Dog Strangulation By Collar is Real
We probably both agree that dogs should always wear their collars with a current ID tag, but wearing dog collars in certain situations can be hazardous. For years, I firmly believed dogs should always wear collars until one day when my dog’s ID tag got caught between the wires of his crate.
Now, understand, I didn’t leave him in his crate with a collar on. He chose to lie next to his crate when his ID tag became entangled within the wires of his crate. When it happened, he freaked out! Thank goodness we were home to hear his panicked screams and frantic sounds from pulling against his crate; he was choking himself. It took two people to free him from his collar; my husband and I had to cut the collar off of him. From that day forward, he never walked into that room again—ever.
RELATED: How to Get Your Puppy Used to a Collar
Dog Collar Accidents are More Common Than You Think
Freak accidents happen or so I thought. After this incident, I needed to find out if dogs strangled by collars was common or if they were just freak accidents. Well, we found out we weren’t alone.
It seems dog collars get caught in many things, and strangulation by collar has even caused some dogs to lose their lives. Dog collars getting caught or stuck happens so often that large pet retail companies created break-away collars to prevent this from happening. One thing I know for sure is large companies won’t spend thousands of dollars creating a new item unless it fills a buying niche. Their research was certainly alarming.
Please understand: I’m not saying your dog will strangle himself from wearing a collar; I’m saying it’s possible your dog can become strangled by his collar and taking a few steps to make sure it doesn’t happen to your dog is worth its weight in gold.
15% of My Clients Have Experienced Dog Strangulation by Collar
As a dog trainer, I speak with clients about their dogs every day and I’ve found dog strangulation by collar does happen. On average, I would say 15% of my clients had a similar incident with a dog collar getting caught on the wires of their dogs’ crate, fence, furniture, and even while playing with another dog.
Dog Accidentally Strangled By Collar During Playtime
The first time I heard of a dog being strangled by a collar, it was 20 years ago and happened while two dogs were playing together. Both dogs were wearing collars when one dog playfully pulled on the other dog’s collar. Her muzzle suddenly became tangled in the other dog’s collar. Well, the tangled dog panicked and started pulling away, which caused the other dog (the one wearing the tangled collar around his neck) to choke. His collar was strangling him. Thankfully, someone nearby had a pocket knife and cut the tangled collar, which freed both dogs. What a horrifying situation.
Strict Collar Removal Policies Set
Many pet-related businesses have strict rules on removing collars in certain situations. While working as a veterinary technician, it was mandatory to remove all collars from any patient kenneled—even during a hospital stay. Large retail grooming chains also have strict polices requiring dog collars to be removed before dogs are placed in their kennels. Their collars are then placed in a plastic sleeve outside of the dogs’ crates. While working in the pet grooming industry, I saw many grooming employees terminated when they failed to follow this policy. Needless to say there certainly is a trend in dog collar accidents.
When Should Dogs Wear Collars?
Dogs should wear a collar under supervision only. That means you should take your dog’s collar off whenever he’s crated, playing with another dog or left unsupervised in your home. It’s just not worth the risk.
If You Must, Use a Break-Away Collar
If you’re not comfortable with your dog running around naked (i.e. no collar), there are a couple of break-away collars on the market. Break-away collars look and feel just like regular flat buckle collars and feature a spot for ID tags too. The difference is break-away collars will unsnap and free your dog when it snags onto something.
Over the last 15 years, break-away collars have vastly improved. Back in the day, the break-away mechanism was super sensitive. If a dog sneezed while wearing this collar, his collar would unsnap. As of today, break-away collars are a great safety option. Most are versatile and have two D-rings that can be used during leash walks, which disables the break-away option. Once the leash is removed, the break-away collar option is in place.
Get Your Dog Microchipped
The main reason dogs wear a collar is to carry ID tags with their pet owners’ contact information. If our dog should become lost, we hope a good Samaritan will find our dog and contact us using the information on our dog’s ID tags. Collars and ID tags work, but it’s not a bulletproof option, so please microchip your dog. Collars can be taken off and ID tags can be lost, but a microchip is underneath your dog’s skin. It can’t be removed. I can’t say enough good things about microchips; they’re absolutely invaluable.
Have you had a scary dog collar accident? Please share your story below, so we can all learn together!
