Your Cart is Empty
Free shipping on all orders within the U.S.
Pit bulls and other strong breeds, such as mastiffs and Rottweilers, have special needs when it comes to collars. These dogs are powerful, and the wrong collar can hurt them or fail to restrain them properly. Heavy-duty dogs require durable collars, and it can be hard to choose the best one.
Most pit bulls and bully breeds require collars that are at least 1.5 inches wide. A 1.5 inch wide leather collar disperses the pressure around your pit bull's neck as they pull forward and apply pressure to their tracheas.
Even if you let your dog out in your fenced backyard instead of walking it, you should keep an identification collar on your pet. Pit bulls can be as crafty as Houdini when it comes to escaping your yard. If it’s wearing ID tags at all times, you and your pooch can be reunited quickly if it happens to flee when you’re not looking.
When you do take your pit for walks, you’ll need to attach the leash to a secure collar. Pit bulls dodge when they see things that they want. That’s one reason that they’re often trained for weight-pulling competitions. The collar that you use when you’re out and about needs to withstand this pressure, especially before your dog is leash trained.
It’s most convenient to use one collar. A well-fitting product that’s made of the right materials should do the trick. If you choose a high-quality, attractive collar for training purposes, you won’t have to switch it out for a new one once your pup is more obedient. Additionally, you’ll always be prepared for the unexpected.
You should be careful when leaving certain collars on dogs when you’re not around to supervise, though. For example, those with dangling ID tags can get caught in the bars of a crate. Loose ones can snag on a fence if your pit bull uses its large paws to dig under it or powers over it with one huge jump.
Although many collars are made of cloth and sturdy canvas, these may not be strong enough to support your dog’s strength whether it’s chained outside and gets excited to say hello to its favourite squirrel or tugs excitedly on your morning walks. Plastic collars may look cool, but they’re often poorly made and not resilient enough for a pit bull. Chain collars can hurt your hands as well as your dog, as we discuss below.
Nylon is inexpensive and stronger than other types of fabric. Collars made of this material come in a wide variety of sizes and colours, and they’re easy to find. Although they are cheap and inexpensive, they usually don't last very long, attracting dirt and smells, and can fray with heavy use. This compromises their strength.
If you’re looking for durability, leather is the best choice. Investing in a high-quality product will return the best value. Leather lasts longer than any other dog collar material.
Leather collars also come in more colours and styles than you would expect. You can get a bright red one to make your pup look more elegant or a black one with studs to convince your dog that she’s too tough to cover you with kisses.
Leather may be the best option for a dog with sensitive skin. Wide leather collars for pit bulls may be preferable to other sizes and materials because of this breed’s short hair and predisposition to skin problems.
Most pit bulls and bully breeds require collars that are wider than 1 inch. A width of at least 1.5 inches better supports these strong animals. A 1.5 inch wide collar disperses the pressure around your pet’s neck and is useful for dogs that strain against the leash. Wider collars can also be more comfortable on your hands if you need to grab your dog away from a dangerous situation.
An ill-fitting collar can irritate your pitbull’s skin. A collar that is too narrow can cause friction burns quickly and doesn’t adequately protect their trachea.
The quality of the buckle is crucial to the safety of your active, powerful dog. Plastic buckles won’t cut it. The safest type of hardware for your pit bull’s collar may be a flat buckle, which secures like a traditional belt. This is the most common type of buckle for a leather collar. Solid brass D-rings and buckles are the best option because they won't rust or corrode.
Although function is important for dog collars, most pit bull owners choose styles that suit their sense of fashion. Of course, you need to get a collar that your dog is happy about.
Some collars enhance your canine’s robust look. But if you don’t want to scare your neighbours, you might choose a collar that brings out your pet’s sensitive side.
Studded collars are popular choices for pit bulls. Even though you might buy a studded leather collar for its aesthetics, you should know that it serves a purpose.
Throughout history, people have needed to protect herding dogs from predators. Because the neck is the most vulnerable part of the animal, wolves tend to attack dogs at their weak points. Working canines that wore spiked collars had extra protection against these slayers.
This is also the reason that many dog breeds have thicker fur around their necks. Pit bulls don’t have that advantage because they have not been used as livestock protectors. As bully breeds became used as guard dogs, people retained the concept of the spiked collar to show that these dogs were tough and intimidating.
You can tone things down by using a studded collar instead of a spiked one. Leather studded collars don’t just look cool; they protect your pit bull. The combination of metal and leather is hard to pierce. Using a collar like this can prevent your dog from getting attacked from roaming neighbour dogs or that aggressive canine at the dog park.
We have discussed the best collars for a pit bull, but we wanted to touch on some of the worst options.
Some dog owners assume that a choke collar is the best way to control a strong dog. However, you should never use these while your dog is unsupervised. The American Kennel Club reports that choke-collar accidents are not uncommon. If the leash end of a choke collar gets caught on an object, your pet could strangle itself.
You might think that a dog will give in when it’s being choked, but canines actually strain against that neck pressure. This is especially true if you haven’t leash trained your dog to walk without pulling. If every lunge leads to the reward of moving forward, your pet might be more likely to tug against a choke chain and hurt itself.
PETA says that choke collars can be hazardous in many other ways. They have been linked to whiplash, fainting, fractures, bruising and brain damage.
Prong collars are also dangerous. They can make your dog look threatening, and you may think that they help you control a particularly intense animal. If they break the skin, however, scar tissue will develop. Your dog will eventually lose sensitivity around the neck, making the collar less effective.
The Martingale collar is a variation of the choke collar. It’s gentler than a choke chain, but it still tightens under pressure. This style is designed for long-necked dogs with small heads - like greyhounds, not thick-necked canines with large noggins.
Moreover, when dogs feel collars tighten around their necks, they can get scared. This can make them behave aggressively or erratically.
No matter what type of collar you choose, make sure that it fits properly. When it’s buckled correctly, you should be able to slip two fingers underneath it easily. If you have a growing puppy or a dog that regularly gains and loses a significant amount of weight, you should monitor the collar’s fit regularly.
If you need help choosing the right collar for your pitbull, or need help with sizing, reach out to our support team who is standing by to help.
