For anyone who owns a dog, dog collars are a necessity.  Not only do they help to keep your dog safe and secure, they also can help identify your dog should he or she get loose so long as the collar remains with the dog.  The type of dog collars that you choose to use with your dog will depend on the type of dog that you have, your dog's temperament, and your budget.  

While most large and medium breeds of dogs will do fine with dog collars, its important to note that for toy breeds such as a chihuahua or other similar tiny dogs, a dog collar may actually be harmful to the dog.  For toy breeds it is preferred to use a dog harness.  The reason you should choose a harness over a collar for a tiny dog is because the dog collars can actually crush the trachea of a tiny dog if they get too much pressure on the collar.  This is not difficult for the dog to do as sometimes they like to go chasing off after a squirrel or something else, and the momentary pressure they receive when reaching the end of the lease is enough to crush the trachea.

There are two general styles available for personalized dog collars.  The first is a rather simple, nylon dog collar with your pet's information embroidered onto the collar itself.  These types of dog collars are nice if you have a pet who tends to wiggle out of the yard but manages to keep his collar on so long as there are no tags attached.  It provides an easy way to identify your pet and help get him home safely.  

The second type of personalized dog collars that are popular are dog collars that can have charms added to them.  Generally speaking, the charms are made with a lot of sparkle and bling in the form of crystals.  The charms are sold separately from the dog collars themselves and come in a variety of letters as well as symbols such as starts, bones, and crowns.  While these may look cute on a smaller dog, you need to be careful that the collar doesn't become too heavy for their little necks with the added weight of the charms attached.

Leather dog collars tend to last a long time and are a personal favorite of people who work their dogs with hunting.  Leather stands up well to a variety of elements.  Because of their thicker construction, leather dog collars tend to be a better option for medium or larger sizes of dogs.  A plain leather collar is a nice option for a hunting dog who will be working the bushes and marshy areas for ducks or other bird hunting.  For the junkyard dog look or other types of tough guy dogs, a studded leather collar works nicely.  You can even find studded pink leather collars for that tough girl in your life.

Designer dog collars come in a wide variety of materials and colors.  What they all have in common is that they are rather outlandish and will cost the owner a pretty penny.  Some designer collars are expensive because of the brand name attached to them such as the Coach dog collars.  Others involve extreme amounts of crystals and bling attached to them.  Some are costly simply through hand craftsmanship of fine leather.  For the most part, designer dog collars say more about the owner than they do about utility.  If you are looking for a designer dog collar, they are best used on pampered pets rather than working dogs as they tend to be more delicate and can get caught up in plants and whatnot possibly choking the dog.