Collars/harnesses need to be in good condition, adjusted to fit correctly and comfortable for your dog to wear. A harness is ideal for walking and training your dog as it prevents them pulling on and potentially hurting their neck.
If a dog pulls on their leash, a collar can damage the neck, throat and airway, spine and back. Therefore, a collar is unsafe for dogs with spine or back issues, neck issues, tracheal collapse, glaucoma, eye proptosis, or for any toy or brachycephalic breeds, such as Chihuahuas, Pugs or Bulldogs.
In general, it's better to start your puppy's leash training with a harness and move on to a collar later. This is because puppies tend to pull strongly when first learning to walk on a leash. A collar might push on your puppy's trachea when they pull, possibly damaging it.
Traditional collars can harm a dog's neck if it pulls hard on the leash or if a pet owner uses the collar to pull the dog around. “You are potentially damaging the dog's neck by jerking it,” Hodges says. “The neck is a very, very sensitive area.”
Although collars are a wardrobe essential for your dog, they aren't necessarily the best place to attach the lead for walks. If your dog pulls, a collar can damage their larynx or thyroid. They can be particularly hazardous for flat-faced breed such as boxers that are prone to breathing problems.
While a flat collar is best for everyday wear and for displaying ID tags, our experts agree that a harness is the safest option for going on walks and other outdoor activities or situations that might cause your puppy to pull on the leash.
It should go without saying that pulling on a dog's collar, especially while lifting him, can cut off his air supply and cause him to choke. It's also a good way to do serious permanent damage to the very delicate organs located in his neck, including the throat, larynx and trachea.
Pulling and dragging a pup can not only injure their necks and dislocate knees and elbows that are still rubbery (and with growth plates still not closed), but also give them a highly negative, unhappy association with you, the leash, and going on walks. Dragging and using force can only make matters worse!
The Best Age for a Puppy to Start Wearing a Collar
So how early is that? A week after your puppy's first round of vaccinations, which happens around 7-8 weeks. That means that your puppy should be getting into a collar around that time, too.
Puppies aren't born wearing collars, so when a collar is first fastened around a puppy's little neck, it can feel strange for her. Most puppies will bite, scratch, turn circles or refuse to walk while wearing a collar. This is totally normal behavior. As pet owners, it's our job to train a puppy to wear a collar.
I can't stress enough that for the sake of your dog's health and your own, training your pup to walk calmly beside you with a loose lead is a must. However, while you are still working on that, a harness can be a useful tool to ensure you and pup are comfortable when walking.
Martingale collars are one of the most popular types of training collars because they are the most comfortable and the safest to use. This style of collar is designed to tighten or cinch up a little bit when your dog pulls but then loosens comfortably when they are walking appropriately.
It's recommended that you should remove a dog collar from around their neck at the end of every day. The main reason to do it is for safety in case they catch something on their collar during the night and you're unable to help them.
Why should my pet wear a collar and ID tag indoors? Accidents happen. Someone might leave a door open or your pet might unexpectedly run outside when you leave for work. Even if you're careful, these things happen more often than you may think.
You can start walking your puppy after one to two weeks of them being fully vaccinated. This is usually around the 8-week mark. However, make sure you keep a strict eye on them and ask your vet to confirm when they're allowed out on a walk.
I recommend waiting until they're 10 weeks old.
But by getting them used to a collar and leash at 10 weeks old, they will be comfortable wearing them by 12 weeks when you can start to walk them outside.
Walking on a leash is an essential skill which can be learned by puppies as early as eight weeks old. Some master leash training quickly, while others take a little longer. Either way, it's important to remain consistent, positive – and above all, patient.
A good rule of thumb is to begin leash and collar training when your puppy is around 10 weeks old. This gives them a couple of weeks to settle in before you get started. There's generally a lot for your pup to get used to in their new house, so taking it slowly is advisable.
The best way to stop your dog from pulling is to show them that walking on a loose lead gets a reward and pulling doesn't. As soon as your dog starts pulling, stop walking. Never pull their lead back, just wait for them to stop pulling. Once there is slack in the lead again, reward them and continue walking.
If your puppy doesn't want to go for a walk, there can be several reasons. Either he is lazy, afraid or the weather is too hot or too cold for him. He could also be sick or ailing.
The safest way to pick up a puppy or kitten, Downing says, is the one most comfortable for them. “Slip one hand between the front legs from the front of the body, and slip the other hand between the rear legs from behind,” she recommends. “Then lift them as a unit with their spine relatively straight.”
The most common form of dangerous pet handling I see, particularly with young children, is when they lift a pet by the front limbs as if it were a doll. Adults tend to put their hands under the armpits of the dog and lift, as one would a human child. Both techniques are incorrect.