The Martingale Collar

A martingale collar is a good choice for a variety of dogs because it gives you a little more control than a regular collar. A martingale collar fits loosely on a dog’s neck and tightens when it needs to. It has two loops. The first looks like a traditional nylon flat collar that is adjustable and hangs around the dog’s neck. The second is for control when the leash is attached. When the dog pulls, the collar tightens and will stay snug around the dog’s neck without choking the dog. When the tension is released, the collar loosens again.

There are many reasons to use a martingale collar.

  1. The martingale makes it hard for a dog to slip free

Some dogs can slip out of collars easier than others. If your dog has have slipped out of a collar, you may want to consider getting a martingale collar for safety reasons.

  1. Martingale collars are helpful for training

The martingale collar tightens slightly if the dog pulls on the leash, but not so much where it will choke the dog or harm his neck in any way. If you prefer to give your dog slight tugs on the leash while working on leash manners, the martingale is a nice option.

       3. They’re gentler than a choke collar or prong collar

The martingale collar allows you to give slight corrections if you’d like, but it is much gentler than a choke (or slip) collar or a prong/pinch collar. This makes it a nice option for a variety of dogs, even puppies or senior dogs.

Fitting a Martingale Collar

Martingale collars should fit looser than a regular collar does. They can tighten to the point of choking your dog or making your dog uncomfortable, but this is okay as long as the collar is able to quickly slacken. On the other hand, the collar should not fit too loosely, as a loose fit defeats the purpose of the collar because your dog can slip out of it. If the two d-rings connecting the larger collar to the smaller loop meet one another when you pull on the d-ring connecting the smaller loop to the lead, then the collar fits too loosely. If you can fit your entire hand between the collar’s larger loop and your dog’s neck, the collar fits properly for regular wear. For training your dog not to pull on the lead, the collar should fit more snugly, and fitting two fingers between your dog’s neck and the large loop indicates the right fit in this case.

Using a Martingale Collar

When your dog pulls on the lead while walking, you might feel as though your dog is walking you instead of the other way around. To that end, a martingale collar serves as a useful tool for breaking your dog of this habit, enabling greater enjoyment of your walks together. To train your dog not to pull on the lead while walking, start by fitting the martingale collar high on the neck. This area remains more sensitive than the area lower down is, so your dog should feel it more strongly when the collar tightens. When the collar does tighten, your dog is likely to slow the pace or stop. More slack on the lead should loosen the collar again, and with enough practice, your dog should gain a sense of when it begins to pull the lead too hard. This should help your dog to maintain a pace that better agrees with your own.

When choosing a collar, remember that not every collar is right for every dog. All training collars are communication devices. The right training collar is the one that communicates most effectively with your dog!