By: Bimol Bee
Submitted: 2011-10-21 05:10:37 | Word Count: 495
Dog Collars Should Be Comfortable
Canines should really feel comfortable in their collars giving much freedom to movements. Unfortunately, their owners often consider the collar's price more than its quality not thinking about the dog's feelings. Because of a wrong collar the dog may get problems with neck sores, bald patches, or even pulling on the lead.
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Wrong collars
Dog collars are ill-fitting they can easily come off or on the contrary too tight. Keep in mind the 'two finger rule'– one should be able to easily place two fingers between the collar and the dog's neck. Unfortunately, some types of collars have limited sizes causing rubbing or hanging down. Try to choose the collars enabling you to fix the size manually.
Some dog owners always choose a certain style of collars, for instance, a thick leather collar, or patterned webbing, but it's better to consider the dog's comfort.
Consider The Width
Dog collars may have different widths. Usually, narrow collars are more suitable for smaller dogs, while wider collars are better for larger dogs. The collar is too wide if it's restrictive or rubbing during the dog's movement. Extremely narrow collar will cause discomfort while moving, so choose a wider one.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Various types of collars have their advantages and disadvantages.
A leather collar made of a natural material looks beautiful, but it may cause irritation and even allergic reactions. Some dogs may react to leather, so it's recommended to check whether your dog is allergic to leather before buying a new leather collar. Allergy means appearance of skin irritation. Besides, leather collars can be too stiff when bought, but shouldn't be too stiff to cause rubbing. Never wait until it's worn in, because in this way you'll cause your dog to suffer. If you notice any irritation on your dog's skin, choose another collar and these sensitive areas.
It has to be mentioned that a stiff leather collar can be softened with leather conditioner but at first ensure that it can be used with animals.
After the collar is on your dog's neck and isn't causing any problems, your dog's body should keep the leather soft and warm. Long haired dogs are offered a special round, or rolled leather collar that doesn't squash their fur flat and gives an opportunity to their skin to breathe, causing no irritation.
Nylon: Many collars today are produced from Nylon webbing. They are much lighter than leather collars and not expensive. However, synthetic nylon can cause allergic reactions, so before buying such a collar check for any signs of irritation trying a nylon collar for the first time. Webbed nylon collars can be easily adjusted to the size of your dog, but nylon can be rather rough on your dog's fur as it's an unnatural material. Such collars are usually lined with neoprene that is soft enough.
Hemp is a natural more expensive alternative to nylon,free from bleach and artificial colorings.
