Choosing the right dog collar - Pet Sitter Patrol

There are so many different styles of dog collars to choose from.? Choosing the right dog collar may be confusing as to which one is best tailored to your dog?s specific needs.? Many factors play a role in selecting the right collar such as your dog?s size, disposition, and individual training needs. ?To better understand the different choices; I have listed a dog collar guide with the basic types, what kind of dog behavior best suits each one and tips on how to properly use them for best results when walking your dog.

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Traditional Dog Collars are available in a variety of styles, colors, and widths. .? For the majority of dogs this collar works great.? It fits comfortably around your dog?s neck, and is recommended for dogs that love to walk and take it easy.

Tips:? Make sure the collar rides high on your pet?s neck, not loose so that it slides down near the top of their shoulder blades. Dog Collars should be snug with enough room to fit two??? fingers between your dog?s neck and their collar. For your dog?s safety, the collar should not be loose enough to slip over the pet?s head. Collars should also not be so tight as to restrict breathing or cause coughing. Check collar size frequently on growing puppies. Use a tape measure to measure your pet?s neck, and then add on two to three inches.

**This collar is not recommended for dogs that love to pull because they choke and damage their tracheas.**

Head Collar or Halter-Type Dog Collars will give you the best control over your dog. There are several brands of these collars including my favorite the [ilinkurl="http://www.amazon.com/Gentle-Leader-Head-Collar-Size/dp/B0035R4CR2/ref=sr_1_cc_2?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1347167825&sr=1-2-catcorr&keywords=gentle+leader"]Gentle Leader- Click To Purchase[/ilink] . The Gentle Leader has a band that goes around the back of the dogs head and another band that goes around their nose.? The leash then clips on underneath their chin.? Thus giving you full control and virtually making it impossible for them to pull hard.? When they tug on the leash it gently pushes their noses down and towards their chests.? This collar forces them to slow their brains down and hold their heads up high.? The very first time you put it on you will see a night and day difference in your dog.

It?s good a design and it?s also safe for dogs.? You don?t have to worry about any painful effects, unlike the buckle collar. However, some dogs have issues with this type of collar, as they tend to get uncomfortable while wearing it, and sometimes they may even attempt to remove their collar or refuse to move or walk.? Another issue is some people are hesitant to use the collar since they feel it looks more like a muzzle than a collar. You may have people ask you about the collar, but more often than not, when you are through explaining it, they will ask you where they can get one for their dog.

Tips:? Fitting is very important with the Gentle Leader. 99% of all problems that occur with the product are due to an improper fit. When one first purchases the product, it is best to take a few minutes to watch the DVD and read the training guide. Here are a couple more tips:

First examine the dog?s weight:

• ???? Less than 5 lbs.; select Petite5-25 lbs
• ???? Choose Small for dogs 25-60 lbs
• ???? Go with a Medium for dogs 60-130 lbs
• ???? Larger than 130 lbs. choose? X-Large

Then, look at the shape of the dog?s head and snout. Breeds with long slender heads may take a smaller size than other dogs of the same weight. Breeds with wide muzzles may need a slightly larger size. When in doubt dog owners should go the next larger size

When fitted properly and viewed from the side the Gentle Leader will be in the shape of ?V? for ?Victory.? If the neck strap is too loose, the Gentle Leader will incorrectly resemble a ?L? for ?Loser?.

Neck Strap fit ? The neck strap must be positioned as high on the neck as possible, directly behind the ears and touching the base of the skull in back and above the Adam?s apple in front. It should fit very snugly at the top of the neck so that one can barely get a single finger underneath, like a watchband. It doesn?t cause discomfort to the dog.

Nose Loop Strap fit ? Loose and comfortable so that the dog can freely open his/her mouth, but not so loose that it can be pulled off over the nose. It should rest close to the dog?s eyes and behind the corners of the mouth.

Harnesses go around the neck and around the shoulders behind the front legs, are recommended for dogs that have upper respiratory disease or diseases of the throat or trachea, such as a collapsed trachea. If a dog with a collar pulls on the leash, it places pressure on the throat and trachea, causing irritation and coughing. Harnesses relieve that pressure. ?They are a soft and safe alternative for your dog.? Compared to a leash, it distributes the pulling force throughout the dog?s body. However, its disadvantages appear when a dog tends to pull harder.

Slip Collar are a bit similar to normal collars, but have a safer feature ? they only tighten on a restricted point, so your dog is safe from choking and suffocation. Even with that, it still gives you control over your dog. It is easy to put on your dog, as it only goes over your dog?s head and snaps around his neck. But if your dog is a consistent puller, then this collar might not work as you planned.

Tips:? For correct sizing, measure your pet?s neck and add 2-1/2?- 3?. There is a right and wrong way to put a slip collar on a dog. To correctly place a collar on a dog, the top ring on a properly-looped collar forms a letter P when you stand in front of the dog and pull it snug. If it forms the number 9, it is on backward and may not release immediately as designed, which may cause discomfort or gagging.

Prong Collar also called pinch collars, contain blunt prongs that protrude inward from the links.? They are safe despite their appearance being similar to that of a choke collar. The spaced prongs create an equally distributed force around the neck, without direct pressure on the trachea compared to a choke collar.? They are designed only for the most stubborn pullers, they are temporary training tools used to change behavior on dogs that do not respond to any other collar.

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Choke Collar this type of collar should be used with great care, as it is only used for aggression cases, in which you cannot control the dog anymore and it is causing damage to people and pets. It is also used for aggression training. When you jerk or pull it up, it tightens, but releases when you let go of it.

Tips:? If you plan to use a choke collar on your dog, have a trainer show you how to use it correctly. Correct usage involves a quick ?tug-and-release? action (as opposed to a steady pulling) that tells the pet a different behavior is desired.

**Remember to play safe when using this collar as it can put your dog?s life in danger and may even cause trauma. The ?prong? collar is usually a better choice.? This is a last resort option.? **

**These collars should only be worn during training sessions, never in a crate, and avoided in pets with delicate tracheas, such as Yorkshire Terriers**

Owners who know how to correctly train their dogs rarely need this type of collar. Rather, they learned they were training their pet incorrectly, and were able to successfully train their dog using other collars after learning proper methods.

Final Note: Every collar you own should have a current name tag attached to it at all times. ?Successfully training your dog, as many experts would say, depends on the equipment you use. ?If you are still having difficulties training your dog to walk nicely consult a dog trainer.? For more advice refer to my article7 Highly Effective Dog Walking Training Tips

Source: http://petsitterpatrol.com/2012/09/08/choosingtherightdogcollar/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=choosingtherightdogcollar

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