Collars are a vital part of dog ownership. They offer a place to hang ID and vaccination tags and permit pet parents to lead their dog on a leash. But improper use of collars can result in serious or even fatal injury. Following are five ways collars may be harmful to your dog, along with some advice for responsible, safe collar use.
A dog might leap up and snag its collar on a window latch or a fence post, which could result in suffocation, according to Dr John Pacy is the proprietor of the mobile veterinary service Healthy Pets House Calls in Palm Beach County, Florida. According to him, hanging tags can also become entangled with crates and other items and result in choking.
If a dog is restrained in the backyard with even a well-fitting collar, says Dr. Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association veterinarian Barbara Hodges She claims to have heard of instances where dogs on long leashes who attempted to jump fences ended up hanging themselves by their collars.
A collar can pose serious physical risks aside from strangulation hazards, particularly if it is too loose. For instance, if a dog scratches his ear while wearing a loose collar, either his front or back legs could become entangled inside the collar, according to Hodges. “It can lead to a limb breaking. She has also observed dogs get their tongues or teeth caught in too-loose collars while grooming themselves, which can result in mouth injuries such as broken teeth.
Pacy suggests breakaway-style collars, which are intended to separate when pressure is applied to the buckle, to prevent physical harm and strangulation. Injuries that could have been fatal have been avoided thanks to breakaway collars, both for his own dogs and those of his clients.
According to Hodges, even a collar described as “moderately tight” can cause skin irritation in dogs and can be harmful if it is too tight. She claims that excessively tight collars can lead to hair loss and make the skin more vulnerable to infections.
In extreme situations, a dog’s neck can be cut by a very tight collar. When a puppy-sized collar is left on a growing dog, Pacy says this may occur in cases of neglect.
Hodges advises switching between a few different collars and regularly making sure they still fit your dog comfortably to protect its neck. She also advises letting your dog sleep without a collar at night so that its skin can breathe.
If a dog pulls vehemently on the leash or if a pet owner pulls the dog around while wearing a traditional collar, the dog’s neck could be harmed.
Hodges warns against jerking the dog because it risks harming its neck. “The neck is a very, very sensitive area. ”.
Repeated neck strain can even result in long-term health problems, including harm to the thyroid glands, the tissues surrounding the neck, and the salivary glands, according to her. She adds that a chest harness can be a safer option to neck collars that put a lot of pressure on a dog’s neck.
The wrong collar can simply irritate a dog, even if it does not result in any serious injuries. Pet owners should use common sense when collar shopping. According to Hodges, if a collar appears stiff and uncomfortable, it probably is.
“If a dog has a really stiff collar on, it would be like if we were wearing some really tight jewelry,” she explains. “It will limit their mobility, and they won’t be happy about it.” ”.
Hodges claims that many of her clients are perplexed as to why their dog keeps rubbing his head and neck. Scratching can occur for a variety of reasons, including low-grade irritation from a collar, she adds.
Make sure you can fit your thumb between the collar and the dog’s neck when sizing a collar.
Hodges claims that if she can fit her entire hand inside, the space is too loose, and if she can barely get a finger in, the space is too tight.
Additionally, bear in mind that a collar may fit a dog differently depending on its position.
Hodges claims that the dog’s skin and body fat are redistributed when it rolls over or sits down. “When the dog is reclining, a collar that fits perfectly when the dog is standing may be too tight.” ”.
Last but not least, while collars are essential for holding ID tags, make sure your dog is microchipped as well so that, when you take off your dog’s collar at night, as Hodges advises, the dog can still be recognized in an emergency.
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This means that any time you put your hands on your dog or his collar, your dog should actually LIKE it.
Your dog can be trained to enjoy having his collar pulled on in a simple way. If your dog hasn’t already developed a serious behavior issue related to the collar or being touched by a human, start very short, regular training sessions when you first get your dog.
You should be aware of where your dog stands in terms of his training and this specific behavior. If your dog does not move or flinch when you put your hand close to his face or neck, you might want to start out with just clicking and rewarding.
When I say that you should be familiar with your own dog, I mean this. This could be difficult if you’ve previously trained with punishments depending on your dog’s history of positive reinforcement. If your dog gets nervous when you put your hand close to his face, you should either start with something simpler or consider seeking professional assistance.
I believe that the majority of adult dogs are not this bad, so starting close to the neck is a possibility. Certainly most puppies will not have issues around collar grabbing.
As opposed to standing over your dog, you might want to begin by lightly touching its neck while getting close to it. Your first objective might be to advance to one-second collar grabs, and then you can move on. First, briefly wrap your hand around the collar, click or reward, then release it and feed. With each training session, you lengthen the time your hand is around the collar before clicking or rewarding, working up to a few seconds.
