Almost every product is indestructible and your martingale collar is not an exception. In fact, it is very important to check your martingale collar regularly for any signs of wear and tear.
The last thing you want is to see your dog break out of the collar, as it can put your dog in a dangerous situation.
Is there any timeframe to replace my martingale dog collars?
There is no specific timeframe to replace your martingale collar, as it varies significantly depending on how often you rotate the collars, materials, whether your dog is a scratcher or not etc. But this does not stop you from regularly checking the conditions of your martingale collars.
Here are 3 things to check wear and tear on your martingale collars.
1. Thread
Regardless of the materials that your martingale collar is made of, the thread is what keeps the collar together. This makes checking threads the most important part of this whole collar inspection process. Keep an eye out for any unravelling thread inside-out.
Here are some spots that you may want to check:
2. Hardwares
For metal hardwares, check for any sign of rust. If your buckles are rusty, it’s time to replace your martingale collar. If your dog swims on a regular basis, it’s important to use a high quality waterproof collar with hardwares that doesn’t rust to start with.
For plastic hardwares, you may look out for any crack or buckles being bent..
You may have a side release buckle on your martingale collar. If you do, check whether the buckle is still holding the collar together by stretching the collar with both your hands.
3. Exterior of your martingale collar
Look out for any tear or holes on the outside of your martingale collar. This is important especially if your dog is a persistent scratcher as it will only fast-track the wear and tear of the collar.
For the fabric martingale collars which have a polypropylene or nylon webbing in the core, like Dahound collars, fabric should be securely intact to the webbing and the webbing itself must be in a good condition. If the fabric is detached from the webbing, it’s time to find a replacement.
If your martingale collar is made of webbing itself (not covered by any fabric), the same rules apply. Check any signs of tears or holes. If the webbing looks frayed, it’s time to replace it.
How do I keep my martingale collar in a good condition?
Dahound martingale collars are made of polypropylene covered with trendy premium quality fabric made of natural fibres, triple stitched with jean threads by using the commercial grade sewing machine.
But this does not mean that it will last forever, just like almost all products we purchase and use in life. Dahound collars also have their lifespan and it varies depending on:
- Frequency of uses
- Level of water exposure
- Location of where it’s used
- How you take care of them
Think of it as a t-shirt you purchased. Regardless of how good the quality is, if you wear it day and night, eating, lounging, exercising, swimming and sleeping, it will wear off pretty quickly.
Here are a few things you can do to prolong the lifespan of your martingale collars:
1. Take Dahound collar off from your dog at home, while it’s not used for walks
Remember that the main purpose of martingale collars are keeping your dogs safe while going for a walk.
2. Have multiple dog collars for each occasion
You can have Dahound martingale collars for walkies, a house collar for ID tags and lounging around at home and a waterproof collar for swimming and playing in the dirt.
3. Rotate the collars as often as possible (and have fun!)
If you have multiple collars, why not rotate them around? This will reduce the frequency of usage for each collar which will prolong the lifespan of the collars. And of course, it’s super fun to create that OOTD (outfit of the day) for your dog!
4. Take care of them and give some love
If your martingale collars get dirty, you can hand wash them with mild washing detergent. Keep them off from dirt and salt water if possible and occasionally remove the fur and dust with a sticky lint roller, you will be surprised by how a simple quick roll makes your collar look so much cleaner!
Are you new to martingale collars? Here is a list of other blog posts you may be interested in:
- Martingale Collar 101: What is a Martingale Collar and how does it work?
- Four benefits of martingale collars
If you’re interested in fashionable martingale collars or need more martingale collars to rotate, check out our martingale collar collection here.
