Terrible Tragedy Narrowly Avoided Today!

[Twisterdog]

Today I was on the computer and the dogs were playing in the room. All of a sudden, I hear Crystal and Jewel (my little IG's) screaming. I jump up and look at them, and they look and sound like they are seriously fighting. So I grab them to pull the apart ... and they won't come apart! By this time, all the other female dogs (they call them b*tches for a reason!) have jumped on Crystal and Jewel and are biting them. The pack-fight mentality. So I smack the rest of the dogs off of them, try to pick them up and see what is going on. By this point (like 10 seconds) they are both screaming, flopping, peeing, pooping ... and still stuck together. I discover Jewel has her bottom jaw stuck in Crystal's collar, with the collar wrapped around her jaw twice. It's choking Crystal. Her eyes are bugging out and she's gasping for air. It's CHAOS! I FINALLY get them on the couch, hold them down enough to twist Jewel around and untangle them. It's like untangling rabid shrews. By this time (like 30 seconds) all the other b*tches have decided that if they can't bite these two, they will all gang up on Sequoia and bite her. So then I have to get three dogs off her.

Jewel is a very shy, timid dog anyway, and she RUNS outside. I really wondered if I broke her jaw. I finally caught her and looked, and it's ok. But she is a mental MESS, and is still hiding. She really thinks I tried to kill her. Another minute or so, and Crystal would have been dead. SCARY day.

I'm ashamed to say that grabbing the scissors to cut off the collar never occurred to me. And they had on the fabric Martingale collars they came with from my friend in Utah. If they would have had regular snap collars, it would have been simple to get it off. Tomorrow I'm going to buy cat collars for them. So, be warned about Martingale collars, everyone!

Now, what's really bad abou this is two of my sister's dogs did this same thing in her yard a couple years ago ... and sadly they both DID die. She came home from town and found them. She will NOT put collars on her dogs at all since then, and I don't blame her. But for decades I have preached the wisdom of ALWAYS having a collar with tags on your dogs. But, if I would have not been sitting right by them today, definately one and maybe two of my dogs would be dead right now.

So, opinions please, folks .... no collars due to stangulation danger ... or collars due to escape and loss danger?

[NicoleLJ]

Very scary and I am so glad everyone is ok.

Personally if I am not in the room with the dogs then they are not wearing a collar. Simple. When they are in for crate time the only time the collars are on in the crate is if I am in the room too. If I am not in the room then the collars come off. Since my dogs are never outside unattended this has never been an issue for me.

[K9karen]

My heart is racing just reading this! I'm relieved the pups are OK. How scary! I know your heart and mind were going nuts at the same time.

I keep a collar on Mz Logan now. This past summer, the gardener left the side fence open, which he's never done before, and since I always go out the her, I hears a neighbor yell "Logan, stop that!". I drew a blank for a sec, until I ran to the side of the house and saw she was barking at this guy's dog. Luckily, she came right back to me. i also realized she didn't have her collar on.

When Cody was a pup, in a crate, I'd take it off until he went out.

[Taz_Zoee]

I read this out loud to my boyfriend and we were both in shock as I went along.
We sell Martingale collars at the shelter where I volunteer. I ALWAYS tell adopters and patrons that look at or want a Martingale that they need to get a regular collar as well (to keep the tags on) because they shouldn't leave the Martingale on except for walks or training. We also discourage choke chains at ARF too.

My brother has choke chains on all three of his dogs. All the time. One time when he first got the puppies Abbie got her jaw caught in Jake's choke chain. At least I think it was in the choke chain. It could have been the regular collar, but I doubt that. The first one the scene was my SIL. Abbie wouldn't let her come near them. So then my niece came out and got them apart. Abbie would not go near my SIL for about an entire day. She thought Jen was the one that hurt her.

I am so glad this near tragedy had a happy ending. I hope Jewel will calm down and you can gain her trust again.

Another pointer (you probably already know, but I'll put it out there incase someone else doesn't) is even with a regular collar you only want to be able to put two fingers under the collar, flat against the dogs neck. With this space hopefully another dogs mouth would not fit under the collar to get stuck.

