# Collar Recommendation



## Dave Immure (Oct 15, 2008)

Can anyone recommend a good site to get a collar for a 6 month old GSD? Also what would you guys recommend?

Thanks.


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## Jerry Lyda (Apr 4, 2006)

What will you be doing with the dog?


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## Anne Vaini (Mar 15, 2007)

I get flat nylon buckle collars with plastic snaps. Wholesale about $2.  Machine washable, lasts for years. Pretty colors...

I don't like leather colors because it stretches over time, deteriorates when wet and some dyes will stain the dog. Hemp collars or scratchy on my hands and hard to adjust. Cotton deteriorates when damp. Polypropylene is also rough on the hands, and isn't used frequently for collars. Metal snap buckles look great but comes apart easily and accidentally.


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## Chris Michalek (Feb 13, 2008)

My dogs don't wear collars in the the house. I have working collars and non working collars.

For my pups I've used petco variety nylon harnesses and collars. When they are old enough/big they can wear one of my rayallen or fullgripgear leather agitations harnesses or collars. I also use fur savers and a prong. 

If we are just around the house and go down to the park then I have flat nylon collars with the plastic snaps. These are the collars that have all of the appropriate tags and licenses.

The only time my dogs wear collars in the house is when we have guests or we are out of town and there is a pet sitter staying in the house.


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## Jerry Lyda (Apr 4, 2006)

Mine wear a fur saver all the time and a pinch collar for training.
www.fordogtrainers.com


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## leslie cassian (Jun 3, 2007)

My dogs wear nothing in the house because the jingling makes me crazy and I worry about them catching their collars and hanging themselves. Almost happened once.

For everyday, just going for a walk, run or whatever, I love martingale collars. Easy to slip over their heads, but adjusted to tighten just enough to not slip over if they try to back out of them. Tags go on that collar.

For training I have whatever is needed - fur saver, prong, thin nylon slip, e collar, thick leather buckle... I have a collection and it depends what I'm doing.


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## Geoff Empey (Jan 8, 2008)

leslie cassian said:


> For training I have whatever is needed - fur saver, prong, thin nylon slip, e collar, thick leather buckle... I have a collection and it depends what I'm doing.


Yup what the girl said. My dog doesn't wear a collar unless she is training. When I need to transport the dog to and from the house/car/whatever I use a leather Martingale http://cgi.ebay.com/DOG-TRAINING-3-...46245QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262 from Can Am Training supplies. He made me a Martingale collar that I can use on my Flexi leads as well.


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## Courtney Guthrie (Oct 30, 2007)

Mine wears a 1 1/2 in. custom leather collar when outside usaully, mainly he wears a Fursaver OR a rolled leather so that it doesn't rub the fur off his neck! 

Courtney


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## Greg Leavitt (Aug 31, 2006)

I agree with Anne I put all of my dogs while outside or not working in cheap flat nylon collars with plastic buckles. I always use the plastic as it will break or come apart with stress such as the dog getting caught on something. I use fursavers or a pinch to walk the dogs or do ob and either a flat leather 2 in or harness for protection depending on the dog.


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## todd pavlus (Apr 30, 2008)

How bout a nice pink gem studded with diamonds from Louis Vitton Joking! I'm with Geoff, Can Am has some good stuff on ebay, their cheap, and they will custom make stuff for you


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## Courtney Guthrie (Oct 30, 2007)

Ummm....SO would it be bad for a dog to have a collar like this........









That is my APBT with ONE of her MANY custom leather collars. Judge has a nice Custom leather one as well. 

Courtney


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## todd pavlus (Apr 30, 2008)

only if you didn't pay $1000 for it from LV. To each their own


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

No collars at home.
For training my older dog wears a fursaver for ob and bite work. Harness for tracking.
My younger dog wears a wide leather collar for bite work and a fursaver for obedience. Harness for tracking.
Just bumming around is fursavers for all.


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## Dave Immure (Oct 15, 2008)

Can someone explain the difference between a pinch collar, a prong collar, and a fursaver? They all look the same to me. Also isn't 6 months old to young to utilize these collars?


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

The pinch and the prong are the same thing. A fursaver is similar to the old fashoned "choke" collar but it has longer links and isn't used for corrections. It is easier on the dog's coat. 
Opinions vary on how old you can start with the different correction collars. I use marker training with no corrections.
Plenty of good training methods out there. Finding someone that does any of the methods properly is the key.


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## Gillian Schuler (Apr 12, 2008)

Thanks for that Bob - I've been wondering what a "fursaver" was but kept forgetting to ask. For me, it's a chain collar, the only one I'm allowed to use for schutzhund/IPO trials.

I've watched people nearly let their arms be pulled out with a strong 5-7 month old pup wearing a nylon collar. But as you say, there are other methods to teach the pup to walk without pulling. The chain collar (on the "dead" ring and maybe fastened back) could be useful for those who've neglected to do so and to avoid accidents until the young dog is "broken in".


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## Dave Immure (Oct 15, 2008)

Gillian Schuler said:


> Thanks for that Bob - I've been wondering what a "fursaver" was but kept forgetting to ask. For me, it's a chain collar, the only one I'm allowed to use for schutzhund/IPO trials.
> 
> I've watched people nearly let their arms be pulled out with a strong 5-7 month old pup wearing a nylon collar. But as you say, there are other methods to teach the pup to walk without pulling. The chain collar (on the "dead" ring and maybe fastened back) could be useful for those who've neglected to do so and to avoid accidents until the young dog is "broken in".


