Collar Mania Minky Collar

I will start this with saying that I did win this collar.  Collar Mania will occasionally post,'make a comment on this post to be eligible for a chance to win a free collar' on her Facebook page.  This is the one that I won.  The turn around time was terrific.  It did help that the collar was already made and all she had to do was ship it.  I think it came in 3 days, slower than my Amazon Prime stuff, but definitely quicker than the normal 4 days it takes for my parents to send something here from Ohio.

The Minky fabric is hard to describe.  It's soft and fuzzy, kind of like a fleece blanket / microfiber cloth hybrid.  Mine also has the satin lining on the inside.  I really like this collar.  It feels very sturdy & well made and I don't have any concerns about walking Hudson while he is wearing it.  It is also wider than the collars I normally have on him.  Usually he wears a 1" or a 3/4", this one is 1.5", but due to its light weight, it doesn't look super huge and bulky on him.

I made the mistake of letting him wear it in April when we were visiting my folks.  If you know anything about spring in April, you'd know that it is wet & rainy & gross.  Add to that, my parents have a small creek that runs through their backyard & it had been raining for 4 days, it was a muddy mess.  Before too long, so was my beautiful collar. To clean it, I tossed it into a pillow case and threw it in the washer with some dog blankets and let the washer do it's thing, then I let it air dry.  Good as new. I really like this collar and if I had the funds, I would buy lots & lots of collars from Collar Mania for all different occasions.  Christmas, Halloween, Easter, the Fourth of July, but for how often other people see him in his collars, it isn't worth it.

These are highly recommended for showing off you & your dog's style when out and about.

Collar Mania Collars

Fraggle Rock Collars - Biothane

I was looking for something very specific in a collar this time around.  My sister's dog, Matrix, had been wearing a nylon martingale collar for a few years and was looking for something new.  I already had a few biothanes in my arsenal and knew that they would be perfect for her.  My parents had also gotten a new dog earlier in the year, Netti, and I thought she needed something pretty.  Off I went in search of someone who made martingale collars out of biothane.  I got in contact with Fraggle Rock Collars.  They make nylon/ribbon & biothane collars, along with leashes.  She had never made a limited slip martingale out of biothane, but was up for the challenge.  I sent her the measurements for the two dogs and she got to work.  Pretty soon, these two lovelies were at my door, with matching utility leashes.

My sister's dog, Matrix, is a city dog so his collar doesn't get as much wear & tear on it, but he wears it pretty darn well.  

Netti-Pot may not look it, but she is a good ol' farm dog.  She catches rodents and all. My parents have some land behind their house that is full of trees, trails, and critters.  Netti and my Dad spend a good amount of time out there, cutting down trees and searching for critters.  There also a small creek for getting really dirty.

I also may have bought a 30 ft tracking lead at the same time.....I have a problem.   Anyway, the turn around time was slow, about 3 or 4 weeks if I remember right, but everything is holding up great.  I would definitely recommend them to anyone who has the time to wait around.

Fraggle Rock Collars
 

Chuckle Hound Collar and Bow Tie

This one is a fun one, guys.  Have you ever been going out on the town and wanted your dog to look snazzy?  Well, I haven't either, but I did want Hudson to have a bow tie, just in case.  In case of what, you might ask.  I have no idea, but my husband is a Boy Scout and he tells me that we should always be prepared, I am prepared to turn Hudson into a nerdy, frat boy at any given moment.

An internet friend started posting pictures of her Aussie in adorable bow ties and I knew I needed one from Hudson.  Chuckle Hound is a small company in Boston, MA that makes the most awesome collars, bow ties, and flowers.  Everything you need to take your dog out in style.  I really like that the bow tie has two small velcro loops on the back so you can change what collar it is on.  I am guessing the flowers are the same way, but I don't have any experience with them.

The collars are fabric collars all the way through.  Because of that I don't use it as a main walking collar, if Hudson is wearing it, he also has a harness on and the leash is on the harness.  If your dog is better behaved on a leash, then I'm sure this wouldn't be an issue and, in all honesty, the collar feels sturdy enough that I don't think it would have a problem holding Hudson when he gets SUPER excited to meet a new friend.  But, this isn't a risk I'm willing to take.

I love these bow ties.  They have lots of holiday options available and I'm planning on getting Hudson a Christmas one eventually.

Alex Dog Collar & Bow Tie

TufFlex Biothane Collar

I love these.  I love these so much, there aren't words to describe how much I love these.  They are bright, colorful, easy to keep looking nice, sturdy.  Basically, I think Biothane is God's gift to mankind.  This stuff is awesome.  Ok, I'll stop gushing now.  Just kidding, this review is basically all gushing.

If you have never experienced biothane, it is a synthetic leather.  They are advertised as being mildew resistant, doesn't hold smells, easy to clean, and virtually indestructible.  This is another product I own multiples of. Hudson has a 1 inch neon green collar and a less obnoxious 3/4 inch black one.  I ordered mine from Gun Dog Supply Company and it comes with a name plate.  Hudson's has just his name and my cell number.  I use them a lot when we are traveling so I don't have to worry if I have his tags on him or not.  When (not if, when) I order another one for him, I'll also add to the plate that he is micro-chipped.  I used these two collars exclusively when we went to NC for vacation this year and after a week of fun in the sun, sand, and waves, they are not any worse for the wear.  I don't have anything bad to say about these collars and I think everyone should have one of these collars in their collection.

I personally like the 3/4 inch width on my dog.  Hudson is about 35 lbs and wears a 16 inch collar.  I just think the 1 inch width is a tiny bit too wide on him.  He doesn't seem to mind it.  I also have a 1 inch wide Lupine collar that I also think is a little too wide, so I don't think it is a biothane phenomenon, I'm just not a quick learner.

When my MIL suggested we get my husband's great aunt something dog related for her birthday, I automatically thought of this and sent her one.

8/2016 Update

It's been a few years and I still LOVE these collars.  I have been using the 3/4" collar almost exclusively for Hudson.  He has a few fancy collars for special occasions, but his normal collar is this biothane.  After 3 years, the name and phone # on the collar are still crisp and clear, which is one of the reasons I really like it.  I never have to worry about moving tags from one collar to another, or the tag falling off.  Some people do worry about the collars breaking the coat on the longer haired dogs.  Personally, I haven't noticed much of it.  Sure, I do find some fur wrapped in the rivets, but not enough to think it is doing any real damage.  My only real complaint, after all of these years, is that I got the 3/4 in black and not a brighter color!.

TufFlex Collar