It is absolutely terrifying! I recently came home and found my chihuahua mix had gotten himself tangled in the button part of my duvet cover and it was wrapped around his neck several times, very tightly! I think his collar partially kept his head in so he couldn’t slip out. Luckily I came home in time and he was smart enough to lay still, although I am not sure how long he had been that way. I got rid of the duvet cover, got a quilt and now only put collars on my pups when we walk.
I dont have collars in my house! I use harnesses so they can be restrained in car & also for walking! Much better! Soon as we come home they know to come to me to take their harness off!
Yes! Harnesses are much easier and cause less damage to a dog’s neck. 🙂 But dogs should be “naked” when left alone.
April 13, 2018. I lost my dog in front of my eyes. We had only had her for four months, adopted her from the SPCA. Her belly hairs were just starting to finally fill in from her spay surgery. My dogs were playing in the house and one of my dogs lower jaw got wrapped around her collar. I screamed and shouted and got bit by my dying dog on my knee before I was able to release them. She later passed at the Emergency Clinic. We are devestated. I used to be a veterinary technician and never saw anything like this.
I’m so very sorry Elizabeth….. hopefully we can spread the word to prevent this from happening to anyone else.
I just had this same thing happen. Thankfully my baby is ok but my hand no so much. I’m relieved to see him biting me in this situation is not completely unheard of. To me it seemed like he didn’t even have control over biting me. Like I said thankfully I got them apart though. Dealing with pain myself is worth it to have them both alive and jaws/teeth intact.
I’m so sorry to hear this. Our 2 golden retrievers always have great play in our garden and today one got his jaws caught in the other’s collar. I couldn’t the collar off and screamed. Luckily my husband came running and had his pocket knife out to carefully cut the collar off. It was so traumatic. I think we were minutes away…..So our dogs will never wear collars again. Thankyou for this site. It’s good to share…
I’m so sorry. Today this happened to me, it was terrifying. I have two beautiful shelter dogs. One almost 3 years with me Coco and a newer sweet dog I got on Memorial Day. Santo (both big dogs) I came home from work extremely early (thank God) and heard the most awful cries! I ran out and found them and thought one dog was strangling the other dog! My coco the older dog was passing out and I was screaming hitting my other poor dog. Until I realized his jaw and mouth were stuck and his muzzle pierced by his own tooth. Blood everywhere, I finally calmed down and took off one of the collars and saved the dogs. I’m immediately buying break away collars ❤️
This happened to my two last night, I got bite pretty deep in my arm, they weren’t being mean just,trying to get loose and bit …,. I freed 1, then the other somehow got loose and Thank God….she was about to be gone.
I lost my dog to collar strangulation three years ago. You can read more about it on Cal-e’s Story Facebook page.
Stephanie….. I am so very sorry.
I have had 2 incidents in my 20 years of dog ownership, the first our gsd x got his collar caught on the loop of a wrought iron gate, he freaked out but luckily I was there to free him. The second incident was horrendous & my dogs have not worn collars in the house since. I was upstairs & our 2 staffie started ply fighting. Something about the pitch of their bark made me go & see what was going on. Bobbie had got her mouth under Alfies collar, one of them had twisted & they were stuck. When I got into the room Alfie was on his back, eyes bulging & Bobbie was thrashing about trying to free herself. I dived on Bobbie to stop her moving and screamed for my son as I couldn’t get to the catch on Alfies collar. As son as my son release the collar Alfie gulped in air & seemed ok. Bobbies mouth was cut to bits. They were both a bit wary of each other for a few days but ultimately all was ok. I hate to think what I would have found if I’d have been a minute later 🙁
Alternatively cut the risk altogether and use a harness. Nothing round the neck, no risk of strangulation.
Harnesses should also be removed as dogs can chew them off and choke on the pieces!!
YES! I always say “dogs should be naked when left alone”. 🙂
Today my puppy was in his Cage and he tried to take off his Dog collar his collar got Caught on his teeth and around his mouth. It was a Scary situation.. I had to cut off the collar using scissors To releases him.. thank God that I was home .
I just lost my beautiful, healthy and young dog due to getting choked when my other dog’s muzzle got trapped in her collar. I had heard ungodly screams and went outside to call my dogs, By the time I realized they were not coming and I went to see what the problem was, there was a mess of feces and urine, and the poor puppy already had her eyes wide open and had stopped breathing. The other dog had no way of freeing himself until we managed to undo the clasp of the collar.
