Another scary reminder to take collars off

[Krymedogg]

Same thing happened to my Cinco and Nikita last week. Cinco's jaw slid into and was stuck in Nikita's collar basically choking her out. She panicked and tossed Cinco to the ground. Luckily I was there and calmed each down and was able to take Nikita's collar off to relieve the pressure. But too late as Cinco had panicked and let out his anal gland holdings. Yummy. No more collars at home.

Krymedogg in Keizer, OR

[arycrest]

I see something a lot in the picture section that frightens me, yet it's one of those situations that you can end up wrong either way. Anyone who allows their dogs to run and play off lead is smart to have them wear a collar with ID. But on the other hand it can also be very dangerous.

When I was living up in MD, I took the Hooligans swimming in the Pax river or the Bay every weekend when weather permitted. One day Tex was halfway across the river when he suddenly started struggling, his nylon collar was caught on what I think must have been a submerged log. I can't swim but was about to go in anyway to try to save him when he finally slipped his collar and swam to shore.

After that close miss, I always took their collars off when we got down to the river and put them back on when we were ready to leave. It really scared the stuffing out of me.

When we moved to FL I stopped taking them swimming because I'm paranoid about gators.

They're never allowed to wear collars except when on lead.

[Catu]

A friend had his rott always with a fur saver. One day the dog got his head through the wire fence to bark dogs outside and the live ring got stuck in a loosed wire. When we arrived home the dog has given up fighting and waited patiently, there were no signs of too much struggle either, luckily, or the dog would have killed himself. Still it was quite the battle of 4 person and all sort of things, even with the owner present, to release him without get bitten.

[onyx'girl]

I see people with fursavers on their dogs all the time...they are just as dangerous as a choke collar. Al's dog Hex had a fursaver on when he was taken....

[Tito'sDad]

I couldnt agree more..

[Konotashi]

I will always keep a collar on any of my dogs. I know there may be risks to it, but I personally feel the risks of my dogs not wearing a collar is far greater. Too many stories of dogs getting lost without a collar on, vs. dogs getting mouths stuck in collars or getting stuck to a fence.

[Zojira]

Late to the party, I know, but I also don't use collars in the house and yard. My first mastiff thought it was great fun to chew the collars off of my pit, and while his teeth never got caught in the collars, it just isn't worth the risk to me. That and the fact that my little pit has insanely sensitive skin and breaks out from any collar, no matter the material. So no, no collars here.

Funny, because I used to be fanatical about it. But now, everyone is trained to stay back from the door unless given permission out, and if we go out for a car ride or a romp off the property, the collars go on as a precaution. The only exception is the one dog who thinks cats might be a fun snack; she wears a collar 24/7 just so I can grab her by more than the scruff if one of my cats ever runs out of "their" room and she decides to help herself to "fast food."

Then again, everyone is microchipped so I feel a bit better about not keeping a collar on everyone. If you're not going to keep a collar and tag on your dog, I think a chip is absolutely necessary (heck, I've always used it as a back up even for the dogs I had who DID wear collars 24/7). You just never know when something might happen and your dog might find itself without you or a tag to get him home.

[Shepherdgirl41]

Oh my thats awful om glad the pups are doing ok though.

[Zeeva]

This is scary. I dunno if anyone mentioned this but I use snapping collars (and a harness for walks)...

[LadyHawk]

It is scary- If your vet does not microchip, let me know - the vet I work for does.... in North Smithfield