Conflicted
Early this morning I found two stray dogs running around the neighborhood. They had collars but no tags. I spent all morning calling rescues, trainers, vets, and driving around all the surrounding neighborhoods looking for "Lost" posters. I posted an ad on craigslist and even went to all the surrounding pet supply stores that were having adoption fairs to look for help. Sadly, I could not find their owner and none of the rescues had room. I just had to take them to the animal shelter, which broke my heart. I cried a little when I dropped them off, and I'd only met them this morning! =( If it had only been one, I would have tried to find a way to make it work, but I just wasn't ready to take on the responsibility and expense of two very large, untrained dogs right now.
It got me thinking about my own dogs though. They are both microchipped, but I know that's not foolproof. I never put their collars on unless we are going for a walk because I don't want to chance their collars getting caught in anything and hanging them. On the other hand, the one and only time they ever got out (because the lawn guy left the gate open and I forgot to check it before letting them out) I got them back within 30 minutes because they had their collars with tags on (this was before I instituted my "no collar" rule). I haven't decided yet what I think the better option is. Collars on or off both have safety risks and could be the difference between life and death either in the yard or at the shelter. Hmmmm...
It got me thinking about my own dogs though. They are both microchipped, but I know that's not foolproof. I never put their collars on unless we are going for a walk because I don't want to chance their collars getting caught in anything and hanging them. On the other hand, the one and only time they ever got out (because the lawn guy left the gate open and I forgot to check it before letting them out) I got them back within 30 minutes because they had their collars with tags on (this was before I instituted my "no collar" rule). I haven't decided yet what I think the better option is. Collars on or off both have safety risks and could be the difference between life and death either in the yard or at the shelter. Hmmmm...
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Comment by Beth on January 2, 2010 at 11:34pm
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Sarah, I may need to look into that. My husband sews better than I do. :-)
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Comment by Sarah C. on January 2, 2010 at 11:29pm
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To Beth..
Plastic clasp findings are cheap. So is fabric. There are many good patterns for collars on the internet, and you don't have to sew very far. It's fun. :)
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There's something like this:'
http://www.petexpertise.com/dog-collars-dog-harnesses/knot-a-collar...
I wonder how well they work? They look light enough to wear with another collar.
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Comment by Sky and Lyla on January 2, 2010 at 11:20pm
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I've also seen this collar at my local pet store and have considered buying it on more than one occassion. It is not a break away collar, but seems to have a lot of "give" so if a dog does become entangled they could conceivably get out of it.
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I never leave a collar on in the house. For one thing, there are too many things to catch on. For another, over time it can damage the coat in that area. And for a third, being a person who takes off my watch and all my jewelry except my wedding band as soon as I get home, I prefer to not take the chance that my dogs are uncomfortable.
When we are out hiking or playing in the park, I take off their leash but leave their collar on. They have the plastic snap collars and I don't know how easily those break, but I guess it's weighing one risk against another. My dogs stay close and if they got caught on something, I'd be right there to unsnap them.
I'm not totally thrilled with the current situation though and would like to find a truly light-weight real breakaway collar for tags and then use a martingale collar over that for walking. Then I could remove the martingale with the leash when they are loose and just leave on the breakaway. I have not been able to find what I have pictured in my mind, though, which is a thin collar that breaks easily that is meant to be worn with another collar. Honestly my main concern with the tags is not in their finding their way home, but I want their rabies tags on so that if someone ever got bitten in a rescue situation, they would instantly know the dog was vaccinated. My dogs are both very friendly and neither has ever snapped, but if one were hurt and panicked there is no predicting what might happen.
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What about a break away collar like this? I certainly want my dogs to be at their safest, but I also would want to make sure they were returned to me. I live in a metro area were finding a lost dog can be hard and a dog taken to a shelter has literally days to live if the owners cannot be found or the dog adopted. On the other hand, I wonder if a true breakaway collar would even be likely to stay on long enough for a "finder" to see it. Decisions... decisions...
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Comment by Jane Christensen on January 2, 2010 at 9:28pm
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Mine always wear a break away collar with tags at home and it depends on where we go if I put a buckle collar on. My Livvy I do as her recall isn't as good! I lost a rescue that bolted during a storm and squeezed out under the garage door...she was found and safely returned 3 days later and yes she had a break away collar! I think that had she not had an ID the people might have just kept her! We live in the country and I even put lighted collars on 2 of my dogs when they go out after dark...they stay in the yard but this saves me a lot of time if I need to find them...as they are off chasing shadows or rabbits! I many times have 6 dogs running and playing rough and NONE have ever gotten stuck on another dogs tag! My Bella did recently get stuck on some wire when she was at work with me and she just sat and waited for us to find her...of coarse when you want them to bark!
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Comment by Joanna Kimball on January 2, 2010 at 9:26pm
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In the group in which I travel and the people I know, who are very serious about their dogs and for whom a lost dog is a horror and a disaster, virtually NONE of us will leave a collar on our dogs. It's just too dangerous. I have personally cut a collar off a 140-lb dog who was blacking out and collapsing because another dog's jaw was caught in it, and know two dogs who have died (and probably a dozen who were close to it) due to collar accidents.
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Yes, I think that after having to take those two sweet dogs to the shelter today, and thinking about my babies being there, they will be wearing collars whenever they are outside. I agree, thinking about it, it is much more likely that they will get out and lost, than that they will get hurt by collars.
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Comment by Geri & Sidney on January 2, 2010 at 7:33pm
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We've had dogs that have gotten loose from our yard returned to us every time thanks to the tags on the collars, and we've never had the collars catch on anything. All three dogs wear their lightweight nylon collars all the time, and wear a second collar for walks or other outings.
If it is tags getting tangled that some are worried about, you could use a tag pouch. All the tags slide into a neoprene pouch that attaches to the collar. It protects the tags from the elements, keeps them from rubbing together or discoloring your dog's chest fur and would also serve to prevent tangles.
These are the ones we use:
http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=a2b40729-f2e0-448c-9...
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