You think it's alright if I used a choke collar as a regular collar?

Question

Now before you start lecturing me, read what I've got to say... I'm not so stupid as to put a choke collar on my dogs unsupervised... BUT... Since my dogs keep chewing through each other's collars, I was thinking I can get a choke collar. The way I'll put it on them is like this:
http://img327.imageshack.us/img327/4580/chaincollarnu9.png

I think that would be okay, right? It wouldn't be slipped through the loop so it couldn't choke them, and it will be snug so it won't slip off, but of course, not too tight... I've been looking for hours, now, (4 hours to be exact) for a collar I can use, but there are no indestructible collars that I have been able to find ANYWHERE on the net. So what do you think about doing it this way? They'll be staying outside in a kennel....

Oh, and spraying any kind of bitter apple spray or something like that onto their collars is out of the question. One of my dogs is a lab who likes to eat soap and is fine with licking up /vinegar/... So I don't think spraying bitter apple spray or even vinegar on their collars will faze my lab. xD

TY, read my second post... =P

ESPERANZA- Well, of course I've tried nylon collars. That's no challenge for my husky to gnaw through...

levade0- Well, IMHO, I think it's good to keep a collar on a dog. They need collars so that I can hang their I.D. tags, their rabies tags, and their tags to show that they're microchipped on... The odds of them hanging themselves or hurting themselves is, in my opinion, a million to one. Especially since there's nothing they can hang themselves /on/ in this 10x10 ft kennel. There's nothing that they can catch their collars on. And a collar also comes in handy in those seldom times that they /do/ get loose. I can just grab their collar and bring them back so I won't have to carry 50+ lbs of dog back to the house. (I've had to do that just recently... not easy...) So, yeah, I think a collar comes in handy....

Sorry, I meant I wouldn't put a choke collar on a dog THE SLIP WAY unsupervised...

Bunny- Thanks for the sites. I've already seen the first two, but not the last site. But still, my dogs can chew through nylon easily. Nylon is about the easiest thing they /can/ chew through... The first site, all the collars are too big for my dogs, and the second site... I dunno... Spike collars are more expensive (I've gotten one for my previous dog) and I'm just hesitant to buy any collars like that, b/c I can't afford to be wasting more money on collars that they'll chew up... I think when I go to Petsmart, I'll bring them and see if I can find a REALLY heavy duty collar and feel how thick it is and just how "heavy duty" it is for myself.... I dunno... I'm still deciding... -_-

Answer 1

Sounds okay - why don't you just give it a trial run and see how it goes. Just make sure that the link is stronger than one of those little keyring things that come with the ID tags though.

In terms of indestructible collars, have you tried the Lupine range? They're nylon but they claim to be indestructible and have a lifetime warranty on them. I've put one on my biggest and he's been wearing it for about 4 years now. Way outlasted every single leather collar I've ever bought him!

Answer 2

If they're staying outside in a kennel (presumably escape proof, right?) then why do they need collars at all? Unless your dogs are escaping all the time I can't see the need for them.

Leaving collars on unsupervised, as you already know (but others may not), is dangerous if the dog gets it caught on something and chokes to death. The dog could also jump and get the collar stuck on a high protruding object (fence, tree branch) and be hung that way.

Is there some way you can let them go "commando"? Is there a real need to keep collars on them at all times in a confined area?

Answer 3

that seems fine to me .
i don't see any way the dog would be chocked by that collar set up then any other set up . so go for it .
one thing however i have seen with dogs i have had is that when they are wanting to get out of the collar they will sometimes pull away and end up getting there heads stuck in the collar .
you said you have them in a kennel how come you even need a collar to keep them there wont the fence and some patio stones at the base of it be enough to keep them in .
oh well that collar set up looks just fine

Answer 4

the correct term is training collar, it only becomes a choke collar when left unsupervised or not being used while training. you say they won't be unsupervised, are you going to sit out in their kennel with them and watch them at all times? if not then they will be unsupervised. i think you are asking a legitimate question, but i think you have the wrong answer. if they're in a kennel, do they need to have a collar on at all? maybe microchip them instead incase they get loose. but through the loop or not, this is not the kind of collar you want on your dogs left in a kennel.


i sincerely hope your dog is not the one in a million because we know odd things never happen. if you wish to take that chance by all means go ahead, just don't come back on her crying to us your dead choked himself. i had a dog that chewed through chain link, but that's also a million to one too then? i see about 10 dogs a year that have hanged themselves with irresponsible owners leaving them on them looped and unlooped. my opinion i would rather my dog get loose and i have to take a collar and leash with me to go get them than hang themselves when they do get loose. i mean you say they get loose, they can't catch the collar on the fence when they're getting out?????? whatever. poor dogs, i'm sure they'll be lucky and nothing bad will happen to them because people like you have good luck like that.

Answer 5

No, you shouldn't. Get some stuff called Bitter Apple from the petstore, and put it on your dogs' collars. Then they won't chew on them.

Edit: I wrote this before you posted the part about your dog liking nasty stuff. But soap and vinegar aren't the same thing as bitter apple. I happen to think vinegar is delicious, and soap = fat to a dog. So he may still may not like the bitter apple. It wouldn't hurt to try it. I know he'll probably have an issue with hot sauce.

Answer 6

As long as you use a seperator ring and do not use it as a tie out collar, I think that it would be ok. Be sure that there is no way that the collar can become entangled or tightened if it does become entangled. And always make sure that there is at least two or three fingers that can be inserted between the collar and the skin of the dogs neck.

Answer 7

well why dont you try not putting collars on them at all when they are together in the kennel, and when you go to get them out put the collars on them . but if you dont want to do that then i guess its okay to keep the collars on them but theres always a risk that they might choke themselves with any collar that they wear. And if you are worried that without a collar that they get loose, you could take them to the vet and get them microchipped wich only cost 50 and its painless

Answer 8

Have you looked at these? (copy & paste)

http://www.fordogtrainers.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=205

http://www.ldsleather.com/collars.html#2plyspike

http://www.orvis.com/store/product_choice.asp?pf_id=0300&dir_id=1633&group_id=1930&cat_id=5743&subcat_id=7018

I've had the same problems with some of my dogs, though they're not kenneled most of the time. The heavy duty leather seems to work best and also protects their necks from the other dogs rough play. The heavy nylon is good for small dogs.

Answer 9

Why keep collars on your dogs when they are not on leash. I use an e-collar, as it can not be left on I only put it on when we are going to the park. Otherwise he is naked.

Though I guess if you want to use a chain collar you could... just make sure it is snug enough not to snag on things.

Answer 10

If they catch that collar on something it is still going to really hurt their neck. Nylon or leather collars if caught are far less painful. I wouldn't do this to my dog. Nylon collars are pretty strong have you tried them?