I absolutely DISAGREE here. Your situation may be unique in that your dog only goes out with you on walks. But for most of us, we open up our back door and send the dogs out to play.
If the martingale is properly fitted then it would never be tight enough to choke. That is the total purpose of the martingale. There is really only one unique ring in the martingale that would cause it to tighten enough and not slide off the neck....and that is one little ring.
Of course, any collar worn outside could also be a hazard, I suppose. And I would also argue that a collar is a must for any dog that is let outdoors without a leash, even in a fenced backyward. Having had Indy do a Houdini on me last fall with a collar but without tags, I will never have him without a collar and tags again. He was let out to do his business, but the gate had been open and he escaped. You just never know. He wandered for a couple of hours...was sited a couple of times, but finally found his way home for dinner time (greedy pup!)
Personally, I don't hear alot of stories about dogs strangling themselves on their collars, but I see alot of stories of stray dogs without any identification .......Collar and tag your dogs. Microchip and/or tatoo as well. But a tag with a phone number is so much easier to get your dog home swiftly.
I just re-read your post. You're saying that since your dogs
aren't walked everyday and are alone in the backyard that it is extremely important that they wear a collar and tags 24/7. I absolutely agree with that. I think all dogs whether they are walked or go in the yard, should have some sort of identification on them at all times, whether it is a collar w/ tags or a microchip, etc.
However, I do not agree that a martingale with tags is the safest way to provide identification for your dogs when not being walked. The purpose of a martingale is to tighten around the dog's neck if they try to back out while being walked. This will prevent the collar from slipping off their neck. If you're
not walking your dogs then there is no point of having them wear a martingale in the house or backyard. Just use a regular rolled leather collar w/ tags. Save the martingale for when you walk them.
Wearing a martingale unsupervised in the yard or house increases the risk of it getting caught on something and possible choking your dog. Yes, any collar can get caught, but a collar with a dangling chain or nylon and an extra ring has an even greater chance of getting caught. It's just common sense and I feel like a potential accident waiting to happen.
If want your dogs to wear a collar with tags when not being walked, why not use a regular rolled leather collar? If you crate your dogs and are concerned about tags, then buy a buckle embroidered collar or a collar that has a metal ID tag sewn into it like this:
http://www.luckypet.com/categories.php?cat=301
If you are worried about matted fur under the nylon, then remove the collar once a week and brush the neck fur. My dog has never had matted fur under her nylon collar, which she wears 24/7.
Martingales are great collars for walking your dog. They fit nice and loosely around the neck and tighten up, if your dog tries to back out. I think they are perfect for shelties, who have little heads and lots of fur, which make it easy for a buckle collar to slip off.
Another site that warns about leaving martingales on at all times:
http://www.ehow.com/facts_5220998_use-martingale-collars.html
Just like food, vaccines, etc, you have to decide if the benefits outweigh the risks. To each his (or her) own.
