Guide To Choosing, Sizing The Best Dog Collar For Show & Training. Martingale, Pinch & Check Choke

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Information compiled by The 3-C's and www.3cdog.com

Our last article dealt with sizing choke collars, chains, limited slips and buckle collars, this one is intended to take the rest and explain more fully how martingale and pinch collars work and how to correctly size them for maximum effect and safety. These collars are specialty items that most stores won't carry and won't be able to provide proper sales advice and support on. 3cdog staff can and hope that the following will take care of your questions.

Martingales, check chokes, pinch collars and Starmark™ fit differently than other choke and buckle collars. They are configured in a "8" shape with a lower loop that goes around the dog's neck and an upper loop that has a centered ring that attaches to the leash. The concept puts even pressure all around the dog's throat rather than at one concentrated point like a choke collar. This eliminates most resistance from the dog associated with force and coercion. Plain stubbornness and exuberance still needs training. Show ring handlers also feel that the martingale style collar allows the dog to freely gait around the ring which will help minimize poor movement. As a dog show vendor we deal with this more frequently than the corner pet store.

Starting with martingales; measure around the neck in the hollow behind the skull and before the neck starts to bulge, follow the jawline under the ears for the smallest measurement. Then measure around the skull behind the ears and around the jawline for a second, larger measurement. The first number is the size you are shooting for with the lower loop of the martingale, the second size is how much you are still going to need to get over the head. (You just cant get around that technicality.) On our website, www.3cdog.com, you will find a variety of size pairings on the martingales to fit your need; IE a god dog(TM) chain that measures 10"-6" will yield a sizing of 11"; six inches for the lower loop and five inches from the upper loop. Keep in mind that you only get half of the upper loop measurement because it is a continuous ring and half it's length is all that it will stretch out. Proper fitting of the martingale is; at full pressure on the choke, the two rings on the lower loop will be about one inch apart to just touching, no room for your finger to fit under. When loose it will tend to drop all the way to the nape of the neck, but the excess from the upper loop allows for a quick adjustment by the handler. A check choke works and sizes the same way, however, it is adjustable on the lover loop because it's a wide nylon loop meant to fit a wide variety of size. It is also more customizable than the chain martingale since adjustments can be made to the lower loop by the owner.

Pinch collars must fit snugly behind the skull to do what they are meant for! They were invented by some clever fellow who felt that more correction could be made with less force if there were only a few locations all around the neck that concentrated the pressure in a tighter area. Many trainers will tell you that they work well. Different sizes and weight are available and the sizing is generic, 14",20", 24'.The links in the steel pinch and the plastic Starmark collars are removeable and it is expected that you will add or delete links as necessary to make the collar fit snugly. You are relying on the points and snug fit to keep the collar up in the hollow of the skull where the collar will give the best result. Here you want to have the upper loop spread out and included in the snug fit rather than loose. Snug, NOT TIGHT, is what you are shooting for, please do not try to squeeze 15" of neck into a 14" collar. That is like trying to wear your skinny jeans after Thanksgiving dinner's second dessert; you will be uncomfortable and so will the dog. Corrections made to the dog with the collar should be sharp, quick pulls, not long, lengthy tugging. Don't let the dog forge ahead dragging you behind when on a pinch collar, or any collar for that matter, let the collar do the work with sharp corrections and quick releases, that is what it was meant for.

This information sums up the different collars that are available for you and your dog. By all means, check out www.3cdog.com for a complete shopping list of collars. We are here to help you fit your dog's collar the right way, the first time. If you have any questions, feel free to call 1-800-685-7730 8-4 pacific standard time or email us at mail@3cdog.com.