Here is a list of my most recommended collars!
Freedom No-Pull Harness:
The reason I like this harness among all other harnesses that have a “no pull” function is that this harness is made in a way that is not impeding the dog’s functional movement, and the slight cinch that it offers is happening with the leash clipped to the dog’s back rather than in the front clip fashion. When we rely on the front clip harness for no-pull, the leash is impeding the dog’s shoulder movement and can cause issues over time.
You can find this collar here.
Gentle Leader:
Although my favorite overall is the “Black Dog Head Halter” that is manufactured in Australia so not many vendors sell it in Canada. If you are local to us here in PEI, you can get you hands on a Black Dog Head Halter at the Atlantic Veterinary College as this is also their top recommendation for head collars.
You can find this collar here.
Martingale Collar:
If you find that your dog is just very averse to a face collar, or perhaps they have body sensitivity and don’t enjoy a harness; or maybe you are just more comfortable with your dog on a collar and it’s personal preference. I would sugest finding a Martingale Collar made entirely of cloth material and if you have a large, strong dog try to find one that has the widest band possible (1.5-2 inch wide) so that it puts the least amount of pressure on the trachea, such as this one here:
If you have a greyhound or a dog with a smaller head that is prone to slipping out of a collar, this type that slides over the head can work well but you need to tighten it first to a size that only allows 1 or 2 fingers to fit under your dog’s collar and then slip it on their head. When removing, you MUST loosen the collar first before attempting to pull it back over their head – because it is fitting the way it is supposed to, it will not come off when sliding backwards over their ears again.
Note: If choosing a Martingale, we definitely want to avoid the variation with a chain component, as the sound of chain tightening an be aversive to anxious dogs and it also moves in a much more crisp, clunky, less gentle way because of the chain links. The detail is simply reminiscent of choke collars, which function by choking the dog by tightening the chain around their neck – gross!
You can find this collar here.
