[krispifsu]

Today while out for our morning walk, Lily tapped into the Wonder Woman inside her, and when she lurtched forward, she snapped the collar around her neck and I was left holding a leash and collar with no dog attached to it. Thank goodness we were still in my neighborhood and she came right back, but I was so VERY lucky that this did not happen on the very busy street where we walk everyday

I have been purchasing these collars: http://www.petco.com/product/102382/EK-Ekcessories-Brown-Collar-With-Pink-Flowers.aspx in the 3/4" size.

I can't have her collar snapping when she lunges forward because that is the time that I most need it to hold. It didn't break of anything, just seems like where it snaps together, it just unsnapped. This collar is about 1 month old so I am suprised that it happened so quickly. Plus it's pretty scary that she's only (almost) 6 months old and just under 50 lbs. What happens when she is full grown?!

Any advice on what kind of collar to try next? Buckle or snap? Nylon or leather?

 

[grmnshpd21]

I don't trust those snap collars anymore because the same thing happened to us with Molly. It was like the little latchy thing just slid out and disconnected. I switched to a martingale collar when she was younger. It had no snaps or clicks or anything. http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2751399
I also now have a rolled leather collar with a metal buckle. No more snappy collars for us.

 

[big_dog7777]

Originally Posted By: KrispifsuI have been purchasing these collars: http://www.petco.com/product/102382/EK-Ekcessories-Brown-Collar-With-Pink-Flowers.aspx in the 3/4" size.

Hmmm... not so much. I don't like anything with plastic. Personally I like fur savers. They look great on a GSD, will "grow" with the dog since you control the size by clipping the leash to a second link and they do not destroy that much hair (hence the fur saver name). In addition, there is no way your dog will snap it! Here is a picture...

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[Superpup]

Fur savers are great, but you cannot really put one on a small puppy. Secondly, you should never leave a fur saver on the dog when not supervised (in the crate for example DO NOT LEAVE ONE ON), because they are choke collars. They do not work really well as one, but they are still choke collars. A friend of mine leaves the fur saver on her male GSD, and one day she was wondering what the noise was; the dog got stuck on the crate pan by his fur saver and would have choked to death if she had not been home...
I like the leather collars also, although both my dogs have snap-on collars still.

 

[Kayos and Havoc]

A good sturdy leather collar works well. I buy mine from http://www.jjdog.com.

I like the look and the sturdiness of the braided collars. Mine are about 5 years old and still look great.

 

[Strana1]

http://www.keepsafecollar.com/

I like these because they are sturdy when on lead, but will come apart if the dog gets caught on something.

I had a friend how lost his 6 month old male in a collar accident and I want something that will break when it needs to and stay strong when it counts.

 

[big_dog7777]

You should not leave ANY collars on a dog unsupervised. My friend had a lab strangled on a flat nylon collar. It got stuck on his GSD's tooth as they were playing and he freaked out and strangled the lab. That poor dog dragged the lab around for who knows how long before someone got home.

 

[krispifsu]

Lily rarely has her collar left on in the house and NEVER in her crate...but she does keep it on when she is off-lead at the park. I'm still just not sure on what would work best for her. I definately appreciate the recommendations and will maybe buy a couple different types and see what works best.

The collar is mostly just used to walk her outside to potty, on our walks, and to get to/from different outings (the store, outdoor cafes, the park, etc.).

All I know is I need something that is not going to snap off again. She has a fascination with motorcycles. I watch carefully to direct her attention away from them when they pass, but my biggest fear is that I won't see/hear one coming and if she lunges at one the collar will snap and she'll run right out into traffic

 

[AbbyK9]

You still have a ton of collar options, you just now know to keep away from collars that have plastic side-release buckles since they can break if there's enough strain on them.

You can get nylon collars with metal side-release buckles, so if that's the style of collar you like, that's what I would look into. Alternatively, you can get nylon collars with metal buckles, or leather collars with metal buckles.

If you're not feeling good about any of those closures, you can use the flat collar along with a second collar, such as a fur saver or parachute cord choke, and clip the leash to both collars. If the one breaks, you will still have a hold of your dog.

Or you could go to a different kind of collar altogether. You can use a Fursaver clipped to both rings (so that it does not tighten) as an alternative, strong collar. In that case, I would bring along a flat collar for when she's off leash at the park, so you can take the Fursaver off when she is playing - just in case.

 

[LUV_GSDs]

My first GSD had the same leather buckle collar for most of her life. I wouldn't go with anything other than leather.

