Can someone recommend a dog collar for a no-neck dog?

[hedgehog]

Guinness is half beagle, half german shepherd. The problem is that his neck is the same size as his head. Unless the collar is so tight he is choking, he can slip right out of it if he pulls at the right angle.


BTW - my thanks to whoever recommended fish oil for my other dog's skin problems. I have to pierce the gelatin capsule so he can smell the contents, but then Jack loves his pill. We were never able to pat or groom his lower back before because his skin was too sensitive. Now he looks better and feels better.

[redqueen]

1. Can you just use a harness?

I guess you can't leave it on to hold an ID tag, so... maybe that's not so helpful.

[Critters2]

2. I'd probably go with a harness instead of a collar. nt

[hedgehog]

3. I am considering a harness, but does anyone know if dogs like them?

Can they be left on all the time or are they too irritating? Is there a quick harness I can put on him for walks?

[Deep13]

6. Actually, I doubt they like either collars or harnesses.

Still, they don't appear to interfer with the dog in any way.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

14. Mine does...

She can walk me without having to choke herself.
Duckie

[Deep13]

4. Same problem we had with my mother's dog in the 80's.

We called her "Houdini" because she always escaped from the collar.

[Connonym]

5. Guess it would have to be a harness then

and maybe microchip him just to be on the safe side. My mom's got a yorkie-poo and supposedly they have soft tracheae and aren't supposed to wear collars, she uses a harness for him.

[hedgehog]

7. Does he wear it 24/7?

Guiness has a short, stiff coat so getting hair tangled with the harness isn't a problem.

[Connonym]

10. Not always

He does have the poodle fur though and it gets matted. I'm not a vet but in this scenario with a short coat I can't really see where it would be a problem other than just getting used to it. Like someone else said, they probably don't really like collars either but you have to do what you have to do. One thing I would be cautious about, especially at first, is making sure he's not getting irritation or raw spots under the harness. Perhaps gradually introducing it for progressively longer periods of time would help prevent that and might make it more tolerable for him. Admittedly, the harnesses are kind of a pain in the ass to take on and off.

[LibertyLover]

8. Check out martingale

collars that are used on greyhounds. Here is a website with a number of links to makers of martingales. It might work for Guinness.

http://www.greyhoundpets.org/collars.htm

[seemunkee]

9. That was going to be my suggestion

We have them for our dogs and they work great. They sit loose but tighten up when pulled, but tight like a choke collar, just enough that they can't slip it off.

[hedgehog]

11. He's such a goof I'd be afraid to leave a martingale on him.

He managed to get the s-hook on his tags stuck to the couch slip cover one time.

[NMDemDist2]

12. i had to get a harness for my Sheltie. Big Neck, Needle Beak.

it works fine

[Demoiselle]

13. Harness or "Gentle Leader"...

The gentle leader is effectively a halter, like the halter a horse wears. It forms a loop over the dog's nose
and connects behind his ears. A leash attaches under the chin. Some people will see the loop over the nose and think
he's wearing a muzzle...but it's not a muzzle, he can open his mouth, pant, etc. It controls the dog effectively because it
holds him by the head, not the neck. The only problem I 've ever had is with a dog who
decides to stop moving. Sometimes, if they are stubbornly refusing to move, pulling on the
leash can pop the Gentle Leader open. Other than that, it's great, especially for controlling
energetic, rambunctious dogs who are eager to run ahead of you.
And as to your dog's "liking" a particular harness or lead...he'll get used to whatever you choose, especially if
it's that or no walkies at all!

[DainBramaged]

15. Harness

get it at Petsmart. Both my old mugs have em on

[hedgehog]

17. Boy, that does look more comfortable than the standard collar.

[DainBramaged]

26. Good old Petsmart

[GoddessOfGuinness]

23. Ditto! That's the same kind we use.

My dog, a border collie mix, was a serious puller until I got the harness for him. Now he doesn't pull at all, and he's much more comfortable.

[flvegan]

16. Harness is your best bet.

[hedgehog]

18. How do you use the harness?

Do you use in place of a collar, 24/7 or do you use in in addition to a collar when you want to take your dog for a walk?

[BrklynLib at work]

20. Only put the harness on when you are going for a walk...

[hedgehog]

22. I think I'm going to order a harness and a collar for Guinness

One for walks and one for ID all the time.

[BrklynLib at work]

19. Check out the "Easy Walker"... I use it on my Shepherd..

http://www.premier.com/pages.cfm?id=75

[Highway61]

21. How about

A necklace...get it? Neck "less" :rofl: Sorry....I will leave now

[BrklynLib at work]

24. :-)

[Mike03]

25. Harnesses have some great advantages

The only hard part is putting one on a high energy dog. My walks with my labrador have been much, much better after shifting from collar/leash to harness.

Cesar Millan (The Dog Whisperer) sells something called the Illusion Collar, which is designed to extend the neck without hurting the dog, but I'm not sure it would be good for a beagle. It would help with a dog that has a long neck, but one that is not necessarily more narrow below the jaw than right above the shoulders.

[China_cat]

27. Definitely harness.

Ask any pug owner.