The Martingale Dog Collar -- 101
by Irene Cook Rodriguez
Our dogs lead us in to this business, and they are very much part of our family. This means that we spend time shopping for them and doing things that we feel will improve their health and well being. We seek advice and read books, visit other owners, make regular trips to our veterinarians’ offices and so forth.
Along the line, we talked and contacted other owners of sighthounds and dog trainers. We attended conferences like the famous Greyhound Gang Gathering in Kanab, UT. In the course of events, we learned about Martingale collars. These are fantastic collars that are designed for dogs who may easily slip or back out of their collars. Sight hounds have heads more slender than their necks so they have no problems slipping regular flat buckle collars.
Because a properly adjusted Martingale dog collar does not choke or cut off the air-flow for the dog, these collars are also referred to as limited-choke collars or humane-choke collars. We learned about them as Greyhound Collars at a greyhound gathering. Later we discovered that they are Martingale Collars and are suitable for most dogs.
The Martingale collar is an excellent collar that helps keep pets under control and gives gentle guidance. We use them when we are taking obedience classes with our greyhounds. They are gentle on the neck and offer gentle corrections that do not hurt the dogs in any way. A Martingale collar is a great training collar for the easy dog.
So what is a Martingale collar? It is a collar composed of two loops, usually made from fabric or webbing. There is a large loop connected to a small loop. In the "relaxed" position, the resulting circle slips easily over the dog’s head. The larger loop is adjusted so that when a leash is attached to the small loop and pulled, the small loop tightens up, but does not choke the dog. The hardware connecting the small loop to the large one should not pull completely together if the collar has been properly fit.
Our dogs like to play hard and have a tendency to get a bit dirty. No problem. With the Martingale collar, we switch to a clean collar and wash the dirty one. We use quick links to allow us to change the dogs’ tags to the new collars quickly and easily. We began with one collar for each dog, but that soon ended when we were saw the beautiful colors and stylings in Martingale collars. Believe it or not, our greyhound girls have distinct preferences in their collar choice. (Yes, we let them pick their own.)
Because Martingale collars are fabric or webbing, it is possible to change the look for the season. Your dog may be in dazzling spring colors or classic plaids or tweeds. Each holiday offers a wonderful opportunity to jazz up the collar collection. Yes, it is possible for a dog to have a drawer full of collars suitable for different occasions from formal wear to soft blue denim for a day in the yard. My Happy girl has a definite taste for pinks. Our Luv is drawn toward intense shades of blue. It has not been just once or twice. It has been consistent over time.
If you have your dog with you when collar shopping, see what your dog likes. It maybe that she/he picks the perfect collar for both of you. A dog should enjoy the neckwear that is so imortant to training and good dog health. You should enjoy the esthetics of the collar on your dog.
Check out Martingale collars and see if they are the collar you have been seeking. You may just find a new collar style that suits you and your dog well.
This article is copyrighted by Irene Cook Rodriguez who is a co-owner on two fantastic web sites: BigDogSpa.com and CollarCrazy.com. The author is a dedicated dog lover and active in greyhound rescue. She enjoys her canine companions and family. You may meet Irene and her "Crew" at local Meet ‘N’ Greets, PetFests, and so forth.
