Today is my first time teaching at ARFF, Agility Run For Fun! I'll definitely post an update on that when I get home. I'm intrigued, and excited!
2010-02-13
Collars and ARFF
I have way too many collars. Well, other people say that, I don't think that. I almost bought a harness from Clean Run, and two new collars for the dogs, but I didn't. Rasza has an upcoming dental, I have bills to pay, and that $40 can go in my savings instead. I hate being responsible. Really hate it sometimes! Anyway, it prompted a question. Do you have certain collars for certain things? Do you only have one collar for your dog? I tend to rotate collars a lot, since my dogs don't wear them on a daily basis. Today I switched tags from their "going out" martingales to Buzz's Ella's Lead leather collar, and Bailey's Big Dogs princess collar. Weird! I mean, not that they wear collars anyways, except when we go out, but I haven't put their rabies tags and HomeAgain tags on anything except a martingale for... years!
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I have two collars: one with tags and one without. The one without is for UKC shows, mostly. I would probably be more into collars if Maisy didn't have so much fur! You really can't see her collar when she's wearing it, so I don't see much point in having lots of fun ones.
well since my dogs are used to coming almost everywhere I go I keep a collar with tags on them all the time.
Each dog has 2 normal collars which are unoffically designated summer and winter. Then they also have a martingale which is their show collar since it doesn't have the tags. Vito hasn't worn his yet :)
I love collars but so far have managed restraint. Vito does have his nice new harness though and Lance also has a seat belt harness which they both always wear in the car.
I disliked having a flat collar on Buzz today. He's not likely to slip his collar but... I think I need to use his martingale again.
Do tags jingle-jangling bother you? I have quiet spots that I've used for years. I didn't put them on their collars today and it was WEIRD to hear tags!
I like the jangle of collar tags- it helps me keep tabs on where Maisy is. I can pick her collar jangle out from across a pet store!
Despite that, Maisy doesn't typically wear her collar in the house, or at least, not since I came home from work one day to see her stuck to the carpet. Somehow, the ring that her tags were on got stuck on a loop of carpet. Poor baby! I have no idea how long she was stuck like that.
What do you like about the martingale? I've never used one, although maybe I should consider it- she did slip her collar once while on a walk in the neighborhood. I just pretended everything was fine and kept walking, and she crossed the (busy!) street right in heel.
I only use martingales for going out in public typically. It gives me an added sense of security. It won't come apart, it won't slip over the dog's head, and it's not going to hurt my dog either, while accomplishing these things.
My favorites have been Lupines but the custom collars I got a couple years ago are really nice too. Bailey's custom collar is a martingale with a metal buckle, so I don't have to put it over her (BIG) head, I can just clip it on.
I didn't have an opinion on tags jangling today, it was just very different!
Buzz has a story similar to Maisy's, but he got stuck in the playhouse/fort/tall/decky-thing once, for hours! His tags fell through the slats and he was stuck. Very scary, and it's actually why he wore a Premier Keep Safe for years.
Scary! Who knew that wearing a collar and tags could be so dangerous?
It really can be, and that's why my dogs rarely wear collars. When we lived at the River House that had a single entry door, and no fenced yard, they wore collars when we were home for "just in case." Bailey did escape on my mom once, but she came right back. Thankfully Buzz never got loose.
But then again, anything can be scary.
My dogs ride in my car with Roadie Seatbelt harnesses. I had to make the decision if crates, seatbelts, or loose was safer. Bailey used to ride in a crate until she could actually not get herself so tangled I'd have to stop and untangle her in the seatbelt. Now, even though there's room for a crate or two back there, they wear seatbelts. I've decided it's safer. Doesn't mean it IS, just fits my comfort level.
Ugh. And being a parent is worse?!
:-)
Ha. I agonize over seatbelts vs. crates all the time, too. I also let Maisy ride in the front seat, which I fret about a lot, too. I decided it was worth it, though, because she's less stressed up front than she is in the back, especially if she's seatbelted in.
I will be an absolutely neurotic parent.
I used to let Buzz ride in front, but I don't anymore. He doesn't mind riding in the back, and certainly doesn't get stressed about it.
Bailey never really did learn not to spin in her seatbelt, so she's attached with a carabiner, attached to the latch system at the base of the seat. She can spin and not hurt herself. It works pretty well.
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