Product Review: Dogs My Love Spiked Studded Collar

This spiked and studded collar may be from Dogs My Love, but could also be from a similar importer. It is 1" wide and tapers down to 1/2" at the buckle to allow for lighter hardware. There is a single row of sturdy spikes between a double row of studs.

Photo by Erin Koski

This collar is yet another thrift store find. It's cute, it's just the right size for little Ru, and it might be enough to keep my friend's overzealous  cattledog from biting his neck. The combination of closely-set spikes and studs makes it a very heavy collar.

While it looks gorgeous, this is PU or bicast leather. While there might be a little bit of actual cow used in the process, PU leather is fake leather. It starts out with the same look and nearly the same feel as actual leather, but the leathery bit is really just a thin veneer. It's a lot like laminate wood flooring. PU leather is cheap, but not nearly as durable as real leather.

This super-cute, super-spikey collar is quite functional since I actually want to use it for neck armor. It is already showing its age though. there is a section along one edge where the fake veneer has peeled off.

Fake?!!? I only wear genuine leather!
Photo by Erin Koski

Pros: Super cute. Inexpensive, under $10 new. Soft, rounded edges don't rub too much.

Cons: Fake leather is not very durable. Does not look nearly as cool as old, worn leather.

Bottom Line: An inexpensive way to put a lot of metal on my tiny dog's neck.

Product Review: Top Paw Pink Leather Spiked Rhinestone Collar

The Top Paw Pink Leather Spiked Collar is a decorative flat buckle collar by Petsmart's house brand. Top Paw collars are available in a variety of sizes, colors, and styles.

Photo by Erin Koski

I'm not a terribly classy person, I tend to dress casual and comfortable. Sometimes I feel like putting on something fancy, though. Sometimes I wear a tiara just for the hell of it. This Top Paw collar is a lot like that. We have a lot of fun and functional collars, but this one is fancy. In between the stainless steel spikes are diamond-colored rhinestones. Also it's pink. Yes, my dogs are all boys. Boys can wear pink.

As far as leather collars go, this one is in the middle of the range. It's not high fashion like Coach. It's not an uber-fancy top-quality collar like the ones from Woof Wear. Still, it's a solid collar with reliable hardware and nice-quality leather. It's pretty and fancy and looks nice. The color will last a long time, and I expect the rhinestones will stay on through normal wear.

Pros: Made from durable, quality leather. Top Paw branded stainless steel hardware will stand up to just about anything. Spikes and rhinestones on the same collar are awesome.

Cons: Made from single-ply leather which can stretch over time.

Bottom Line: I wouldn't use this as a walking collar for a dog that pulls, but as a tag collar it's lovely. I wish they made one in Ru-size.

The Truth About Spiked Collars

A spiked dog collar can make a pooch look tough (or silly, depending on the dog), but what are they actually for? Is the purpose of a spiked collar just to make a dog look as badass as possible? Is it supposed to make the dog difficult to grab? Were they originally intended as human fashion accessories that migrated onto our pets, or did that work the other way around?

Photo by Erin Koski

Spiked collars aren't just a fashion statement, they're actually a historic piece of equipment for working dogs. The spiked collar dates all the way back to ancient Greece, when they were first used as neck armor for herding dogs and flock guardians. These brave dogs needed to protect their sheep and cattle from predators like wolves. The neck is the most vulnerable part of the dog, and predators know this. Most breeds have thick, dense fur around their necks, some practically have a mane.

A dog with a neck full of spikes was more likely to walk away from an encounter with a wolf. I used to do medieval reenactment, and of course Brisbane needed to have a period ensemble. His collar is not a deliberate recreation of a historic design, but it is a lot easier to live with.

Photo by Erin Koski

The oldest spiked dog collars tend to have long, nasty spikes that extend several inches from the collar. Some of them are made from twisted metal links with forged spikes. Brisbane's spiked collar was custom made at a Society for Creative Anachronism event, and follows the trend in historic dog collars. As spiked collars became more widespread, the spikes became less nasty and more decorative.

Photo by Erin Koski

The next dogs to sport pointy bits on their necks were mastiffs, the dogs of war, along with guard dogs. Again, these dogs were expected to face combat of some sort, and the wide spiked collars helped prevent anything from attacking their necks. Next, the concept migrated to fighting dogs, bull baiters, and other dogs with tough jobs.

Today spiked dog collars are a fashion statement, but they can still serve a purpose. A heavy spiked collar is protective neck armor, if it is wide enough it will also distribute force and help prevent damage to the throat when the dog pulls on the leash.

With that in mind, spiked collars do not belong on any dog that can be reasonably expected to play with another dog. Wearing a spiked collar around town is cool. Wearing a spiked collar to the dog park is stupid, especially if the outing is for a highly social dog that loves to play. Back when we routinely visited dog parks, I saw plenty of happy, silly dogs attempting to wrestle and play while wearing collars intended to injure dogs that joined them. I'm pretty sure that's not what the owners had in mind, but this doesn't seem like rocket science. Maybe I'm wrong...