One of the basic items that you need to purchase before even getting your puppy, is a collar. You will have problem trying to restrain or catch your puppy if you do not have a collar around its neck. You will also need to put a leash on it by hooking the leash to its collar, for training purposes or taking it for a walk. The collar will also be able to carry a tag to identify the dog.

There are many types of collars in the market today and you will need to find one that is suitable for your puppy; small, medium or large size dog. As time goes by, you will also need to change the collar as it grows into an adult or for different purposes; for example, you may use a choke collar when training your dog but just a simple nylon collar when you take it for a walk in the evening.

It is advisable that you just buy a simple nylon collar that can go around its neck comfortably. This simple nylon is flat collar with a buckle or an easy-snap fastener. However, if you have a large size dog, the easy-snap fastener may give way if the dog lunges forward.

The dog trainer or instructor is likely to use a metallic choke collar as it will tighten around the dog’s neck when you pull the leash. It is effective in getting the dog’s attention but you should not pull it with all your might else you may choke or break the dog’s neck. Also, there is a specific way of putting on the choke collar onto the dog’s neck.

A slightly better version of this metallic choke collar is the adjustable choke collar where half of it is made of nylon and the other portion is metallic. You can adjust the size to fit the neck and it will not choke the dog.

There are also other variations of materials used to make the collar like leather, and different colors too. Importantly, you should choose the right size for your dog. As a guide, you should be able to slip 2 fingers comfortably under the collar when it has been put on the dog’s neck.

You will definitely need a collar for the dog and your dog will get use to wearing it at all times. And do not forget to put a tag onto the collar to identify your dog even if your dog has been micro-chipped.

Article by: David Poh