Should you walk your dog on a collar or rather a harness or can you utilise both in different ways?
Today we will talk about collar styles as well as harnesses and the reasoning behind them. At Native Collars we believe that outfitting your pup with both a well fitted collar & harness is essential to his health and safety. Read on for our easy guide to when, how and why your dog should wear a collar vs a harness and when to utilise both.
Collar Styles
Size Adjustable Collar with metal buckle
Choosing Collars that are size adjustable always comes in handy. If you pup is still growing a little, you have a collar that will grow with your dog. If you have an adult dog, it gives you the option to make the collar tighter or wider in case your dogs weight or fluff level differs. Native Collars wants to give you and your dog the opportunity to enjoy a stylish yet sturdy collar for all your joint adventures ahead!
Most of our collars are adjustable in sizing and come in various colours, materials and styles.
A bit more about our collars:
Our Paracord Collars are made from vegan materials only - The river series comes with an adjustable BioThane® adapter. At Native Collars we braid our collars using high quality USA made 550 parachute cord as well as original BioThane®. BioThane® is a leather-like material and is soft like leather and very comfortable to hold. It is also easy to clean, waterproof and stink proof.
Limited Slip Collars
Limited Slip Collars are made by using the head size and neck size of your dog. The widest size of this collar style is the head size so it can slip quick and comfortably over your dogs neck. The stopper sits at your dog's neck size so it will pull tight when on a lead but won't choke your dog.
These collars come in handy to quickly slip on and off and are often used as tag holder collars or for hounds that have a very slim neck.
BioThane Limited Slip Collar
Our two Limited Slip Collar options come in multiple customisable colour options. Our first collar is the all BioThane Slip Collar where you can choose from multiple hardware options and up to 3 colours. The BioThane width can be chosen to your personal preference. See the images below on what it looks like.
Paracord Limited Slip Collar
Our Paracord limited slip collar comes in many colour variations. You can choose one or two Paracord colours and a matching colour for the BioThane adapter at the front. This collar is slim, light weight and perfect to simply be worn as an ID Tag collar. Due to the design it will sit loosely around your dogs neck when off lead and is great for dogs that have often problems with matting.
Non adjustable Plastic Buckle standard or quick release
Another style is the simple light weight plastic buckle in the standard locked version or the quick release option. Both buckles are naturally waterproof and great for salt water use. Collars that come with this buckle option are not adjustable in sizing at Native Collars and therefore not recommended for dogs that are still growing. The standard plastic clip is great for someone that loves a fast unbuckle option. The quick release option is simply used as an ID Collar as the buckle releases once there is pressure on the collar.
You can find our BioThane Plastic Buckle collar here but please feel free to request a plastic buckle for our other collars on the website. You can reach out to us with your custom idea on Instagram or through our contact form.
Harness Styles
Why to use a harness?
Harnesses are a comfortable option for any dog. They can help prevent a dog from wiggling out (if you have a true escape artist, please look for harnesses that come with 2 straps in the back for extra safety) and we recommend them for any puppy or adult dog that hasn't learned to walk on a loose lead just yet. A well fitting Y harness can take pressure more evenly if your dog ever pulls or jumps into the leash which prevents neck, back or throat injuries.
We also love walking our dogs on harnesses as the lead is clipped to the top of the back and they don't get tangled as easily.
Why and when to use a collar?
Collars are great to have a stylish accessory on your dog that can hold an ID tag as well as your dogs' registration tags. It is simple and doesn't bother dogs as much when worn for longer - for example, when you are away from home and are worried your dog could potentially escape the house. Dog Collars are great on walks if you have a dog that walks on a loose leash at all times.
If the fit is to loose or you have a dog with a slim head, your dog may be able to wiggle our and escape when walked on a collar. Harnesses provide more safety in this regard. Collars may contribute to throat damage or back pain if your dog tends to pull and is walked on a collar; you might want to consider getting a well fitted harness for your pup instead.
Considering buying a collar for your dog?
Make sure to select the right size for your dog and measure the neck correctly. When you measure, make sure that two fingers fit comfortably under the measuring tape (for very small dogs like Chihuahuas one finger should be used as a guide). At Native Collars we use your dogs' neck size to perfectly fit the collar for your dog and will always have room to go slightly up or down in sizing if ever needed.
A quick guide on how to measure your pup for a collar or harness:
Gear up and share your pup with us.
Nothing makes us prouder and happier than seeing the products we make being used on your adventures. Wether you have a collar or harness from us, we would love receiving photos and videos of all the happy dogs wearing them.
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