I am heartbroken but I hope sharing this story will help others. From here on forward, my dogs will no longer wear collars unless they are going some place with their human
Oh Gitta, I’m so very sorry…. I agree, sharing your story will help someone.
I just lost my beautiful 3 year old Rhodesian ridgeback on Monday, November 19 th in the same way. I never leave the two rhodies collars on when they play and never put a collar at all on the baby rhodie but My Sahara has her collar on this day. I ran out for a quick trip to my sons school because the nurse called and didn’t crate the two dogs. I almost never crate them when I am just running out. I wasn’t gone more than twenty minutes but when I got home the dogs didn’t greet me at the door and I knew something was really wrong. I when I called they didn’t answer and I started running through the house. When I went into the basement I found the two dogs. The puppies jaw had gotten caught in Sahara’s collar was strangling her. I honestly don’t know for sure if she was still alive but I think she was but she had on a buckle collar and I couldn’t get it off. I tried and tried to save her. I ran to get a knife and cut the collar off but it was too late. It was a horrific death for a dog who brought nothing but love and happiness to our family. There was blood everywhere- signs of the struggle to untangle herself. I don’t know how I will ever get through the horror of what happened to my precious baby. Luckily the younger Rhodesian will recover from her injuries but I wish I had known something so horrid could happen. I have to live with the “what if I had” for the rest of my life. I hope others learn from my awful mistake.
I’m amazed to read this after having a “could of been fatal” accident just yesterday I went to get out 16 month old Husky out of her crate, and knew something wasn’t right when she didn’t bark as I came down to get her. Let her out of kennel and came upstairs only to find she had somehow got her lower jaw stuck in it, she was obviously trying to chew it off…but it was too tight. I was able to slip back of collar off her head but had I been gone longer God only know what could’ve happened, she couldn’t even close her mouth or yelp the way it was
She also is constantly trying to get my older dogs collar off!! I will be taking their collars off from now on, thank you so much for the eye opener
We had an incident last night where my boys were wrestling and my older dogs teeth got stuck in my younger dogs collar. It got twisted and we couldn’t untwist or unclasp it. The noises will haunt me, he uninated and went limp I got one finger in and used my arm, leg and weight to stretch the collar and we finally got them free. I am just dazed and freaked out. Comforting to see these things happen and it wasn’t just us and thank God we were home I dare to think what would have been then.
Thank you so much for publishing about this danger. I wish I had been aware sooner. Last night the lower jaw of my 60 pound pit bull mastiff got entangled in the collar of my 50 pound Dalmatian. In the struggle to free herself, she twisted the collar several time, strangling my dalmatian. I tried to get the collar to unclasp but it wouldn’t because of the tension. .My dalmatian’s eyes started to pop and get bloodshot, she was foaming at the mouth and eventually passed out and had diarrhea everywhere. I yelled for my 12 year old daughter who was the only person in the house. She was able, I don’t know how, to pick up the pit bull and spin her around in the air until the collar untwisted while I stabilized the dog’s jaw. Once the tension was gone i was then able to unclasp the collar. We were, and still are both traumatized by the event. We just lay there panting with the dogs in a pile of poop, pee, vomit, blood, and saliva. It was the worst, no owner or dog should have to go through that and my heart aches for all the other posters who were only a few minutes later than we were. I am so sorry for your loss. Traditional collars should be banned. The risks are not worth it.
Oh, Alicia… My heart mirrors your post exactly. My beautiful baby Goldendoodles had the exact same horrible experience tonight and my heart is breaking for all those who lost their beloved family members because of just a few moments difference in their situation and ours. I’m holding my babies close tonight and throwing out all of our traditional collars. I’m so, so sorry to all those who are hurting. Our hearts are with you.
My dog just died last night from collar strangulation. We are devastated and we are now trying to get the body cremated. This is a reality and we never thought of this happening.
My sweet puppy just died from collar strangulation and I’m devastated. I know how you feel.
yesterday my furbaby died. I went for a walk with my 3 month old daughter and my dog tried to jump the fence. unfortunately her stupid collar got stuck on the fence when we got back she was gone. I’m so heart broken. I knew this kinda stuff happens and I hate collars but my husband insisted she wear hers. I will never put a collar on my animals again. I never thought this could happen to us. I hope someone reads this story and takes off the collar for good. ill never get over this traumatic event.
