Oakside Saddlery

So you have just got your new furry friend and need to treat them to a new dog collar. Once you start looking around you realise that there are a vast array of dog collars to choose from. From high visibility collars, to rope, chain, to leather. Each of these collars comes with their pros and cons.

Now this may sound strange but for a puppy I would recommend finding a collar with a lot of adjustment that your dog can grow in to. No matter how much you look it up and think how big there are going to get you can never be sure. Buy a nice webbing one that is cheap and cheerful, doesn’t cost much, and can be discarded when they grow out of it.

Once your dog is fully grown then you can treat them to a proper collar. I would recommend a leather one (funny that!). Leather is a natural product, perfect for your dog, long lasting, and with fantastic looks. I make a variety of designs that can have specific requirements, or just stunning designs with great character. All are made to order and to measure so will fit your dog perfectly.

Traditional Dog Collar

If you want to stick with a normal leather dog collar then look no more than my traditional leather dog collar. The traditional leather dog collar has been around for centuries. These dog collars have a single half buckle, a leather loop and a solid dee ring. The traditional dog collar is available in a variety of widths from ½ inch (12mm) up to 1 ½ inches (38mm. So you should be able to find a collar width to suit your breed of dog.

Working Dog Collar

This collar isn’t just for working dogs (I have to think of something to call them!) any dog can have this design. It has a different layout to many of my other collars with a wider collar than the buckle and dee ring. The dee ring is also before the buckle and with two fixed loops after the buckle. This collar can also go up to 2 inches (50mm) wide with a 1 inch buckle and dee ring fitted, and down to ½ inch (12mm).

Fancy Comfort Collar

Similar in design to the Working Dog Collar above but the two leather loops have been replaced with a single fancy metal loop. This collar can also go up to 2 inches (50mm) wide with a 1 inch buckle and dee ring fitted, and down to ½ inch (12mm) for the smaller dogs.

Plaited Leather collar

If you want something a bit different from the norm and to stand out from the crowd then choose one of my plaited collars. These collars are made from a single piece of leather with no joins. This helps to keep the strength and durability of the leather. The plait, sometimes known as mystery braid, has a number of strands that vary with the width of the collar. The wider the collar the more strands/plaits there are. My preferences in widths are;

·         5/8 inch (16mm) – 5 strands

·         7/8 inch (22mm) – 7 strands

I prefer these widths as I can turn the leather on to its side which helps to keep the collars width.

Plaited leather dog collars are usually handmade in the traditional style or in the Working Dog Collar format. Just in case you are interested but these are my favourite leather dog collars. Perfect for Small and large breeds alike.

Boarhound Collar

These collars are not for the faint of heart! Designed for the giant breeds of dog such as Great Danes and Mastiffs at 2 inches (50mm) wide and for Large Breeds such as Rottweiler, Cane Corso, Dogue de Bordeaux, and Akita at 1 ½ inches (38mm). These collars are also used on some of the large neck breeds such as Bull Terriers. A solid, two pin, roller buckle and up to 3 flat loops make this collar stand out from the crowd.

Martingale Collars

If you have a dog that likes to slip their collar by pulling back then these are the collars for you. When not pulling a Martingale collar sits lose around the dog’s neck down near their shoulders. If your dog pulls the chain pulls through the rings and tightens the collar preventing it from pulling over your dogs ears. These collars are not like a full choke collar. In fact they are sometimes called Half-Choke collars. Leather Martingale Collars are far more comfortable for your dog than chain collars as the leather spreads the pull more evenly. Martingale Dog Collars can either be a fixed length design or adjustable providing a more adaptable collar.

Slip Collars

Leather slip collars are another classic design. Two rings on a single leather collar. Great for when you need to put different dogs on the same collar for moving; Dogs that go into brambles, etc when flushing out game and risk getting caught up; and Kennel staff who need to move lots of different breeds of dog; and quite often used when training. Nothing complicated, just slip the collar over the dog’s head and you are good to go. With the two rings a slip collar can be used in different ways. The active ring will slide up and down using the slip collar, whereas the inactive ring will simply jam against the other end and not pull the collar tight.

Sighthound Collars

Some breeds of dog commonly referred to as Sighthounds or Gazehounds hunt by sight and speed. Sighthounds have a typically light, lean head, long neck and body, and long legs. This long neck calls for a different style of collar, one that spreads the weight evenly and protects the dog’s neck. My handmade Sighthound collars are 1 ½ inches (38mm) for the smaller breeds such as Whippets, and 2 ¼ inches (57mm) for the larger breeds such as Greyhounds. These collars can be lined and padded if required providing even more comfort to your dog. I also make a martingale version of these collars for the more troublesome ones.

Custom Collars