I asked in the other GSD forum if anyone had any intel on breakaway collar places in Canada, but I think I'm the only Canadian here? PetSmart sells a plain black one, I was hoping for something better looking.

Anyways - Xerxes's mouth got stuck in Agis's collar, which twisted. I was next to them when it happened, so could intervene quickly (though I couldn't find the buckle to undo it right away). One of them - I didn't stop to work out who - was whining. Xerxes seems more upset than Agis though his mouth looks okay?

Going to have to take off the collars inside, until we can get breakaway collars. None of them are walked on their collars with tags (Xerxes and Neb use harnesses, Agis a martingale) so it's not like we need to worry in that sense.

Man, I am rattled. I always thought that wouldn't happen to us, I mean, I've read warnings, but dismissed them. It CAN happen.

That's scary.

My guys never have collars on in the house or even out in the yard. They are usually not outside unless one of us is out. We only put their collars on for walks and ride/walks.

It terrified me! I'd heard of it happening but thought it would never happen in OUR house. One of those 'What are the chances?' things.

Until we get breakaway collars, no collars in the house. I'm still shaken by it, hours later!

A friend of mine gave me a toy for the dogs - one of those things that you put treats into and the dog rolls it around to get the treats out. This particular one was not solid, it had large holes all around it. Caleb tried to pick it up and his lower jaw got caught in the thing, behind his canines. I had to hold him while DH cut the thing off of his mouth. Thank god he settles and was sort of calm while we cut it off. He could easily have busted both lower canines trying to get his jaw out of the thing. That was pretty scary, too.

Oh that sounds terrifying! Good boy Caleb for being calm. Not all dogs would be.

Shoot Jenn I am rattled just reading this. OK you provided everybody a lesson, thank goodness you were right there.

take it easy,

MJ

It was lucky for sure.

The one thing that sucks about no collars is corralling Agis when he's hyper!

Maybe a harness?

We have harnesses for them, Neb and Xerxes are walked on them (Agis pulls too much in a harness), but we don't keep their tags on their harnesses. Right now we have their collars hanging by the door and take them off/on. Seems to be working well.

Wow, that was scary! I'm glad you were there when this happened.

Me too DarkEyes! So lucky.

So scary~ Glad you were right there to intervene so quickly.

I have never kept collars on my dogs because of reading stories like yours, until Gypsy. She wears hers 24/7 but she doesn't rough house with Zisso ever. I have to be able to catch her to crate her, and that collar is the key. When I walk her, I use a prong collar, and she wears a vest, with Do Not Pet patches on it because she is so dang skittish around people. I think I am blessed to have to have the dogs be so far apart in age so they don't romp around and have this kind of incident!

All of my collars, vest, leashes, walking stick (that I take with us on walks now) ...everything hangs by the back door so they can be put on the dogs easily with nothing left behind/forgotten.