Gun Dog Forum

What style/material/brand of collar do y'all use? The pup's growing so fast right now that I've just been using the low priced nylon/plastic snap collars until he's ready for an adult collar which won't be too long. Just want something strong, safe, and comfortable.....looks come last.

I have a PermaTack collar in blaze. The PermaTack is probably the best made collar I have seen. It was $22. I doubt your dog will ever wear it out. It is made out of the same material and the same hardware used for horse tack. That is a one inch collar you see in the photo.

http://www.permatack.com/

If you decide against the PermaTack (not sure why you would), then Lupine makes the best adjustable collars without a doubt. They are 100% GTD even if the dog chews them and the only fabric collars that don't fade.

The cheaper collars break or bleed out color.

We use PermaTack. Can't wear them out. Just wash them every once in a while.

Greg recommended it to me and Mary at the company is a doll.

I had a young dog nearly killed with a Lupine collar when one of his kennelmates decided to play tug with it. It tightened but could not slacken. Never again will I put an adjustable on a dog in contact with other dogs. I use vinyl or plastic coated 1" buckle collars, in blaze colors, or heavy weight latigo 1" leather, either with a stamped brass ID plate riveted on. I prefer the coupling ring style.

Funny you guys say that, because I already have a 35 ft. checkcord from Mary. I actually asked her about sizing for their custom collars a while back. That pretty much settles it.....thanks

Cajun Casey wrote:I had a young dog nearly killed with a Lupine collar when one of his kennelmates decided to play tug with it. It tightened but could not slacken. Never again will I put an adjustable on a dog in contact with other dogs. I use vinyl or plastic coated 1" buckle collars, in blaze colors, or heavy weight latigo 1" leather, either with a stamped brass ID plate riveted on. I prefer the coupling ring style.

That is a problem with all adjustable collars. Lupines are made extremely strong.

Collar accidents are common. Even a fixed length collar is dangerous if a dog gets its lower jaw under it.

I saw two dogs with pinch collars get tangled up last month and that was no party.

I've got three or four of these and LOVE them. They're tough as nails, easy to clean and come with a nice brass name plate with up to 4 lines. And all for $10. I have a personal phobia that they'll stop making these for some crazy reason - they are awesome and I'll never own a different collar if I can avoid it. They come in a bunch of collars and are virtually indestructible.

http://www.gundogsupply.com/k-9-komfort ... ollar.html

On top of that, you'd be supporting this very site by purchasing through the new owner's company. If the guys are gonna do contests and giveaways, the least we can do is buy from them.

SD Pheasant Slayer wrote:I've got three or four of these and LOVE them. They're tough as nails, easy to clean and come with a nice brass name plate with up to 4 lines. And all for $10. I have a personal phobia that they'll stop making these for some crazy reason - they are awesome and I'll never own a different collar if I can avoid it. They come in a bunch of collars and are virtually indestructible.

http://www.gundogsupply.com/k-9-komfort ... ollar.html

On top of that, you'd be supporting this very site by purchasing through the new owner's company. If the guys are gonna do contests and giveaways, the least we can do is buy from them.

Have to agree with SD. I am not sayig they are better than the others but they are just as good and for half the price. Don't know how long they will last unless one of the other dogs try to chew on them, as some of the first ones I bought are still in use years later.

Ezzy

SD Pheasant Slayer wrote:I've got three or four of these and LOVE them. They're tough as nails, easy to clean and come with a nice brass name plate with up to 4 lines. And all for $10. I have a personal phobia that they'll stop making these for some crazy reason - they are awesome and I'll never own a different collar if I can avoid it. They come in a bunch of collars and are virtually indestructible.

http://www.gundogsupply.com/k-9-komfort ... ollar.html

On top of that, you'd be supporting this very site by purchasing through the new owner's company. If the guys are gonna do contests and giveaways, the least we can do is buy from them.

Ditto. Same collars I use. They are virtually the exact same as the Perma-tack collars.

I switched to the K-9 Komfort collars a while ago and really like them, also have a couple of the leashes. The price was right, they've held up really well, easy to clean and wanted color choices besides orange.

