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To wear collars or not??

4K views 36 replies 35 participants last post by  Arah 
#1 ·
Well, here is a safety question that I am pondering -
I see most Chi Pictures with their collars and "jewelry" on- and I like the thought of a tag or a bell in the house (we have 5 chi's ranging from 10 years down to 7 months) But I am concerned (and ever so trained) about the safety of them running and playing at will with collars on- swallow a bell?, catch a leg or something worse wrestling?, get caught on something?? We NEVER leave halters on any of the horses turned out...so I am a bit confused and need opinions on the pros and cons - just advice in general because I would love to hear the tinkle of bells on the younger pups especially as they travel the house!
Merry Xmas and Happy Holidays!
Terri
www.geocities.com/dazeworkfarm
 
#3 ·
Mine always wear a collar, always... if a door got open, they would slip right outside and I can't bear the thought of having one of them missing with no collar or tag to identify them. Just last week I returned a stray dog to their owner. I never have any problems with them getting hung up on anything. They wear them in their crates too, there isn't anything in there they could get hung up on. I take them off occasionally, but for the most part, they always have them on.
 
#5 ·
Mine wear them, but I am like you, I worry about the pretty ones w/the rhinestones, some are really secure and others are not. I bought itty bitty collars that have rhinestones(very secure ones) from Cuddles on this board and I get lots of compliments on them. You can contact her.(just put her name in the search box) They are the perfect size for a chi, I even got one for my newest little boy who is only 1 pound and his fits perfectly. I would give ya a pic, but some ghost in my house took the cord off the computer :shock: !! I am a little bummed about that!! By the way, welcome, I don't think I have seen you here before, glad you found us!!! :D
 
#8 ·
My dogs have all always worn a collar with their identification on it. It only takes a second for one to get out of an open door or gate. A good fitting collar shouldn't be a danger. It also keeps me from forgetting to put a collar on before going somewhere.
 
#9 ·
My boys always wear a collar in the house. I keep bells on them, because I like to hear where they are at all times. I've never had a problem with them catching on anything or them choking on them and some of the collars have rinestones and stuff. Just make sure you keep an eye on them or an ear open. :wink:
 
#10 ·
I leave Raz's collar on him because it's easier to hook his leash on when it's time to take him out to use the potty.

I've never heard of any dog, big or small, having a problem with collars.

Raz likes to chew his tag but other than that he's fine with it.
 
#13 ·
I never leave collars on my chis. I will put a collar on a puppy during the day, while I am at home, to train them to a collar, but even that has a risk. I recently found Kit with her collar in her mouth, how she got it there was and still is a mystery. But she had almost chewed it in half during the short time it was in her mouth. It was a good thing that I was home, and she could not have had it trapped in her mouth for more than 10 minutes. Poor baby....
 
#14 ·
This might sound vain, but I only put Poppy's pretty collars on when we go out. She has some cute rhinestone ones and even a little Tiffany necklace (!) but I only put it on her so that she will look cute when we go out. I never let her have anything round her neck when we are at home, and she cant escape from our appartment, so I dont have to worry about her getting lost :wave:
 
#16 ·
i keep a collar and bell on vixie at all times, the one i use however is just for keeping a bell and name tag on and NOT for walking, because of this i found a kitten collar with a safety feature, a snap releas buckle (it clips but if pulled hard enough opens) it also has a small secition of elastic in it which stretches just enough to slip over vixies head when properly adjusted.
the collar is more a saftey, (bell always on feet and tag incase she ever slips through a door as were bringing in shopping or other such stuff as we dont crate train)
if she ever got caught on something or her leg stuck all shed have to do is give herslef a tug and the elastic will strecth or the buckle will release, and she can easily eascape, while i still have the secure knowledge of where she is.

if your worried abotu safety you could always take the collar off at bedtime (thats what we do with the spaniel as his doesnt have the saftey feature)
 
#17 ·
While my dogs are in the house I dont leave any collars on them. Ginger once got her bottom jaw caught in her collar trying to get it off and i swore she broke her jawbone (she didnt but still it was very painful for her and even harder to get the collar off)

I perfer harnesses. My dogs reverse sneeze a LOT and it seems to be worse when they are wearing collars w/ leashes. I do put collars on them when we go out, but I hook the leash to the harness.
 
#18 ·
Geez guess I am a wacko I leave the collars on at all times...Bindi gets hers off here and there as she just hates it so I give her a break. I live on a main highway if Kemo got away I would want him to be brought back to me--hehehhe that is if he let anyone near him. :shock:
I have never had any problems either. Even with my cats........
 
#20 ·
I had a collar for Lina but she always seems to wiggle out of them lol. I thought about getting the pretty ones with rhinestones and such but decided against it. She has a little hot pink harness and matching leash that she wears now (plus a cute little necklace type thing just for cuteness lol). When I first hooked a leash to her collar I just gotten the sudden fear that she would take off to chase something and in doing so would snap her neck or something (from the jolt of collar on her neck). So now it's just the harness :) It's a lot easier for me too :)
 
#22 ·
We have gone through a couple different collars with Nina..and she dislikes all of them. She does not wear one inside, and has a harness for when she goes for a walk. She isn't fond of that either, but she has run into the street and given us heart failure too many times to go without.
 
#23 ·
OMG, i just have to say that all of ur guy's dogs are sooooo adorible! I think that you should have a collar on your dog, and you dont nessicarilly have to have a licence, unless u live in town. but u can sew your dogs name, your phone and your address inside or outside the collar! i wouldnt put a bell on your dog though, i would be afraid that they would swallow it! Thats just my opion :) Good luck with your delimma :wink:

Nicole and Harley
 
#24 ·
Both of my dogs wear collars all the time. Fibi wears her jewelry, but I make it myself, so I secure them very well to ensure that they don't fall off and put her in danger. I have had other manufacturure's collars fall off of her. I posted something about this in another forum...not sure which one, though! LOL! :lol:
I would never want Fibi to get out of the house without her identification on her collar. She and Freedom don't play together unless they're being supervised by us (Freedom is really big...German Shep/Rottie mix...and I don't want Fibi to get hurt). We usually play with them together.

Regarding bells...I used to have a bell on Freedom's collar when she was young. I had a lady come up to me and give me the worst look...she seemed like she was one of those know-it-all dog people. She said 'WHY DO YOU MAKE YOUR DOG WEAR A BELL? DOG'S HAVE VERY SENSITIVE EARS AND THAT IS CRUEL TO PUT A BELL ON THEM". She annoyed me the way she said it, but I ended up taking the bell off. People can be so rude sometimes.
 
#25 ·
I was just thinking a bell would be a good idea after reading the previous posts and I told my daughter and she said the same thing..."wouldn't it annoy Dolly?". But I do like the idea of not stepping on her (my biggest fear).

Also, slightly off-topic, but do people keep their dogs' clothes on all night as well? Dolly has done some weird wiggling in her sweater and I worry about her getting "all tied up". I take it off at night.
 
#26 ·
I keep collars on mine at all times too. They have a name tag for identity and their rabies tags. The way Peanut is acting lately, I am sure if he got out, people would be more than HAPPY to know that he has his rabies! But yea, I haven't had issues with the collars. They are a good thing! ;)
 
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