Golden Retrievers have been the third most popular dogs in the US for years. But things are changing. According to a study done by Petlap, Golden Retrievers are now the most favored dog breed in over 38 states, and are the most searched-for breed in the last 12 months.
The popularity is growing for a reason. These dogs are gentle with children, eager to please their owners, and get along well with strangers and other pets. However, Golden Retrievers are working dogs initially bred for hunting waterfowl. The dog needed to be energetic and a strong swimmer to be able to deal with the crippled birds and track wounded game.
As a result, Golden Retrievers have high energy levels and require sturdy and reliable collars to keep them under control. In this guide, we'll focus on how you can choose a collar that can withstand the Golden Retriever's high energy levels and give you recommendations for the collars we have tested.
Top Collars for Golden Retrievers
| Collar Name | Width | Material | Key Features | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Rose Gold Chocolate 2-inch Luxe Martingale Collar  |
2 inches | Neoprene-lined Nylon | Tightens to discourage pulling, two-loop design | Great for leash training, comfortable neoprene lining | Not ideal for non-training situations |
|
Gold Noir 2-inch Tacti Dog Collar  |
2 inches | 1050D Ballistic Nylon | Strong, durable, machine-welded D-ring | Extremely durable, resistant to abrasions | Heavier than other collars |
|
Apple 1.5-inch Tacti Slim Collar  |
1.5 inches | 1050D Ballistic Nylon | Slim, lightweight design, neoprene lining | Lightweight, water and sweat-resistant | Not as sturdy for very rough play |
|
Olive Double-Pin Expedition Dog Collar  |
Adjustable | 1050D Ballistic Nylon | Classic belt-style double-pin buckle | Adjustable for weight fluctuations, stylish, durable | Less precise fit due to hole spacing |
|
Sofia 1.5-inch Tacti Lite Dog Collar  |
1.5 inches | 1050D Ballistic Nylon | Lightweight, designed for dogs with neoprene allergies | Very lightweight, quick drying, made of sturdy nylon | Plastic buckle may not be as durable as metal |
Before we dive into how to choose the right collar for your Golden Retriever, let's first see why collars are a must-have. In the US, states require you to keep your furry friend under control all the time. Although under control doesn't mean a leash, some local laws might strictly require you to keep the dog on a leash during specific times, like between sunset and sunrise.
Some laws prohibit off-leash dogs in places like schools, parks, and beaches. States like Michigan and Pennsylvania have specific leash laws for restraining dogs. The situation is similar in Canada. For example, your dog must be on a leash in Toronto unless you're in an area designated as off-leash. Otherwise, you'll incur a penalty of up to $365.
Apart from penalties, remember you're responsible for your dog's behavior. If it bites someone or attacks someone's pet, you'll have to compensate. So, we recommend buying a collar immediately when you adopt your furry friend. But how can you know a collar will withstand the hyperactive nature of Golden Retrievers? Here are the things to check.
Material
The common collar materials are Biothane, chain, polyester, leather and nylon. Let's see how these materials compare, and which one is best for a Golden Retriever collar.
- Biothane: Biothane material is made of polyurethane, polyvinyl, and polyester webbing. These collars are waterproof, making them easier to clean. The main limitation of Biothane collars for Golden Retrievers is the lack of breathability. Since these dogs are hyperactive and have double coats that insulate heat, heat accumulation during exercises is usually uncomfortable. Another issue is that Biothane collars are stiffer compared to leather and nylon collars.
- Chain: Obviously, chain collars are made of stainless steel. They are sturdy and durable but unnecessarily heavy. Since wide chain collars can be excessively heavy, manufacturers usually go for slim designs. These slim chain collars can easily dig into the furry friend's skin when he pulls.
- Polyester: Polyester is a synthetic fiber made from petroleum products. The biggest advantage of polyester collars is that they wick away moisture, helping the dog cool down. The material is also more comfortable than Biothane. However, the material is not sturdy, and Golden Retrievers can damage polyester collars in no time with their heavy chewing and rough plays.
