DU dog owners: Do your dogs wear collars?

[dolo amber]

Mine both do, though I take them off for a few hours/day occasionally to let them air out/shed. My friend Sarah never has collars on hers, though they both frequently are outside.

Thoughts? :hi:

[Akoto]

1. My labrador does, because ...

She is WAY too trusting, and her attention wanders. She'll go off with just about anybody, especially if they have an open car door. It's better that she has her tags on.

Not long ago, I turned around and found her trying to hop into the mailman's truck for a ride. :)

[LaraMN]

2. I'm thinking about getting one for JackMN.

At my husband's company Christmas party he ran into an elevator, hid under the registration table, hugged and otherwise terrorized smaller children, tried to book it into the hotel kitchen area, and attempted to take out a giant tin snowman. If he had a collar, he could also have a leash, and if we could leash him, he would be MUCH lower maintenance! It's pretty much a win-win situation, as far as I'm concerned.

[Midlodemocrat]

43. .

:rofl:

I love JackMN!@!! He makes me LOL everytime you post about him!!

[dropkickpa]

3. Except for bathing and grooming

yes, always. She has her license, id tag, rabies, and microchip tag on it. Had a dog take off out a door once (no collar on, before chipping) and it was the most harrowing week I ever had.:scared: This dog NEVER took off like that, so totally unexpected. Thank god we'd gotten him tattooed AND a friend worked at the shelter he was taken to, because she recognized him instantly.

[S n o w b a l l]

4. Sorry

Are you kidding me? Of course...I'm sorry, why is this a question?

[dolo amber]

7. Read the second sentence of the OP

It was just a question. :shrug:

[CC]

5. Yes and always.

They have their names embroidered along with our phone number on them(leashes do too) plus their rabies tag, license & micro chip tag. I have one that likes to escape whenever possible for an hour or so. Just in case someone thinks she was dropped off I wanted lots of contact info. The rest pretty much stop at the property line but just in case. Not sure where Holly goes only that she comes back muddy and stinky the rare times she finds a way to roam.

[S n o w b a l l]

6. Yes!

[Blue-Jay]

8. My dog loves her collar. It's the only "clothing" she owns.

I sometimes take it off if she starts jingling her tags too much when I'm trying to sleep. You should see how excited she gets when it's time to put it back on, though. "Oh boy! Oh boy! Oh boy! It's my collar!"

I've found that to be true with most of the dogs that I've owned.

[radfringe]

19. jingling tag solution

small strip of electrical tape around the tags keeps them from jingling. Easily removed should someone have to "look" at the tags.

ennywhoo - all 3 of our dogs have their tags, name tag w/address/phone#, rabies tag and license tag (and yeah they are electrical taped too)

[Beausoir]

9. Yes. My Diva wears a collar. It has her name and identification on it.

We live in the middle of the forest and although we keep a close eye on her, she could roam and get lost. A collar makes it easier for us to find her.

We did have her microchipped too.

Plus, a collar makes it handy for me to pull her away from any unfriendly suitors that may amble into our yard.

She doesn't seem to mind the collar. It's a nice leather roundish one and she's worn it since she was a wee pup.

[DainBramaged]

10. I have wonderful harnesses on them I got at PetSmart

They are so much easier to control and I will never damage their necks if they/I pull.

Holt No-Tug Dog Harness

[havocmom]

26. My big boy wears a big collar for tags and as a handle when I open the door

Sometimes he and the UPS guy have barking contests and the dog wants to go out the door with him.

For walking, we use the Halti, which looks enough like a muzzle that people steer clear of my ferocious Golden Lummox. It does not have any constricting strap on the lower jaw, just a loose one with a metal D ring to clip the lease to. If he pulls on the leash, it puts pressure on the top of his muzzle, a sensitive spot. If I have the lease just on his collar, he can pull me down the road as his neck is massive and he doesn't mind all the pulling there. He is VERY strong.

With the Halti, he won't try to race to meet people. The only time he pulls against that is when an aggressive dog looks like it may try to come at da momma.

Having this big dog and a Halti, I see why people use halters and not collars for horses ;)

[cmd]

11. No, the baby wears a harness when he goes out

He does occasionally wear a bandanna around the house. He likes dressing up.

