Is Your Dog’s Collar Too Tight?

Every dog owner should make sure that if their dog wears a collar, that their collar isn’t so tight it causes discomfort in their dog. While wearing a collar too tight should be easy for an owner to notice, sometimes their dog’s collar is too tight while the owner is unaware. Here are tips for how tight a dog’s collar should be, and how tight too tight really is.

Your dog’s collar should be loose enough to move around without having to strain on it. Grab your dog’s collar and move their loop where their leash would hook onto in a full circle around the dog’s neck. If you had to tug, then the collar is too tight. If the collar moved with super ease, it’s too loose. If the collar moved with tiny friction, then the collar is likely just right. Follow this test by placing 2 fingers under your dog’s collar, then a third. If 2 fingers fits well, then the collar is fine. If 3 fingers is snug, even better. If 3 fingers is still loose with ample wiggle room, your dog’s collar may be too loose.

Now, take your dog’s collar and gently lift it like you were going to take it off like a necklace. Does the collar catch right at the ears, does it budge at all? Does it slip right over your dog’s head? If the collar sits snugly at the ears without choking the dog, then the collar is fine. If it won’t budge at all, loosen the poor collar a notch so your poor dog can breathe. If the collar slips right off, tighten it a notch or 2.

If you’re still not sure if your dog’s collar is too tight, you can do 2 other little tests to make sure. Pet your dog on its neck over the the collar and back. Do you feel a bunch of skin in front of and behind the collar? If so, the collar is too tight. Also, take your dog’s collar and loosen it one notch and then tighten it once notch while it’s on your dog’s neck. Perform the above tests with your dog’s collar loosened and tightened a notch, to see which position (the original, the tighter, or the looser) fits your dog best. If nothing else, a too-loose collar is a better bet than a too-tight one, and simply adding a notch in between existing notches and making a looser adjustment can give dog and owner more comfort.

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making sure my dog’s collar is just right and checking it often