- Leather: Real leather is one of the most durable materials and probably the one that looks most classy and luxurious. Unfortunately, leather collars aren't an option for Golden Retrievers. Leather absorbs water and becomes dumb and a breeding ground for bacteria. You might even have to endure bad odors hours after the swimming session. It then becomes excessively dry and brittle once it dries. So, for these water-loving dogs, consider something else.
- Nylon: Nylon is made of synthetic polymers derived from crude oil. It's the only material that strikes a perfect balance between durability and comfort. The material is breathable, so your furry friend won't overheat. Nylon is also incredibly durable, especially when you go for heavy-density webbings from 1000D. On the downside, it can rub the skin and cause irritations when wet. So, we recommend going for nylon collars with waterproof neoprene lining.
Comfort
Golden Retrievers are very intelligent, ranking position four as the most intelligent dog breed. If the collar rubs their neck or digs into the skin and causes irritations or pain, they can easily tell and start refusing to wear it. Things get worse when you try to force him to wear the collar. He'll lose trust in you, and your bond breaks.
For instance, the dog will stop being excited whenever you come back home from work or run away when it sees you holding the collar. Also, discomfort usually results from something hurting the dog. For example, the discomfort might be caused by the collar rubbing the neck, causing chaffing and irritations.
Over time, this rubbing ends up becoming a health issue, such as bald spots and skin infections. To avoid all these, make sure the collar is well-padded. However, we don't recommend sponge padding as Golden Retrievers love playing with water, and the sponge will absorb it and become dumb and smelly. Instead, consider water-resistant padding like neoprene.
Top Collars for Golden Retrievers
Sometimes there is a big difference between what you see in the product description and the actual quality of the product. For instance, we have seen cases where a collar is indicated to be made from a high quality nylon webbing, only to end up with light nylon fabric that frays easily during rough plays.
Another case is where you find some martingale training collars tightening all the way to choking your dog like choke collars. So, to avoid buying low-quality collars unknowingly, we recommend you pick one of the following collars that we have tested and approved.
Rose Gold Chocolate 2-inch Luxe Martingale Collar
Golden Retrievers are medium-sized dogs, with males weighing 65 to 75 pounds and females weighing 55 to 65 pounds. Their large size and high energy levels can be frustrating when they are hyperactive and pulling on leashes. That is why you need to start with leash training.
There is no better training collar than the Rose Gold Chocolate 2-in Luxe Martingale Collar. This collar looks like the standard dog collar, but it uses two loops instead of one. The main loop is what goes around the dog's neck, just like a standard collar. The other loop tightens the main loop when you put pressure on the leash.
This tightening is what discourages the dog from pulling. This allows you to focus on positive reinforcement training while having a way to keep your dog under control if he goes berserk. Since this collar isn't meant for aversive training, it comes with neoprene lining. This makes the collar as comfortable as the rest of our recommended standard collars.
Gold Noir 2-inch Tacti Dog Collar
The hyperactive nature of Golden Retrievers is deeply ingrained in their blood. Even after training, these dogs still get overexcited, and even the normal plays turn rough. That means you still need sturdy and reliable collars to keep the Fido under control.
Of all the collars we have tested, we haven't seen any quality that surpasses the sturdiness, reliability and durability of the Gold Noir 2-inch Tacti Dog Collar. This collar is made of 1050D nylon webbing. D stands for Denier, which is the weight of one strain of nylon webbing. The lighter the webbing, the easier it's to fray, tear and puncture.
1050D nylon is one of the strongest webbings, no wonder it's called ballistic nylon. A 1-inch wide 1050D nylon webbing has a massive breaking strength of 1020 pounds. So you can imagine how much more strong this collar is, made of 2-inch wide 1050D nylon.
The webbing is also abrasive resistant and won't get damaged even when the dog runs through branches and rocks. Something else is that the D ring loop of this collar is hot rolled and machine welded. This eliminates the chances of the closures failing when the dog pulls strongly, which is a major weakness in most standard collars.
