A dog’s collar has multiple purposes during the day, but what about at night, before bed? The answer to this question depends on a lot of factors. Let’s start by answering this question: Should I take my dog’s collar off at night before bed?
As a general rule, it’s certainly better to remove your dog’s collar off at night as it may pose a safety hazard. This is especially true if your dog isn’t a light sleeper.
We’ve always been told of the importance of dog collars, but rarely the consequences of having them on.
Read on to know more about the dangers of dog collars, including all the primary reasons as to why you should remove them before bed. Let’s delve right in!
The Dangers of Leaving a Dog’s Collar on Before Bed
Can dog collars pose harm to dogs if left on at night before bed? If you’re looking for a short answer, then yes, dog collars CAN be dangerous. This isn’t to say that it’s dangerous all the time, however.
Here are our top 3 reasons on how dog collars may hurt dogs, other than the general discomfort they may experience while wearing them.
Accidental Strangulation and Neck Damage
Dogs are clever animals, but there are instances where they’d accidentally snag their collars onto something. This includes, for example, laundry baskets, toys, or their own wire crates. Oftentimes, they’d jerk their necks aggressively to untangle or release themselves.
Strangulation doesn’t only happen like what was mentioned above. A dog’s lower jaw can get stuck under the collar, or a tooth might get stuck in a collar’s buckle hole.
Both of these scenarios may happen while your dog is asleep while changing their sleeping position or while scratching themselves.
Accidental strangulation by dog collar is a serious hazard. It’s estimated to have killed upwards of 26,000 dogs annually. Unfortunately, all could have been avoided if precautionary steps were taken. [Source]
Skin Problems
This mostly occurs if your dog’s collar is wrapped too tight around its neck, or if the collar feels too abrasive. Developing a rash or irritation is highly likely when your dog squirms and moves around while in bed.
Prevention is as simple as taking your dog’s collar off at night before bed. You won’t have to worry about it then.
Other Physical Injuries
There are four types of injuries that may be caused by collars. Let’s break this down individually.
Limb injuries are likely to happen when a dog’s back or front leg gets stuck inside the collar’s loop. This commonly occurs if the collar is too loose. Their limbs may break, or at the very least sprained or injured.
Mouth injuries happen when dogs get their jaw, teeth, or tongue stuck in their collars while grooming themselves. This will lead to chipped teeth and other mouth-related injuries.
Ear and eye damage happen if the collar restricts sufficient blood flow to your dog’s ears and eyes. This may cause swelling. If this happens on a regular basis, it may escalate to organ damage.
Benefits Of Taking A Dog’s Collar Off Before Bed
You may think that dogs eventually get used to the feeling of having the dog collar around their neck 24/7, but that’s not the case at all. They learn to tolerate or keep their minds off of it, but it can’t always be ignored.
We can compare it to wearing shoes. They’re important, a great fashion accessory, and they protect our feet for walking around! Despite all this, we never wear them when sleeping at night. It’s the same for dogs.
Removing the dog’s collar indoors, in general, prevents any accidents or injuries that may happen.
It’s advisable to avoid leaving your dog’s collar on for more than 12 hours a day. Preferably at night, when they’re least active. This is for several reasons:
- Keeps fur healthy and prevents skin long term skin damage.
- Avoids the risk of accidental injuries at night.
- Allows your dog to sleep more soundly.
- Reduces noise caused by the collar.
Bottom Line
The concern of losing your dog is very real, so being a bit wary of having your dog walk around without any form of identification is understandable.
However, this is only if your dog wanders off outside. It’s certainly safer to remove your dog’s collar off at night before bed.
If you don’t have a doggy door or frequently keep your dog inside, consider only having your dogs wear their collars when they’re playing out, or when it’s time for a walk.
At the end of the day, we care about our pet’s safety over anything else. If it’s safer to go without a collar at night, then so be it. They’re family, after all!
