The Twelve Dog Days of Christmas, Day Two

These are a few of my favorite things!

EverythingDogBlog #102: Day Two - Safety Collars

A collar is a collar is a collar. Or is it?

On the second day of Christmas, I wondered why every collar is not a safety collar. They should come in all sizes, in all colors and designs, and in all materials, but especially in pink for Pit Bull Princesses!

When Collars Get Caught

The two safety collars that should be on all dogs (one at a time) are the KeepSafe©  and the PlaySafe. Let’s take the PlaySafe collar first.

Does your dog ever play with another dog?

Made by PremierPet.com, the PlaySafe DayCare collar (photo courtesy of Premier: Play Safe with a Playsafe Collar.)

is a totally new concept, designed to both be an instant control or restraint for your dog, as well as an emergency release.

The safety feature is intended for the typical dog daycare facility or dog park situation where dog collars can become tangled. Unlike quick-release buckles which can jam with increased tension, Velcro® closures allow instant release, even if a collar has twisted tightly around the dog’s neck during play. Plus, the PlaySafe collar features two release points (safety tabs), so it can be opened from either side, in case of an emergency.

It is intended for supervised play, however, since the Velcro© is easily released by a person but does not break away on its own.

Of course, you can always take off your dog’s collar when he plays with another dog in an enclosed area like a dog park or someone’s backyard. Just remember to put it back on!

This trainer highly recommends PlaySafe collars for dogs who play and want to stay safe.

Is your dog ever alone, unsupervised?

(I wrote about the KeepSafe Break-Away collar in EverythingDogBlog #61 on July 25, 2013, in a blog called “Does Your Dog Play Naked? Sleep Naked?”)

The most frequently reported accidents occur while two dogs are at play (for which a PlaySafe is the collar of choice – see above), or when a dog is near a fence, on a deck, inside a crate or kennel, inside or underneath a car, around heating or cooling vents, picnic tables, and branches or shrubs, twigs, sticks and briars. Lots of places!

If your dog has only one collar, let this be it!

Most dog owners are completely unaware of the risks and frequency of collar strangulation accidents until it’s too late. You can prevent needless strangulation injuries and deaths with the KeepSafe Break-Away Collar (photo courtesy of TMudge: Keep Safe with a KeepSafe Collar.), the only collar that has a patented safety buckle designed to release automatically when caught on something and, thus, protect dogs from strangulation or injury when alone. 

This is the collar that protects your dog when you can’t be there, by releasing when necessary. Originally called the Chinook Collar, it can also be securely attached to a leash at other times.

Get it at www.premierpet.com or directly from Tenney Mudge, the designer, on www.BreakAwayCollar.com. You’ll be glad you did!

Tomorrow: Foraging for Food is Fun!

Disclaimer: I was originally sent these collars for review a while back but have since purchased several for my clients.

(This article first appeared on ColumbiaPatch.com on 15 December 2013.)