Do dogs wear their collars all day?

Question

hi, In response to my query about collar type for a shih-tzu, folks wrote about different collars for different situations.
shouldn't a dog wear a collar with id/lic. tags all day?
do you have to change/put on a new collar everytime you want to go for a walk?

if they do have to wear one all day- can it be a harness? martingale? should it be a buckle collar?

thanks and sorry if questions seem like basics- getting my first dog, so i just don't know.
peace,
ira
ps-, didn't know how to modify my previous question so had to do a new one-in case someone is wondering.

Answer 1

Guess it depends on the dog, breed, and owner. I do not keep clooars on my dogs. They are big and hairy and the collars make the hair mat underneath and there develops a "ring" around the neck where coat has fallen out. I show and that ring of coat loss is NOT great in the ring. I do place a collar with tags on if we are walking in the woods off our property. Clearly, they also wear a collar when going to the vet, or someplace like that, I just do not keep a collar on the at all time.
I guess it comes down to personal choice.

I do have all my dogs microchipped, but there is less chance of people knowing they have been chipped when they do not always wear the collar with the microchip tag.

Answer 2

I keep a flat collar with a plastic snap-together buckle and her ID tags on my dog all the time, just in case something happens and she gets out - people will see her collar & tags & know she's a pet. You never know if an emergency might happen that might lead to the dog getting out. You can get a little cloth bag to put over the tags to keep them quiet. My dog also has a microchip, but since she's a mutt I'm afraid she'd be left wandering or it would be assumed she's a stray if she didn't have a collar on. I keep it a little loose so it can pull of if she gets caught on something. The only time I take it off is when she's in her crate.

You can get a safety collar if you're worried about the dog catching on something when you aren't around.
http://www.breakawaycollar.com/

I think it would not be a good idea to keep a chain collar or a martingale on a dog when it isn't being supervised - the dog could get caught on something and choke.

If you get more than one dog & they play together, don't use a collar with a metal buckle, because the dogs' teeth might get caught in it as they play.

If you have a purebred longhaired show dog, wearing a collar all the time may mar the coat, but in that case you can have a microchip in the dog that will help it be identified if it gets lost.

Answer 3

I believe that if the dog is kept in the house, it does not need to wear a collar all the time. Although, if it is kept in a garden, it might get lost and then a collar is very useful. Very important that you buy a collar that is made of a soft material as shih-tzus' fur is very soft and you don't want to make the fur fall out from the area where the collar is. Also make sure that the collar is tight enough not to fall of but not too tight because it could harm the dog.

Answer 4

My dogs wear a flat collar around their neck with ID at all times unless I am grooming them. I have Chihuahuas so I also put a harness on them when we go for a walk. That way it does not injure them. The harness does not usually go up around their neck where a collar goes, so wearing both does not cause me a problem. My dogs have very short hair, and so I do not get the ring around the neck. You will though so I would considered a collar or harness you leave the ID, and just put it on them before you take them outside.

Answer 5

Most people do leave a collar on at all times. You can choose the type although I wouldn't recommend leaving a harness on all the time. A simply nylon one that is elastic will work well for a normal wearing one. You want it to be elastic enough that should your dog become entangled in something while you are not around, they can slip it off and escape harm. Then use your choice of collar for walks. I will have one collar (like a simple nylon one) for regular walks and a gold diamond link for show/training purpose. That way my girl will be able to tell if we are working or playing. The police and military do the same thing. When the working gear goes on the dogs know what to do, and when it's off they know it's playtime.
I think it's easy to add to your question. Just click one of the icons in the bottom right of your question area. It says something like update or... I forget. But all you do is click on that and you can add details to your question. :-)

Answer 6

My dogs don't wear collars all day but they are also locked inside the house when I'm not home so I'm not worried about them getting lost. I also had them micro chipped in case the unthinkable happens. I don't see a problem with leaving a collar on your dog all day unless you are crate training your puppy. A dog shouldn't have a collar on while he is in his crate. I would definitely recommend against leaving a harness on all day. Shi Tzus have long hair and the rubbing of the harness will cause the hair to matt, especially on the chest and under and around the front legs.

Answer 7

Since they are inside dogs they would have less of a chance for the chain collar to hang up on something unlike if they were outside, whereas it would be very likely they could become hung up on a limb or the tines of the fencing. So if inside, I would imagine it would be okay.(of course freak accidents happen but not often, that's why they are referred to as freak accidents =) A very good idea is to have them microchiped at the veterinary office. This is a small micro chip about the size of a grain of rice that has serial numbers exclusively for that chip and you get the micro chip registered and if your babies happen to get out and someone finds them, they can be identified by most vet offices and all shelters with a scanner that they wave over the back to check for a microchip id number. The staff then call the appropriate microchip company and they can identify the owner of the pet so the staff can reunite the pet with its owner. Microchip companies all have a different letter at the beginning of the serial numbers and they usually can tell you which company the chip is registered with if the staff call one company and the id serial number does not start with their standard letter followed by the numbers. But most have a universal scanner that can id which company it is. This is a way to alway get your pet back even if they lost their collar. Also when someone brings a stray in to the vet or the shelter, the first thing staff does is scan to check for an id microchip. Just a great idea!

Answer 8

You can have a flat collar on the dog all the time. In most places you can't have a dog out unless it has it's license on it somewhere - either flat collar or harness.

I have collars on my dogs all the time but when I walk them they use a prong collar so they wear 2 during their walks.

My brother only puts a flat collar w/ her tags while he walks her then leaves it off while she's in the house,

so really....... Its up to you and your preference.

What I really recommend for a first time puppy parent is Puppies for dummies and/or Shih tzus for dummies.

GREAT books, awesome information - breed tips, training tips, etc.

Answer 9

I like to leave my dogs' collar on all the time. I heard a long time ago that it makes them feel like they "belong"...I also have a reflective collar that he uses at night and a pinch collar for when we go places (he is a pitbull, very strong, and not alot of leash etiquitte) When I take his collar off to give him a bath or something, he seems kind of sad, but then is always happy to have it back on.

Answer 10

My dogs do not leave the house without collars and id. They do not wear them in the house or when left in the fenced(and locked) yard for fear they may get tangled up when playing.