Martingale collars have been essential to greyhound people for ages, but in the recent past, they have become even more popular among dog owners of all kinds. The martingale is a type of collar that keeps dogs safely on leash without choking them.

Martingale collars, also called no-slip or limited-slip collars, are a type of dog collar that offers more control than a typical flat collar and prevents dogs from backing or slipping out. They look like a flat collar, but about 1/3 of the length of the collar is actually a smaller loop of fabric (or webbing) with a D-ring (or a normal ring) for attaching the leash. On some martingale collars, the smaller loop is made from a metal chain instead of fabric or webbing.

The collar works by constricting when the dog pulls on the leash. Tension on the leash causes the smaller loop to tighten, which in turn pulls the larger loop tighter—but not too tight! Our martingale collars are made on your order to the exact measurements of your dog and should not tighten past the width of the dog’s neck. Two D-Rings of the larger loop, when pulled softly, should not touch each other, and should not have more than two to three fingers distance between them. They offer comfortable security without harming your dog.

As long as the martingale is properly fitted, it will tighten just to the size of the dog’s neck, preventing them from backing out of their collar without choking them. Because of the way it is constructed, the martingale collar can only tighten to a certain degree, unlike choke collars which do not have a limit to how tightly they can shrink.

Always remember:

• Even a flat collar, which is the most widely used collar type, when not used properly, can greatly harm your dog.
• Do not let your dog roam free inside or outside with the martingale collar. Because of its construction and naturally dangling build, it can catch to something like branches, fences, or door handles.
• Do not yank, jerk hard the leash. It can greatly harm your dog’s trachea.
• Do not suspend your dog from the collar (do not hang the dog).
• If your dog always pulls the leash, get help from an experienced dog trainer. You and your dog need training as a team.
• And when in doubt, you can always contact us or an experienced dog trainer (common sense is also our best friend 😊 )