The decision between a collar and a harness is often tricky when we are talking about a small and fragile dog. That’s why we have researched all the options available for these adorable little animals.
On many occasions, it is mentioned that a harness can be the most suitable for a Yorkie. However, a harness is usually efficient for a puppy or an untrained animal. A trained Yorkie with a gentle demeanor can use a collar and obtain excellent results. To make the best decision, just read on.
Collar Vs Harness – What’s Best for Yorkie?
Yorkies are one of the most chosen breeds in many parts of the world due to their main characteristics. These dogs are usually delicate and small, but they also show great character on several occasions. This dog is not afraid to take charge of a situation, as they are intelligent and brave.
These dogs have a great sense of adventure and show great tenacity in different situations. In many places, they may decide to escape from their owners to go exploring and do their own thing. In most cases, these dogs only weigh approximately 1.8 to 4 kg. This means that the weight can be from 4 to 9 pounds.
So they have relatively small necks compared to other dogs. This is one of the reasons why considering a harness may be a better way to keep them safe. Even these dogs can be highly encouraged to explore different places, which can be detrimental to their fragile necks.
Training is one of those moments where the dog owner should be careful with the accessories he acquires. The best way to get a good result is to free the dog from any pain when it comes to training. Touching a Yorkie’s neck allows you to understand the fragility that exists in this area of the dog.
Even this is much more evident when a Yorkie has short hair. With excellent training, these dogs can present great obedience on a walk or in any situation. So this means that a harness will no longer be necessary when the Yorkie is sufficiently trained.
However, the instincts of these dogs can also still be present, as is usually the case with any other breed. These dogs may demonstrate instincts when they see a cat, rabbit, or similar animals passing by. In such situations, a harness is still the best option for overly impulsive Yorkies.
However, a collar is also often a much cheaper option in many situations. With proper training, the owner could prevent the Yorkies from pulling too hard. This way, they will avoid hurting their necks on the next walk.
Why Should You Consider Collar For Yorkie?
Collars are still one of the most suitable options for such a small dog. Many collars have the option of incorporating an identification tag in case the Yorkie is lost. This may be more appropriate than a harness ID tag as it all relates to the design of each accessory.
In general, the identification tag on a collar has higher visibility to be seen by other people. So this simple detail could be significant for a person to recover a lost Yorkie.
At the same time, many collars are made of nylon with leather or metal links. So the variety is more than enough to be able to choose the best collar for a dog. Many people choose to incorporate a leather collar because of this material’s excellent resistance to dogs.
A Yorkie does not have a large musculature in the neck area, which makes them vulnerable. However, these dogs also do not have a large musculature in the rest of the body. So they cannot be strong enough to damage their neck when they see another animal and pull.
Even most collars have the versatility to adapt to most of the growth stages of a Yorkie. In this versatility, the size of the collar must be taken into consideration so that the dog does not suffer any discomfort in the neck. This means that two fingers should fit between the dog’s neck and the collar.
Considering all these aspects, anyone will acquire an excellent collar for a Yorkie and save some money for other accessories that these dogs may need. Additionally, we can also mention that a collar is usually straightforward to maintain compared to a harness. Because it is a smaller accessory, the cleaning is much easier and faster.
Pros and Cons of Collar
Collars have different characteristics and adapt in a better or worse way to each dog and situation. There are many advantages and disadvantages that we should mention so that people can make the best decision about collars.
Pros:
- Collars provide greater visibility for identification tags
- Putting a collar on or off a dog is usually much easier and faster compared to a harness
- A collar of the right size is a very comfortable accessory, and dogs can wear it most of the time
- A collar provides excellent versatility for various stages of growth of Yorkie puppies
Cons:
- Using a collar together with a leash increases the chances that a Yorkie will suffer some neck damage
- An improperly sized collar can allow these dogs to get rid of these accessories and escape in any situation
Read More: Yorkie Aggressive Biting Guide
How to Size Collar Correctly?