Apple 1.5-inch Tacti Slim Collar
Under normal conditions, your Golden Retriever will wear the collar from the morning to the evening, just before sleep time. We recommend the Apple 1.5-inch Tacti Slim Collar for this kind of everyday wear. The collar combines the strength of 1050D webbing, and hot-rolled, machine-welded D rings with a lightweight and comfortable design.
As the name suggests, this collar is 1.5 inches wide, which is 0.5 inches slimmer than the above collar. As a result, this collar is incredibly lightweight, weighing only 8 ounces. This is a small weight that won't hinder activities like running and swimming.
The collar comes with neoprene lining, which is a water and sweat resistant material. This is a big advantage as there won't be mold and bacteria growth after swimming. So, there are no worries of skin infections, irritations and bad odors.
Olive Double-Pin Expedition Dog Collar
As the name suggests, this collar is designed with expedition in mind. The design looks like a standard double-pin belt. This makes it incredibly easy to match the outfit with your furry friend when going for camping trips, vacations and outings.
For instance, you can wear an olive double-pin belt, olive Harrington jacket, and black suede desert boots as your dog spots this Olive Double-Pin Expedition collar. This gives you a casual street vibe. Alternatively, you can wear navy leather tassel loafers, an olive double-pin belt, navy chinos, and a pink blazer, as your dog wears this olive double-pin collar. This gives you a classy look.
Apart from the aesthetics, this collar is made of the same 1050D nylon webbing, so you don't have to worry about reliability and durability. Something worth mentioning is that Golden Retrievers have strong appetites and are one of the dog breeds most prone to obesity. The good news is that they can lose weight quite easily due to their hyperactive nature.
You only need to create time for exercises and plays, and they'll burn calories and lose weight. This collar is designed to accommodate the weight fluctuations in these dogs. The collar has a set of holes for size adjustments. You simply size the collar up or down depending on how your pup grows or loses and gains weight.
Sofia 1.5-inch Tacti Lite Dog Collar
Even though neoprene is great for water resistance and comfort, it's a synthetic material, and some Golden Retrievers can be allergic to it. If that's the case for your four-legged friend, the best alternative is the Sofia 1.5-inch Tacti Lite Dog Collar.
This collar is specifically designed for allergic dogs and comes without neoprene lining. The lack of padding brings another advantage. This collar is the most lightweight on this list, weighing only 5 ounces. It's a great option for growing Golden Retriever puppies and seniors as it won't burden their delicate frames.
Also, the lack of paddings shortens the drying time, making it the best option for Golden Retrievers who swim regularly. However, to achieve this lightweight construction, the manufacturer had to use a plastic buckle instead of a metallic one, as in the above options. But don't worry.
This is a hardened plastic, and you'll enjoy a better level of sturdiness and durability compared to the common plastic buckles in the market. Like the other collars in this list, the Sofia 1.5-inch Tacti Lite Dog Collar is made of 1050D. So, there are no worries of abrasions and punctures.
How to Properly Fit a Collar on a Golden Retriever
As we mentioned, Golden Retrievers are medium-sized dogs. Males have a standing height of around 23 to 24 inches, while females have a standing height of around 21 to 22 inches. The neck size ranges from 16 to 24 inches, depending on your dog's genetics, sex, and lifestyle.
That means you should go for medium-sized collars, from around 15 inches to 25 inches. We recommend going for collars with adjustable sizes for a perfect fit. When fitting the collar around the dog's neck, leave a room that can fit about three fingers. That way, the collar won't be too tight to hurt the dog or too loose for the dog to escape.
Conclusion
The popularity of Golden Retrievers is growing, and it might even overtake the French Bulldog if the current trend of being the most favored and searched-for dog breed is anything to go by. These dogs are incredible companions due to their gentleness and affection. But they are hyperactive and love rough play. So, make sure you get one of the above sturdy and reliable collars to keep your furry friend under control.