Collar spacing
 

I just got Ruger a new collar. I've read that two or one fingers is good spacing for a small dog. Any suggestions?

FYI, I went with a wider collar this time. I usually use a harness when we walk, but sometimes I don't and he definitely chokes a bit when he pulls. I think the wider collar is helping that. He's 10 lbs and the new collar doesn't seem to bother him at all.

one to two fingers is ok. the collar should rotate easily around his neck.....and should only be used to hold ID, rabies tag, etc. Yorkies have very delicate throats and for walks should be in a harness, never a collar, especially if you have a puller. For safety's sake a harness or a harness vest is better as it puts the pressure around his middle instead of across that delicate trachea.

I agree with My Sophia, please do not use the collar for the leash. Even at 10 pounds and with a wider collar, your pup is at risk for a collapsed trachea.

Because we have several small dogs and 2 of them have CT,I think of a collar as more of a necklace so they arent kept very tight. More like 2+fingers worth. We use harnesses for walking and never use the collar as a handle to manage our dogs.

I'm curious what kind of harness Ruger has tried? I know when we got Tuffy, I got him one of the soft padded ones & it was awful for him! When I researched the whole issue through YT & other places I soon realized it was going to take some training with him no matter what kind of harness he wore (he's a puller too). When we go out for walks if he begins to pull we stop for a minute. If he can continue to walk after that without pulling we keep walking; if he pulls again, we immediately turn around & go the other direction (just for a few feet). At first it will feel like you're going to be going nowhere but it doesn't take many walks like this for most pups to learn.
Hope this helps a bit :)
By the way, I ordered a harness called Choke-free for Tuffy & another for Bella when we got her. If you'd like to see it take a browse through our album on my profile. here's the link Pet Collars and Harnesses that do not choke dogs and cats

My sentiments exactly !!!

Jackson is 16lbs and pretty muscular, but I'd personally never walk him with a collar. I have tried it in the past for quick potty breaks but even if he slightly tugs, it irritates his throat. He's not a puller and well-trained on the leash... but I don't know, I still just prefer a harness. So I very rarely will attach a leash to his collar, because he also got out of a collar once! Yikes! Sometimes for pictures, I will put it on his collar so I don't have the harness in the pic (LOL) ...But anyways, yep, I like to keep Jackson's a bit looser just for comfort since I'm not using it to walk him with.

Use the collar for tags only. Make sure you can put your index and middle finger under it, (providing you have a normal size hand and not a big mans hand). Make sure he can't get his bottom jaw under it though.
Use a step in harness. (it doesn't come near the throat). Yorkies are known to have soft trachea's. I never even used a collar on Zada, but she now has a collapsed trachea and can never go for walks, be around people and has to stay home all the time. When anyone comes over we have to keep her up stairs. It's a sad way for a social animal to live, so please don't use a collar to walk your baby.

One of our dogs uses a harness call "Easy Walk" the Dring is on the front/side,so when he pulls he turns. It didn't take him long to figure out that walking to fast ment turning instead of going the direction that he wanted to.

I hear everybody loud and clear, but it's hard for me to get him in a harness every single time. He will pull hard in the morning and when I walk him with my girlfriend's dog, so he always gets the harness treatment. He's much mellower in the evening, so I just clip the leash to his new collar.

FYI, the two harnesses I use are the ones that go over his head and around his body with the metal ring to the rear. The other is the step-in type, that he steps into, and then you bring both sides together just above his shoulders. He hates getting into both of these, but they do work well.

He also has an easy walk harness, but it's a real pain to adjust and get put on correctly, and I really need to give that one another try. It did work when I used it, as he cannot pull forward when it's on. I've also tried walking him opposite of the direction he is pulling in. Yes, it can work, but it wears me out before it wears him out. :) BTW, he did eat one easy walk harness and they replaced it for free. He ate it right off himself.

Sometimes, when we are in a safe area, I just drop the leash and is fine with that. He stays with me and will come when I offer a treat and just drags the leash along. When we hit the park he will often run around with the leash flying behind him. I think he thinks I've still got the other end.

Thanks again for the good advice. I now keep a harness both at the door and one in the car.