AHGSP wrote:

SD Pheasant Slayer wrote:I've got three or four of these and LOVE them. They're tough as nails, easy to clean and come with a nice brass name plate with up to 4 lines. And all for $10. I have a personal phobia that they'll stop making these for some crazy reason - they are awesome and I'll never own a different collar if I can avoid it. They come in a bunch of collars and are virtually indestructible.

http://www.gundogsupply.com/k-9-komfort ... ollar.html

On top of that, you'd be supporting this very site by purchasing through the new owner's company. If the guys are gonna do contests and giveaways, the least we can do is buy from them.

Ditto. Same collars I use. They are virtually the exact same as the Perma-tack collars.

They are probably as good a collar as anyone needs but they aren't made anywhere near the same as a PermaTack. The PT's are fully doubled-up, stitched full length & riveted, formed with a slight radius and have brass hardware. I would rather send an extra $10 to a nice family in Missouri for something with no point of failure. How many people these days would go to this trouble to make something? I am obsessive about these details.

mcbosco wrote:

AHGSP wrote:

SD Pheasant Slayer wrote:I've got three or four of these and LOVE them. They're tough as nails, easy to clean and come with a nice brass name plate with up to 4 lines. And all for $10. I have a personal phobia that they'll stop making these for some crazy reason - they are awesome and I'll never own a different collar if I can avoid it. They come in a bunch of collars and are virtually indestructible.

http://www.gundogsupply.com/k-9-komfort ... ollar.html

On top of that, you'd be supporting this very site by purchasing through the new owner's company. If the guys are gonna do contests and giveaways, the least we can do is buy from them.

Ditto. Same collars I use. They are virtually the exact same as the Perma-tack collars.

They are probably as good a collar as anyone needs but they aren't made anywhere near the same as a PermaTack. The PT's are fully doubled-up, stitched full length & riveted, formed with a slight radius and have brass hardware. I would rather send an extra $10 to a nice family in Missouri for something with no point of failure. How many people these days would go to this trouble to make something? I am obsessive about these details.

I think most of are more obsessed about buying something that is reasonably priced as well as being loyal to the people who help us. I know I grew up in a different world and have never left but it makes sense to me to be a little frugal instead of spending everything I have and then letting someone else support me down the road if something happens. I just can't get used to the way so many spend their money, used to be a saying like drunken sailors but that's not fair to the sailors.

Guess if you got it you should spend it.

Ezzy

I think most of are more obsessed about buying something that is reasonably priced as well as being loyal to the people who help us. I know I grew up in a different world and have never left but it makes sense to me to be a little frugal instead of spending everything I have and then letting someone else support me down the road if something happens. I just can't get used to the way so many spend their money, used to be a saying like drunken sailors but that's not fair to the sailors.

Guess if you got it you should spend it.

Ezzy[/quote]

I don't like to buy something twice. My dog sleeps on a 13 year old bed, still going strong. Yes it was more expensive but it was worth it. Part of the problem we have as a nation is that we don't support ours small businesses the way we used to years ago.

I can agree with everything said here. Thanks for the guidance. I only have to buy for one dog, so 22.00 isn't breaking my bank, and I really like the construction of the Perma Tack as well as their other products and the small hands on operation they run. I mean, I got a hand written thanks with my PT check cord. Where on earth do you see that these days? I've bought other things from GDS and probably will in the future.

FWIW I get my collars from LCS and have always been pleased. I would like to know if most people prefer O-Ring or D-Ring collars. I've been very fortunate not to have a bird dog ever get hung up but did have a coon dog get caught up in a cedar tree one time. A friend of mine has labs and takes collars off when they go in the kennel.

mcbosco wrote:I think most of are more obsessed about buying something that is reasonably priced as well as being loyal to the people who help us. I know I grew up in a different world and have never left but it makes sense to me to be a little frugal instead of spending everything I have and then letting someone else support me down the road if something happens. I just can't get used to the way so many spend their money, used to be a saying like drunken sailors but that's not fair to the sailors.

Guess if you got it you should spend it.

