Dog Leash and Collar Buying Guide

Dog Leash and Collar Buying Guide

The difference between a 4-foot leash and 6-foot leash.

The difference between a 4-foot leash and 6-foot leash is only two feet, but that can make all the difference for comfortably walking your pet. I personally own two beagles, and if I were to choose a new leash for the two of them I would probably lean towards a 4-foot lead. My reasoning behind this is, for one, my beagles are short dogs, and with 4 foot of leash my dogs are less likely to get tangled in the rope like they often tend to do. The shorter distance from my hand to their collars makes it easier to position the leash out of their way while walking and less frustrating for me.

There are benefits to owning a 6-foot leash as well. The extra 2 feet of slack can be wonderful for letting your dog roam; if you have a well-trained dog that can heel on command. I like to vary in leash length when walking multiple dogs at once, so they aren’t on top of each other as we walk. The environment is a key factor in selecting a leash. It is more common to use a shorter 4-foot leash when walking in a public place or busy path. In more relaxed and secluded places, like backroads with almost no traffic, parks, and the beach the preference leans towards a 6-foot leash.

How to select a collar size.

                I have been in the position of having a perfectly good collar be constantly slipping off one dog, and then also having one that I would not even attempt to fascine around my pooch’s neck for fear of it being too tight. Choosing a collar size can be tricky, but it helps if you know how the collars are measured and where to measure your animal.

                Our listings at tack wholesale always contain the number of inches for each specific collar. The standard collars are typically measured from the center of the buckle piece to the last hole on the end of the collar. Each hole in the collar tends to be about an inch apart from the last. There are typically 5 to 6 holes at the end of each collar. This gives a collar about a 5 to 6-inch range, and since it is measured to the last hole that is the maximum length. For example, a 14" collar covers the range from 10"-14" depending on the selected collar hole. The last hole on the end of the collar is the maximum length of the collar at 14".

                When the collar is secure on the animal you should be able to easily fit a couple of fingers between the dog's neck and collar, it shouldn’t be imprinting marks on your fingers from tightness, and if your whole hand or wrist can come in between them you are far too loose. The perfect fitted collar is a lose, but snug fit around the middle of the neck of your animal.

Collars are not limited to dogs alone, there are many domesticated animals that require a proper collar fit. Goats are probably in a range from 18”-25” around their neck depending on gender and breed of goat this size will vary. Where a smaller animal like a cat ranges from a 7" to 12" for a comfortable collar length.

 

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