How do you keep a collar on?

[007Dawn]

Ok we have three dogs and the smallest Ollie will NOT keep his collar on. The problem is here in FL apparently they can ticket you if you do not have the collar on the dog even when it is on your property, weighs 7lbs and lives on your heels!

He manages to get it off and lose them instantly. I have had him fitted at two different pet shops thinking it must be me. But never the less my little rat still can get them off. And we tried a harness and that some how managed to disappear as well.

I just don't get it!

 

[katrinag]

Snug the collars up. I find that 90% of the time people have the dogs collar on way to loose.

 

[vicki2x2]

Sounds like a little Houdini!! How about a mesh harness? Might be harder to get out of? Something like this: http://www.petedge.com/product/Trai...s-Dog-Harnesses/pc/196/c/305/sc/317/54399.uts

 

[Wolf-Kim]

What type of collars are you putting on him and how tight?

Collars should be snug enough to only get a finger or two under them. Many times people feel you should be able to get your whole hand under the collar and that is too loose.

How is he getting them off? Chewing or pulling them over his head?

Some dogs just have those little bitty heads and you can never fit a collar to them. If that is the case you need a "properly" fitted harness. Same rule as the collar, most people put them on much too loose.

 

[SunAngel]

I am no help, sorry. My 1 yr old lab/coonhound cross chews the collars off my Pomapoo. So I can't keep a collar on her either. She has gone through 4 so far.

 

[citrusdreams]

Quote:
Well maybe you are a help

if she has more than one dog, and the collars are disappearing, maybe that's the answer. Try soaking the next collar in apple bitter or something nonpalatable, but not corrosive either

One of my dogs used to get collars chewed off as well. Now that they're all adults they still grapple but they don't chew each other's collars off.

You've got good suggestions here. The next step would be to keep extra collars and tags available. You can put rabies and Home Again information on the back of personalized tags, or even on those collars that are monogrammed with information.

 

[Wolf-Kim]

If other dogs are chewing the collars off, have you tried using chain collars? Not the choke collars, but an actual metal collar?

 

[HarlansHollowFarms]

Quote:
Question-How long is this little 7 lb dog being left outside without supervision?
Do you have a fence or secure area for it to run?
If not you may consider walks instead of turning loose, or a metal mesh harness. Also, be sure the collar your dog is wearing is snug....meaning it will not slip over his head without considerable effort.

 

[007Dawn]

Thank you everyone! Def. doing the snug fit of one finger under neath.

I can NEVER find the collar again after it "disappears".

Sometimes he will only be gone for two or three minutes and he comes back and presto it is gone!

He is to afraid to leave my side or the other dogs. He is like a little shadow; always under foot. We do walks and we have five acres and he does not leave the surrounding house.

That is what is so puzzling but you know I never considered the other dogs breaking him out...hmmmmm....I will try the soak thing and def will look into the mesh collar/harness.

Thank you!

 

[SunAngel]

Thanks for the idea about a metal collar also. I will have to check out the pet store. I hate the choker chains, I am always afraid they will hang themselves when I'm not home. Never thought they might make a metal one with a buckle/clasp. Either that or I am going to try the bitter apple suggestion. Thanks again!!!