Another scary reminder to take collars off

[Cathygirl]

My dogs used to wear collars too, until they got tangled up in them and they now I only put collars on them when I have them on a leash.
A couple years ago Tank and Max were playing in the yard with there flat collars on and all of a sudden I heard them screaming. Well, Max's paw actually had gotten stuck under tanks collar and his nail was cutting tanks tonque. I tried and tried to pry the collar loose and they were struggling with each other and tanks collar was getting tighter and tighter and I thought I was going to lose him right there. I ran to the house to get sissors out of my husbands tool box and screamed at him in the house to get outside. I ran back to the dogs with the sissors and just when I got to them it popped free.
Both dogs were fine. Tank had a very small cut on his tongue and Max's front paw was sore but nothing broken. They smelled all around the area and were not sure what had just happened.
It was the scariest thing ever!!! I did buy break away collars after that but they broke away to easy, so now they wear nothing.

I too, had never thought about the fact they could get caught up in it. Since then, I have heard many horror stories of it.

[Lauri & The Gang]

If you MUST have your dogs wear collars (and you have multiple dogs) then get the plastic snap buckle kind:



99% of the time you can unlatch the buckle in cases like the above.

Anything with a buckle like this:



Where you have to get slack in order to unhook it - those are dangerous.

[Cathygirl]

I had the plastic snap one like you show in the top picture. That would not budge and I pushed and pushed on the sides to release it. I am just very thankful if finally popped free.

[Tbarrios333]

I usually take Denali's collar off because she's clinks everywhere and because I know it's not very safe. The tags make an annoying sound and I call her Tinkerbell.
I don't ALWAYS do it though, only when I remember. Mostly, because I've never had an issue with a dog collar my whole life and because we don't have two dogs.


Tonight I had a big scare...

Denali was being her normal goofball self and was sneaking around in the pantry where she's not allowed. We try to keep it closed but we forget that sometimes as well.
She stopped making noise so I go over to see what she's doing. I saw her snooping in there and told her to get out, she didn't listen and that's when I saw it.
One of her tags got stuck in between the metal racks and it wouldn't have budged because she kept pulling on it to get out. It was her rabies tag and it was attached to those extra strong county rings.
She was choking herself out.
I hate to think of what would've happened if I didn't realize what was going on.

Just another reminder of why collars are dangerous even if there aren't any other dogs in the house.

[Stephanie17s]

Good thing you were right there with her! I'm glad she was OK.

I've never taken Lexa's collar off in the house...I think I'll start after reading this

[allieg]

Glad you caught it in time.I have started taking the collar off my little Mutt when they are out in the pen because Athena has figured how to get it off her.I am afraid one day she may get it stuck on her jaw like the neighbor's dog did and choke her to death.We managed to get her 2 dogs apart but they were pretty badly beaten up.

[Tbarrios333]

Originally Posted By: AllieGGlad you caught it in time.I have started taking the collar off my little Mutt when they are out in the pen because Athena has figured how to get it off her.I am afraid one day she may get it stuck on her jaw like the neighbor's dog did and choke her to death.We managed to get her 2 dogs apart but they were pretty badly beaten up.

That's so scary!
I've read these kinda of stories before but since we don't have two dogs I's never bothered me too much to have her collar on at home.
But now I see those collars can get stuck in just about anything.

[windwalker718]

I am a paranoid freak about collars... especially choke collars... after one pup I sold was tied by her stupid owner IN A KENNEL by the live ring... she jumped a 6' fence... they came home from the movies to find her body hanging by the collar from the fence.........

Another friend had 3 dogs, all buddies, who were wrestling while she was @ work. One got the jaw caught in the other's collar... her jaw was broken and the other dog strangled... The 1st dog was attached to the dead body for hours by her broken jaw...

Maybe rare occasions... but once is 3 times too many for my pack... so in the house or fenced yard they don't wear collars. In the car they do... or if we go hiking.

[doggiedad]

a friend of mine told me about a dog
having his collar stuck on the deck.
the flooring on the deck had a little space
between the boards. the dog laid down and the ring
on his collar went between the boards a turned just enough
so the dog couldn't get up. my friend and his friends saw it in time.

i saved a dog who got his collar caught on a picket fence. this dog
use to growl and bark at me all of the time. once i saved him
he never barked or growled at me again. i was able to pet him after i saved him.

[weber1b]

I used to be one who always left the collar on. Now that we have two, and they get a little frisky in the house once in awhile, we have started taking them off. I noticed them grabbing the collars when they were playing and that was the end of them wearing them in the house.