It is essential that puppies receive this kind of training. Starting them off right is so much simpler than trying to fix a problem. Your dog shouldn’t ever be afraid of you when you approach him or extend your hands to him. Avoid repeatedly grabbing your dog’s collar to bring him inside, put him in a crate, or do any other unpleasant thing to help prevent this. This is an additional technique for teaching a dog to detest being grabbed by the collar and possibly stop approaching you.
Collars are frequently grabbed in the dog sports of disc dog, flyball, agility, dock diving, and conformation to restrain the dog and move dogs from one place to another. It’s crucial that you have good control over your dog in this situation without instilling fear because it’s the most practical way to accomplish this.
If you want your dog to drop something he’s got in his mouth, you could also use a collar grab.
If your dog is not possessive, you can teach him “The Drop” by grabbing his collar and stopping him from tugging on a toy. Doing this is neither a punishment for the dog nor unpleasant. It merely stops a dog from rewarding himself by yanking on or playing with the toy in his mouth. Your dog will eventually discover that the game ends if he holds onto the toy. Additionally, holding the collar virtually eliminates a dog’s ability to play with the toy. It gets boring and he drops it.
This approach is especially beneficial for dogs with whom you cannot use food as a training tool. Such a dog would stop playing with the toy and start concentrating more on the food. This can be problematic if you’re trying to teach someone a particular behavior.
The most crucial aspect of collar training is preventing your dog from unintentionally learning to cower when you approach him. This is a type of hand shyness brought on by being grabbed by the collar too frequently in angrily or frustratedly.
There is no need for that. Teach your dog that grabbing the collar is positive, enjoyable, and leads to other positive things. The dog will then be confident that nothing bad will happen, and you can be sure that your dog won’t run away from you in an emergency.
1. Move one hand toward your dog. Feed a treat with the other hand and keep the first hand still. At the same time, take both hands off the table and place them behind your back.
In the December 2017 issue, we talk about collars; let’s also take a moment to discuss collar grabs. I observe a concerning number of dogs that flee when their owner grabs their collar. This is dangerous as well as annoying for people. Imagine the situation in an emergency where the owner needs to quickly restrain the dog to keep her safe, but the dog dodges the owner’s outstretched hand and flees.
It might save your dog’s life if she associates being reached for positively. With most dogs, it’s simple enough to teach and well worth the effort. All you need is a supply of delectable treats and a collar for your dog. Here’s how:
5. Ask others to perform the same exercise when she responds to you grabbing her collar in a happy manner. In the event that your dog escapes and someone else tries to catch her, have them start at Step 1 until they are comfortable doing so.
2. Repeat this process several times until your dog starts looking for the treat hand when you present your “reach” hand. This “look” is called a conditioned emotional response, or CER.
Start training your puppy as soon as you bring it home to avoid this. Say “Gotcha!” in a cheerful tone and then gently grab his collar. Then give him a treat. It’s crucial that these actions take place sequentially rather than all at once. To ensure that your puppy forms the proper associations, one step needs to predict the next. He hears a cue first, then you grab hold of his collar, and only then does he receive a reward. Practice about 10 times a day, randomly throughout the day.
When your puppy is about to eat something harmful or make a flying leap and you need to stop him right away, you may need to grab him by the collar. Here’s how to successfully train him to enjoy having his collar touched so that he won’t react violently to these situations.
“Time out!” I called. Seven people responded with a cheery “Gotcha!” and rushed to grab their collars so they could give their puppies a treat right away. Once they finished munching, puppies were released again to play.
You might snag your puppy’s collar to force him inside from your yard before you’ve taught him to come when called. To get him off the couch or to put him inside his crate, you can grab him by the collar. Although you don’t mean to punish him, your puppy may still perceive you touching his collar in a negative way.
When puppies are not taught this lesson during the crucial socialization period (from birth to about 16 weeks), I’ve seen the results. Sometimes a puppy accumulates all the unpleasant collar grabs and develops into an adult dog or teen who growls when you reach for his neck. He may growl at you even if you simply approach him to pet him or move him to another spot on the couch.
FAQ
Is it OK to pull a dog by its collar?
If a dog pulls vehemently on the leash or if a pet owner pulls the dog around while wearing a traditional collar, the dog’s neck could be harmed. Hodges warns against jerking the dog because it risks harming its neck. “The neck is a very, very sensitive area. ”.
Is it okay to grab a dog by their neck?
Although some dog moms carry their puppies by the scruff, doing so is not advised. Since humans lack the innate knowledge of how to properly carry dogs by the scruff, we run the risk of inflicting harm or injury.
How do you grab a dog with a collar?
Usually, collar sensitivity is a result of mishandling. When a dog misbehaves, its owner may become upset and most likely grab the animal by the collar and roughhouse it into a garage or basement. After repeatedly going through the scenario, the dog starts to dislike being grabbed by the collar.