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What is the best collar for safely walking a Great Dane? That isn’t an easy question to answer. It depends on the individual Dane. We have tried a number of collars for our four different Great Danes. Some collars worked on some of them, others couldn’t be tolerated.
To be clear, all our dogs wear a flat collar which stays on all the time. This collar has their name tag and county license. I love collar tags by Boomerang Tags. There is more information about these tags in Items to have for your first Great Dane.
A Great Danes, or any dog, who lunges or jumps can injure their own necks or trachea on a flat collar. If you have spot on voice control of your dog then the rest of this post probably isn’t for you. I wish I could say that about my Danes but we just have never gotten there completely.
Different collars offer different amounts of control
HEADCOLLAR
The best way to overcome the size and strength of a Great Dane is with a headcollar, such as Gentle Leader or Halti. The Pet Safe Gentle Leader was recommended when I took our first Dane, Selar, to training. I actually needed the training more than she did but she stuck by me and we got through it. Borrowing from the same principle as a horse lead, you are leading your dog by the head. When they pull, their face gets turned towards you and you can visually connect with them. Some people think it is a muzzle but it doesn’t hold their mouth closed.
Fitting a head collar correctly is important and many people get it wrong. Even fitted correctly it can leave a wear mark across the snout as it did with K’Ehleyr
Selar was great with hers, K’Ehleyr was never fully comfortable and would rub her head against me. While this was annoying I needed the control to deal with her dog aggression. Varel would absolutely not stand for it. She would rub her face on the grass and since she had a grass allergy she would get red sores all over her nose. Martok wore one for a while in an attempt to keep his front feet on the ground. He didn’t like it and it became more trouble than it was worth.
2021 Update-
With Martok’s continued excitement at seeing his dog friends, I have returned to using the Gentle Leader. We started out with short exposures to it. When he would fuss about it he was asked to stop and sit and get a treat for sitting. He would then forget about the collar around his nose.
He now wears it for his entire walk. Occasionally he will fret over it but not like before and the control it provides is comforting for me.
I no longer feel like I beat a Wookie in a game of Dejarik. (Translation: had my arms ripped off)
CHEST HARNESS
The next level of control is a chest harness or Easy Walk® harness also by PetSafe. This is different from a harness where the lead attaches to the back of the dog. Those actually allow the dog to pull more. The leash attaches at the chest and like the headcollar, redirects their attention towards you when they pull. Again these have to be fitted correctly and the sliding adjustments will loosen and need adjustments, frequently.
The down side we have had with Easy Walk® versus Great Danes is that the Great Dane will win. Our pocket Dane, Varel (she never passed 100 lbs.) broke one of these and K’Ehleyr broke another. I’m not sure who broke the third one, probably K’Ehleyr. The weakest part is the sliding adjuster on the front. Over time the weld points weakened and snapped.
Instead of buying another harness, I ordered a different style of slide adjuster buckles, replaced the broken ones and haven’t had any more problems. I was able to get 3 harnesses back into working order for a fraction of the price of one harness.
Another option is the Lupine No Pull Training Harness. It’s less complicated than the Easy Walk® but also offers less directional control. The harness goes around the mid-section and then clips to the flat collar. For the fashion conscious, a matching collar and harness is an option.
Training collars
The next two collars can be contentious but to be completely transparent we have used them under the guidance and supervision of trained professionals. I’m not advocating I’m just sharing our experiences. Nor am I a certified dog trainer.
PRONG COLLAR
The dreaded prong collar which looks like a medieval torture device. Before you scream never on my dog, this is a training tool and used correctly can correct some behavior issues quickly. According to our veterinarian, who uses these with her dogs, she equates it to the same way a mother dog would reprimand her pups, by grabbing them by the neck. CORRECTLY FITTED, these collars apply universal pressure around the dog’s neck and will not choke or damage their trachea. However, the owner MUST ALSO BE TRAINED on how to use the collar correctly! Not all prong collar are created equal and the only one I have seen trainers recommend is Herm Sprenger but there are other brands available as well with plastic teeth and safety clips.
Using a prong collar can aggravate behavior issues
When K’Ehleyr started expressing her dog aggression issues, the first trainer we got had us switch to a prong collar. We didn’t end up keeping him as a trainer for long. Our second trainer explained that with aggressive dogs this can increase their aggression. K’Ehleyr, not so kindly, showed us that is true.
REMOTE COLLAR
The remote collar is another contentious training tool. When we were struggling to deal with 125 lb. dog-aggressive-dog, we turned to Lose the Leash. They train using remote collars in conjunction with positive reinforcement (treats and praise). Again, the user MUST be trained in how to use it correctly.
The best way it was described to me was to think about yourself in a loud, crowded room and you are trying to get someone’s attention. What would you do? The best option is to tap them on the shoulder. That is what this collar does through vibration (not shock) and/or sound. As an alpha female, K’Ehleyr never got over her dog aggression. But we at least got to a point where we could control it and keep her calm and the dogs around her safe.
Is your Great Dane deaf?
For deaf dogs, a remote collar becomes a lifeline for the dog parents. Without a way to verbally communicate, visual instructions need to be given. The dog needs to know when to look for those instructions to stay safe. Through our trainers, I met the parents of a deaf pitbull mix who were so thankful they had a way to communicate with their dog and could safely take her to dog parks.
What is our go-to collar for walks?
The Gentle Leader and a bag of treats.
Update: The new Gentle Leader has been changed. Where there was a plastic clip that was nearly impossible to open once closed, there is now a metal clip that will open on its own. Applying glue is recommended to keep it closed.
