does anyone use a leather collar??
 

Does anyone use a leather collar? Ive heard that it matts their hair, but i got this really cute "vintage" leather collar with diamond stiching and little diamond shaped silver accents..... anyways, toby doesnt really matt anyways, i havent had to brush him at all since we got him two and a half months ago, but leather aollars are so much more durable than the nylon (he had a nylon collar and managed to make it look like hell in about 2 minuits of scratching at it).... so does anyone else use a leather collar?

I've heard that the rolled collars are easy on the pets hair. I don't use a collar on Schatzie but a harness as I am always afraid she will encounter a collapsed trachea or get herself hung on something as she's running a rampage in the house. I would like to find a lightweight rolled leather harness but so far all the web sites Ive checked out don't show any. :(

Toby's vintage leather collar sounds real beautiful though and also I cannot believe you don't have to brush Toby! :eek: I have to brush Schatzie daily, sometimes twice daily.

I have seen leather harnesses at stores, but I always worried about them rubbing on their skin too much. I just never thought they would be too comfortable. I have little harnesses for Tinker that look like dresses, but her poor little hair gets mats in it some times. I cannot believe you have such good luck with not having to brush Toby's hair. Totally jealous over here. Tinker is 11 mos old and her coat is getting thinker which looks pretty, but makes it easier to mat. I think if the leather harnesses are comfortable that might be the way to go instead.

I used to cut my boys hair pretty short so I didn't need to brush him much either. He had a leather collar with pretty diamante bits on it. He wore it for ages and it didn't rub or hurt him. In fact I think he was quietly proud strutting his stuff in a a bit of bling!

Isn't it strange that years ago leather collars were the only alternative and now it is rare that people use them?!! Must confess I don't any more but the vintage collar sounds great!! My two girls both wear collars but only so they can carry their ID disc on, I never attach a lead - they wear harnesses for that! Both have little purple heart ID discs though and with a red collar they look very smart!!

Ebay has everything you are looking for. Go to home and garden, then go to pets, then dogs, then put "leather collars" into the search box and today they have 166 listed. REally beautiful ones too. Rolled leather, studded, diamonte, rhinstones etc. Just about everything you can imagine. Also, I would never use a collar on a yorkie, only harnessess due to their known issues with collapsing trachea. But it's up to you. But no collars here ever.

i only use the collar for his name tag and microchip ID number.... if we go out i use a harness i would never attach a leash to his collar :eek: His harness is nylon and that works out well becaus he doesnt try to scratch at it and its not on all teh time...... the collar has all of his identification info and im sure that some of you can relate that you can never be too careful so i keep his collar on 24-7... ( beccause i live in an apartment complex with "questionable people" around i worry about someone breaking in, or TOby being let out accidentaly, or even some of teh maintenance guys coming in to look or repair something and letting him out, so that why his collar is on all the time)

here is teh picture of my toby's new collar

Ah that's a lovely collar!! Your baby must look so smart in it!! Like you I am scared of our two getting out - mainly because we travel a lot in our motorhome so we are not even in our own area where everyone know our two!! I'm happier knowing, like you that they have ID! We put our mobile phone number on there which we always carry with us! Our girls are microchipped too but over here we do not have anything to put on the collar - could you tell me more about that? How old is Toby? Our two are 19 months and 7 months. Ana xx

Neat collar!! We too only use the harness on Toto but keep her tags attached to it. She only wears the harness when we take her out because we never let her on the ground unless we are walking her. She is usually in her bag or in our arms! ;)

collars
 

Yorkies have small, delicate tracheas. Most vets advise against a collar for this reason. I have used and will use those small soft collars that lay on the neck like a necklace...very light weight..but it does break the hair off..not a problem with a clipped pet.

Yorkies or small toy dogs should use harness, not collar as are so tiny.
We have two leather harnesses for our puppies.. they work great and are easy to put one. None of this what is the back or front thing.
They are also lined so not to matt the dog or hurt them.
They were not cheap. 35- 40 each.. but they were worth the buy.

well i appreciate the input, but honestly the collar doesnt seem to be bothering him at all (and i have it so i can stick two fingers in between teh throat and the dollar itself), this is the primarily the whole reason i asked if anyone used a leather collar, because of the stiffness in teh leather (and it will soften over time but not too much) it holds its shape really well and doesnt have any direct contact with the throat. I was just like most of you at one time and didnt want a collar on him either, but my fears have gotten the better of me, and this is a collar that really seems to work for him.

As for youre question gypsy rose..... toby is 5 months old (and 8 lbs :eek: ) he got the microchip when he was neutered, the company for the chip is called AVID (i dont know if there is more than one company who produces these chips) the "ID TAG" that they gave us is plastic with his number written on it and it says "If i am lost contact AVID at such and such number" his ID number is underneath that..... his ID number is on both sides acttually.... i like it but plastic is kinda not durable ya know what i mean ????? I might if his ID tag ever breaks just copy exactly what that says onto a metal tag....

collar
 

I understand..I do not see a problem with a roomy collar..it is when they are being walked and pull against the lead that can damage the trachea. I don't see where simply wearing a lose collar can be a problem, unless the get caught on something when you are not home.

That is a beautiful collar. We only use a collar for ID purposes because gracie thinks she is a sled dog when we take her for a walk and she pulls on her trachea..

We use an anti-pull harness with sherpa covering for under the arms and she loves it........no more sled dog.....she walks like a little lady now (until she finds something nasty to roll in :eek: )LOL