Choosing a Collar for a Water Loving Dog
I love buying new collars for my Labrador. He has far too many but I don’t care, I get a kick out of buying things for him. This is all well and good but in the past, I’ve made some seriously bad collar buying choices and I’ll tell you why.
My dog loves water. After all, he’s a Labrador and Labs just LOVE water, any water, the muddier the better. Consequently, there’s hardly a day goes by that Monty doesn’t get wet.....along with his collar! The only problem was, Monty’s collection of collars began to stink. Badly!
It took me about a year to figure out that the reason Monty’s collars smelled so bad was the fact that I quite simply bought the wrong type of collars. The wrong type of collar? is there such a thing? Believe it or not, there is. And here’s why.
Wet Collar + Warm Dog = Stink!
The unpleasant smell from a collar is caused by odor releasing bacteria. The combination of a damp collar and the warmth of your dog’s body is a perfect breeding ground for bacteria. The problem is going to persist unless you 1) wash the collar thoroughly in very hot water every single time your dog wears it and 2) bath your dog every time he plays in water. I’m sure you’ll agree, most of us don’t have enough hours in our day to do these things.
The Solution
It’s a simple one and I admit to being slightly embarrassed that it took me a year to find it. If your dog loves playing in water, buy a collar that has been specifically designed with water loving dogs in mind.
These collars fall into two categories
Collars that are made from a non-absorbent material
Some collar manufacturers make a range of collars from synthetic polymers. These collars are quickly becoming the ‘must have’ collar for water loving dogs. The material they’re made from is a bit like the stuff used to make sports watch straps. Totally non-absorbent and very easy to wipe clean.
Collars that are made from ‘breathable’ materials
The second type of ‘non-stink’ collar is made from a breathable material that is commonly used in running shoes. This type of collar is a reasonably new addition to the market and they’re becoming very popular. They dry very quickly and this prevents odour-releasing bacteria from multiply and causing a nasty smell.
