Martingales – For your Dog?

Martingale dog collars, sometimes known as greyhound or sighthound collars, were originally made for dogs with necks as large as or larger than their heads. Many of the sighthound, like Greyhounds, Whippets, Afghan Hounds, and others, fall into this category. Owners who didn’t want their dogs to stop suddenly on leash and back out of their collars needed something that would tighten on the neck when pulled.

Martingales are Safer

A regular slip collar tightens severely and can choke a dog or cause damage to his windpipe if improperly used. It is too dangerous to leave that kind of dog collar, sometimes known as a choke chain, on a dog except when he is directly supervised.

A martingale, when properly adjusted, cannot cause choking or damage. While no collar is completely safe on an unattended dog, well-fitted martingales are much safer than slip collars. Martingale collars offer a gentle solution for dogs that pull out of traditional buckle or adjustable collars.

How Do Martingale Collars Work?

How does a martingale dog collar work? By using two loops of fabric or leather instead of just one. One loop goes over the dog’s head and then a second loop has a D-ring that attaches to the dog’s leash. When the dog (or handler) pulls on the leash, the second loop is also pulled, and it tightens the loop around the dog’s neck. Martingale collars are adjustable so that the collar can be tightened only a certain amount; in this way, even if maximum pressure was applied to the leash, the dog would still not be choked by the collar.

Fortunately, this practical dog collar can also be stylish. Martingales are available in a wide variety of designer dog collar fashions. Matching leashes are available, as are leash/collar combinations which offer ease and style.

Look for the same good quality fabrics, stitching, hardware, and guarantees in a martingale collar as you do in a buckle collar. High quality martingales are available and will last a long time.

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