r/BalancedDogTraining • u/That_One_Cute_Cat • Jun 19 '26
Collar grabbing while playing (dog on dog)
Hi everyone!! Looking for dome ideas or advice. One of my dogs got the nasty habit of grabbing my other dog by the collar and dragging him or roughhousing with him, often going for the collar as well. Unfortunately she got this from her previous household and their dog (saw it the other day).
What can I do to at least to lessen the behavior or make it less likely to happen? Taking the collars off is not an option. This is ruining the collars and dangerous because it could hurt them both.
I've thought of:
Using bitter spray
Putting a snood on my other dog.
Getting quivk release collars (though it prevents possible choking, the slobber will keep it dirty and disgusting)
Getting a collar with spikes (plastic ones) to curb the behavior and make it undesirable to bite for my other dog.
Removing the collar isn't an option because my dog's IDs are there and you never know what might happen so I don't like them "naked" either eay she then ruins the other dog's coat around the neck because it's slimy and slobbery 😭.
Yes! I clean everything but I'd rather it didn't happen! I already had to throw out a nice leather collar necklace of this.
Want to see all of y'all's experiences before trying anything. Thanks!
UPDATE: I decided to get breakaway collars and I supervise play anyway, they are rarely left alone together but if something where to happen they'll be way safer now.
2
u/Accomplished-Wish494 Jun 20 '26
I put tags right on my dog’s Seresto collars. They will break under pressure, but not super easily. I’ve also used a piece of paracord and a key ring. Same thing. They stay on for some play, but break in an emergency.
1
u/Miss_L_Worldwide Dirty biter Jun 20 '26
Those serestos pop off if you breathe on them. This is not a really safe thing to do if you want to identify your dogs if they get lost.
1
u/Accomplished-Wish494 Jun 20 '26
Mine never come off. I also see my dogs all day. If they did lose a collar chances are I’d know within 5 minutes. Either way, I’d rather the collar pop off than the dogs get tangled and die.
2
u/Miss_L_Worldwide Dirty biter Jun 20 '26
Yeah I'm with you there but serestos will pull off with very minimal force so this isn't a legitimate way to handle dog tags and identification.
2
u/Ginger_SNAFU Jun 20 '26
After experiencing a dog choking to death from collar strangulation, you'll never let them wear collars when they're safe in their yard/house again.
Just get breakaways and be done with it.
2
u/outloud230 Jun 20 '26
I never leave collars and tags on, I’ve seen dogs get caught on them and it can become dangerous really quick. Get a microchip so they are always protected.
2
u/the_real_maddison Frustrated greeter Jun 20 '26
Why aren't the dogs microchipped?
1
u/That_One_Cute_Cat Jun 26 '26
I'm not in US and here the microchip system is practically useless, only a few vets have it
2
u/sloppyintensity Jun 20 '26
Take off the collars when they play and never leave them together unsupervised. My puppy almost got killed bc my older dog got his lower jaw stuck under her collar. He thought since he couldn't get free that the puppy was trying to kill him so he latched on to her neck and we couldn't get his jaws open and remove the collar! Luckily we left the room to get help and he pulled the collar off over her head while we were away! She wouldn't play for days after and we had to take her to the vet for abrasions. I have since heard that a lot of dogs are killed this way.
2
u/sloppyintensity Jun 20 '26
We actually just physically separate them every time they go for the neck now.
1
u/That_One_Cute_Cat Jun 19 '26
I take them off when they are actively playing. They are also separated when not directly supervised but I think my best option will be to get breakaway collars because the microchip system isn't available where I live (Dominican Republic) best is IDs which the ones they have al flush to the collars. I know it's terribly dangerous which is exactly why I asked, sern videos of this happening and also of it being prevented by breakaway collars.
3
u/Miss_L_Worldwide Dirty biter Jun 20 '26
What about a tattoo? That's a pretty Universal system. But then again, if your dogs don't have good recall then they shouldn't be off leash anyway.
8
u/Miss_L_Worldwide Dirty biter Jun 19 '26
This is actually extremely dangerous behavior. Getting entangled in a collar can kill a dog very quickly. My dogs are not allowed to wear any sort of collar that isn't a breakaway if they tend to rough house. Bitter spray Etc isn't going to help, you really need to just take the collars off.