If you have a dog, odds are you be interested in getting him a collar. It is however important that you get only the right collar. The type of collar that you get for your dog will depend on the type of dog in question and what the collar is going to be used for. You can find collars in various sizes. They also can be found with many adaptive styles.
Dog collars are generally used for one main task-that of controlling your dog. With a leash attached to your dog collar, you will be better placed to control the antics of your dog when you go for your occasional neighborhood walk. As a result of its importance, you will need to pay attention to several features of your dog collar.
Undoubtedly the size of your dog collar matters. If your dog collar is too small, you stand the risk of choking your dog. Not a pleasant or nice thing to do. While a collar should not be loose enough to slip over a dog’s ears, it should not be tight against the dog’s skin. A good measuring guide is to ensure that at least two of your fingers can be fit into the slack around the dog’s throat. Avoid making the collars too lose though, dogs excel when it comes to making lemonades out of lime. You should also ensure that the material of the collar fits with the breed of dog in question. Since you will be attaching a leash to the collar from time to time, you should ensure that the collar is strong enough. For instance a Rottweiler will need stronger collars than a cute little Chihuahua.
Personalized Dog Collar, Rhinestone Dog Collar and Custom Leather Dog Collars
Yet another important use of dog collars is the option of personalization that it brings. By personalizing your dog collar you will be able to add some information about your dog. You will be able to add your dog’s name and your contact information. Collars can also be made to include information like the name of your dog’s favorite meal. These will undoubtedly prove important in the unlikely event that your dog gets lost. Collars can be further personalized with fashion elements. You can for instance purchase a wide range of colors for your dog color-one for each day of the week.
If you’re looking for dog collars, there are many colors, materials, and styles to choose from. Finding the safest and best dog collars should be easy if you stop to consider a few factors before you shop. Remember, measure the diameter of your dog’s neck before you shop! Desirable Features in a Dog Collar:
- Size
- Ability to clean
- Durability
- Safety
Classic Leather Collar
Ideal Choice of Dog Collars:
Nylon and leather dog collars with either buckled or snap-together closures are great choices. Test the snap-together sample to ensure that the hold is strong. Depending on the size of your dog, you may need one that adjusts easily as he grows or choose one for him as a puppy and another for him at his adult size. Some dog collars can be woven with your pets name and your contact number in the case his is lost or gets away. Consider reflective materials like the harness pictured below if you walk your dog at night.
Shopping Tips for Dog Collars:
- The ideal fit should allow for one to three fingers to fit between your dog’s neck and the collar, depending on the size of your dog.
- If your dog is very small, (under 20 pounds), leave only one finger’s width between the collar and his neck.
- If you have an average, medium-sized dog, go for a two-finger fit. If your dog is very large, a three-finger fit may be better. (Generally, if ordering on line, we suggest adding two inches to the advertised collar length and that will be the correct size to order.)
- “Slip” or “choke” style dog collars consist of a length of leather, nylon or chain link with rings on each end. They are used as training collars and the concept is to “correct” the dog. Choke collars work on the principle of punishment, and many trainers now recommend a purely “reward-based” training. They are not to be used as everyday collars.Choke collars should never be used as dog collars on toy dogs or dogs less than 20 pounds.
- “Pinch” or ”prong training” style dog collars are appointed with blunt prongs that face the dog’s neck. They are controversial, although some experienced trainers find them useful in dealing with large, powerful dogs. Never use a pinch or prong collar as an everyday dog collars or because you think it makes your dog look mean or tough.
- Electric “shock collars” are not recommended for puppies. While useful in specialized training environments (such as field training of gun dogs by experienced handlers), shock dog collars should never be used by inexperienced or impatient pet owners as a substitute for proper training, discipline, or socialization. Improperly used, they can do way more harm than good.
- Body harnesses are ideal for small or toy dogs. When you pull back on the leash, the harness tightens around the dog’s chest, controlling him without causing pressure on his neck or back.
- Leather is a good choice for dog collars; however, many dogs are dedicated leather-chewers. If your dog spends a lot of time around other canines, check the collar frequently for signs of chewing damage and replace right away if necessary.
See this very special dog:
Below is a video of “Mango” a very special pooch traveling with his daddy by sailboat around the world. Here he is in Cartagena, Columbia, wearing his very own car harness. MANGO taking in the sites of Cartagena from david pollitt on Vimeo.
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Providing dog training is important and every dog owner should opt for it. Anyone can get an impression of the dog through its behavior and you wouldn?t want your dog to look like a bad dog, to others. However, are you aware about the different types of dog training? Though there may be many dog training schools but not each and every of them are good for your dog.
If you are going to have a new dog then you will be interested in gathering some advice about dog training. Dog training can be given by a professional trainer or you can yourself train your dog. Now days, you will come across lot of books on dog trainings and institutes which are professionally involved in dog training advice; it will be difficult to decide the best and perfect method to train the dog. You will be completely confused with the amount of information which you can access there in terms of the dog training advice. However, there are some basic rules which you should follow and make use while training a dog. You should first of all decide and determine the mode of training your pet.
Dog Training- a mental conditioning:
Whenever you start training your dog, you should work on your attitude, this job requires a positive attitude and a patient approach. During the training sessions every action of yours will be observed by the dog and may be perceived as an instruction, so discretion is advised. Realistic expectation from the training sessions and slow progress will reap best results. You should also provide some amount of motivation to your dog in form of praise or a reward. Excess amount of motivation can let the things go beyond your hand; in short you should be able to control your emotions. The best part of dog training advice is to keep the motivation level short and sweet and you should also give limited treats such as a biscuit or a cookie. This will motivate the dog and it will concentrate more on the training.
One of the key factors which you should consider while conducting dog trainingsessions is patience. You should always keep in mind that your dog will be in nervous and might have some fear and any instruction imparted at this time may be counterproductive.
A calm handling of the sessions encourages the dog to observe more keenly and learn easily. Your training time should not be too much, it should not exceed beyond ten minutes and if the sessions are extended beyond this, the dog?s concentration might waver, leading to slow results. The period of training should not be the process of learning or process of teaching but it should be the time to enjoy for you and your dog so that you will be able to know each other in a better way. If you follow all these dog training advice then you will be satisfied with the behavior of your dog. Remember that if the dog is properly trained then it can be an asset to your family. A well trained dog not only understands better but also helps the owner in more than one way; he becomes a companion for a lifetime. So don?t shy away from getting your dog a professional training.