First of all, it is essential to measure the circumference of the dog’s neck to know the correct size of the next collar. In general, people need to measure the number of inches found on a dog’s neck circumference.
Anyway, the most important thing is that you need to add two fingers between the dog’s neck and the collar. This way, dogs will be able to have enough space to prevent a dog’s collar from choking them or causing them any damage and discomfort.
Types of Collars
There are different collars, and it is essential to know the differences between them. These different types of collars are best suited for different types of dogs. That is why below we mention the four main types of collars when it comes to choosing the best one for your Yorkie.
- Standard
The standard dog collar is usually the first choice for all those people who are not familiar with the other types of collars. This collar is usually made of nylon and comes in various colors. The level of resistance is usually high due to the excellent resistance that nylon itself can provide.
Among all the options, this type of collar is usually the cheapest and the most suitable for people who want to save their budget for other essential accessories. The functionality of these collars is intermediate, and it is recommended to implement this accessory to a Yorkie that has been trained and demonstrates gentle behavior.
- Martingale
This collar is also often referred to as a greyhound collar or limited-slip collar. Yorkies are often recognized for wanting to escape from their owners after they are released from their collars. This collar is specifically designed to prevent dogs from removing the collar and escaping.
There is a stop mechanism that is supplemented by a tug on the leash. The design of this collar prevents complete closure of the collar and the possible damage that could be caused to a Yorkie’s neck. Nylon is also usually incorporated among the most commonly used materials, although it is also possible to find other similar materials.
- Breakaway
Some collars are specially designed to take care of dogs that do a lot of pulling on a walk. In some emergencies, the safety buckle incorporated in this type of collar is released. Of course, it is not the most advisable thing to allow a dog to escape in any situation.
Anyway, this collar chooses the lesser evil of the situation. So it is a collar that allows the dog to release, thus avoiding temporary or permanent damage to the dog’s neck. The dog will then escape in certain situations and free itself from the collar but will not suffer a significant risk of injury or strangulation in the neck area.
- Harness
The harness is another classic option that we have also considered in the comparison of this post. The harness features a structure designed to provide great restraint to the dog. The harness is mainly characterized as an accessory that avoids the whole area of the dog’s neck.
Instead, this accessory provides excellent security, as the pressure areas are located on the dog’s chest. Some people may choose this accessory instead of the collar for an overly active and restless dog. Anyway, it requires a bigger budget to be able to choose a harness instead of a collar.
“Standard” Vs “Retractable” – What’s Best?
A standard leash is usually made of the same material as a standard collar. This means that it is widespread to find leashes made of highly resistant nylon. A standard leash with a narrow design is usually more than sufficient since a Yorkie does not have great muscular strength than other larger dogs.
A retractable leash usually provides a more significant number of advantages compared to a standard leash. This type of leash can coil up or provide a greater distance depending on how the device is used and the plastic handle. This can be excellent for allowing a dog to enjoy open space in the middle of a walk.
A Yorkie is a dog that truly enjoys rummaging and sniffing, which means it requires a great deal of freedom. So a retractable leash may be a better option. However, it should be considered that no other animals are present. It only takes a cat or dog in the street for a Yorkie to start to get upset.
In this situation, a retractable leash may not be the best option as it takes some time to rewind the leash. In these emergencies, a regular leash is much easier to maneuver in unexpected situations.
So we can conclude that a retractable leash is better suited for this breed of dog with a certain amount of training. When it comes to an untrained and overly impulsive Yorkie, a standard leash may be more appropriate.
Conclusion:
When it comes to choosing what is best for a Yorkie, the collar can present a set of apparent advantages. A standard collar is usually the cheapest accessory compared to all the options available on the pet market. In addition, a collar is flexible and accompanies the growth of a Yorkie puppy.
Additionally, a harness requires a larger budget, although it can be more conveniently adapted to the training process. While a harness can prevent neck area and various injuries, these dogs do not have excellent muscle strength. So the chances of injury to the neck area from their strength are not very high.