How to Fit a Martingale Collar

Step-by-Step Guide

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   Step 1: Use a soft tape measure or piece of string to measure your dog’s head.

   Measure the largest part of your dog’s head and the middle of their neck.
   
   If your dog’s head is larger than their neck, you’ll need a collar that can fit comfortably over their head.
   
   If their neck is larger than their head, you’ll need a collar that fits comfortably around their neck.Add 2” to the largest measurement to allow for growth.If you are purchasing a buckle Martingale you will only need a neck measurement.
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   Step 2: Take your first head measurement.

   Take your tape measure and measure the circumference of your dog’s head starting from under their jaw up around to the front-base of their ears., Measure, starting from where their neck meets their jaw, up around and over their ears.
   
   Both of these first two measurements should give you a complete measurement of their head.The Martingale collar only needs to fit over your dog’s head and will mostly be fitted around their neck. , This will give you the size of their neck and will inform you as to what size Martingale you will need.
   
   Choose a collar size where your measurement is in the middle of the size range.
   
   For example, if your dog’s neck is 15 inches, choose a size that is 13-18 inches rather than 15-20 inches., Understanding the design of the collar will help you make the best fitting for your dog.
   
   Locate the two loops of the collar, the large outer loop and the small control loop where the leash attaches to a D ring.
   
   The larger loop is the adjustable part of the collar and should be adjusted to fit your hound correctly., Make sure the nylon adjuster is at its largest size before slipping the collar on your dog.If you have a buckle Martingale, you can simply place the collar around the neck and connect the buckle on the side release., It is crucial to adjust the collar here because this is the point at which the collar could slip off the dog’s head.
   
   The two metal rectangles should be at least two inches apart from one another., Pulling up on the D ring will test how well you’ve fitted the collar.
   
   If the hardware on the collar is touching (where the control loop meets the larger loop around your dog’s neck), the collar is too loose and needs to be tightened.The control loop should close when you pull up on the D ring., Be sure to leave around one to two fingers of room on the loop around the dog’s neck when the control loop is closed so that the collar isn’t too tight.Adjust the slide buckle on the outer loop so that the hardware is approximately 2" apart. , A properly fitted Martingale collar should rest around the middle of the dog's neck.
   
   If it is still tightened up behind their ears, the collar is too tight and might cause them discomfort., Martingale collars do stretch over time and need to be adjusted and occasionally completely refitted.
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   Step 3: Take your second head measurement.

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   Step 4: Measure around the base of your dog’s neck.

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   Step 5: Familiarize yourself with the design of Martingale collars.

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   Step 6: Slip the collar over your dog’s nose and head.

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   Step 7: Pull the collar up just behind the dog’s ears.

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   Step 8: Pull up on the D ring.

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   Step 9: Test the fit with your fingers.

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    Step 10: Look to make sure the collar is properly fitted.

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    Step 11: Check the fit of the collar each time it is placed on your dog.

Detailed Guide

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