Someone just had a thread recently where she came home and her baby had the collar stuck in her mouth, there was blood all over the place and the hair was all rubbed off. Scary....

No Collar for my girls.

You could look into "break away" cat collars. They come undone if they get caught on something, so that they don't choke.

Get them break away cat collars.
 

This seems so obvious to me. Cat break away collars literally break open if tugged on. This solution seems to address your guys worry of them getting caught on something and chocking .

That's what I thought - I couldn't find one small enough, weird huh?

For those interested in collars, keep in mind the proper fit bc for small dogs it's so essential. While pet stores etc. may tell you the "2 finger rule" - that is truly only for BIG dogs. Size is relative. So, for small dogs, you really only want to be able to fit a finger between the collar and neck.

collars
 

I have worried about the use of collars too. I have heard of so many stories of dogs strangling to death because the collar caught on something. I have ordered probably 5 different kinds and still am not comfortable. They finally made an XS breakaway collar so I ordered it. It is small but with a 4 lb Yorkie there is no way she has the stenght to break it off in case of an accident-I had a hard time breaking it. We have tags for her harnesses and a collar we put on her when she goes to the groomer but other than that she is collarless. After reading these post I am wandering if I am doing the right thing keeping her collar free. I may look into a cat collar that is lighter.

Morgan wears a collar almost all the time as well. If fitted properly you shouldn't have a problem with it. Sure its gotten stuck in morgan's mouth once but that was because it was too loose. the collar should be tight around there neck and only loose enough for fit two fingers under it. The only time morgan doesn't have her collar on is when she's in her pen when i'm not home. There's no sense in her not wearing one when everyone is home and doors are opening all the times or when she's outside with someone.

forgot to add that morgan has a petco id tag and her HomeAgain tag on her collar.

If I'm home they uasually don't have collars on, but even i'll admitt that this is a very bad pratice for me as they can easilly slip out the door when you least expect it... I have children who run in and out to friends houses and its so easy for them to slip by us undetected sometimes... they are just so darned fast!

As far as people not wanting to return them... I have their tags made by a guy at the street fair who makes them while you wait and can do the engraving on BOTH sides of the tag... on one side I have him put "LARGE REWARD" and on the other "PIXIE (760) 555-5555" And thats it.... I had him make 9 of them!!!! He thought I was so nuts at first but then I explained that I have collars and harnesses for different days and colors and whatnot... so I wanted there to ALWAYS be a tag on the girls! So this would ensure that there would be!

I am having them redone though.... I will now include their microchip #! someone will be lesslikely to keep a dog that they KNOW is microchipped... And the words "LARGE or HUGE REWARD" really gets $$$$$ floating around in peoples heads! They start dreaming about how big the reward might be!!! And that alone makes calling to turn in the dog very tempting!

I'm often asked by people who are printing this on tags of their own... What is a huge reward? Some people can't afford what some would think as HUGE... but thats just it... while the finder may be thinking thousands, or hundreds... its up to you... as long as those words bring your baby home its up to you what the reward is, and you never disclose that over the phone. ;)


I'm all for collars... Big dogs hang themselves too... thats what I remember my vet telling me when I asked about Pixie wearing a harness or collar, he said that, that the numbers of pets that go unfound each year by not wearing collars are far greater than the number that are injured from wearing them. And I still, out of fear and reading posts did not make her wear one when she was younger... but I have her wear one alot more now...

I was going to post the same thing:thumbup:

Tommy wears jewelry type bracelet with nameplate (no tags). It is similar to medical info bracelets for humans, actually it is from the place where they make them.

I had engraved his name on the front and word "over" so people will turn plate over to read contact info. On the back it has my cell phone, HomeAgain tel, microchip # and "needs medicine". I think if people will know that dog needs medication they will likely not keep it.

I put bracelet on it the morning before first walk and take it off at night. Tommy if a big fun seeker and will run out of the door at any chance. He likes to visit our neigbor's dog.

what a Great Idea!~:thumbup:

That "large reward" is such a great idea!

That is also a brilliant idea. Either they don't take it at all, or they take it to the vet for medication, and the vet scans the microchip...

I've had a close call with loosing Adonis 2 different times. So both of mine wear collars all the time, with their microchip #, and my phone # on them.

Neither mess with their tags, or eachothers.

When I walk them, their leashes are attached to harness...so automatically goes on.

ONly time their collars come off is for a bath!

We have a carefully fitted harness that Gizmo wears all of the time except when he's sleeping at night (in his playpen) or alone in his playpen. This is usually because he's tethered to me in some way.

We had a tag made at Petsmart and there is a metal ring low on his chest (on the harness) and we have attached the tag to that.

I LOVE the idea of putting a "medic alert" type warning! Thanks for that idea. I think I am going to put something like "medical needs - please call..." and our number.

I have heard NOT to put your address on it, I assume that is because it could lead to a dognapping issue, but I'm not sure.

I just went shopping Wednesday for break away collars for my boyz and I found the same thing...you have to be a weight lifter to make that collar 'break away'! I looked at both cat and dog collars but I'm going to look around a bit more...maybe someone else has a different brand that would be better. I think there's just no way my 4 pound boyz or a cat could break that snap on those collars.