That's one of my issues Gillian. My 6 month old is still wearing his original puppy nylon calender that I had on him when he was two months old. When walking when he was younger a quick light pop on the leash was enough to get his attention to not pull or lunge at small critters and change direction. His prey drive is on overdrive for rabbits squirrels and cats. I was thinking about switching to a prong or fursaver to deliver quick light pops to get his attention while walking. For obedience I figure the corrections will come later when he's older. I've trained using markers and he knows what to do his ob is just slow. 

My goal is Schutzhund by the way.


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## Skip Morgart (Dec 19, 2008)

Bob Scott said:


> The pinch and the prong are the same thing. A fursaver is similar to the old fashoned "choke" collar but it has longer links and isn't used for corrections. It is easier on the dog's coat.
> Opinions vary on how old you can start with the different correction collars. I use marker training with no corrections.
> Plenty of good training methods out there. Finding someone that does any of the methods properly is the key.


Just my 2 cents..but a fur-saver can absolutely be used for corrections. My dogs don't wear collars in the house, but usually fur-savers when outside training or going for a walk/hike/run.


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

I usually have used cheapy Wal-Mart collars on younger pups and then get a reflective collar when they are about 6 months for walking at night and out on the trails. My dogs had the reflective collars made by either Hamilton or Premier for a while, but the reflective strips would get gradually pulled off. I switched my oldest to a Lazer Brite reflective collar and I've been really pleased with how reflective it is. I wish they made the buckle out of metal instead of plastic snaps, but the oldest doesn't pull too much.


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## Sarah ten Bensel (Mar 16, 2008)

I went to the farm store---a nice calf collar 1 inch wide, thick high quality. $5.69! Very long, but heck, hole punch after cutting it and voila a great collar

lets see what do I have
rolled leather
flat buckle leather and nylon
fur saver (training only)
ecollar (occasionally, training only and wears as a dummy collar at times)
gentle leader, full of cob webs-used when the neighbor walks Nandi--he can't handle anything else -THE NEIGHBOR THAT IS)
agitation collar (2" cow/calf collar from the farm store-of course protection work)
decoratie choke (now used for spare keys
pinch collar (for training and occasionally for walks)
regular choke (no longer use for anything really)
limited slip , martingale collar

If I had a Doberman, all the collars could fit on him at the same time----picture that!!!

At 6 months I used a martingale/limited slip and flat buckle nylon. His trainingall inducive at that point


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Maren Bell Jones said:


> ... a reflective collar when they are about 6 months for walking at night and out on the trails. .... .


I ordered from Leerburg the little red or white (I got red) "SpotLit" LED balls that hook onto the collars.

I like them a lot.

I like being able to track them all in the yard in the dark while standing by my door, and they are extremely visible out on sidewalks/paths too.


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Skip Morgart said:


> Just my 2 cents..but a fur-saver can absolutely be used for corrections. My dogs don't wear collars in the house, but usually fur-savers when outside training or going for a walk/hike/run.


Skip, I stand corrected!
A fursave can and is often used for corrections. 
I will clarify my comment that a fur saver shouldn't be use in the same manner as a chok/slip collar. Because of the longer links they have a tendancy to hang up and not release. Put on the dead ring they can be used properly for corrections.
A fur saver used on the live ring is being used incorrectly, IMHO!


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## Anne Vaini (Mar 15, 2007)

Dave Immure said:


> That's one of my issues Gillian. My 6 month old is still wearing his original puppy nylon calender that I had on him when he was two months old. When walking when he was younger a quick light pop on the leash was enough to get his attention to not pull or lunge at small critters and change direction. His prey drive is on overdrive for rabbits squirrels and cats. I was thinking about switching to a prong or fursaver to deliver quick light pops to get his attention while walking. For obedience I figure the corrections will come later when he's older. I've trained using markers and he knows what to do his ob is just slow.
> 
> My goal is Schutzhund by the way.


Dave,

A collar is not magically going to fix a lack of training. Your equipment is fine. 

You saw the recent focus thread? Follow the instructions and add on there for walks, when your dog pulls, stop and WAIT until your dog stops and looks at you. Mark, take one step. Movement is the reward - no need for treats or tug here. The first few steps will be ridiculously, painfully slow, but as soon as your pup learns, it will be easy.

You have a BABY here. You haven't taught what you expect, and then you want to correct it? Uh-uh. Not cool.

It's not too hard. One of my clients has a 6 mo old Border Collie mix pup that STRAINS and PULLS and LUNGES on the lead. No biggie - teach the focus first, then don't reward the dog with forward movement until the dog is geiving you the behavior you want. All the client wanted was easier leash walking and she ended up with BEAUTIFUL attnetion heeling. No corrections needed.

Do your homework!

I'm not saying to never use a correction. My dog has a prong collar on much of the time. I use it for fine-tuning, getting things within and inch of what I expect from her. Also reserves the option of a FIRM correction for a broken stay cue (her current downfall). 

If you haven't taught your dog what you expect it to do, and you correct it, that falls into abusive in my book (with the exception of pack-order issues which the dog innately understands).


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## Sarah ten Bensel (Mar 16, 2008)

I duct taped two small bike red blinky things onto one collar with a reflective collar---works terrific to see my dog at night, which darn it is most of the outside time we get these days. Heck, you can probably see him from the moon.


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## Jaimie Van Orden (Dec 3, 2008)

The dogs don't wear a collar in the house.
When someone is watching them if we go away there is rolled leather for everyone.
When we take them with us we have flat nylons.
For trianing i use pinch and choke collars.
For walks i use a fursaver.
Tracking gets a harness
Pulling gets a different harness.
We've got long coated dogs and try to avoid breaking a lot of fur.


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