I just lost my pregnant mini Aussie this morning. She was due in two weeks. I had let her outside in the backyard fence to play with my other aussies before the rain comes this afternoon. I’m not feeling well, so I layed down for a power nap for about an hour. I got up to bring her and the others back inside and discovered her laying in the backyard dead. Her collar got hung on something in the yard and in her stubborn fashion she had twisted herself around so many times trying to break free that the collar itself strangled her to death. It was supposed to be a breakaway type, but it did not break free. I had just put that collar on her last month, and I left the garden tool in the yard that she got hung on. I will never be the same, will always blame myself for her death, and will never keep a collar on any more of my beloved pets. Needless to say, we are absolutely devastated.
What happen to tha puppies? My dog hung herself last night and she was due any day can i save the pups bfor i burry her?
I just lost my sweet husky pup to strangulation by collar entangled in the door of the puppy crate. I am absolutely devastated.. just heartbroken I can’t believe this happened. I wish I would have known the dangers of collars sooner. I put him in his puppy crate and when I went to check on him he had his paws sticking out the cage and he wasn’t moving. I quickly realized his collar was caught and he must have panicked making the collar so tight it killed him. I tried so hard to save him, but I was too late my sweet baby Koda was gone. I partly blame the crate that crate door was made crappy and if it was not so easy to open for him to get stuck it wouldn’t have happened.
Yes! Just now! Sadly it was a break-away collar! Thankfully I arrived home just in time to find my French bulldog choking! This collar has enough slack to tighten and loosen, which causes sort of a double strap, if that makes sense. My dog somehow managed to get one strap (the overlapping strap) stuck in his mouth making him struggle with it. As he was struggling, the bottom strap began to sinch on his neck, essentially choking him. I was calling his name and he wouldn’t respond. Initially I thought he had something lodged in his throat and upon further inspection, I found it was his collar. Very scary incident. I’m uncertain if his dog brothers and sisters were playing with him, which loosened/tightened his collar, but it was definitely the collar choking him.
Ten years ago, one of my Karelian Bear Dogs (Shadow, a 3-yr. old male) strangled my other Karelian Bear Dog (Scout, a 1-yr. old female) by accident. They were playing the way Karelians do – wrestling and grabbing each other around the neck – and Shadow’s tooth got stuck in the Spirit’s collar. I had called them in for dinner and they didn’t come – which was unusual – so I went outside and found them. By the time I realized what was happening and got them loose, Scout was lifeless. I tied to revive her, to no avail, and then drove her directly to the Vet Hospital. The Vet confirmed she was dead, but did not believe what had happened. He thought that she might have died from an aneurism. To be sure, he conducted an autopsy (at no charge) and determined that she did die from strangulation. My husband and I were heartbroken and I felt guilty for many, many months. Interestingly, for a few days after Scout’s death, Shadow wandered around the house and the property looking for her – we finally brought him over to the Vet’s office to see and smell her body (the Vet had to keep her body refrigerated until they could do the autopsy) and after that, he stopped searching for her and settled down. Shadow is still with me (now 14+ years old) – I don’t blame him for Scout’s death because he was only following his instincts. But I will never again let my dogs wear a collar – only harnesses when they have to go somewhere on a lead.
In my point of view, the harness is best for dogs which causes less damage for a dog’s neck, but neck collar is important when dogs are left alone. Posh Puppy Sports collar and harness is smooth to use.
I’m absolutely astounded by the amount of poor fur babies that have lost their lives or come very close due to collars that are used to potentially save their lives in the first place.
Last night I heard the most disturbing noise we have a maremma x (55kg) 3 yrs and staffy x (27kg) 11 months, at first it sounded like they were playing but it quickly changed to a fighting and crying noise… I thought that (as I’m racing outside) it sounded like another dog was fighting with them and one of them was hurt. They were flying across the garden and garage banging into things while almost fighting and crying at the same time.
I tried to settle them so I could see what was happening as I didn’t want to get caught between them, I saw that my big dogs teeth were stuck on the small dogs collar and with all the twisting and turning the collar had got tighter and tighter. My little dog was struggling to breath and my big dog was in so much pain. I couldn’t get my fingers under the collar to release the clasp as his collar was so tight and was digging into his neck, I screamed out to my 8yr old autistic son to get me some scissors poor thing was crying and didn’t know what to do.
Luckily my neighbor looked over the fence and saw what was happening and raced over to help, I couldn’t get the scissors under the collar.
I held the small dogs skin taught and pushed as much fur away while trying to hold the collar as my neighbor cut it free!
