Hey Mighty Paw fam, Barbara here again to talk about dog collars, and more specifically how to choose the right collar for YOUR dog!

After all, there's so many different ones.

I just counted mine, and I currently have 17 different dog collars that fall roughly into 4 different categories. In case you're wondering, I actively use most of them.

Part of the reason why I personally have that many is because I used to run my own dog walking business, but of course I also need collars for my own personal dog. 

Which brings me to our first question:

Why Do We Need Different Dog Collars In The First Place?

Simply put, we need different collars for different purposes!

When you're looking to choose a dog collar for your pup(s), a lot depends on your:

• Personal style
• Dog's physique and temperament
• Activities you engage in with your dog

Maybe you prefer the more elegant look of leather as opposed to materials that are more sporty and easy to clean, like nylon. 

A standard dog collar is going to make more sense for your puppy than a sling training collar.

Likewise, if your pup is a strong puller, a training collar will be more practical on your walks than a standard designer collar.

Similarly, a tactical collar makes sense for your Schutzhund training sessions and to easily restrain larger reactive dogs who have a tendency of lunging at other dogs and people than a festive looking standard collar.

OK, now let's look at the types of collars we carry here at Mighty Paw, and help you choose the right one for your dog!

How To Choose The Right Collar For Your Dog

Our collars fit into two categories: everyday dog collars and training dog collars. 

We offer several options within each of those categories to make it easy for everyone to find their perfect match!

The Different Types Of Dog Collars Here At Mighty Paw

Everyday Dog Collars

These collars work great for dogs who are well behaved on leash and don't pull. For those guys, you can simply attach a leash to their everyday collar and walk them that way. 

These also work great in combination with harnesses and sling choke collars because you can use them to attach your pup's tags.

Another use is to wear them inside your home in-between walks and other outdoors adventures:

• Standard Reflective Colorblast Dog Collar
• All-Metal Hardware Collar
• Leather Dog Collar
• Printed Design Collars

Our Standard Reflective Colorblast Dog Collar is made of high-quality, weather-proof polyester webbing and a strong all-metal D-Ring. It features reflective stitching to help keep your pup safe at night. This collar is available in 3 sizes: small, medium, and large.

The Mighty Paw All-Metal Hardware Dog Collar features an all-metal buckle and hardware along with side release tabs for strength and durability. It's great for strong pullers and comes with reflective stitching for nighttime visibility. This collar is available in 3 sizes: small, medium, and large.

Our Leather Dog Collar is made from soft, pliable, distressed leather with high quality, durable alloy hardware, an adjustable buckle and our embossed Mighty Paw logo. It's available in 4 different sizes from small to extra large.

 

The Mighty Paw Printed Design Collars are made of premium quality, soft polyester and extra durable hardware. They're available in 5 different sizes from extra small to extra large and feature the following patterns: Paisley, Valentine's Day, Easter, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

Adventure Dog Collars

We designed these collars for your adventure pups who aren't afraid to jump into the water and roll around in those tempting mud puddles! They're all easy to clean and very durable: 

• Waterproof Collar
• Padded Sport Collar
• Padded Sport Collar 2.0

The Mighty Paw Waterproof Dog Collar is made of PVC-based coated nylon material that's smell-proof, waterproof and easier to clean than regular collars. Its hardware even stands up to longterm use in salt water! This collar comes in 3 sizes: small, medium, and large.

 

Our Padded Sport Collar is made of weatherproof nylon and neoprene padding that won't wear with exposure to moisture. It features heavy-duty hardware and reflective stitching for nighttime visibility. It comes in 4 different sizes from small to extra large.

Our Padded Sport Collar 2.0 is made of premium weatherproof nylon and neoprene padding that's great for all climates. It's easy to clean and dries quickly, features reflective stitching for visibility at night, and has an adjustable buckle. It comes in 4 different sizes from small to extra large.

Training Dog Collars

As the name suggests, these collars are used to help train a dog to learn certain behaviors and/or to help restrain them.

