Collars rub his neck raw!

[Snork]

I'm looking for suggestions on the most gentle collar. All help is greatly appreciated.

My boy Geoffrey seems to have very sensitive skin. Collars (we use regular buckle collar) rub his neck raw.

Of course, it does not help that, if he so decides, he pulls like freight train. He tries to be good, but the lure of the rabbits, and pigeons, and cats, and dogs is still too much for him at this point. He is an adopted rescue, and we are working on obedience, but it will take time. In the meantime, he pulls.

He has a large white bib. The rub appears on the underside of his neck, only where the white is. Once I noticed that a regular nylon collar rubs him, I switched to nylon with neoprene lining. It's still rubbing him. He tries to scratch his owwie every chance he gets, which does not help with healing. I tried to leave the collar on, so he would not scratch, but it did not make things any better.

The collar is not too tight (two finger rule). It's not too loose. I'm not yanking him all the time (though, as I said, he does pull from time to time). He only wears his collar when we go for walks - in the house he runs "nekkid."

I tried the sporn halter - rubbed him raw (oozing raw) under his arms in just one walk. We're still trying to heal that. Due to his short snout, GL is very uncomfortable.

He is my first dog - I am downsizing from horses. Even the most wussy of the horses, who could not wear leather or nylon halters, all have been ok with neoprene lined ones, but it clearly does not seem to be the case with Geoff. At the same time, he does not seem to have neoprene allergy - just general intolerance of collars.

This morning I dismantled my horse's shipping halter (halter covered in natural sheepskin) and put the headpiece cover over his collar. He looks like a Big Bad Boy with his huge black collar now. However, it's got to be really hot to wear a sheepskin collar in summer, and the sheepskin seems to make him itchy!

I really don't know what else I can do. All help and suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

-snork and Geoff, the prince on the pea

 

[JoeT]

My boxer, Auggie (11yo fawn male), has never been able to wear any sort of fabric collar without getting a rash or a raw spot. He has always had sensitive skin. He wears a choke chain type collar (we attach his id tag, license and rabies tag to it). It works great and we think it looks good on him too.

JoeT

 

[sreilley]

I am not actually sure what neoprene is but I figured I would try and help anyway. We got a collar for Ellie from Petco, it is nylon out front and has a pretty thick pad lining inside. Now that may be what you are talking about with neoprene but the one we have is really comfortable so it might be different. Anyway just thought I would try to help.:p

 

[JulieM]

Have you tried a leather collar? Some dogs are less sensitive to natural materials. (I've seen hemp collars recently, too - might be another route to try....)

(Of course, I would also suggest visiting a holistic or homeopathic vet to get to the root of the problem. )

JoeT - please be very careful if you're leaving Auggie's collar on him all the time. I can't tell you the number of messages I've read about dogs whose choke chains or tags got caught on something, either when the owner wasn't home or wasn't paying close attention, and the dog choked to death. (In fact, this has even happened with non-choke collars, but it is by far more common with the aptly-named chokers.)

 

[myrocky]

The only time Rocks has a collar on is when we are outside. Otherwise it breaks up his pretty flash and he does get a bit of an irritation going I use a harness to walk him so I don't have to worry about it rubbing his necks during walks.


Andie

 

[Tulsa-Dan]

I would suggest trying a rolled leather collar.

http://www.boxerworld.com/collars/

 

[TitoPops]

Have you ever heard of a gentle leader. These are amazing. We don't have much trouble walking our boxer tito but my sister is living with us and she has a dog that we walk sometimes. She is a major puller. Almost takes yer arm of by the end of a walk. Any ways, when you put this on it immediately calms her. She walks as if she was the best trained walker out there with it on. It controls the dogs muzzle instead of the neck or chest. If they pull it will turn there head so they just give up on pulling. It took a little time for Emma to get used to it but now when she see it out she gets excited and knows it is time for a walk.
Look here for it.
http://www.petsmart.com/products/product_17756.shtml
If it is more of an issue of pulling this would definitely work. If it is an issue of allergies then I can't help you. Maybe a leather collar?


Corey

 

[Vela]

He mentioned he had tried the gentle leader but because Geoff's snout is so short it didnt fit well and was uncomfortable. I also want a new collar for my dog. This one rubs her hair off under her neck. I was going to try leather.

 

[nanabear]

I agree with Tulsa Dan on the rolled leather - that's what we use on Mack. He also was getting irritation and some breakage of hair with a nylon quick release collar. Now....a red rolled leather collar is his "signature piece":p

 

[Snork]

Thank you! A rolled leather collar is on order, as well as hemp collar. Hopefully one of them will work.

In the meantime, we are still working on obedience. The sheepskin covered wide collar seems to encourage walking on the two back legs at the sight of any "plaything" such as a cat, another dog or a person. Very embarrasing.

-snork