The Wearing Of Dog Collars

[Jake-K9]

Thanks folks but I had in mind the ones similar the council tags that loop around the collar and clip back into themselves.

The break-away collars are a good suggestion but I'd be very careful leaving loose collars on dogs who have other dogs for company while unsupervised. Dogs have been strangled by their collars being caught in the mouth of another dog and twisted during a game gone wrong

Damn Perhaps then a stiff leather flat collar (hard to twist) that has been left loose enough to slip off?

[Zug Zug]

I have always had collars on my dogs. I've never had a choking issue or anything like that. Also the Council requires that the dogs have their rego tags on.

On the rare times when they have escaped our yard (hopefully never again but it could happen), it has meant they have been able to be returned straight back home without a need to detour via the Council, because we also have an engraved tag with our phone number and address on it, and our vet's details.

I don't think most neighbours would really know where each dog lives, except your next door neighbours and maybe one or two others. As soon as you're a block from home the dog could come from anywhere.

[PRADA68]

Mine always have their collars on. Never had a choking problem or accident but then I am home just about 24/7 anyway and where I am the dogs are.

[Mas1981]

I definitely would not say you are doing the wrong thing by leaving collars on your dogs! Having easily accessible and readable info attached to your dog can only be a good thing, IMO.

I would however suggest getting a break-away collar, or leaving a flat collar loose enough that it may slip over the dog's head if they were to get it caught on something.

The malinut wears a thin nylon slip collar (locked off with a clip) when he is at home, so I have something to catch him by if needed. I should really also work on getting some form of ID and phone number attached to it, but I don't want a metal tag that will rattle and make noise, and I'm not sure where to get custom plastic ones

I have one of these ....

http://www.petcollars.com.au/embroideredcollars.php

My dog wears his when I go out or when I walk him etc, I dont think he could get out unless someone jumped the fence and let him out on purpose but just in case I would rather he wear his collar.

[moosepup]

No collars on mine unless we're out and about. They are inside when we aren't home and our fences aren't jumpable so chances of them escaping are slim.

ETA - someone did leave the gate open once but Zoe just walked around to the front door and barked to be let back in.

Edited April 8, 2010 by moosepup

[16Paws]

I've seen first hand what happens when two playmates get caught in each other's collars.

Years ago I had a 'friend of a friend' dog staying with me and my dog. One day I came home to find that my big dopey girl had grabbed hold of her little friend's collar. Little friend had then obviously managed to spin himself around and was being strangled by his own collar which was tightly wedged around my girl's bottom jaw. He had blood frothing out of his nose and his eyes were full of blood (not sure what that's called). I managed to get them untangled and rushed to vet - both were ok but it was a horrible, frightening experience.

It was years before I got another dog and she wore a collar until we got our GR boy. I tried the breakaway collars which seem very good but because they play a lot the collars ended up on the ground more times than not and eventually chewed. I tried nudie dogs but a few weeks ago our lab performed a houdini with our foster dog in our yard which we had previously considered escape proof. It's a bad enough feeling to know your dog is missing but a whole lot worse when your realise she's completely IDless. (edit to amend that she's not completely IDless but microchips are useless unless the person takes them to the vet to check).

So all dogs have collars back on and I try not to think about the dangers.

I was considering another form of ID, like a leg strap or something but I'm not sure how that would work (I picture something like a hospital ID bracelet) :D

Edited April 8, 2010 by 16Paws

[Baileys mum]

I no longer wear collars on my dogs at home, after reading some tragic stories here on DoL where dogs have actually choked to death when their collar has got caught on something.

We live on 40 acres & my dogs never stray from the property, plus I'm home most of the time , so they are hardly ever outside by them selves. When we do go out they are locked up in secure dog runs, that they can't get out off.

My dogs are all microchipped aswell.

Edited April 8, 2010 by Baileys mum

[TerraNik]

Mine don't wear collars at home either, but they are inside the house if we're not home so I'm not really worried about them needing ID. They wore breakaway collars when we used to leave them in the backyard.