[China_cat]

12. When we go off property, always.

At home, no. Their yard is fenced and locked on top of their training that they never go beyond the gate without collar and leash.

[China_cat]

13. Delete, accidental dupe.

[Okiojira]

14. i have a question....

....has anyone on this thread ever been told it was not a good idea to allow your dog to wear a harness?

I had this happen to me one time in one of those pet superstores. i was specifically looking for a harness for my chow/shepherd mix because, when wearing a standard collar, she would pull so hard on her leash that she would practically choke herself every time we went on walks. My dogs & I were in said store perusing the collar/harness section when a girl - who I assumed worked at the place (in hindsight, I'm not so sure) - came up and started oohing over the dogs. When I told her what I was looking for, she got this slightly pained/concerned expression on her face and basically told me that she thought harnesses were bad for dogs. She didn't elucidate on WHY she thought this and I, somewhat taken aback, didn't think to ask. Anyway, she faded back into the crowd of shoppers and I bought the harness, which was subsequently chewed up by my chow/shepherd and rendered useless and it was back to the collar for her!

[LuLu550]

21. My dog obedience trainer

says you can't control a dog as well with a harness, but she may have been talking about the old kind, not the kind pictured above. Certain breeds just can't stay in a collar then they are walked; pugs, other big-necked, smaller-headed breeds.

Another good control device is the halti or gentle leader head harness. They are also not good with short-snouted dogs.

[China_cat]

28. Harnesses are a much better choice for strong

stubborn dogs that don't walk nicely on lead. I've listened to the damaged tracheas of too many dogs whose owners used collars and didn't realize what they were doing when the dog pulled that hard against them.

[seemunkee]

30. Martingale collars

that is what is recommended for sight hounds that have long necks and skinny heads. It sits loose on the neck but tightens to prevent them from slipping out when they pull. The design only allows it to tighten enough to be snug without compressing the neck.
You clip into the small loop. The collar closes to the size of the 2 D rings on the large loop.

[InvisibleTouch]

35. Also for toy breeds.

Some toy breeds have a collapsing trachea which is aggravated if they pull on their collar. Then they'll choke and gasp, and though it's not supposed to be a dangerous condition, it certainly sounds awful and uncomfortable. Years ago I switched to using a harness for walking my littlest guy, and we never had a problem with that again.

On edit: Oh yeah, you just said that, didn't you? :) That'll teach me not to skim posts.

[chknltl]

51. Cesar Millan, (aka the Dog Whisperer) says:

The upper part of the dogs neck is the most sensitive and collars used up here work better for teaching and control purposes. Lower down on the neck is less sensitive and a dog will generally pull from that area. Cesar also points out that when walking with a leashed dog, having the color rest high forces the dog's head up helping to focus the dog's attention on the handler. This is how handlers at dog shows operate. (A dog with it's head up looks proud anyway.) When the leashed dog's color is lower, toward the shoulder or in a harness the dog's head will naturally go down. This means the dog is spending more time sniffing the ground and/or tugging on the leash. The dog has now become the pack leader in it's own mind and generally will want to pull the handler.

Although I have seen both pro and con here in the DU inre: Cesar Millan, I enjoy his shows on the National Geographic Channel and feel that I have learned things from him which have benefited both my dog and I. (6 yr. old, red nosed female pitt bull named Karma). Before when we would walk she would almost pull my arm out of my socket. She was also famous for fence fighting with other dogs.
I always feared for the occasional confrontation when there was no fence between her and another unescorted dog. Pitt Bulls have a bad rep., and I know mine is quite powerful. After I got hooked into Cesar Millan's teachings I gained a wonderful control over Karma and she parades right by the dogs she used to fence fight with and barely notices them anymore. Now when we bump into the unescorted dog I have a far better handle on the situation and I am no longer reacting out of the fear I once had for the other dog's safety.

If you are unaware of Cesar Millan's work Google his name or Google The Dog Whisperer.
c

[jane_pippin]

15. My dog used to but now that he's old

he only gets it when he goes for his walks. We figure, he's 12, he's not going to dash out of the house everytime someone touches the doorknob, why not let him roam the house nude. He seems to like it.

[michreject]

16. No.

They have a harness and both dogs are embedded with a microchip.

