Shock Collars

[Smudge]

A martingale allows the collar to be worn loose when not attached to a leash - and therefore, no matting. But tightens just enough when attached to a leash and dog starts to pull. No choking...ever!

How does it tighten "just enough"? It is still closing around the dog's neck. If it is sitting loose when a dog is in normal behavior if a dog suddenly lunges at a cat or something does it not tighten around it's neck?

Sorry. I don't like the concept.

 

[Caro]

Yeh, like Deska when he sees a car leaving a car park - strangles himself on his martingale trying to get at it. But he would do that in any type of collar.

 

[Smudge]

Yes, but a regular collar is already fitted. It's not giving the dog the illusion that it isn't there by laying loose around it's neck. Then the dog lunges. The collar tightens. It hurts the dog so it stops. A regular collar goes not move. It stays at one adjustment. This type of collar tightens.

They changed the name, but it is still a choke collar.

 

[JessicaR]

A martingale is fitted so that when it is pulled tight it fits like a regular fitted collar, but when not in use it is loose around the neck. When I fostered a greyhound it was the only type of collar allowed as they can slip out of a regular collar and chokers can damage their necks. Her is an artical from wiki.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martingale_(collar)

 

[Phebe*DD]

The primary purpose of a martingale is to prevent the dog slipping the collar. Slipping a collar is caused by the dog backing of the collar, not by forward motion against the collar. Shelties, greyhounds and some other breeds have necks that are larger than their heads, making it possible for a startled (or determined) dog to back out of their collar. Another reason to do everything possible to train your dog not to fight their collar and to have a reliable recall.

A properly fitted martingale only tightens to fit the neck snugly, not to the point of constricting the dog's airway. As Caro said, a dog that lunges or habitually pulls against their collar will constrict their airway with any collar.

 

[Smudge]

A martingale is fitted so that when it is pulled tight it fits like a regular fitted collar, but when not in use it is loose around the neck. When I fostered a greyhound it was the only type of collar allowed as they can slip out of a regular collar and chokers can damage their necks. Her is an artical from wiki.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martingale_(collar)

Most of them are also not adjustable. So if the dog grows you have to throw the entire collar away and get a new one. I don't want one, but if I were to buy one that is adjustable I would have to buy one on the internet. I've never bought dog clothes or a collar online that fits my dogs right. They can also still slip these types of collars. I'm not really sure I understand why it matters that it is loose around the neck. If it is for matting reasons Smudge and Fluffy only wear their collars when we go out somewhere.


Like the vet's office, where I am obviously the only person who follows the "all dogs must be on a leash or contained" rule.

Smudge used to wear his collar all the time, but I have since stopped that. His ruff is looking much nicer since he is naked.

 

[Silaria]

A regular collar goes not move. It stays at one adjustment.

Actually this statement is a fallacy when it comes to fixed buckle collars. I have seen MANY dogs choke themselves on a fixed collar when they lunge or pull. My first two dogs are a classic example of this. Before you ask, yes, my collars were adjusted to fit correctly. They are supposed to be adjusted so you can slip 2 fingers between the collar and the neck.

My Malamute had an issue with an elongated esophagus and was constantly choking herself on a standard buckle collar to the point where she'd take 5 steps and have to stop to cough very hard.

At the park I see MANY MANY MANY dogs on standard buckle collars that manage to choke themselves on it as they walk (pull) their owners along or lunge at other dogs.

I switched to a Martingale with my Finnish Spitz, Melody, when she was an older dog because she was starting to really choke herself when walking on a flat buckle collar. She did not choke herself again after that switch.

Because the Martingale fits loose, it slides up and down the dog's neck. When properly adjusted, it is only as tight as a standard buckle collar around ANY point on the dog's head/neck. With a Sheltie, who's head is narrower than their neck, when they panic and try to bolt, the martingale collar moves easily up the dogs neck often stopping right behind or just below the dog's ears - the point where a Sheltie would escape a standard flat collar - still at the equivalent tightness of a standard buckle collar when adjusted properly.

I've put my martingale around my wrist and pulled as hard as I could. There was NO PINCH whatsoever. (For the record, I'm rather overweight and have big wrists, not little twigs.) I check my setting regularly to make sure its not too tight or too loose fitting; something you should do with ANY collar due to blowing coat, weight loss/gain, etc.

Martingales ARE NOT meant to be used as corrective collars; they aren't designed to be corrective collars. I won't say they can't be since anything can be abused. Heck, if you are concerned about choking dogs, what about the people who use FLAT COLLARS as corrective collars and yank on them so hard the dog does a 360 degree turn on its back legs!? I've seen that!

Honestly, after using both a flat collar and a martingale collar on my dogs, I have to say I had fewer choking incidents on the martingale than a flat collar. Your mileage may vary and this is strictly based based on my personal experiences with both collars in question.

 

[Smudge]

You are right about people abusing flat collars, too. I've seen a video where one guy was watching his daughter's boston terrier while she was away.

Before I type this, I DO NOT agree in the least bit with what this man considered a "game".

He attached a leash to the dog's collar (flat collar). He then lifted the dog up with the leash. Like the dog was dangling at the end like he was trying to hang it. Then he became to spin in circles so that the dog was air born. The poor dog was throwing it legs everywhere trying to find leverage on something so it wouldn't choke anymore.

This was a game to him. Spin the dog by his collar attached to the leash. It was awful. He laughed the whole video long.

As for martingales - I don't like them and will not be using them. My opinion only. Some people don't like a harness for a sheltie. I don't see anything wrong with it. Different strokes for different folks.

 

[danisgoat]

How does it tighten "just enough"? It is still closing around the dog's neck. If it is sitting loose when a dog is in normal behavior if a dog suddenly lunges at a cat or something does it not tighten around it's neck?

Sorry. I don't like the concept.

For us....a martingale is a matter of safety. Chloe "backs out" of her buckle collar. She does it quick....and if she ever did it in traffic that could mean her death. Now that would be tragic. I do not believe in keeping her buckle collar tight....so the martingale is the perfect solution.

The Martingale tightens to a point that she cannot back out of it...but not enough to choke her. I am pretty sure that this is what Barb means by "just enough."

 

[danisgoat]

As for martingales - I don't like them and will not be using them. My opinion only. Some people don't like a harness for a sheltie. I don't see anything wrong with it. Different strokes for different folks.

My Chloe is a different dog when she has her harness on. She is actually embarrassed by it. She wears a harness in the car attached to a seatbelt. If I ever take her out with her harness on and clip the leash to it....she looks mortified! Hates it! She is not happy, walks funny, etc.

So for us...the martingale is the perfect solution.