How Tight Should My Dog’s Collar Be?
 

Puppies are living breathing animals and grow amazingly fast. Most of them attain adulthood quickly, and before you notice it, the big collar of yesterday is almost choking your dog today. Such is the situation and in choosing dog fashion collars for your small dog today, make sure you shop carefully for tomorrow.

If you didn't know when the collar on your little dog has suddenly become so tight, it is not that you do not care enough; many people are sharing similar experiences with their dogs too. But, before you get on the wrong side of things, continue reading so that you know what to do to give your dog enough clearance for breathing healthily.

We didn't know how popular this question is until we had the need to find an answer for the same issue too. Below are two easy to remember answers we have for you on the question:

1. The two fingers rule

It's what we call the golden rule to the question. Place two of your fingers in-between the collar and the neck of your dog, if they go in freely, then it's a perfect fit for your dog to enjoy their time in the collar. This is a simple rule to follow and it's almost universal for sizing a dog's collar for fitment. The two fingers rule ensures your dog is comfortable, and it won't be easy to wiggle out.

2. Measuring

Another alternative of knowing the perfect collar fitment is measuring the neck of your dog, adding 2 inches to the measurement, then using that to size the collar.

Why does your dog need a collar?

Dog collars serve multiple purposes and it is essential your dog wears one. While it is important that you electronically tag your dog for easy finding if she ever goes missing, having a dog I.D tags on a dog's collar helps people to know where your dog came from if she ever wonders around.

Another good reason is for leash attachment. You can attach your dog’s leash to help you walk your dog. Leashes help you to stay in control making your dog-walking smooth; otherwise, you bet there would be so much more work other than walking as dogs are hard to stay focused on the task at hand if left on their own.

Check out www.dirtyfurclothing.com for all the latest products for dog collars and harness for your dog or Yorkie.

I don't agree with this.

The 2 finger rule IS appropriate for medium/large dogs - yes. It is *not* appropriate for tiny dogs like yorkies, who could slip right out of a collar if you could fit 2 adult fingers easily in the space.

For yorkies, you really should only be able to just barely fit a finger in the space, and no looser.

(the adding 2 inches rule is also WAY too much for a small dog, btw)

IMHO I think it's better to use a harness when walking a Yorkie. A sudden pull on the leash could cause some trachea problems if using a collar.

I use a harness for car and walking but keep a collar with ID tag on.

As it relates specifically to Yorkies, a harness is recommended. We also agree that the 2 finger rule will not always apply. Thanks for your feedback.

Dirty Fur Clothing

Our little "rattling" guy has a metal name tag on his harness, a plastic name tag on his collar, AND he is microchipped. Not that we love him or anything LOL.

I would never walk a small dog with a collar. I do not even like walking med/large with a collar. I absolutely prefer harnesses.

I can see where the issue of a collar that no longer fits the dog could possibly become a reality if you had a collar on a dog that remained outside in the yard and you had only minimal interaction with.....our Yorkies are indoors and are every bit as much a part of our lives as our children/grandchildren are! They are ALWAYS in your lap, beside you on the couch, chair, or floor.....not very likely a collar would suddenly be discovered as "too tight"!

Dont EVER use a collar around a toy dogs neck for anything other than something to hand ID tags on....to use a collar for attaching a leash or lead for walks, etc, could very easily lead to a damage trachea.....our Yorkies/toy dogs should be outfitted with halters for walking, or to attach a leash to for any activity.

I stopped using dog collars years ago....those tags flip and flop around and can very easily get caught in the spaces/openings in carriers/x-pens, etc, and your baby will hang itself.....it almost happened to me so I know only too well.

My dog tags hang on cat collars, that easily break away if the collar gets hung on something. Of course, all my dogs are microchipped and several of the seniors from overseas, are tattooed....

I use a harness on my boy.

I wouldn't use a collar on him

I do the same. I keep Duchess's collar with tags (plus she is chipped) on at all times in case she gets out without me knowing (had this happen). But I use the harness for leashing. She never wears her harness in the house only her collar.

