Zimdogtraining

A dog training collar is a piece of material worn on the neck by a dog for training, identification, or fashion. Every dog needs to wear a collar because they need something to hang their lead, ID, license, and vaccination tag.

Besides these, collars are used in dog training, prevent them from barking, and to get rid of ticks and fleas. There are diverse types of collars and not all of them are suitable for all dogs.

Types of Dog Collars

It is a particularly crucial decision to make when you want to get a collar for your dog. Since the collar is also a form of communication to your dog, it is a clever idea if you choose the best collar that matches the size, personality, and age of your dog.

There are 3 main categories of dog collars, the basic collars, the correction collars, and the smart collars.

The Basic Dog Collars

Head Halters

This is also known as a head collar or Halti collar. It is designed to look like a muzzle that goes around the dog’s nose and neck.

These two straps that go around the nose and neck are connected to a leash below the chin of the dog. It is then fastened to a ring that is attached to the nose strap.

When your dog pulls at the leash, the head halter is designed to prevent him from doing that by turning his nose back towards you.

Head halters are used to control aggressive dogs. However, it is advised that the collar should not be pulled too hard. This is because it might harm your dog when you do so.

It may take time before the collar is well fitted on your dog. You have to put the collar on your dog and let him get used to it. Start from putting on the collar on your dog for a brief period and slowly increase the time your dog wears it.

The head halter should be fitted comfortably on the dog and he should be able to pant, bark, eat, and play while wearing it. You should be able to fit one finger in between the dog’s neck and the collar.

Adjust the collar so that it can slide down to the tip of his nose when your dog closes his mouth. It should not be too loose as to slide off the tip of his nose.

The nose piece should sit naturally below the dog’s eyes and the metal ring on which the leash is attached should be under his chin.

When your dog gets familiar with the collar, it reduces the risk of sustaining an injury with it. When the head halter collar is worn on some dogs, they tend to resist it.

Some dogs will try to paw the collar or rub their nose against surfaces. You can help your dog to get used to wearing the collar by distracting him when he is trying to remove the head halter.

You can use a trail of treats, a game of fetch, his favorite toys, or take him for a walk. Do not use a retractable lead on the head halter. This will make your dog pull on the lead and might wound himself when he jerks hard on the lead when it is fully extended.

Remember to read the manual on the collar package carefully before use. You can seek the help of a professional to show you how to properly fit the collar on your dog.

Best Head Halter

Flat Collars

This is the collar that looks like a belt and has a buckle. It is the standard collar that most dogs wear. They can be made of leather or nylon and the dog’s ID is usually attached to this type of collar.

This collar should not be worn so tightly as the choke collar and should not be loose enough to slip out of the dog’s head.

When putting on the flat collar on your dog, make sure that your two fingers can fit in between the collar and the dog’s neck.

The flat collars are relatively the cheapest and the safest collar. Your dog can wear this collar as long as possible without developing pressure sores.

Remember the slip your fingers under the collar from time to time so that you can adjust the collar as your dog grows or fattens.

Flat collars can be made of leather or nylon. It can also be made of woven threads and can also be studded to fit your dog’s personality and lifestyle.

Leather collars are durable, come in different lengths and colors. They also come in cost-effective designs and can last for years.

Nylon collars are similar to leather collars and are also durable. While the leather collars come with a buckle, the nylon collar comes with plastic closure tips that clips together.

Nylon collars are not too expensive, are lightweight, and suitable for puppies. They can be washed by machine or by hand.

Best Flat Collar

Martingale Collars

A Martingale collar is also known as the greyhound collars or the humane choke collars. It is a type of collar designed for dogs that can easily slip out of a regular collar. It is also designed to provide control as the choke collar without being harmful.

It is designed to dog breeds that their heads are smaller than their necks and can easily slip out of a collar. Dog breeds with a small head such as the Greyhound can easily slip out of a regular collar.

A martingale collar has two loops/ the larger loop goes loosely around the dog’s neck while the smaller loop has a D ring where the leash is attached to. An additional D ring is added on the large loop for the dog’s ID and other tags.

When the dog tries to pull the head out of the collar, the tension on the large loop pulls on the small loop. This tightens the large loop and makes it harder for the dog to pull out of the collar.

