Dog collars are pretty boring, right? You go to the store, pick a color that looks good, and you’re done. Well….mostly. There are a few things to consider to make sure you get the collar that’s right for your pet.

When choosing a dog collar, the most important thing to consider is size. A collar that is not sized correctly for its wearer can easily lead to injury. A good rule of thumb is that when your dog is wearing his or her collar, you should be able to slip two fingers between the collar and his or her neck, this shows the collar isn’t so tight as to prevent breathing. On the other hand, it should be sufficiently tight so that it cannot slip over the dog’s head; if it’s loose enough to do that, your dog will eventually decide to take it off! Above all, the collar should be comfortable; since dog collars and tags should be left on all the time, you want to find one that your dog doesn’t mind wearing.

Most dog collars fall into three main types: traditional (either nylon or leather), harness, or halter.  Traditional collars are worn around the neck and provide a place to attach tags and leashes. They have the advantage of being cheap, durable, and easy to use; however, they also allow dogs to injure their necks by pulling too hard against the leash. The other two types are safer for dogs. Halters go around the entire upper body, so that the leash doesn’t pull against the dog’s neck; like traditional collars, a halter can be left on all the time, provided your dog doesn’t try to eat it. A halter is used for walking your dog, and makes it difficult for the dog to pull away or resist your control. Unlike the other types, halters should not be left on when not being used.