Make sure your dog's collar fits just right
Risk of strangulation if poorly fitted
COLLARS can potentially pose a huge risk to your dog. Sadly Darryl and Paula Whitaker from Cape Town experienced this first hand last Saturday.
They were popping out to the shop and, as they always did, being caring and compassionate dog owners, placed their dogs’ collars on, with their name tags in the unlikely event that they may abscond from the property.
On this fateful day, they returned home to find their beloved Max (boerboel) lifeless. He had been strangled by his own collar. It was still wrapped around his sister Lacey’s jaw.
Immediately his owners got a sharp knife to cut the dogs free. Max was rushed to the vet, but sadly he was already dead.
This tragic accident happens more often than one might think.
Soft collars, even if fitted correctly, can slide and become too loose around your dog’s neck, which in my opinion is a death trap. My sister and I own Doggy Day Care in Tokai, Cape Town. Similar incidents have happened three times at the centre. Fortunately, the dogs are always supervised, and we were able to free them, twice having to cut their collars off.
Since the tragedy with Max we have implemented a “no collar” policy in all our play areas.
An accident like this happens in seconds.
Fitting a dog’s collar correctly is of the utmost importance, and never leave your dog’s collar on while it is unsupervised. Get your pets microchipped so that they are identifiable.
There are no fitting instructions, nor warnings on the packaging of dog collars. I have brought this to the attention of the leading dog manufacturing brand in South Africa.
They are busy with a packaging upgrade and have assured us that they will include illustrations and important instructions.
To check if your dog’s collar is fitted correctly:
Measure the top part of your dog’s neck with a soft measuring tape and then add 1 inch (2.5cm).
The top of the dog’s neck is the narrowest part, this will ensure that the collar won’t slip over your dog’s ears.
Once the collar has been adjusted it should fit snug against your dog’s neck. You should be able to slide two fingers between the collar and the neck.
A collar which is fitted too tight can be dangerous to your dog’s health and will restrict the airway and can cause chafing.
A collar fitted too loosely can slip off your dog and poses a greater risk of getting caught on furniture, trees, gates and other dogs when they mouth each other, all of which can result in suffocation.
Our deepest sympathy and condolences go out to Max’s family.
Danielle Hackett is a Cape Argus reader.