Why You Need a Dog Collar That Fits
Can you imagine wearing ill-fitting shoes all day, every day? You’d be terribly uncomfortable, and you would get blisters or sores.
Your dog wears his collar 24 hours a day, and just as with too-tight or too-loose shoes, a poorly fitting collar can cause irritation and discomfort. But for dogs, a collar that doesn’t fit well can even be more dangerous. A too-loose collar can slip off over your dog’s head. Since this often happens in a moment of panic-when your dog puts on the brakes while walking-the result can be quite dangerous; you could wind up with a frightened dog running around outdoors with no identification. This situation would be much worse than a blister. If you dog is an escape artist you may want to think about a Martingale Collar to prevent escapes.
How to Get the Perfect Fit For Your Dog Collar
Make sure that you choose the perfect fit for your dog’s collar by first measuring your dog’s neck. Take a string and place it around your dog’s neck where the collar should be. Mark the length and lay it out on a ruler to find out how many inches or centimeters around your dog’s neck is. Use this as your guide when dog collar shopping.
How To Adjust Your Dog Collar
After choosing a collar that has a size range that should fit your dog, try it on. Regardless if you choose an adjustable collar or a buckle collar you will be able to adjust the size until you can slide two fingers under the collar. Then try to pull it off over your dog’s head. If it can easily come off that way, make it a bit tighter until it is both comfortable and safe. Check your collar regularly to make sure that it still fits properly.
Width is Important In Selecting A Collar
Pay attention to the collar’s width as well. Too wide may cause irritation, and too narrow may cause discomfort during leash walking.
When you go shoe shopping, you take time and pick out shoes that are both fashionable and well-fitting. Do the same when shopping for your dog’s collar. He’ll thank you for it!
Author: Brenna Fender, dog owner and agility competitor