that your dog cannot pull out of it, but no so tight that it causes him/her discomfort. And for goodness, sake, if your dog is not wearing an I.D. tag, drop whatever you are doing, go to your local pet store, and have an I.D. made right now. I’m not kidding. Do it now.

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Tags: dog collar, halter collar, slip collar, training collar