[Heagler870]

I'm in tears right now and my thumb is about to die. This just happened like 10 minutes ago. I was sitting at my desk doing some homework and the dogs are in here with me playing. I had just taken my oldest Apollo out to pee and poop and I didn't take the collar off right away. Well all the sudden I hear Riley screaming and he's under Apollo screaming in terror. I yell and say "Hey!" cause I thought APollo was biting him. Well as I went over there to pull Apollo off I noticed he was being really still and Riley was still yelling. Riley's lower part of his mouth, his jaw was entangled in Apollo's martingale collar and it was twisted. It was twisted so tight it was cutting off circulation where it was twisted on Riley's jaw. It was caught just behind the lower canine's. Luckily Joseph is here with me so I was able to find some scissors and them come hold Riley up so he wouldn't pull down to make it tighter. My thumb was in his mouth to hold his mouth open. He kept biting down and the blood vessels in my thumb broke. My entire thumb is blue. The scissors weren't working because the collar is really thick. Thank God the collar finally untwisted. I also think Apollo realized something was very wrong so he got really still and just stood there. I am just so happy everything turned out okay because if we weren't able to get it off I don't know what I would have done.

 

[gsdraven]

That's so scary. I'm glad that everyone is ok.

I don't leave collars on the dogs either especially because Shepherds love to play by biting the neck.

If I have people over and want a collar on the dogs just in case someone is careless with a door, I have breakaway collars for them to wear.

 

[Denali Girl]

Phewww, glad you got it off! This is why I posted earlier to someone who puts a prong on soooo loose you can see airspace between them. Was the colar to loose? How did this happen did you figure it out? Just from playing? Hey the main thing is he's ok.

 

[CaliBoy]

After reading a thread in this forum, I started to remove collars unless the dog is leashed for a walk. There have been really harrowing stories about accidents that happen with dog collars on.

 

[Kelly's Buddy]

It happens. I seen it before but it was with someone else's dog. The collar is fitted too loosely and the dog works their jaw under it and gets caught. I think it stems from from the dog either playing with it, or perhaps trying to get it off.

Don't get down on yourself, once you see it happen, you'll never leave the collar on again.

 

[Konotashi]

I've seen it happen. Still won't catch my dogs without their collars off unless they're in the tub.

 

[ZAYDA]

I am fortunate where we live on a dead end road and my dogs never leave the yard so I have never felt the need for a collar.

My neighbor came home to a dead dog due to what you described. The two dogs were just playing but disaster struck. am so glad you were there to help asap.

 

[elisabeth_00117]

Collars come off as soon as we enter the home. I only have 1 dog but I never want to risk him getting caught on something while I am busy or away.

Collars are training tools in my eyes, and should only be used when outside or training. Never left on for no reason. JMO.

Happy to hear that it worked out okay for your and your pups, lesson learned.

 

[jakeandrenee]

Collar is off soon as we come in the door, too. It's part of the routine, sit, wait, I remove collar or sometimes two, then he gets released.

 

[sugarlvr98]

I keep a flat collar on for identification purposes. All his tags are on it just in case he gets lost. Flat collars can easily be removed. Martingale, prong, choke chains, etc. should be used for training only since they can easily get caught in things. I'm glad you were able to save both of your dogs.

 

[Kelly's Buddy]

Collars come off as soon as we enter the home. I only have 1 dog but I never want to risk him getting caught on something while I am busy or away.

Collars are training tools in my eyes, and should only be used when outside or training. Never left on for no reason. JMO.

Happy to hear that it worked out okay for your and your pups, lesson learned.

:thumbup: Exactly.

 

[Lesley1905]

What a horrible story! Glad everyone is ok, what a nightmare for you I heard a story like that but with a cat who was climbing and got his collar stuck and died. Collars can be life saver but can be very dangerous as well!

 

[selzer]

Even flat collars can get caught. I do not leave collars on dogs at home. When we leave, I put collars with tags on.

 

[dogfaeries]

I had the same thing happen with 2 of my Italian Greyhounds. If I hadn't been sitting right there with them, I'm pretty sure Zelda would have died.

That was 10 years ago, and I haven't left a collar on a dog since.

 

[sagelfn]

Glad the dogs are okay!

You should add this to the sticky thread http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...-another-scary-reminder-take-collars-off.html

 

[Heagler870]

Wow, I just read that. That's exactly what happened today.

 

[vat]

My heart was racing as I read your post! Glad everything turned out ok. I no longer leave on collars after joining the site, I also now have the break away but do not keep them on because they break away all the time.

 

[JakodaCD OA]

glad everything turned out ok. This happened to me years ago with my two males, there are also horror stories about dogs getting collars hung up on fences, hanging themselves, etc.

With that, my dogs never wear collars anymore UNLESS, we are off the property. They are tattooed and chipped, and even with that, there is no chance of them being lost or stolen because they are supervised 24/7 or when no one is here, in the house.

 

[Zisso]

It has been a long time practice to keep collars off my dogs when we are at home.

When I walk my dogs at the park I use their Martingale collars, with tags on them, as a back up for the prong collars(in case they come apart). The other day as we returned home and were walking in the door, the tags tangled for a brief moment. It scared my boy, and by the time( a matter of a second or two) I got there, they were untangled. But that is a good example of how fast this kind of thing can happen.

 

[ZebsMommy]

I know it can happen, but I'm too afraid that they might get out so I keep a soft leather collar with tags on always. In my apartment they randomly let themselves into the apartment to do monthly pest control and check filters and stuff. I could just see them keeping the door open and him going out to explore. Maybe I'm wrong, but I've never had a problem.