Collars, leads and harnesses - Material

Once upon a time, you wanted a collar and you went to the petshop and bought a leather collar in black or brown. Feeling snazzy? There might be a red option if you were lucky! Now the choice is endless; leather, fabric, biothane in every colour under the sun. And that's before you look at flat collars, martingales and slips. So what should you be looking for?

Well firstly lets talk material. Your dogs collar is primarily for safety- attaching to a lead to keep them under control, but also securing your details should they get lost. So for me the most important thing is that it has a high tensile strength and will not stretch when wet.

Leather: Typically the longest lasting material on the market. The flexibility of the material reduces wear and tear near buckles and fastening. Very strong, and age well. A classic smart look. It can take a while to break in, but will soften with age whilst remaining strong.

Nylon and Fabric: Not as hard-wearing as leather, but many are machine washable, which is great if you have a mud-monster. Be aware some dogs may be allergic to nylon and where these collars are not breathable they may cause irritation when wet. Typically cheaper than leather, they come in a wide range of colours- great if you love

the matchy matchy look.

Biothane: Is a PVC coated webbing. Available in a huge range of colours it is wipe clean. The PVC is easily damaged and shows wear easily, but the inner webbing will help maintain strength. Again this material isn't breathable so may cause irritation when worn for long periods when wet.

Visit the style page to find the best type of collar for your dog.