Big neck, small head...collar suggestions?

[kalija]

The collar thread got me thinking, I currently mostly walk Zuki on an easy walk harness cause he's not real good at heeling. But he is making progress. I am afraid to walk him on a regular flat collar though, because he has a big neck, and a small head, if that makes sense. He slips his flat collar easily. I've seen martingales recommended, but they kind of look like they'd choke if he pulled? Or are they set up differently? I've never actually seen one on, except in catalogs....Can anyone enlighten me, or is there something else you would use? I am looking ahead to being able to walk him w/out the harness hopefully. Thanks!

[poodlesmom]

Martingales are specifically designed exactly for the reason you have posted. They do tighten but not to the degree that a conventional choker does. When they are fitted properly they tighten just enough to eliminate the possibility of a dog slipping their smaller head out of the collar.

[sammy]

I think a martinglae is your best bet if the dog slips his collar. They are adjustable and you just adjust it so that when it comes together it would fit like a very snug regular collar. It is not intended to choke or be used to give a correction.

[calgal]

What about a harness? The martinglae does sound like a great collar though!

[Toller_08]

Martingales are wonderful. Two of my dogs have to wear them for the same reasons as Zuki. As others have said, they don't choke if fitted properly. They just tighten so that your dog can't slip out.

[kalija]

Thank you for explaining! I am going to look for one and give it a try. In the pics I've seen I wasn't sure how it worked.

One more question, (this may be a dumb one) when I measure the dogs neck, do you measure around the middle, or up higher for these?

[Ashlie]

Measure the middle. For some martingale collars they will ask you to measure the crown as well, to judge how wide it will need ot be to get over the dogs's head.
Go here and have a look, this is where I got Ra's martingale, the Egyptian one.
http://www.verascaninedesigns.com/index.htm

[KennelMom]

A martingale will probably work well for you. Greyhounds (and other sighthounds) generally have no stop to their head, so they can quite easily slip a traditional buckle collar. A martingale can be adjusted so as to tighten just enough to prevent them from slipping. They are also referred to as "humane choke" or "limited choke" collars.

Here's some pics on how to properly fit a martingale:

Side view when the collar is pulled on:


From the top - You don't want the sliders to touch when the collar is pulled tightly. This is what makes it non-slip. But you can adjust the amount of "choke" the collar has, which makes it a limited choke or humane choke collar :


But the collar will fit like a regular collar during normal use:


Please note that all martingale collars are NOT created equal. I generally won't buy from a vendor unless I've seen the collars in person. Things to look for: WELDED hardware. Cheaper collars use hardware that isn't welded and can pull apart when tugged on. It also needs to be stiched very closely on either side of the D-ring (where you clip the leash). Extra wiggle room in this area can contribute to collar failure if the dog tugs hard. I would also recommend only buying collars with webbing as the core collar - decorative trim should be just that...decorative. And yes, there are collar makers who use only fabric and some interfacing to make collars. Not strong enough or durable enough IMHO. They also need to use the right type of industrial strenght thread. Regular, run of the mill thread is NOT strong enough or durable enough for collars.

Here's a good "anatomy of a collar" description: Linky

Some of the makers I know and trust their collars on my sighthounds:
majesticcollars.com
2houndsdesign.com (Alisha also makes very cool martingale harnesses!)
aroundthehounds.com (kinda pricey, but gorgeous collars)

[Ashlie]

Oh good list, I forgot to list AroundtheHounds.com, they do have beautiful collars as well.
Very good points made on the martingales.
Good luck Kalija!

[kalija]

Thanks! That is a lot of help, especially the pics!

[kritter223]

I have a small breed dog and i went to walmart to get a harness....he loves me putting it on him and i love it a lot better than the collar. if put on right there is NO chance of choking the dog...