Dog Collars – Leather or Vinyl
Dog collars come in many different styles and various material as well. Choosing the right one isn’t always easy – especially if you happen to have a very small, or very large dog. To help you pick what’s best for you and your furry friend, we’ve compiled a few tips and suggestions that will aid you in your selection.
The material your dog’s collar is made from is as important as is the collar itself. Leather and nylon are the most popular materials for dog collars. Leather is very durable and long lasting. Nylon is very lightweight and often, washable. Leather dog collars are more expensive than vinyl dog collars. With that said, when it comes to puppies that will be growing in leaps and bounds, it may be more cost effective if you purchase nylon at first because the dog collar will need replacing with each growth spurt. Another advantage of nylon collars is that they are more breathable than their leather counterparts. If your dog will be wearing the collar at all times, then nylon will be much more comfortable on his or her neck. If you have a little or “toy” or “miniature” dog then the leather style collar may in fact be too heavy for it to carry on it’s neck – especially if it’ll be wearing the collar around the house.
Speaking of little, tiny, miniature dogs – try a harness instead of a dog collar. Traditional style dog collars, when yanked, pulled or dragged by children or unthinking adults, can literally break a small dog’s neck and kill or paralyze it. While a small, fragile dog should never be “yanked” around (and really shouldn’t be around small children or larger dogs) a harness will be less damaging if it should occur. Harnesses wrap around the body and are great for small to medium dogs. Larger dogs can also wear harnesses but if the dog is quite big and has a tendency to pull hard, run or try to jump, a collar is probably a better alternative as it allows for more immediate control.
Metal dog collars or “choker” collars are to be used for training purposes only and before one is placed on a dog’s neck, the owner should get trained as well. These collars can really hurt and they’re use is abusive if not done correctly. Don’t do it if you don’t know how. Speak to your veterinarian, or at least a knowledgeable pet store manager or best of all, a training specialist.
There are other variations on dog collars aside from material and of course, looks. They’re available with bling, spikes, studs and novelty prints of just about everything you can think of, but another more important variation is the closure style. Buckle, Velcro and plastic squeeze snaps are the most popular. Velcro collars are great for cats and tiny dogs. Buckle closures are more durable and of course, will not undo like a Velcro collar will. The advantage of the squeeze and snap style is that it’s very convenient to attach and remove the collar. It makes collaring the dog before stepping outside much easier. If you don’t have a backyard and often allow the dog out the front door to pee for a minute – then a snap closure collar is best for you. Having to buckle the collar or attach a harness can be a real pain in the butt when you have to do it 6 times a day and it may deter you from always collaring your dog before he or she steps out the door. That can be very dangerous because if he or she spots a cat when you let him or her out for a moment, your dog may run. And you may lose him or her – forever.
In the above situation, having two dog collars might be your best bet.You may want to purchase one harness and one snap shut collar and one heavy duty leash and one thinner one. Keep the snap shut collar and thin leash attached to each other for ease of slipping on and off, and then keep the harness and more durable leash for taking leasurely walks with your four legged best friend.