Training Your Dog to Walk on a Leash? Start With the Right Collar
- Vickie Foster
- Feb 15
- 2 min read
Are you training your dog to walk on a leash? It’s important at the beginning to have the right collar for your furry pal. Training will be so much better with the right one. Before we get into collar choice you may want to explore which is best for walking your canine, a collar or a harness.
Generally, if your dog tends to pull on the leash a lot, a harness is a good option.
A harness can keep your pup from pulling so much. A well-fitting harness can avoid throat damage in small dogs and relieve back pain. In brachycephalic breeds like bulldogs that have difficulty breathing a harness would be a better choice. A harness also gives you better control. Be prepared when using a harness though, it will require more strength on your part.
If you have decided to use a collar how do you choose the right one? The right collar can be related to the stage of growth your dog is in. A puppy will rapidly outgrow collars its first year and it wouldn’t make sense to buy a leather collar every few weeks. In this case a nylon collar is a good choice.
Once your pup reaches maturity a leather collar is the best option. It will withstand water, heat and wear and tear during play sessions. Dogs with short fur or sensitive skin can benefit from rolled or padded leather collars. A Neoprene collar, the same material used in wetsuits, is also good especially if your dog has long hair that gets matted frequently. Neoprene is resistant to dirt and debris.
You may want your dog’s collar to have some of these features:
D-Rings - These resemble the letter and give you more control over your dog while on a leash
Quick Release Feature - If you take your dog’s collar off frequently a plastic quick release clasp is a helpful feature
Reflective surfaces - You will want these features if you walk your dog at night or dark areas.
Make sure any decor features like bows or spikes don’t interfere with the safety of the collar. No collar elements should catch on something while walking or cause skin chafing. Safety first where a collar is concerned.
The next step in choosing a collar is to get the right size. Don’t just rely on collars that are marked small, medium etc. Take a soft measuring tape and wrap it around your dog’s neck. After you get a size that seems snug but not uncomfortable, check to see if it can come off over your dog’s head. If it does, tighten up the measuring tape until it doesn't.
Take your dog into the pet store to try on collars. A good test for size is that you should be able to comfortably fit two fingers under the collar. More than two means it is too big. Less and it is too small.
With these guidelines and some careful consideration you should have the perfect collar for many happy walks.
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