 

[kbigge]

I have a really nice Amish handmade leather buckle collar that I bought from Leerburg - actually, I won it on their online auction, so I got it cheaper, but it is definitely worth buying at full price. I also have their 6 ft, 4 ft, and 18" traffic leash (I also won the traffic leash on auction). The quality is wonderful - I plan to use for Kodee for his entire lifetime (I don't think he'll outgrow the one he has now, but we'll see). I actually just cleaned and conditioned all of his leather stuff today - the leather is very thick and really soft/supple, and the hardware is stitched AND riveted in place, not just one or the other. WAY better than the cheap leather stuff at most petstores. The stuff I bought is black, but they have brown and burgundy, as well.

http://www.leerburg.com/flatleathercollar.htm#1inch

 

[cdonahue89]

i really like the look of leather collars, but we recently bought one from beamer, & she ran forward to chase something --.. & there went the collar, right in half. so i dont trust leather, it was like a $30 one too, so it wasnt cheap.

we are still looking for a nice one =) gl!

 

[cdonahue89]

actually. i found a collar that used to be my dobermans years ago, he never wore it. its kind of like a prong collar, where it has the tug part, but its nylon. it has worked well the past week or so, so idk. i wish i could find a pic online but i cant.. really sorry.

 

[Liesje]

I also try not to use collars with plastic. Kenya wears a VERY thin nylon "rope" style slip collar daily, pictured below. She also has a "regular" nylon collar with a metal buckle, a prong collar, a thick martingale collar with no buckle, a thinner nylon martingale also with no buckle, and a thin black rolled leather collar with a metal buckle. I use slips, martingales (with NO buckle), or flats with a metal buckle. She has never broken or slipped a collar.

These are my faves:

Nylon "mountain choke" slip collar (very thin, can't even see it usually)

No-buckle thicker martingale (this one is mostly for "show" like therapy stuff b/c it's pretty)

Rolled leather buckle collar

Ruffwear harness attached to the mountain choke slip collar for extra security (in case she wriggled out of the harness)

Normally I suggest Martingales, but if you want something you can take off/put on a lot, I'd just use a plain "mountain choke" slip collar or slip lead. I use them all the time, just b/c they are very quick and easy, not for actually choking or correcting my dogs.

Or, you can use whatever collar you prefer and attached the leash also to a slip collar that is looser than the dog's other collar. Then, the slip really isn't used or tightened unless the other collar fails.

 

[krispifsu]

Thank you for all of the wonderful suggestions.

For now I have purcahsed a nylon metal buckle collar but want to find a couple more to try as well.

I really would like to get a martingale for walking (since Lily likes to pull) but I think that collar would be a pain to take on and off each time she needs to be taken outside if we are not going for a walk.

Liesje - where did you purchase the mountain choke and the black rolled leather collar?

Lily is still growing (6 months old) so I am not sure how much to invest in collars yet for fear she will outgrow them.

I will definately check out the Leerburg collars as well.

 

[Liesje]

I got my mountain choke and rolled leather collar at local pet stores. I've also seen lots of the "mountain" rope type slip leads as well. I think I've seen all three of these things at Petsmart. As far as having a buckle collar, I like the rolled leather. Other collars look funny on my GSDs fur and make it stick up. Her rolled leather and choke collar are both VERY thin, less than 1/2 inch.

Here's some chokes for $8.
http://www.morrco.com/8mmmounchokc.html


I was used to using them when I got my dogs b/c the shelter where I volunteer requires them. Too many dogs have broken or slipped buckle collars. It sucks for the ones that pull hard and get choked, but it's really for their own safety. My dogs are trained how to walk so choking is not an issue and I don't use these collars with the intent of "correcting" the dogs.


Here's some slip leads.
http://www.dogstuff.com/leadsslipleads-c-224_1228_1234.html


I would get a simple choke and leash or a slip lead, just to have around. I keep one in the car, just in case I find a stray dog. I also use them to take the dogs out to potty, taking them to the vet, etc. It doesn't matter if the dog grows as long as you start with a big enough one. The one Kenya wears all the time is more fitted, but that's b/c I don't want it getting caught on anything. I tried on several before choosing the one she wears now.

 

[Catu]

I use the mountain choker too. I didn't even know that was the name. Actally I've never seen them in the market, I make my own with a couple of rings and I always have rope on hand and all the ones I've seen are home-made by the owners or trainers.

I don't use it to correct either, only because it's something that can be on the dog all the time for whatever purpose. They really come in handy

 

[roxy84]

Originally Posted By: KodeeGirlI have a really nice Amish handmade leather buckle collar that I bought from Leerburg

http://www.leerburg.com/flatleathercollar.htm#1inch

i just received the 1 inch flat leather collar from leerburg yesterday along with the 6 ft leash. i agree its much softer and appears better built than anything ive seen at the pet stores.

btw, if you scroll down a bit, there is a pic of what i think is a gsd w/ the black leather collar-looks nice.

 

[whitney]

I use a snap collor just to hold Blitz's tags and "look pretty" I use a pinch collar or fur saver to walk him...

 

[k9ma]

I like the rolled latigo colars. I believe I got mine from petedge.com or carealotpets.com years ago and it still looks great.

I also just purchased a harness from http://www.fordogtrainers.com since my GSD is having spine issues, and I love it! Here's a pic from their website. The harness comes with an optional reflective lining:

I use a slip lead like the one posted above for shorts walks close to home.