What Materials do you use for your collars and leashes?
All of our Rescue Me dog collars & leashes are handmade. The vast majority of our products consist of beautiful cotton quilting fabric over synthetic webbing. Each collar or leash is individually measured, and then the fabric is cut by hand, then pinned onto polypropolene (poloypro) webbing. Polypro is a great webbing for dog collars because, of all the choices, it is the least likely to cause an allergic reaction in your dog. It is also the fastest drying and unlikely to harbor molds or bacteria. The breaking strength of our one inch webbing is over 600 lbs! Then each item is sewn with our sewing machine and all hardware securely placed.
I use welded steel, brass, or brass finish D rings on collars, and steel or brass snap hooks, or lobster clasps, for strength and durability for leashes. Each collar and leash has doubly reinforced box stitching to secure the hardware and ensure lasting use. Complimentary or contrasting stitching completes each look.
We use very high quality plastic side release buckles and slides for your convenience and your dog's comfort. All of our buckles are designed to coordinate with the collar's fabric. For the 1 inch and 3/4th inch width you can choose from a wide variety of buckle colors. Our 1.5 inch width buckle collars are only available with black buckles at this time. Our side release buckles are NOT BREAK AWAY BUCKLES. ALWAYS SUPERVISE YOUR DOG WHEN WEARING ANY COLLAR. It is ther sole repsonsibility of the dog owner to determine the appropriateness of the collars and leashes and no liability is expressed or implied by providing the hardware information.
Farbrics and Patterns
Since each of our pieces is handmade, your collar may not look exactly as pictured due to variations in fabric patterns and the resolution of your computer monitor. Our collars are shown with a 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide section of fabric unless otherwise specified. Most prints are available in 1 inch (2.5 cm), 3/4 inch (1.9 cm), and 1.5 inch (3.8 cm) widths except where specified because a larger print wouldn't fit the 3/4th inch webbing properly. The outer fabric of our collars is quilting cotton unless otherwise specified. While our webbing is made to withstand tough conditions, quilting cotton is not. Just like any cotton, it is subject to fading over time, and is not designed to hold up against stratching, rough play, and biting.
Safety
Always supervise your dog when wearing a collar. Collars are NOT break-away and can get caught on objects. This is especially true for the martingale or loop collars. NEVER LEAVE ANY ANIMAL UNSUPERVISED IN ANY MARTINGALE OR CHOKE COLLAR. Remove your dog's collar whenever possible.
Always inspect your collar for any signs of damge before putting it on your dog. Never allow your dog to chew on his or her collar or leash. DO NOT USE a collar that that shows any signs of damage or that has been chewed. DO NOT allow your leash to drag on the ground or rub objects while walking your dog. This can create a tripping hazzard for you or your dog and can also damage the fabric. This disrupts the strength of the collar and can cause breakage and harm.
Care and Cleaning
The best way to care for your collar or leash is to hand wash it in warm water with a small amount of mild detergent like dish soap or mild laundry detergent. It is ok to use oxygenated cleaning products. Always be sure to thoroughly rinse all soapy residue from your collar. Hang to dry. Keep out of harsh or direct sunlight when not in use. This will help prevent fading and keep your product looking beautiful.
If your dog is allergic or has sensitive skin you may want to use a product that is free of dye and perfume. Do not use fabric softener.
While it is possible to wash our products in a traditional washer, we don't recommend it. We use strong and sturdy metal hardware in our collars and leashes and these can scratch the finish of your washer or dryer. Additionally, the repeated stress caused to plastic buckles can weaken them and caused microscopic cracking which could lead to breakage.
Neck Sizes by Breed
AIRDALE 16-22"; 42-46 LBS
AIRDALE 16-22"; 42-46 LBS
AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERD 16-22"; 35-75 LBS
BASSET HOUND 16-22"; 40-60 LBS
BEAGLE 12-18"; 18-30 LBS
BICHON FRISE 14-18"; 10-14 LBS
BLOODHOUND 22-28"; 88-105 LBS
BORDER COLLIE 14-18"; 30-45 LBS
BOSTON TERRIER 12-18"; 10-25 LBS
BOXER 16-22"; 55-75 LBS
BRITANY 14-16"; 30-40 LBS
BULLDOG AMERICAN 18-24"; 60-120 LBS
BULLDOG ENGLISH 18-24"; 40-55 LBS
BULLDOG FRENCH 12-16"; 18-28 LBS
BULL TERRIER 12- 18"; 50-60 LBS
CAIRN TERRIER 10-16"; 12-16 LBS
CHIHUAHUA 8-14"; 2-6 LBS
CHINESE CRESTED 8-11"; 5-10 LBS
CHOW 18-24"; 45-65 LBS
COCKER SPANIEL 12-18"; 24-60 LBS
COLLIE 18-22"; 50-75 LBS
CORGI 14-16"; 25-38 LBS
DACHSHUND STANDARD 16-20"; 16-32 LBS
DACHSHUND MINI 8-18"; 9-15 LBS
DALMATION 14-20"; 45-65 LBS
DOBERMAN 18-24"; 66-88 LBS
FOX TERRIER 10-16"; 14-18 LBS
GERMAN SHEPHERD 18-24"; 65-95 LBS
GOLDEN RETRIEVER 16-24"; 55-75 LBS
GREAT DANE 20-26"; 125-135 LBS
GREAT PYRENEES 24-30"; 90-125 LBS
GREYHOUND 14-18"; 55-80 LBS
GREYHOUND ITALIAN 8-11"; 7-12 LBS
JACK RUSSELL TERRIER 10-14"; 9-15 LBS
LAB 18-24"; 55-75 LBS
LHASA APSO 12-16"; 13-15 LBS
MALTESE 10-14"; 6-9 LBS
PAPILLON 8-12"; 9-11 LBS
PEKINGESE 12-16"; 8-10 LBS
PIT BULL 14-18"; 30-70 LBS
POMERANIAN 10-14"; 9-13 LBS
POODLE MINI 10-16"; 24-28 LBS
POODLE STANDARD 12-18"; 45-70 LBS
POODLE TOY 8-14"; 12-17 LBS
PUG 12-16"; 14-18 LBS
ROTTWEILER 24-30"; 100-120 LBS
ST. BERNARD 26-32"; 130-230 LBS
SCNAUZER GIANT 20-26"; 70-80 LBS
SCNAUZER STANDARD 14-20"; 30-35 LBS
SCHNAUZER MINI 10-16"; 13-15 LBS
SCOTTISH TERRIER 14-20"; 19-23 LBS
SHAR PEI 16-20"; 35-55 LBS
SHIH TZU 10-14"; 12-16 LBS
SPRINGER SPANIEL 14-18"; 49-55 LBS
STAFFORDSHIRE TERRIER 14-20"; 50-65 LBS
WEIMARANER 16-22"; 55-85 LBS
WHEATEN TERRIER 18-22"; 32-37 LBS
YORKSHIRE TERRIER 6-12"; 6-9 LBS