The martingale collar allows your dog to wear a collar that is loose and only becomes tight when it needs to.

Best Martingale Collar

The Correction Collars

The Choke Collar

This choke collar is a chain of metal links that has two rings at the beginning and the end. It is worn as a loop over the head of the dog close to the ears.

The ring at the beginning of the collar is called the live ring while the other ring is known as the dead ring. When the leash is attached to the live ring, the collar can become tightened when the dog pulls.

When the leash is attached to the dead ring, the collar will remain loose even when the dog tugs on the leash.

It is not an expensive collar and it is mainly used when taking dogs for a walk or other outdoor activities. It is popularly used for dogs that tend to pull off their collar or are aggressive.

Although this is used to correct the leash tugging habits of some dogs, it could cause serious injury or even death to the dog when the collar is pulled hard.

Best Choke Collar

Pinch Collar

This is also known as the prong collar. It has spikes that tend to dig into the neck of the dog when pulled. It is used as a last resort collar for dogs that have continues to tug and pull on the leash while using other collars.

It is a good idea to seek professional advice first, before using this collar. A professional trainer or a vet should also guide you on how to fit this collar snugly on your dog’s neck. You could remove the prongs the sit on the dog’s head, right behind the ears.

If your dog continues to tug at this collar, it might hurt him in this long run. It is best to train your dog with the help of a professional to correct the behavior instead.

Best Pinch Collar

Electric Collar

This is also known as a shock collar and it is used in correcting bad behavior of a dog even from a distance. It has a remote control which the dog owner uses to send signals to the collar when a dog engages in negative habits.

The electric collar responds to the remote signals by giving off a vibration or a mild electric shock to the neck of the dog.

This collar is used mainly as a training tool and the electric stimulation sent to the collar can be adjusted to a level that won’t be too mild or too harsh for the dog.

Before using the electric collar, it is best to seek professional advice and also get trained on how to properly use the collar.

Make sure that the size of the collar is comfortable for your dog. The weight and thickness of the collar should also be suitable for your dog.

Some water-resistant models can be used in extreme weather and for dogs that swim.

Best Electric Collar

Special Collars

GPS Collar

This collar is used to track and locate a dog at any given time. It uses the Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) technology to find a dog’s position. This is an innovative way that dog owners keep their dog secure.

This collar can be set up to send you a signal to your mobile app when your dog leaves a safe zone. The tracker also sends an alert to your phone indicating the real-time location of the dog.

Remember to always talk to a professional before choosing any collar. This is to enable you to discover the pros and cons of each collar and to also get trained on the proper way to use it.

Best GPS Collar

Flea Collar

This collar is designed to spray a dog with pesticides or essential oils to fight ticks and fleas. Although these chemicals might not harm your dog, it best to seek professional advice and training on the best use of this collar.

Best Flea Collar

Light Collar

This collar is used to keep track of a dog at night. It can be lighted up with a LED that enables to a dog to be seen in the dark.

This collar also helps to keep a dog safe and visible to drivers when going for an evening walk. It is also used for dogs that go for night hunting or camping.

Best Light Collar

Elizabethan Collar

This type of collar is used to prevent dogs from licking or scratching their wounds. It is also known as the recovery collar.

It is attached to a dog’s regular collar and allows the dog to conduct normal activities. It does not cause any form of harm to the dog.

Best Elizabethan Collar

Tips on How to Properly Use A Dog Collar

• Do not leave collars on dogs that are playing. This is because dogs can engage in plays with their mouth and end up getting entangled in each other’s collar. This could break a dog’s neck or even choke the dog to death. If you must, make sure the collar is a breakaway or a quick release collar which can release when stretched or put under pressure.
• Collars should not be worn by dogs that are not under watch. This is because their collars can catch on to something which might choke them to death. Some training venues and hunting organizations do not allow dogs to wear collars. Some collars can get caught by the lower jaw of the dog and could lead to fatal accidents.
• Collars that have dangling tags can get caught on wires or hooks. The remedy is to stick tags to the collars, attach a tag pocket on the collar, or use customized collars. Some lightweight tags are flexible and can not easily be hooked on other objects.

Safest Dog Collar