Dog Collars: The Second Major Purchase After Buying Your New Best Friend

Guess what? Just because you’ve finished all of your research and finally decided what kind of dog to get, that doesn’t mean you’ve finished making decisions. You still have to make the most important decision of all…a dog collar.

As silly as that sounds, next to your dog’s food, a good collar is probably the most important purchase you will make involving your new best friend. Is fashion the most important factor in your decision? There are plenty of colors and styles to choose from. But what if training is the main factor in your decision? You have a choice between choke chains, harnesses or electronic shock collars. What about the simple act of intimidation? Even the littlest Chihuahua can look terrifying in a spiked collar. It all depends on who you want your new best friend to be; a fashionista, a well-behaved family member or a protector. So what are the choices? Let’s take a look.

Buckle collars are exactly like they sound. They connect like a belt and do not tighten on the dogs neck once fastened. Quick-release collars are basically the same thing except the fastener connects with a plastic closure that makes taking the collar off and on a little easier. Buckle collars are made out of nylon, cotton and leather. Quick-release collars are primarily made out of nylon.

As far as training goes, there are several choices. A nylon slip collar (also called a choke chain) in most people’s minds is the most humane. Though in reality, none of the different types of choke chains are inhumane, they just look intimidating. Slip collars, or choke chains, have “O” rings at either end. The collar loops through one of the “O” rings to make an adjustable collar. As the dog pulls on the collar it tightens around his neck. These collars are used primarily for training but rarely used as an everyday collar. Slip collars are made of braided nylon, cotton leather or metal.

Another popular training collar is the prong, or pinch, collar. Though this particular training collar is very popular with professional trainers, it tends to intimidate the everyday dog owner. The pinch collar looks more like a torture device straight out a 19th century prison than a training device for dogs. The inside of the collar has blunted, metal prongs used to pinch the dog as it pulls on it’s lead. Studies have shown that the pinch collar is actually safer than a choke chain. But the look of the collar is enough to turn some dog owners off.

Harnesses are also used primarily for training. There are two types; a head halter (not to be confused with a muzzle), and a body harness. The head halter acts like a halter that a horse would wear (minus the bit of course). Instead of pulling at the neck, like a choke collar, the dog’s head is the guide tool. When your new best bud pulls to far on his leash, instead of choking, his head jerks around and you can shake your finger at him. And like the choke chain and the pinch collar, the head halter should not be used as the primary collar. Just use it for training.

The body halter is for those dogs that for some reason or another just do not learn that when they pull to far on their choke chain, they are going to choke themselves. A body harness will let your dog learn at his own pace without choking himself to death.

And finally there’s the electronic shock collar, probably the most evil sounding collar in existence. But in reality they’re not. Electronic shock collars are used for two major training purposes; the Fido who won’t stay put and the Fido who will not stop barking. An electronic collar delivers an electric “shock” to a dog as a correction for a bad behavior. If the dog won’t stay in the yard, press a button. If Lassie won’t stop barking, press a button. Used under a professional’s guidance, electronic shock collars can be an important training tool. Used under a psycho’s guidance, you can expect a visit from your local police department. You need to know exactly what your goals are with your dog before buying an electronic shock collar. If you tend to fall more in the psycho category, stya away from the shock collar.

There are many other types of collars available for your new best bud, but they are all variations on the collars mentioned above. The buckle and quick-release collars come in numerous colors from bright pink to basic black for the fashion conscious pooch. And for the protector in your family, spiked collars come in sizes ranging from 10 inches to 36 inches. Even if Fido doesn’t behave like a guard dog, he can look like one.

Allen Shaw is a successful author who provides information on dogs, dog collars and puppy training.