How Do Center Ring Collars Work?

Center ring collars are sold for hunting dogs, and are also commonly seen on herding dogs, but what are they for exactly? What is the benefit of having single O-ring right in the middle of the collar? These are also sometimes called "safety collars", and are supposed to allow the dog to escape if they get caught on something. How does that work?

The mechanics of the safety collar allow it to be much more flexible than a standard buckle collar. The two strap ends can move 90-degrees away from each other. If you attach a leash to this ring, you'll find that it often assumed this shape as soon as the dog puts any pressure on the leash.

The ring also offers a convenient pivot point that allows the collar to flip over and basically roll off your dog's head. The greater flexibility and ability to roll means this collar is much easier for your dog to back out of if they get stuck on a fence wire or tree branch. That's important if your dog is running around in heavy brush. For that reason, a safety collar is usually fitted loosely enough to slip over the dog's head.

Aside from the safety aspect, these collars are also super convenient because they place the center ring right at the back of your dog's neck. Most safety collars also have a D-ring next to the buckle. Attach tags to this ring and they'll act as a counterweight, keeping the center ring right at the top all the time.

This type of escapeable collar is much less prone to getting lost than our KeepSafe breakaway collar. It's not going to just fall off.

Product Review: OutFox Field Guard

The OutFox Field Guard is a protective mask designed to protect your dog's ears, nose, and eyes from nasty foxtails and other evil weeds. This mesh hood allows your dog to see, hear, pant, drink, sniff, swim, play, and herd sheep without fear of icky burrowing plant bits. It is available in five standard sizes, and can also be made in custom sizes for very large or funny-shaped dogs. My girls wear a size small.

We have a massive foxtail problem in southern California. These nasty little grass spikelets actually burrow through your dog's fur. They expand and contract, pushing themselves into the worst possible places. Plenty of dogs have been killed by foxtails in their ears, noses, or even lungs. They've been known to burrow into a dog's heart, or spinal column. My vet treated a dog that had a foxtail enter a rear paw and burrow so far it came out a front paw.

I check Zip and Godzilla carefully for foxtails (and cactus spines, because cattledogs are crazy), but I still have to worry about the ones I miss. I wish that we could avoid them altogether, but here in southern California pretty much every outdoor area is filled with them. Fortunately, neither of them has a coat that picks up a lot of nasties.

The OutFox is a brilliant piece of protective gear. It's surprisingly unobtrusive, most of the dogs we've tried it on haven't minded it. The hood is essentially a shaped bag with an elastic drawstring at the neck. A pair of velcro tabs attach it to the dog's collar for security.

Pros

• Protects eyes, ears, and noses from foxtails
• Allows normal rage of outdoor activity
• Makes my dog look kinda scary to grumpy sheep
• Custom sizing available
• Very easy to use
• Easy to condition reluctant dogs to wear it

Cons

• Mesh tends to collect slobber and dog snot, gets gross pretty quickly
• Looks kind of weird, takes some getting used to
• Collar straps aren't strong enough, ours is now missing in the field
• Only available from the manufacturer unless you live in northern California

Bottom Line

These are becoming standard equipment on the ranch, and we now use them every day. Unfortunately, we lost our first one despite properly attaching it to Zip's collar. When she came bounding out of the head-high weeds without it, I almost panicked. It has taken us three days to get a replacement shipped here, and I've been worried the whole time. I might stick a TabCat tracker on it...

Product Review: Kurgo Reflect and Protect Active Dog Vest

Kurgo's Reflect and Protect Active Dog Vest combines high-visibility safety-orange with flashing red lights, so that everyone can see your dog. This vest is made from lightweight durable fabric, including mesh areas for better airflow. Reflective piping and tape runs around the sides, top, and front. There is a row of flashing red LEDs along the back for even greater visibility. This vest is available in five sizes, to fit dogs with chests 14-45" around.

Photo by Erin Koski

I really like the concept of Kurgo's visibility vest. It's much sturdier than our OllyDog vest, and feels like it will hold up to romps in the woods through major brush. I think it's important to have safety-orange-colored stuff on Godzilla when we're hiking, because she moves in a way that makes random people on the street ask if she's part coyote. I like to make sure everyone that sees her knows she is definitely an owned domestic animal and not a chupacabra.

The vest does have some serious sizing issues. Ours is a size small, intended to fit 18-25" chests. Sisci Godzilla measures 22", but this vest barely fits her when adjusted all the way out. It's also surprisingly short. Like most of Kurgo's smaller-sized jackets, it appears to have been made with very short-backed dogs in mind.

Pros

• Easy to put on
• Lightweight and comfortable
• Good for hot weather or over winter jackets
• Flashing lights increase visibility

Cons

• Surface area is lacking a bit
• Not offical "blaze orange", slightly duller color
• Sizing runs very small

Bottom Line

This is more of a road safety vest for leashed walks at night, and less of a "please don't shoot my dog in the woods" safety vest.

Balls Are a Choking Hazard!

We're going to be putting away some of our favorite toys after an internet friend's dog nearly choked to death on a ball. Torch is a 45 pound McNab, a type of herding breed. He is seven years old, and a disc superstar. A couple of days ago, Torch and his human were at the park playing fetch with a medium-sized Chuckit ball, that's the one that's the same size as a tennis ball.

After several catches, Torch suddenly began pawing at his face. The ball was down his throat, blocking all airflow. It was extremely fortunate that the pair had a friend nearby who could help save Torch's life. They squeezed his throat to slowly inch the ball up far enough for his owner to grab it. The ball they were using, a Chuckit Whistler, has a hole in it. This made it possible to get a grip on the slobbery ball.

By the time the ball was removed, Torch had lost consciousness. He was rushed to the vet, where he spent the night under observation. Apparently they can develop noncardiogenic pulmonary edema, fluid around the lungs, after this type of trauma.

If Your Dog Chokes On a Ball

• Get help only if someone is immediately available, you don't have time to go find someone.
• Expect to get bit. Your dog is panicking and can't help it.
• Use both hands on the outside of his throat to walk the ball up toward his mouth, like you're squeezing it through a sock.
• Seek veterinary care even after the ball has been removed, there could be complications.

Get a Bigger Ball!

Here at The Dog Geek, we have a long history of ball obsession. I've been using 2.5" balls for years, because they fit in my medium-size Chuckit ball launcher. That's the size of a standard tennis ball. I would never have dreamed that a ball that size could end up down the throat of a 45-pound dog. Brisbane was 45 pounds. 

Zip weighs a bit under 40 pounds, Godzilla is a bit under 30 pounds, and now I can't really be sure that a 2.5" ball is safe enough for them. Torch's owner thinks anything the dog can fit into their mouth behind their canines could end up in their throat and certainly the ball he choked on ended up much farther down than anyone could have expected. I am definitely putting away any ball the girls can fit in their mouths, and I'll be looking at some larger options now. In the meantime, here's what we're fetching:

• Kong Wubba
• Tug-N-Toss Jolly Ball
• Petprojekt Dogegg
• Kong Jumbler
• Holee Roller
• West Paw Wox

Do plenty of dogs play with 2.5" balls their whole lives without incident? Sure. Have lots and lots of dogs died from choking to death on a ball? Indeed, far more than I previously realized. I've been concerned about too-small balls since childhood, when I was traumatized by a James Herriot story. The truth is that a ball is just the right shape to block a dog's airway, and once it's in there it's incredibly difficult to get out. Now I know that my previous concept of a "safe" ball was wrong, and I'll be choosing significantly larger balls and toys of different shapes. I don't need to bubblewrap m dogs, but I feel it's worth giving up tennis balls to eliminate this small but significant risk from their lives.