My Favorite Dog Collars

Recently, many readers have asked what kind of dog collar I use. Well, the truth is I have way too many dog collars - they seem to be a gift I frequently receive (I'm not complaining), but I have a few favorites. Below you will find some of my all time favorite flat collars (meaning these are not training collars like a prong, martingale, or choke chain).

My favorite color is PINK, and when you see Milly's collar collection that is apparent. I love to match my leash to my collars, but sometimes that isn't possible.

My favorite flat collar is a Preston collar in pink and green whales with a matching leash. This collar is very well made - I've had the collar/leash set for over 3 years and it is still just as sturdy and strong as the day I bought them. Nylon collars are nice, because you can throw them in the washing machine. The leash is about 1" thick, and 6' long, which makes it ideal for daily walking and even appropriate for practicing obedience. Both collar and leash are well made and strong - I have no fears of them breaking if Milly were to pull hard on the leash. I love pink so much that I even keep a pink poop bag dispenser with pink poop bags on the end of the leash.


Another favorite collar of mine that I have retired was the collar my beloved childhood dog Sweetie wore. Sweetie passed away in the fall of 2006 just a few weeks after I adopted Milly. I love to incorporate my love of animals into my home decor, and leather goods are perfect for this. I have a former horse's bridle hanging on a wooden bench, a former horse's halter hanging on my dresser mirror, and Sweetie's leather collar sits with a sterling silver bowl in my parent's dining room.

The collar is incredibly well made, and I could easily use it for many more years on another dog, but Sweetie left very big paws to fill, and Milly is a different collar size. This collar is made by Edgewood Leather - they are known for making top of the line horse bridles, and was not cheap. However, the leather work is simply stunning, and the stitching on the leather is absolutely perfect. This collar went through 7 years of wear with Sweetie and I rarely cleaned it (with saddle soap), and it is still in very good condition. The leather is still subtle, and the stitching is still completely intact. In the future, I would love to own another of these collars (and the matching leash). Sweetie's was the raised fancy stitch collar with a brass nameplate with her name and my phone number, like the one pictured. Check out the leather details - isn't it beautiful?





Edgewood Leather is one of my favorite companies, their craftsmanship is superb. I would love to have any of these collars, and a matching leash would be great, too. They really are a collar you can buy for a dog's entire leash (and then use it on your next dog)... the quality is that good. While the cost is high, my collar was nearly $50 the lifetime of use makes it a worthwhile investment. They are very strong, and appropriate for dogs of all sizes. If the reins are strong enough to hold a 1,500 pound horse from running away with a rider, you can guarantee this collar will withstand even the heaviest dog pulling on the leash. Of course, good training to stop leash pulling is ideal. Don't you just love these? The styles all mimic things seen in their horse bridles like fancy stitching (on my collar), metal work (found on the brow band of bridles), and even collars made out of reins!




I took place in one of Hopsy's blog swaps last year, and received an adorable pink argyle Old Navy collar. Milly rocks this collar when her other is in the wash. It is thinner than the Preston collar, but it is so fashionable. It is very similar to this collar.

I also received a Vera Bradley collar as a gift from my dear friend Heather (it's pink, of course), and this one also gets a good bit of use. I am always getting compliments on it, too. While I love the pattern, I don't feel it is nearly as sturdy as the Preston collar, but it is a bit stronger and better made than the Old Navy collar.



I hope you enjoyed seeing some of my favorite collars. I always keep a collar on Milly when she is doing any off-leash activity outside, and try to keep one on her if she is in the yard, because all of her collars have ID tags on them (she is also micro-chipped). I do like to take the collar off whenever possible though, so she doesn't have collar neck (where the coat is damaged from too much collar wear) and broken hairs on her neck.