Ezzy

I don't like to buy something twice. My dog sleeps on a 13 year old bed, still going strong. Yes it was more expensive but it was worth it. Part of the problem we have as a nation is that we don't support ours small businesses the way we used to years ago.[/quote]
My dogs have never had a boughten bed but do have their original dog collars. Our dogs sleep in their crates in the basement or on the bed with me. I do see the difference in our small businesses since that is all there were at one time. But the ones who make a product people want are still supported, but don't think this is an area that is anywhere near our major problems such as 40% of our people not paying taxes and not sure what the percentage is that are living off of the handouts they get or the ones who can't pay their mortages or credit card bills.

But back to the collars, there are a lot of good ones and some not so good. Think we suggested a couple or so that are very good so it just depends how much you want to pay for them.

Ezzy

About 40yrs ago I had a collar made for my Springer at a saddle shop in Kalispell, Mont. He wore that collar 12 yrs and I burried it with him when he died. I could have used that collar on another dog! Well When I got Squirt and Bodie and they finally got to where I wasn't always having to get a bit larger collars, I went to a leather shop in Redomnd, Ore and had one made for each ot them. The outside is 1" harness lather and the inside a softer leather. The two pieces are glued together and the edges belved and sewn. Brass buckle and D ring. They cost me $35 each I expect they'll last a life time. My friend Glenn saw them and went and had one made for his setter. Then when he got Duke went and got one made for him also. I love a good leather collar but haven't seen one I could buy the quality I had made. And the guy put the name plates on for free with screw in studs and lock tight, ain't gonna lose them. Never will own another kind again. This is Bodie with his on. The collar is pushing three years in this photo.

Went through four or five collars in under a year. Different manufacturers. I now have a PermaTack and love it.

I have several K-9 Comfort collars and do like them, they are made of a similar material as Permatack but only a single layer of it. Permatack is now making both single layer collars and their original double layer models. If you chain a dog out on a stake or a chain gang at all the hardware and material in the Permatack collars can handle the stress like nothing else I've seen.

I bought these for my crew a few months ago and have been extremely happy with them:

http://www.lcsupply.com/Product/Collars ... ollar.html

I always buy collars from Lion Country Supply as they will engrave & mount name plates for you when you order the collars.

I'm with Don, I like leather collars. I've got pointers not labs, never had a good leather collar collar rot and I like the smell of leather on a dog or horse. Call me old and traditional, but like Don, I expect good leather collars to last the life of the dog.
Leather collars with brass hardware and studding looks good on the dog and is a reflection upon the good taste of the owner of the dog.
Here's some advice for those that want good pictures of their dogs. Take off all the synthetic ecollars, tracker collars, astro unit collars, etc..and put on one fine leather collar for the photo session. Your dog will thank you for it.
For nearly a century the best bird dog and hound collars were made by the Hulan family in Wartrace TN, look up any old copy of the Field, you'll get an education in leather crafting and the skinny on "roll over collars" and such. They made whats known as the National Championship collar as all the National Bird Dog Champions had their collar on when the pictures were being made on the steps of the big house at Ames.
Anyway the Hulans are all dead but their leather dog goods patterns are in good hands with the folks at Winner's Circle tack in Shelbyville TN. Here's their current online catalog. They'll custom make anything and there are collars and other things I like that are not shown.
http://www.wcircle.com/perfection_dog_collars?b=1

I run MENDOTA collars on all my pointers. My stud wears a 1" Leather Hunt Collar, his son, a Green Mendota Safety Collar, and my bitch a Black DuraSoft Hunt Collar. I am very pleased with the Mendota Products line of collars.

Weaver deerskinned lined leather collar.

I just bought three more K9 Comfort Collars, all different colors, of course. I guess I like my girls to make a bit of fashion statement. I can't wait to see Meeka in her new pink collar on Christmas morning!

I have leather collars for most of the time, but when we are hunting/training/swimming I take them off. I prefer that they don't go swimming in their nice leather collars. I like the added visibility from the colored collars, and I like something different from orange that most of the other dogs are wearing. I did try a similar collar from Cabella's, but that collar has faded quite a bit, the K9 Comfort collars have held up very well.