For example, polite leash walking without pulling, Schutzhund and hunting training. That said, they're highly recommended by professional dog trainers:

• Tactical Dog Collar With Handle
• Leather Martingale Collar with Stainless Steel Chain
• Nylon Martingale Collar
• Nylon Martingale Collar with Iron Chain
• Nylon Martingale Collar 2.0 with Stainless Steel Chain
• Gunmetal Martingale Collar
• Stainless Steel Martingale Collar
• Gunmetal Slip Choke Chain Collar
• Stainless Steel Chain Slip Collar

The Mighty Paw Tactical Dog Collar is made from weather-resistant premium polyester webbing and heavy-duty metal hardware. The built-in handle gives you extra control when you need it and is great for tactical military and police K9 dog training, reactive dogs, and hunting. Its heavy-duty metal buckle is force-tested to withstand 850+ lbs of force. This collar comes in 3 sizes: medium, large, and extra large.

 

We have 6 different martingale collars. They all follow the same concept of offering a gentler and more controlled correction for dogs than standard choke collars do. They're made of different materials:

1. The Leather Martingale Collar is made of leather and a stainless steel chain, just as the name suggests. It has an adjustable buckle and comes in 3 sizes: small, medium, and large.

2. The Nylon Martingale Collar is constructed with premium quality nylon and features reflective stitching for nighttime visibility. It has a buckle and comes in 3 sizes: small, medium, and large.

 

3. The Nylon Martingale Collar with an iron chain is constructed with premium quality nylon, reflective stitching for nighttime visibility and a 100% iron chain. It has a buckle and comes in 3 sizes: small, medium, and large.

4. The Nylon Martingale Collar 2.0 with a stainless steel chain is made from durable and weather-resistant stainless steel, premium nylon, and reflective stitching for nighttime visibility. It has a buckle and comes in 4 sizes between small and large (it features an in-between small/medium size).

5. The Gunmetal Martingale Collar is made from premium quality gunmetal with a water-resistant chain that won't tarnish. This collar slips over your dog's head without a buckle and comes in 5 different sizes for necks between 12" and 29".

6. The Stainless Steel Martingale Collar is made from premium quality, weather-proof 304 Stainless Steel which won't rust or tarnish. This collar slips over your dog's head without a buckle and comes in 5 different sizes for necks between 11" and 30".

 

 

 

Last but not least, we have 2 different choke collars. They work great to control more aggressive dog breeds:

1. The Gunmetal Slip Choke Chain Collar has a water-resistant chain that won't tarnish or irritate your dog's skin. It slips over your dog's head without a buckle and comes in 6 different sizes for necks between 12" and 28.5".

 

 

2. The Stainless Steel Chain Slip Collar is made from premium quality 304 Stainless Steel that won't rust or tarnish. It slips over your dog's head without a buckle and comes in 7 different sizes for necks between 11.5" and 27". 

Now, as I said before, everyone's collar needs depend on a variety of factors, which is why I can't give you a one size, fits all recommendation!

However, what I CAN tell you is what MY personal favorite collars are.

For daily dog walks with my squirrel hunting dog Wally, I either use the Tactical Dog Collar with a built-in handle, or the padded Sports Collar 2.0.

 

 

I've had a lot of success working on his leash reactivity towards other dogs with both collars, always in combination with a dual-handle bungee leash.

Last but not least, I'd like to share a tip with you that I learned during my professional dog walking days:

Always have a back up chain slip collar on you when you're out walking your dog! That'll come in handy should your dog's regular collar break, whatever the reason may be for this! They take up close to no space but are super durable.

I learned that the hard way years ago when I was walking one of my client dogs, Lab mix Bailey. She pulled so hard that the cheap plastic buckle on her collar broke, meaning she was off the leash. Scary moment, but thankfully she didn't take off. Truth be told, I should also not have walked her on the cheap collar that her owners provided given her pulling history. 

At the time, I didn't have a back up chain slip collar on me, so I ended up making a makeshift collar out of her leash. It was neither practical nor pretty, and let me assure you that as of that day, I ALWAYS had my chain slip collar on me whenever I walked ANY dog.

I also started walking Bailey on one of my collars, and would use either a Martingale or slip collar on her. Had I known about the tactical collar back then, I would have walked her on one of those!

Now have fun shopping for dog collars for your pup(s)! 

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Barbara Rivers writes regularly for Mighty Paw. She is a blogger, raw feeder, former dog walker and maintains the blog K9s Over Coffee.

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