[Red Fox]

Thanks folks but I had in mind the ones similar the council tags that loop around the collar and clip back into themselves.

The link I posted also has slide on collar tags if you go to the 'Stainless Steel' section. They are fantastic as they slide on to the collar, wont come off and dont jingle around. Shouldn't have gone to the site to get the link for you though, I just bought a new tag

ETA: Pics (from the website) so you can see what I mean

Edited April 8, 2010 by SecretKei

[Jake-K9]

LOL SecretKei, I did think about those slide-on ones, but I wouldn't be able to get them onto the collar that I leave on him as it is 8mm round nylon with rings on either end (and his flat collar is way too thick, and I don't leave it on him anyway)

I like the look of the custom embroidered collars... hmmm, stuff to think about!

[greytdog]

no collars here for the greyhounds. I did have a couple of break away ones but seeing as how they got pulled off all the time in play I couldn't see the point in leaving them on. All microchipped.

Bianca is still wearing the one you gave me, thank you. It comes off quite easily (in my hand once when I grabbed it), so I don't think it would catch on anything. It has her tags on it.

She is microchipped and wears her GAP collar when we walk. She wasn't microchipped when I got her, but I believe GAP VIC now microchip dogs before they are adopted.

[Guest belgian.blue]

I would however suggest getting a break-away collar, or leaving a flat collar loose enough that it may slip over the dog's head if they were to get it caught on something.

The break-away collars are a good suggestion but I'd be very careful leaving loose collars on dogs who have other dogs for company while unsupervised. Dogs have been strangled by their collars being caught in the mouth of another dog and twisted during a game gone wrong

I have seen my two previous dogs, both were wearing collars at the time, get their teeth twisted around the other dogs jaw My Pointer pooped herself and both dogs were screaming their heads off. Thank dog we were home or it would have been very nasty.

No collars when at home here, only when we leave the house. Or have people over and I'm home the whole time. We recently went camping and I had her collar on the entire time.

[IngeK]

No never do they have theres on at home, only when we go out. Have read to many stories of dogs that hang themselves while having them on at home.

[Daisy]

No collars on when at home here either. I had a foster dog who died after getting her collar caught on a gate a few years ago, and I have heard stories from other DOLers whose dogs died either from getting their collar caught while jumping, or while playing with another dog

[Starkehre]

No collars here, only put on when we go out.

My dogs cannot escape from our yard, so I feel safe in that regard.

I have no biased on what others choose to do, but will just mention.. if you do collar dogs in the yard and the collar has a tag, please ensure this tag cannot slip between deck timbers, as I have seen dogs get stuck this way.

[Odin-Genie]

My dogs don't wear collars at home either. They are young and tend to play a lot. So I wouldn't want to risk their collars getting caught during play.

I however have a secure fenced yard with locks on all gates, so unless someone breaks the locks and intentionally lets them out, there is no possibility of them getting out.

[sas]

My dogs only wear collars when they are outside of the house. They are both mircochipped. My dogs have never escaped, but if they do their mircochip has all their details on it and is up to date.

Edited April 8, 2010 by sas

[Henrietta]

No collars at home.

I haven't had a dog escape yet... *touch wood*

The risk of a choke hazard outweighs the identification purpose of a collar. My dog is microchipped.

It worries me slightly that I have soooo many collars and only one has the council registration tag on it. They aren't exactly easy to take on and off... I wonder if I could pay for multiple tags.

Although I haven't had a dog escape outside of the home either, I do like to have the council tag on if possible.

[Jetty]

This is scarying me. I tend to make sure they have collars on when we are not home. I am afraid they will escape, however it is hard for them to do so with 6ft fencing. Jet's microchipped. Its on loose though.

[macka]

Mine do wear collars at home but not when unsupervised. When I go to work I take the collars off and when I get home I put them pack on.

I used to use breakaways and a few times I came home to find the breakaways had broken away, so they must have gotten caught or came off during play - it definitely happens.

They are both micro-chipped so if they did get out somehow they could be traced back to me.