Archive for the ‘Dog Collars’ Category
Prevent Fleas and Ticks This Year By Using A Flea Collar Now
The approaching warm weather of spring in the northern parts of the country brings with it a new flea and tick season. The best method to ensure your dog does not become infested with fleas is to get out in front of problem. A good quality flea collar at the beginning of the season will do just that.
If your dog becomes infested with fleas your house will soon follow, so outfitting your dog in a flea collar not only protects them but your family as well. Ticks are another problem warm weather bring out. Ticks gorge on blood by attaching themselves to your dog. If this happens to you, they need to be removed quickly using a tick remover tool.
Fleas can be a pesky problem that can be avoided with a flea collar while ticks can be dangerous if left untreated. Avoid the costly treatments and shampoos by outfitting your dog in a good quality flea collar at the beginning of the season.
Handlers and owners who have used the martingale collar site the primary benefit as controlling your dog without choking or damaging their neck. Standard choke dog collars are by far the most popular collar purchased by dog owners. The issue is that most people do not fit the collar properly on the dog leading to neck and throat problems.
The martingale collar has a small chain fitted with a control loop. This chain connects the sides of the collar; when you attach a leash to the control loop and tug the collar, it closes on your dog’s neck. The result is even pressure placed on the neck stopping short of actually choking the dog.
When fitting your dog with a martingale collar measure your dog’s neck just behind the ears and purchase a collar that when the control loop is pulled tight the sides almost touch. The difference between the standard choke and the martingale collar is that if your dog pulls and tugs while walking the choke continues to pull tight where the sides of the martingale collar will stop.
Electronic Dog Collars – What You Should Know Before You Buy
Electronic dog collars also have their place in accomplishing training goals. There are two goals, one to control excessive barking, and one for roaming with radio fencing. No matter how well you have socialized your dog some dogs just refuse to be good neighbors, barking continuously while in the yard.
The idea of electronic dog collars in this circumstance is when your dog is barking uncontrollably you press a button delivering a “shock.” Over time, they will learn proper behavior when in the yard. Radio fencing has become quite popular, as many new subdivisions do not allow standard fencing.
When your dog gets too close to the wire, it delivers a shock. This can work well if your dog likes to roam from the yard, however, a hound dog breed’s instincts will take over and they will chase anything smaller then they are. The damage in using an electronic dog collar is it will then prevent him/her from returning home when they calm down.
To dog owners there is nothing better in life the first time a new puppy is introduced to the household and the purchase of a new leather dog collar. Your new puppy is a bundle of energy with exploration the only thought. It can be easy for them to get out of the yard and to explore the neighbors next door or worse down the street.
The goal of the first leather dog collar for pet owners should be to hang your dog’s tags. Tags with the appropriate information can alert a neighbor to whom the puppy belongs. When your dog is still a pup, buying an inexpensive dog collar for this goal, as they will grow out of it quickly.
Once your dog is fully-grown, you will have the opportunity to purchase a collar from a wide range of choices from leather dog collars to fashion and spiked collars. This is where a pet owner can have some fun and purchase a leather dog collar to fit your four-legged family member’s personality.
With so many choices of dog collars in the market place, matching the goal with the collar function should be the first decision before purchasing. Whether your goal is training, fashion or a place for tags there are several selections available. Once you have decided the goal you and your dog will be working on you need to determine the proper fit.
The rule of thumb for proper fit is two fingers of space between the dog collar and your dog’s neck but not loose enough that your dog can wiggle his/her way out of the collar. The standard sizes for dog collars are:
- X-small/small – 7” to 11” (2-12lbs)
- Medium – 11” to 15” (10-45lbs)
- Large – 15” to 22” (40-120lbs)
- X-large – 19” to 29” (100-200lbs)
While there are always exceptions to the rule, you should use a measuring tape for your dog. Snuggly wrap the tape around your dog’s neck and then place two fingers under the tape. This will ensure a proper fit and provide the right length when you purchase your dog collar.
Don’t Lose Your Companion Get A GPS Dog Collar
I was reading an article not long ago about a family who recovered their stolen dog. It took several days but they were finally reunited, however during those missing days the family was devastated. I did some research and found our Golden Retriever is among the top ten breeds thieves look for.
We outfitted our dog with a GPS Dog Collar. There is a service you have to sign up with and within a couple of hours; the GPS dog collar was online and tracking. Thankfully, we have not had an excuse to use the collar but we can sleep better knowing should our dog get lost or stolen we will recover him. The price for the dog collar is well worth the peace of mind.
Dress Up Your Dog With Collar Charm Jewelry
Dog charms for collars have been around for a while. We have always given our Griffon a new dog charm every year at Christmas time and this year we found a neat collection. From cute dog charms like Snowflake, Christmas trees, and Candy Canes, we could not decide which one to get.
We looked at the price and made up our minds…we bought one of each. Giving our dog a little bling with a dog charm for her collar is wonderful way to spice up her life. The great thing is we are already starting to get complements.
We bought an electronic training collar for our animal shelter rescued American Eskimo who 
barked ALL THE TIME. By barked all the time, I mean he barked and kept barking for 10 minutes or more. He barked at us, at the other dogs, at the cats, he barked at any noises inside or outside, whenever someone walked in the door, while he played and he barked in his kennel.
The worst part was when he would start barking at 4 in the morning and nonstop until we let him out at 8. For two months, we tried everything we could think of, and everything a certified trainer could think of… with absolutely no luck.
The first day I put the electronic training collar on my dog he barked up to the 3rd or 4th setting before he gave a yelp and stopped barking. It was the kind of yelp he does when he is roughhousing with the other dogs; the yelp that says, “Okay, you win, I give up” NOT “I’m in pain.”
We used the training collar every evening after work and through the night… for about 2 weeks. Now we might have to put it on him once a week for a couple of hours, just as a reminder. These electronic training collars are the best.
Martingale Collars – Choke Collar Alternative
For pet owners seeking an alternative to the choke collar but still wish to have the benefits of a choke the Martingale collar is the right choice. Sometime referred to as a “Show Collar” as it is favored by handlers, comes in different sizes as well as an all-in-one leash and collar.
The Martingale collar has a nylon or leather collar connected by a small chain. The leash is attached at the large loop and when the dog pulls, the collar closes. This offers a similar feeling as a choke collar but with the safety of stopping short of actually choking your dog.
When fitted properly, the Martingale collar when closed should fit snuggly around your dog neck. The rule of thumb for a properly fit dog collar is two fingers of space under the collar when it is around your dog’s neck. The nylon variety has an adjustable buckle for minor corrections to achieve the perfect fit.
There are so many choices these days that you can find a dog collar, dog harness and dog leash to suit almost any need. There are dog harnesses that look like a muzzle but allow your dog the freedom to do just about anything they normally would. They are great for those larger harder to control dogs, when walking they tend not tug & pull.
Collars come in every shape, size, and color. From fashion dog collars with a little bling to spike collars and training collars. Depending on the type of collar you decide on, ensure you can hang your dog’s tags as well as control him/her when walking. Most pet owners have both, one dog collar for walking & training and one for tags.
Leashes too come in many different selections. From leather to nylon, long and short, choosing the right length is very important. Most cities have a leash law and most of those require a dog leash no longer than six feet. Most leather dog leashes come in only a six-foot length while nylon dog leashes can be up to 50 feet. Having a leather training dog leash is great and then a longer dog leash when they learn to walk is also worth having.