Designer Dog Collars From Rokabone.co.uk

Whether it's a Kennel Club aristocrat of a dog, or an unusual looking creature whose idea of pedigree comes in a tin, you will need to be looking for a collar and lead as soon as possible. UK laws are complex on the matter and there seems to be a lot of them about. Under various regulations Local Authorities have numerous powers to enforce these regulations. Fines of ?000 - ?000 can be applied to owners who do not have their dogs on a collar and lead or do not have a tag identifying the owner. According to the Daily Telegraph recently, one local council even used anti-terrorism laws to monitor if a dog was being kept under control!

Whatever the laws and penalties, there are simple practical reasons for keeping your 'best friend' on a collar and lead. Even the most well behaved dog has instincts; these usually revolve around following interesting smells, completely unaware of their environment. Sometimes their delight in following these instincts appears to result in temporary deafness and the inability to understand simple commands. Ensuring your dog is properly under control can help avoid these 'moments' and ultimately it is for your dog's protection and safety.

Training a young dog to wear a collar should be done as soon as possible. There are a number of simple steps to this training. Introduce the collar in a friendly, playful environment. Be patient and calm; treat your dog for responding well; but don't be harsh if he or she is taking time to get used to the idea. Never use a chain or choke collar at first, this is likely to give your dog a complex for life and make yours all the harder! Keep the collar loose at first and don't use it as a means of restraint initially - once they are ignoring the fact that the collar is there you can be confident they are ready for that step.

The type of collar is your choice but most dogs will require a quality, hardwearing collar. Leather is a great material, durable and easily cleaned. In some respects it's worth thinking of finding a collar for life as well as a dog! There are a number of excellent collars available and design these days is an important factor. While your bull terrier may not be happy in sparkling diamante (though you never know), you may well want to shop around for a style of collar that not only suits your dog but matches your own sense of style.

Whatever you choose make sure that the collar is durable and strong and always remember to add an identity tag to keep you both within the law and out of Guantanamo!