Besides the tags on her collar help keep track of the little bugger in the house. I actually listen for her tags if she disappears in the house for too long. If those tags are quiet for too long, that means the little bugger is up to something.:p

HELP!!!!!!!!
While we are on the subjects of harnesses and collars.... I have picked up an extra small mesh harness at petco to use to pick up my little Nitro tonight.... BUT... my mom and I were looking at it and he is only 1LB 8OZ... my mom thinks that it will be too big for him and it will drag on the ground below his belly and trip him... does anyone have any insight? I would really hate to use a collar on him because he's so small and has such a small delicate neck. Do you think this mesh harness will fit him and be ok for him? Please give any advice. Thanks!!

so true!! :p

And yes, I also only use harnesses.

You might want to go to the cat section and get a kitten harness. That should do the trick;)

I never thought of that! Thank you! They are prolly a lot smaller than XS puppy harnesses... that's where I had to get his food dishes too. The kitty aisle. Thank you!!

I also only walk mine on harnesses. They have collars with their names and phone numbers actually on the collars (instead of on a hanging tag because my smaller one is just 3 pounds). I actually have cat collars on them with bells so I can hear them lol.Miss Pixi, if it helps I know Top Paw makes really tiny dog harnesses. My 3 lb Yorkie was only 1 pound when we got him and their smallest size fit him ok.

I use ONLY harness for leash attachment. Collars for TAGS only. Walking small breeds using a collar with leash can cause trachea damage especially if you have a baby that pulls.

I use a water collar for dock jumping and water work. I keep it high up on the neck to avoid the trachea. Walking is on a harness Obedience work on a flat collar which is the rule for competition. By then my dog has learnt not to pull on lead....

I use no collars on any size dog in the house. All my dogs are microchipped

and yes mine is microchipped as well, but I do feel it is important to have a tiny collar on her just in case..... since she is potty trained to go in our (fenced) yard but it makes me feel better/

I use a collar for tags only and a harness when walking. My dogs are bigger so I don't worry too much about their trachea collapsing. The great thing about the collar and tags is they make a sound when they walk so I can always find them in the apt.

I do the same. Cricket wears her collar for tags and her harness for walking.How big are your dogs?

Mine are both 14 pounds. Big and Beautiful. I would never walk them on their collar and I always use their harness or their winter coats that have a d-ring attached

Cricket is 8 lbs. 😃

Both of our girls are chipped and I carry the information about their shots etc. on a card provided by their vet. Bella had a small trachea and we decided that she would never wear a collar. Now Bailey has come along and we have decided no collar for her either. These little guys have a tendency to have problems with tracheal collapse and a collar could be a factor. Getting too tight, getting it hung on something, too many ways that a collar can cause issues and so little to be gained by putting one on them.

I dont know if my suggestion about break away cat collars was missed...for those that want to use a collar strictly to hang your babys tags on, use a cat collar...they break away if the collar gets hung on something, yet you have another layer of ID protection on your baby.Never use the collar as attachment for a leash....always use halter type harnesses.....but the break away cat collars work perfectly to hang tags on and yet are safe.

Hi Yorkie mom- I have never heard of the breakaway collar? How exactly does it work? Ty

It is a collar designed especially for cats....I get mine at my vet office....but I have bought them on line too....

"Kitty Break-Away Collars"....they dont buckle on, they have a kind of twisting motion to close it, and it easily breaks away if the collar/tags/etc get hung on something the dog/cat pulls back or struggles when it realizes it is hung up...the collar breaks away....you may loose your collar, but your dog wont hang itself!

I do not use any collar at all. Harness with name tag plus micro-chipped.


A friend of mine had a very VERY small chiweenie and purchased one of these break-away collars. She got out of the fence and they found her 2 days later in the shrubbery. I will not get into detail but it wasn't pretty, for the collar failed. Yes it can happen and therefore, I choose not to use any collar.

I do not use any collar at all. Harness with name tag plus micro-chipped.


A friend of mine had a very VERY small chiweenie and purchased one of these break-away collars. She got out of the fence and they found her 2 days later in the shrubbery. I will not get into detail but it wasn't pretty, for the collar failed. Yes it can happen and therefore, I choose not to use any collar.

For a single child this would work great. Mario's big brother would have that collar off every few minutes as they rowdy around with each other. So, our "Little Mister" uses a regular collar, but he also does not go into crates or carriers. Other than for the CGC (under very loud protest :mad::thumbdown:mad: ) we never use his collar for a leash.

Depends on the pup whether a collar is ok or not. I have yorkies who walk fine with a collar and others who don't. Collars do no harm if they are not tugging. I will say that most need harnesses, but not etched in blood IMHO.