Do not leash your yorkie around the neck!
 

These little dogs have so many problems with trachea problems that they need a harness on them when you leash them. I get so bummed out whenever i read of anyone walking there dog with a regular -(go around the neck) leash. Oh- so much harm to the little dogs trachea. -we have a little one with collapsing trachea issues so we know first hand. Ditch the around the neck collars and go for the harness type- you can find at petsmart. they are about 15.00 each but is your dog's trachea worth it? YOU BET!

I completely agree.......I would rather pay fifteen for a harness than hundreds of dollars for surgery bills....

I read that right away when I got Murfee so he doesn't wear a collar around his neck at all.

A YT member gave this website: http://sassypup.net for a choke-free harness. Joanne :aimeeyork :aimeeyork :aimeeyork :dog:

So tell me how does your dog act with the treacha issues? I have a new puppy and never had a leash on her. But she is choking at times when she gets excited or playing. I'm taking her to the vet this wk but wondering if its something like that.

I have several threads started on ct. just click my name and see the threads i have posted.

This is very true and sadly i learned the hard way. When My baby Teddy was about 14 weeks he had a very scary accident due to his collar. He way playing in the living room floor an laid down on an air vent, when he tried to get up he couldn't because had his name tag stuck in the air vent. He screamed and jumped violently twisting up the collar and choking himself. I tried taking the collar off but the buckle to the collar was inside the vent and it was twistly too tightly for me to cut it off. Finally I grabbed a hammer -that i think god placed on my kitchen couter- and use the back side to rip the vent out of the floor and untwisted the collar. When I got him undone he was not breathing and blue. I held him and cried and a few seconds later he coughed and started breathing!!! That was honestly the happiest moment of my life!! I rushed him to the vet and she told me from what i described she should be dead. She gave him a steriod for swelling and said he would be fine. The emotional issues he had due to the accident where quickly healed with love but I think he has treachea problems. The vet says he is a very healthy 7 month old puppy but i'm going to be taking him for a second opinion later this week, He coughs ALOT and I want to 100% sure my baby is ok. Take it from me collars are Dangerous!!!!!!! A few extra bucks can save you little one's life!!! I also reccomed having them wear nothing at home. You just never know what could get caught on what. And please get this message out to all the pet owners you know. Putting a collar on an animal is a risk too big for anyone to take, and i would hate to hear of anyone experiencing what Teddy and i did!!

OMG....Im so sorry but its good to hear he is okay. I would be shaking with fear.

Thank you for reminding us of this danger!! That was one of the first things that my vet cautioned me of, along with large birds of prey! When we got Toto she was so tiny, we bought her a cat harness but we have never, ever put anything around her neck not even for her tags. I keep those on her harness.

I definately use a harness for Meka and only use a collar as an accessory (which is rare) :)

I'm so glad I found this site!!
My puppy will definitely use a harness only!
I wouldn't have known any better if I hadn't read this.

A harness is definitely the way to go...

When I did all the research, before buying Cooper, I realized that he would need to wear a harness. I bought a nice Puppia on and I am very happy with it. However, he only wears it with his leash. I thought I would put a collar on him with his tags, for identification reasons. But I read the post about the air vent :eek: and now I'm not sure what to do!

I use a harness when Sammy and I go for a walk and leave a collar on him just for ID purposes...but after reading this I think I will put the ID tag on his harness, lose the collar, and just get him microchipped for ID!

I'm thinking about doing the same!