Martingale Collars 101: how to choose the right size

Effective, practical, and comfortable, martingale collars have become very popular among dog lovers.

Originally designed for Sighthounds such as Greyhounds whose heads are narrower than their necks and can easily slip out of traditional side release or buckle collars, martingale collars effectively prevent escape. Their sensible design and effective use have made them a popular and preferred collar for owners of all dog breeds as well as many dog trainers in recent years.

Each martingale collar has 2 connected loops. The smaller, control loop attaches to the leash while the larger adjustment loop goes on the dog's neck. When the control loop is pulled, the adjustment loop tightens. When used properly, martingale collars never choke and work effectively to prevent escape and for training purposes.

Choosing the right-sized martingale collar is very important and different from sizing traditional collars. Below is our simple, 2-step method to correctly size your dog for a martingale collar:

1. Take 2 measurements - circumference of your dog's neck and the widest part of his/her head.

2. Use the larger of the 2 measurements taken in Step 1 as your guide to choose your collar size. For example, if your dog's neck is 17" and his head is 20", then you should choose size Large (18"-22"), NOT Medium (15"-18") even though your dog's neck at 17" falls within this category.

This is important as dogs vary greatly in size, weight and shape. Breeds like Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, Mastiffs have a wider head than neck (use head measurement to size) while other breeds like Dobermans, Whippets, Greyhounds have a wider neck (use neck measurement to size).

Now that you're an expert on martingale collars, check out our collection of martingale designs and order one for your pooch :)
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