Omg it was so intense, the collar was stuck on the big dogs teeth as his bottom teeth had pierced through the fabric so he was well and truly stuck!
The first thing my big boy did was go straight over to the the pup and licked his neck, these beautiful boys just knew we were trying to help them, I’m grateful that my neighbor was there to help as I know for sure we would have lost our little guy if 1 more minute had passed!
They’ve been quite but ok today but I’ve noticed tonight that the liitle guy has a red eye like a big blood spot (that’s how I found this) so I’m taking him to the vet in the morning.
My boys are very sweet boys, I’m so lucky to have them both but I will never forget the sound and I will never use another collar again!
Just got home from going out to dinner and I heard my dog gasping for air in his kennel. I tried to open the door and his tag was locked in the door wire. He seems fine now but I feel horrible about it. He is micro chipped. But I feel like if he gets out without a collar someone will think he is a stray and keep him. Wish I had know about this sooner.
Our two pups were playing and the pet sitter thought they were fighting. What actually happened was the one pup’s tooth got caught in the other pup’s collar and they were trying to get released from each other. The pet sitter didn’t realize it was a collar issue and let this go on for approximately 20 minutes before my son got home and found the one pup barely breathing from strangulation. I’ll never use a collar or that pet sitter again. The pup is slowly getting back to herself.
I want you all to be aware, of the danger a dog’s collar poses to their life. My family lost our beautiful 4 month old Goldendoodle fur baby, Stella, last night in such a tragic accident. Be aware, be diligent, and don’t let this happen to your family.
Last night I came home from work, I found my beautiful 4 month old fur baby, Stella, dead. She had been strangulated by her own collar. It appears, that as she and her Sister, Gemma, our other Goldendoodle were playing, like they always do. Somehow, Gemma’s lower jaw became entangled in Stella’s collar. It’s apparent, that they struggled to get free from one another, but in the process Stella died. They were never able to get free from one another. I found Stella’s lifeless body, with Gemma trembling next to her, still entangled, with Stella’s collar tightly around her neck. Gemma, was obviously distressed herself. It took me only but a minute to get them untangled, but it was to late for Stella, she had succumb to suffocation. I tried to revive her, but I was to late. What a terrible way for my beautiful Stella to die. I’m so sorry my precious Stella.
I lost my dog yesterday. We came home to find him strangled in the blinds. At first, we thought it was his choke collar. (We actually never used that collar, but had gotten it on the advice of a dog trainer when he was around one. But he seemed to love wearing it so we left it on). Upon further investigation, however, it was his dog tag on his regular collar that had gotten wound in the strings of the blinds. It appears that he panicked and started jumping around even more, and that is when his choke collar got wrapped as well. This was a 60 pound, extremely strong dog. I never would have thought this could happen. Please, please, please! Remove those collars and tags! I don’t want anyone to experience the devastation we are going through.
My beagle was jumping to get a squirrel and got caught on a 4 foot fence picket and hung by her collar. Luckily her sister barked uncontrollably and alerted my daughter who pulled her off the picket in time. We will never use a collar again after this almost fatal experience.
Tonight our 9 month old Maltipoo’s were tearing around the yard, per usual. My daughter was outside with them and I heard strange, squeaky barking. I thought she was copying them, as she sometimes does. It started sounding franctic and I went out to discover, to my horror, that our little boy had his jaw caught in our little girl’s collar. He was frantically barking and dragging her around. She wasn’t moving or making a sound but she looked terrified. I almost panicked but I just breathed and let the boy bite me out of his fear while I struggled to unsnap her collar. It took a few tries. He ran off and she lay there, lifeless. I picked up her limp little body and looked at her wide open eyes and mouth. My little girl started to cry and I berated myself for not coming out sooner, I had failed them all. Then our little girl puppy started coming to, Her tongue was hanging to the side and she was clealy dazed. Her heart was racing a mile a minute. I was worried she might have brain damage but within about 15 minutes she seemed to be back to normal, even chowing down a special dinner. It took my daughter quite a while to calm down. She couldn’t even eat dinner. I am so grateful we saved our baby in time. Tomorrow I’m getting harnesses. They are both microchipped and I will never risk a collar again. Reading through the horror stories here, we are are lucky nothing happened while crated or in their play pen.
This is really a terrible thing. Head Collar and Harnesses are safer in daily life. If the dog is in training, it is still necessary to use Flat Collar or Prong Collar