[Varga]

Oh man. I can only imagine the chaos and panic! I only have one dog and he wears a normal collar at all times. It never would even occur to me that dogs could get stuck in each others collar. Definitely something to keep in mind.
I have a friend back in Europe who has two Italian Greyhounds. I dunno if she has Martingale collars but maybe I should tell her this story to make sure that she doesn't.

[Twisterdog]

... even with a regular collar you only want to be able to put two fingers under the collar, flat against the dogs neck. With this space hopefully another dogs mouth would not fit under the collar to get stuck.

You wouldn't think so, but this incident is proof positive that it can happen. Granted, IGs have small jaws and muzzles, but she got her bottom jaw under the collar, and twisted, with two fingers of space.

[chocolatepuppy]

This same thing happened with my RB Lacey and RB Mandy years ago. They were wearing buckle collars. Mandy was being choked. Since then my dogs have worn 'quick release' collars, always. One hand release and no pulling the collar tighter to get it off.
I'm glad you're pups are ok.

[sasvermont]

I am so glad your pups are ok. The story is really an eye opener, for sure. I take my dog's collar off while she is in the house, since, as a puppy she often got herself caught on things in the house, while wearing her collar. Now, I wonder if I should talk to the doggie day care about collars on v. collars off. Hmmmmmm. I know the dogs wear their collars while they are at the day care. I think I may send a copy of this post to the day care place.

Thanks for the heads up.

I bet the incident took years off your life.

[Freedom]

Good heavens! I am SO glad all are OK physically. You must be shaken too! How scary.

My pups don't wear collars, period. In the house, out in the fenced in back yard, they are 'naked.' This was an issue when Sugar escaped last month, but "at least" she is microchipped.

When I take them out, I put on their harnesses; their tags are on those.

[Asiel]

I'm glad everything turned out okay, that was quite scary.
Mine don't ever wear collars in the house. The only time I put them on is when going out in the car or for walks.
There is no way they can escape as the door opens into their fenced in yard.

[Louie and me]

I have had three dogs over the years and as a matter or habit I always removed the collars when they came in the house. They always wore collars outside and we're never left alone outside anyway. Mind you, I only ever had one dog at a time so wouldn't have thought about choking.
I'm so glad you were able to separate them without major damage and I hope Jewel settles down when she gets over the shock.

[ramanth]

Kia and Chipper used to have their collars on all the time when I lived in an apartment. Now, I take the collars off when I'm home and only put them on when I put them out in the yard or when we go out.

I'm glad your two are okay.

[Twisterdog]

Today I went to the pet store and bought cat collars for all the dogs, with the quick release buckles. They fit everyone but Vanilla, but I discovered I could snap two together to make a bigger collar. So tomorrow I will go get another one and make a bigger one for her.

Not a perfect solution ... obviously the collars could come off easily, especially if one of them got out and someone reached to grab the collar to get her. But, better than nothing ... I decided even if that happens, the person would have the collar with the tags and could call me and tell me where the dog is, roughly. Granted, it would be VERY hard for one of my dogs to get out. But never say never.

I really HATED the thought of NO collars and tags. I can't tell you how many of my customers over the years have brought a new dog in for grooming, and when I ask where they got him, they say, "Oh we found him, and since he didn't have a collar, we figured he was a stray, not well-cared for, etc., and kept him." HUNDREDS of times I've heard this. Scary.

So, we will see how this works. I'll update.

[MonicanHonda]

My two never have collars on unless outside the house. Right now I don't have a yard but a tie out for potty time, so they get a leash on, then put on the tie out. If and when I get a yard, they will get collars put on before they go outside, but taken off when they come in. It messes up the fur on their necks and Doc is a conformation dog, so I cant have that happening. Delta doesn't because she started to loose hair on her neck from the rubbing. Plus the jingles is just annoying. I have lots of collars, martis, buckles, quick release, they would never wear a marti in the house for fear it would catch on something. I did have them wear their new martis for a weekend to break them in. (Custom made and 2 inchers, so they were a little stiff. Lol) But that's about it.