[HyPrice]

Hello everyone!
I have been putting Peanut's collar on her since I get her (about 2 weeks now) and she really hates it. She sits and scratches and scratches at it. She does do fine when we go on a walk though, or if she is distracted. She's outside right now playing, and I just put it ona and she is scartching a lot less. Anyway, anyone else had this problem with a puppy? She will be 3 months on the 10th. Should I just leave it on her? Is that cruel? I think she's mostly just scratcing the collar, not herself, so I'm not worried about her getting raw. Are there any soft types of collars that are good? Thanks all!

 

[Artimus Beaglesworth]

Arty doesnt hate his collar per se, but I do notice that he scratches more when he has his collar on. Because of this, i usually just leave his collar off, except for when we go out, and like you said, when we go out he is too distracted to care /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/eek.gif

 

[BeagleBabe]

Abby has her collar on almost all the time for safety reasons. Accidents happen and if she happens to get out I want her to have her ID tags on, even though she is micro-chipped. It's a lot easier and faster for someone to see the ID tags and call us or walk her back home than it is for her to be gone for days and days hoping that someone knows enough to take her to be scanned for a chip.

What kind of collar are you using? Could it be too tight on her? You should be able to fit two fingers between her and the collar.

 

[BeagleBabe]

Abby has the "tickled pink" collar by Lupine.
http://www.lupinepet.com/dog/med_dog.php
Lupine is the brand our vet sells and they come with a guarantee, even if chewed.

 

[angi]

Mugsy spent the first week home (he was 8 weeks) with his collar on and he would bite and scratch at it like crazy! Now (almost three weeks later) he is okay with it, and we were even able to get a harness on him. When I first put the collar on him, he freaked out and we had to take it right back off, but we put it back on when he was sleeping. He certainly noticed it when he woke up, but he didn't go as crazy. We haven't taken it off since. I know they say to take it off when they are in a crate, but with all the people coming and going here, I worry that someone will take him out and forget to put it on and that will be the time he breaks out and makes a run for it.

 

[deb]

Originally Posted By: BeagleBabeAbby has the "tickled pink" collar by Lupine.
http://www.lupinepet.com/dog/med_dog.php
Lupine is the brand our vet sells and they come with a guarantee, even if chewed.

I love the "Puppy Love" one. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/doh00000.gif

 

[Diesel]

Linus hates his too...sorry linus...gotta have it on! :|

 

[HyPrice]

Thanks for all in info everyone! I just left it on her today, and she seemed like she got a lot better! A few scratches here and there, but she did ok! I want her to wear it, even though we have a fenced yard, because in the future she will be going to the farm with me (I show horses) and horse shows, and she must have it on when we are at those places!

I also bought a really cute personalized ID tag, and this is kind of selfish of me, but I want her to wear the new ID tag! /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/eek.gif I'll post pics when it comes!

Abby's mom--I'll check out the Lupine ones, thank you for the link!

 

[Smeagle]

I actually only put collars on my dogs when they are going for walks and stuff outside the house.

I never leave collars on at home, I know too many people who have come home to dogs that have died due to strangulation /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cool.gif It is surprisingly common, but after it happened to a friend of mine - her dogs were playing and one's jaw got stuck in the other ones collar, and it couldn't get free, the dog was choked to death /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cool.gif - I don't risk it.

Either no collar or a break free collar, which has a safety snap that comes apart when the collar gets caught, in our house. With microchipping, I also don't worry as much. Our yard has massive fences, padlocked gates, and is very secure - I would rather risk them getting out with no collar than having the collars on and the dogs having a bad accident.

Tough decision.

 

[BeagleBabe]

I have NEVER heard of a dog dying because of their collar.
DO you know if the dogs that died where wearing properly fitting collars? Were they choke or slip collars?

 

[Murphys Dad]

Smeagle, I heard that too. The collar will get snagged on something and they will struggle with it until they are exhausted or pass out, then they suffocate.

I knew a man who kept his beagle in his yard on a collar, chained to a dog house (only when outside). He had too many holes in his fence line to let the dog run free. He was concerned about this exact issue. He removed eveything that could snag the collar or chain and the fence was high enough, the beagle couldn't jump over. Sadly, one day he came outside and found that his beagle had jumped on top of the dog house and over the fence. The chain was too short. He never saw it coming.

Summer & Murphy do not wear collars at home. They only wear them for walks, traveling or staying anywhere outside of home. And always while we are there. They never sleep in them. Believe me, when we show them their collars, they get VERY excited. They know they are going somewhere.

As for the pup not liking it, it takes time. So leave it on him for a while. When he scratches at it, stop him and say no. When he leaves it alone, praise him. Training.

 

[Jennifer]

I second the dangers of leaving unattended dogs in collars. I have heard and known of dogs being badly injured/dying when their collars have become caught in something in the home or garden. Many years ago when I just had Lilly another owner at the obedience class I used to go to lost her dog due to strangulation when his collar got caught on a door handle in the home while she was at work.

I NEVER leave collars or harnesses on in the home or when I'm not able to supervise them.

Leaving collars etc. on permanently makes a mark in the coat anyway which isn't so nice I don't think.

 

[BeagleBabe]

Wow, I had no idea collars could be dangerous.

 

[Jennifer]

Yes Jamie they can be. I'm sure the incidence of these sort of things happening aren't very high but it's still a risk that I'm not prepared to take.

 

[BeagleBabe]

Abby has never had a problem with her collars, but she does on occasion break free so I think it's best if she wears her collars, but I can see how some may weigh the pros and cons of wearing/not wearing while in the house.

 

[Smeagle]

Yes, BeagleBabe, they were all properly fitted and normal flat collars.

Did you know thousands of dogs are injured or strangled by their collars each year? In a recent survey, 96% of veterinarians reported having seen/heard of a collar-related injury or death within the last year.

Some stories:
http://www.keepsafecollar.com/pages.cfm?id=22

And statistics:
http://www.keepsafecollar.com/pages.cfm?id=21

My friend's dog was wearing a normal nylon flat collar with a clip, not a buckle, like most dogs wear. Her younger dog was playing with him and her jaw got stuck in his collar and she couldn't break free - that's how the dog choked to death. I've heard many other similar stories where dogs get caught on fence lines, on their own crates, heating/cooling vents, bushes and shrubs etc.

It's a risk I'm not willing to take.

ETA: Like I said a break-free collar is a good option if you want to have your dog wear a collar when you're not home. The above links are all from the break-free site so you can read up on the collars.

My dogs always wear martingales when we are out walking etc because they are anti-slip collars - great training tools and the dogs can't get them over their heads. Not so much a problem with my beagle but definitely with my husky.

My friend is a member on another forum, this is her account of what happened to her poor dog Barker /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cool.gif
http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?showtopic=105450&hl=

She has been on radio etc talking about the accident and has raised a lot of awareness of the issue of collar strangulation.

 

[Artimus Beaglesworth]

Oh my gosh, these stories are SO scary. I thought I was being a bad parent for not putting a collar on when we are indoors (it was a more selfish reason - Arty is much more fun to cuddle when he doesnt have a collar in the way) but now I feel better. Would a harness be a better solution?

On a cuter note - because we really only put on Arty's collar when we are about to go for a walk, when I pick up his collar it jangles (from all the ID tags on it) and so when he hears the jangling he knows its time for a walk and he gets super excited, but calms down enough to lay down in front of me until i have the collar on him. what a cutie!

 

[Smeagle]

A harness I guess could be an option although a harness can also get caught on things.

If your dog is microchipped that's another plus because any shelter or vet it gets taken to will scan for a chip.