[Mutley]

17. My dog wears a collar, though I take it off at night

She can sleep more comfortably this way, and she won't wake me up when she's scratching herself.

[Orsino]

18. All of 'em.

They can run freely in the house, but outdoors, they're always on a leash. I've seen too many dead doggies at the side of the road to risk losing them through my negligence.

[LuLu550]

20. Yes I live in a village with a leash law

but even if I didn't I would want ID on them in case they got out. I mean if they got out and got hurt and didn't have ID on them, you might never see them again! They would get picked up by animal control or taken to a vet and they wouldn't know how to get in touch with you.

I love my babies far too much!

on edit: They are also micro-chipped. I'm pretty protective...

[photogirl12]

22. Yes,

but then again he also likes to show off his therapy dog medallion that he wears on the collar. He knew it was a big deal when he got it. He would sit in front of people until they acknowledged it.

[seemunkee]

23. One does the other does not

We tried but it rubs her raw and she just ends up chewing it. I wish she would. I've made her a couple of different ones trying to get something but she has such thin fur it just doesn't work.

[NMDemDist2]

24. only when they have to "get dressed" to go somewhere

it's a big fat hairy deal when the collars come out, they know they are getting to "go for a ride with the Mom in the car" :bounce: :woohoo: :bounce:

but not around the house, we have a doggie door and a fenced 1 acre yard and they are collarless

[Blue Diadem]

25. Yes, we only remove his "clothes" for brushing, bathing and occasionally

just to watch him think he's getting brushed or bathed. He's funny..he doesn't like being "naked".

He wears two, a nylon collar for "looks" (actually so we can easily identify him if he gets loose) and a choker with his tags. When we walk him, we either use the choker or put a nylon halti on him if my granddaughter's going along. That way she can walk him without being tugged and pulled.

[skygazer]

27. When I had my dogs, they wore collars

In fact, each of them had a different color collar and lead and they each had a brass plate on the collar with their name, my name and my phone number.

My dogs loved to bathe with me (Jake liked showers, Dixie and the Beagle preferred baths) so their collars would come off then. They ALWAYS wore them when they were outside.

[philosophie_en_rose]

29. Yes. (for identification)

They wear harnesses for walks. Otherwise, two of them would choke to death from straining against the collar.

They're also microchipped, but most people don't have chip detectors at home. So they wear collars.

[leftofthedial]

31. yes

and he has a chip that the shelter put in before I adopted him.

He's a husky, so one "wardrobe malfunction" and he probably wouldn't stop running for a couple of hours. ID is necessary.

[BrotherBuzz]

32. Sally goes au natural in the house and the fenced backyard....

but she is always collared when she leaves the yard, always.

Backyard


Traveling

[Nikia]

33. I wouldn't dream of not having him wearing a collar

We almost always have him leashed when he goes outside. There are a few times that I tried walking him without a leash but after almost diving in front of a bus to keep him from getting him hit, we decided that it was safest if he stayed on a leash.
I think that it is smart to have a collar even if one's dog does have a healthy fear of motor vehicles and lives in a rural area. Sometimes dogs do wander away and identification mkaes it more likely that your dog will be returned if someone finds it. Not having a dog identified increases its chances of either being killed by the animal shelter or another property owner, especially if it is perceived to be attacking their people, pets, or livestock, or be adopted by someone at the animal shelter or someone who takes in strays.

[InvisibleTouch]

34. Certainly. Different colors for each.

When you have several who look similar from a distance, it helps a lot as a quick ID - not to mention a convenient handle for a quick grab. The older, more sedate ones also wear their license, rabies, and microchip tags on their collar; the younger ones would pull them off each other at this point.

Then there are several fancy collars for special occasions - with beads, rhinestones, and tassles. I love that kind of thing.

[Connonym]

53. About the microchip tag

My vet told me not to put it on my dog's collar. He said from a legal standpoint if you ever need to prove ownership of the dog it's better that you have the tag in hand rather than risk someone taking the tag off your dog's collar and claiming the dog as their own. He explained it much better than that-- But it convinced me to put the tag in a safe place so it doesn't go missing if doggy goes missing.

