PSA: Collars

We always have our dog's collars off in the house. Last weekend, we put Ginger's collar on in the living room, in preparation for going outside. She walked by the buffet, but got too close. She nicked one of the buffet door's knobs with the "D" ring of the collar (the one that you attach the leash to) and actually got caught on the second one.

She was startled and pulled harder, bending the knob and pulling the door open, which freed her. If that door hadn't opened and she kept pulling, she could have choked herself to death or pulled the heavy wood buffet right on top of her.

Second story... my friend has a Lab and another friend with a dog, who was visiting in her home. The other dog decided that it would be fun to grab her dog's collar and pull her dog. Only, the dog was actually tightening the collar as he played tug-of-war. My friend saw what was happening and jumped quickly to unclasp the collar, avoiding her dog being strangled.

Third... you should keep your dog's collar loose enough where it can't slip over their head, but not loose enough where another dog can get their mouths between their neck and the collar. This is Brinkley on the right:



He could have seriously hurt himself and the other dog, with a collar that loose.

Last... BOTH of my dogs got out yesterday while I was gardening. Ginger slipped by me as I opened the gate to the backyard, because my hands were full, trying to get through the gate. Thank goodness Brinkley actually listens to me when I tell him to come, and that Ginger found something interesting to sniff and I was able to grab her collar. Even though they were just in the backyard, we never let them go collar-less outside, just in case of these circumstances.

Sorry for the long post, I just thought the stories could be something everyone could benefit from.

Re: PSA: Collars

Great advice!!! Mine are always in a harness'. I've tried a collar on Amelia and she wont have it. Howard will have a collar soon as he has all his shots to go outside! :)

Re: PSA: Collars

I also want to jump in and really reinforce never leaving a choke collar on a dog that is unsupervised EVER.

I know there are all these warnings and you hear about how a dog somewhere choked to death but it REALLY happened to a good friend of mine a few years back. Her dog was not even a year old, and must have been trying to climb on his crate and got the ring hooked onto the top of it somehow and choked to death.

If you ever were to hear her tell the story of the day she learned this the hard way you'd never be the same, which is why I am posting about it here now.

ALL of the warnings and recommendations on this thread are very important, I just can't help but feel sensitive about this one.