How to Choose a Heavy Leather Dog Collar
May 19th 2020
Which leather dog collar should you choose for your K9?
Here is a breakdown of each type of Ray Allen made leather collar for police and military dogs:
Heavy Leather Collars
Our 1 ¼ and 2-inch Heavy Leather Collars are truly the standard for a classic leather dog collar. Ray Allen has been manufacturing these as a staple for police and military working dogs for over 70 years.
Features:
They are strong, double-layered, and made from latigo leather, crafted right here in the U.S.A. They feature a built-in handle with felt padding on the inside, adding comfort for both K9 and handler.
Specs:
The leather is rich and stiff, with the wide strip and rigidity helping spread the load out over the dog’s neck.
Our Heavy Leather Collar includes resilient hardware; a strong buckle with a D-Ring is sewn into the collar, so even if the ring breaks you get some redundancy and a failsafe.
This adjusts from 18 inches up to 24 inches, and is available in black or burgundy. See collars at 0:11 on our Youtube demonstration.
We also feature a similar double-layered leather collar with the same design, but with a riveted handle meant to sit at the back of the dog’s neck for a bit more handler control. See it at 0:43 on our Youtube demonstration.
Ideal for:
Ideal for working, military and police dogs that need a piece of equipment that will last as long as their careers.
Reviewers have praised these collars for their longevity- from owners of agile Australian Cattle Dogs to savage Dutch Shepherds that can pull like a horse.
Leather and Nylon RAM Collar
Ray Allen’s premier collar is our adjustable RAM Collar. It is crafted with a similar structure to the 2-inch Heavy Duty Leather collar, but with Mil-Spec nylon and loop Velcro sewn around the outside to give the option to add ID panels or placards to recognize your K9.
Features:
An agitation collar at heart, the 2-inch piece of North American leather spreads out the load as your dog pulls, and will mold snugly to your dog’s neck over time. Made with a thick 1-inch Cobra buckle for durability and a built in D-Ring which sits tightly to the collar and is able to be folded out of the way when not in use.
Specs:
This collar adjusts from 14 inches up to 26 inches and is available in black, coyote, or grey. See it in action at 1:32 on our Youtube demonstration.
Ideal for:
Ideal for any dog requiring visible identification (service dogs, SAR, detection, or K9 officers), or for owners who don’t want ID tags dangling.
Reviewers have praised this for its ability to be customized, and its firm, comfortable fit.
Ultimate Padded Leather Collar with Handle
Ray Allen’s Ultimate Padded Leather Collar with Handle is perhaps the most versatile and sophisticated of the leather collar offerings.
Features:
Made with tough latigo leather, a heavy handle stitched right into the collar, and hefty Neoprene padding sewn to the inside for breathability, this is meant for outdoor work and physical dogs.
The unique aspect of this collar is its D-Ring. Stitched right into the leather, the D-Ring pulls back differently than a regular leather collar, causing it to load back towards the handler, pulling against the collar a little more smoothly so as the leash moves up and down the D-Ring doesn’t change the way that it pulls into the dog. (Demo at 2:38 on our Youtube demonstration.)
Specs:
This adjusts from 20 inches up to 24 inches and is available in black or burgundy. See it in action at 2:10 on our Youtube demonstration.
Ideal for:
Ideal for tracking or agitation work, or any dog that requires a plush collar for pulling and range of motion.
Reviewers have praised this for being not just stylish and functional, but best for training, giving the handler extra support when the dog is aggressive or enthusiastic.
Sizing a Leather Dog Collar
For sizing purposes, the holes punched into our leather collars are sized to the second hole, with an inch of spacing, plus or minus, between holes.
While some have different numbers of holes due to its handle or hardware, all of Ray Allen’s leather collars are guaranteed to fit the same measurements of your dog’s neck regardless of which collar you choose.
Watch a sizing demo at 2:52 on our Youtube demonstration.
Read our guide on choosing a quality leather dog leash.
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