Martingale Collars: Fit for Safety
- Posted on
These collars can prevent disastrous escapes but they need to be properly fit.
Martingale collars sit loosely on the neck and tighten gently when pulled, creating more comfort and safety for your dog.
They are the safest collars for preventing dogs from escaping in a panic because, when properly fit, they tighten just enough so they don't slip over the head, but not so much that they can injure a dog.
Too many dogs are lost when they back out of their collar, often when they are leashed. When designed with all fabric (rather than with a chain loop) they are also a perfect collar for wearing at home because they only tighten when the loop is pulled, while resting comfortably on the neck the rest of the time.
When first trying a martingale on you want to loosen the fit to place it over the dog’s head easily (when adjusted the collar usually fits more snugly over the dog’s head and you may need to tuck the ears gently through).
The important measurement and adjustment is done with the collar up at the top of the neck. You need to ensure that when the martingale loop is pulled tight (as it would be if the dog was resisting an attached leash), the rings that connect that loop to the rest of the collar DO NOT MEET. There needs to be a gap of about two inches. If there’s too much of a gap the collar could tighten down dangerously, so moving to a smaller size should be done if that’s the case (wider collars are also safer for the throat).
Extra safety tip: don’t attach tags to the D-ring (where the leash is attached), attach them to one of the adjusting rings.