In answer to the original question, collar always (except when bathing) with name/number and rabies tag. Special collar for walking. My dog has worn a collar since she was weaned from her mother and she doesn't seem to mind it.

[InvisibleTouch]

54. But the registry should have YOUR address on file...

...and not the other person's, right? So if someone did remove the tag and claim the dog was theirs, a quick call to the company (we use HomeAgain) should clear it up, I'd think. The reason I prefer to leave the tag on, is that most people don't have a microchip reader at home - plus, the tag is evidence that the dog is chipped and traceable, and so perhaps a deterrent to thieves. Such would be my thinking, in any case. I do also have the numbers written down in a separate place.

[cwydro]

36. Mine wear them for ease of leash attachment

on our multiple daily walks. Of course, as soon as we get away from people...I let them off. But I generally leave the collars on; they're very loose at any rate.

[Maddy McCall]

37. My three outside dogs wear wireless radio collars.

They receive a signal from a wireless radio "fence." It's great to contain them--I highly recommend it for anyone who lives in a RURAL area.

They have 1/3 acre within which to romp, which includes a creek and woods to play in.

[sweetheart]

47. use the same thing

'the perimeter is up!' They turn on a dime when they hear the warning beep.

I use a second electro-static system for walking a pack off leash, where i
use several collars on a remote system designed for gun-dogs. I can vibrate
a dog-collar at long range to associate with vocal signals, as well as a ramped
shock to get them to stop doing things that could ultimately endager their lives
such as chasing a sheep (farmers shoot sheep chasers).

The wireless systems are brilliant, much better than gates and fences,
cheaper and less annoying for humans too.

[ChoralScholar]

38. Both Ginger and Julie wear collars with

ID Tags and Rabies Tags. They jingle, but I don't mind.


CAPTION: "Did somebody say TREAT?!?"

[riderinthestorm]

39. My dogs always wear their collars, I never take them off.

I buy the best leather and then rivet a plate onto the collar with all identifying information and how to reach us in case the dog ever got lost PLUS the dogs are microchipped. I have never had any luck keeping hanging tags on a dog, they always lose them.

My dogs wear their collars their entire life - I buy them their "permanent" collar when they are fully matured and I only take them off when they die (my longest lived dog, a JRT wore his for his entire 18 years), they even stay on for bathing and brushing.

[Maestro]

40. Yes, it is a red one. You can sort of see it in this pic.

[Texasgal]

42. Oh myyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!

What a GORGEOUS dog!!!!

[Maestro]

46. Thanks.

She is a Belgian Malinois, a work dog. Our breeder friend will occasionally call us when she has a dog that has either been injured or just doesn't show well. Larkspur, the dog you see, was and still is much more interested in being a lap dog than a work dog so we have had her since she was about 1 1/2 years old. She is fully trained and incredibly smart, but doesn't like to show. She is a our second one. Our previous dog is her step sister, same sire, different mother. The father is a grand champion in the sport.

[Texasgal]

48. Wow!

I have never seen such a breed! Stunning is the only word that comes to mind!

She sounds great, and what a lucky dog she is to have such proud owners!!


We have two Boston terriers... Lap dogs indeed!

Thank you for sharing!

[Maestro]

49. The breeder is outside San Antonio

if you are ever interested. :hi:

[femmocrat]

41. Only for outdoors and going to training and shows.

They both have a white "ruff" and the collars turn the fur gray. Actually, I think it is the tags that make the fur gray, because they just have nylon collars.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

44. Our lab wears one all the time, even though she's almost NEVER on a leash.

We live on a few acres and she stays on the property (doesn't even chase small animals), so a leash isn't really necessary for her. She still wears a collar & tags, though. Animal control drives around and gives out tickets if they see an animal without a license, so she wears a collar 24-7.

[Midlodemocrat]

45. Yes. The dachshund is so funny about her collar, when we remove it

to bathe her and then place it back on her, she wags her tail so hard, you'd think she would break her spine.

The puppy is still on the fence about her collar. We can't keep her on the leash; she slips both the leash and the harness, so she only goes in the fenced backyard. She's a piece of work.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

50. yep and he wears this too....

[philosophie_en_rose]

52. Cute!

My yorkies have similar coats.

:bounce:

Your boy looks really calm in the car, too.