The best dog collars in 2024, tried and tested

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If there’s one accessory that your dog absolutely needs, it’s a collar. The best dog collars provide a secure way to attach your dog’s leash and can hold ID tags to identify your pup if they ever wander off. Plus, the right collar will also be a stylish accessory for your dog, making them look like the good boy or girl that they are.

However, choosing a dog collar is often easier said than done. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of options out there today, which can make it challenging to find the right one for your pet. To help you find the best dog collar for your needs, we tested 14 top-rated models and consulted with several dog trainers for advice on what to look for when comparing different products. We evaluated the collars on their construction, material quality, ease of use, strength and ease of cleaning, and after all our tests were completed, we found five great options that are worth buying for your dog.

Fable Signature Collar
Best dog collar

A stylish and durable pick, this collar from Fable outperformed the competition in our testing. It’s lightweight yet highly durable, and we were able to rinse dirt right off its rubbery surface — no scrubbing needed.

$36 at Fable Pets
From $44 at Chewy

GoTags Nylon Personalized Dog Collar
Best budget dog collar

In addition to being soft and easy to adjust, this nylon collar can be embroidered with your pet’s name and/or your contact info. We were impressed by its overall quality, especially for the relatively low price.

Soft Touch Leather Two-Tone Padded Dog Collar
Best leather dog collar

While it may be too thick for smaller dogs, this two-tone leather collar is one of the most comfortable options for your pet, thanks to its generously padded lining, and we like that its D-ring is in an easily accessible location.

From $20 at Chewy

Lupine Pet Basic Solid Martingale Collar
Best martingale collar

For dogs who are prone to slipping their collars, this buckle-free design is comfortable yet secure. We found that its nylon material is much softer than other collars, and its hardware is made from durable metal.

From $13 at Amazon

Best dog collar: Fable Signature Collar

$45 $36 at Fable; $45 $44 at Chewy; or $45 at Amazon

Whether your dog is an active outdoor adventurer or a cuddly couch potato, the Fable Signature Collar is a top choice for everyday wear, as it’s well-made, durable and easy to maintain. While it’s slightly more expensive than other options, we think it’s a worthwhile expense if you want a well-made product that will last your dog for years.

One of the main reasons the Fable collar stood out during testing was its durability. The collar has a polyester webbed core that’s coated in a rubberlike PVC finish, and it came out on top in all our durability tests. The collar didn’t stretch at all when we hung a 25-pound weight off it for several hours, nor did its buckle slip, outperforming several other models. The smooth PVC finish also resisted our attempts to scratch it with a fingernail, and the collar didn’t develop creases if it was left in one position for too long.

The construction and hardware on this collar also stood out. While most of the other collars are stitched with thread, the Fable has metal rivets holding it together. All the hardware on the collar is made from aluminum as well, which is less prone to cracking or breaking than plastic buckles. Despite being made from metal, the Fable’s buckle was actually easier to open and close than other collars, as the side clips are smaller and easier to squeeze. I could usually take it off my dog with just one hand (assuming he wasn’t wiggling around), and it also snaps back into place quickly, which is handy if you like to take your dog’s collar off when you’re indoors.

The Fable collar is also a top choice if your dog likes to get dirty (mine certainly does). Even after being dragged through a puddle and caked in dirt, the collar only needed to be rinsed to remove all the grime from its surface. Most of the other collars we tested required scrubbing with a stiff-bristle brush, but the PVC coating on this model was highly effective at repelling dirt and stains. After being run under warm water for a few minutes and wiped off, it looked as good as new.

The Fable collar also earned top spots in our waterproof tests, again thanks to its outer coating. The rubbery material doesn’t absorb any water, and it was fully dry just 10 minutes after being washed. By comparison, many of the nylon and polyester collars we tested needed six or more hours before they were dry to the touch.

You don’t have to worry about your dog’s comfort with this collar either. While highly durable, the rubbery material is smooth and flexible enough that it won’t rub uncomfortably on your dog’s neck.

The Fable collar comes in seven trendy, muted colors, as well as five sizes that will fit most dog breeds. The large, which is 1-inch thick, fit comfortably on my male golden retriever, who weighs around 60 pounds and has a 20-inch neck. We were happy with the color selection offered by Fable, but if aesthetics are your top priority, check out the The Foggy Dog Adjustable Collar, another top performer that comes in dozens of stylish colors and patterns.

The best budget dog collar: GoTags Nylon Personalized Dog Collar

$19 at Chewy and Amazon

Don’t be fooled by this collar’s low price point: It’s still a durable and comfortable option for your dog. What’s more, you can have it embroidered with custom text, whether your pup’s name or your phone number, for no additional cost. It’s a worthwhile option if you don’t want to listen to the jingle of metal ID tags all the time, and we were impressed by the neat, even stitches of the embroidery, especially considering its lower price point.

While the collar is made from classic webbed nylon, the material is thicker and significantly softer to the touch than other nylon and polyester collars we tested. It was one of the best-scoring products in our comfort tests, as it’s highly flexible with soft, rounded edges, and the material performed well in durability tests too. It didn’t sag or stretch under weight, and its woven construction didn’t snag at all over several days of wear, even with my dog scratching at it occasionally. The only downside is that the buckle is plastic (all our other top picks have metal hardware), but it still clicks on and off easily. It requires a little more pressure to open than the Fable collar, but when you push down the side clips, the force actually pops the inner piece out of the buckle, so you don’t have to manually pull it apart.

The GoTags collar fell in the middle of the pack when it came to cleaning. Like most of the webbed collars we tested, it needed a bit of scrubbing to remove caked-on dirt, but there weren’t any stains or discoloration on the fabric after. The collar does absorb water, unlike the PVC-coated products, and it took around six hours to air-dry. The good news is that it’s actually one of the few machine-washable options, so you could always toss it in the dryer to expedite the process.

The GoTags collar is available in five colors and four sizes. A large, which has a 5/8-inch width, was just right for my 60-pound dog, and the fabric slides smoothly through the buckle, making it easy to adjust to the proper length. However, depending on the collar size and the length of your text, the adjustment buckle may run over the embroidery, which can make it difficult to read.

In terms of personalization, you can choose from several embroidery colors to customize the look of the collar, and your text can be up to 25 characters (including spaces), which is more than enough for most dog names and a phone number. If your dog has a particularly long name, the Orvis Personalized Collar has a slightly higher character limit of 28 characters, but it’s not quite as smooth to the touch as the GoTags.

Best leather dog collar: Soft Touch Leather Two-Tone Padded Dog Collar

$43 $24 at Chewy; $26 at Amazon

Several of the dog trainers we spoke to recommended leather collars as a durable and long-lasting option, and we particularly liked this padded option from Soft Touch, especially for larger dogs. The outside of the collar is made from attractive full-grain leather, and the inside has a lambskin lining that adds a subtle pop of color around the edges for a sophisticated yet fun aesthetic.

If your dog is sensitive to collars rubbing on their skin, the Soft Touch Collar offered the most padding of all the products we tested. The inner lining is squishy to the touch, and the edges are smooth and rounded to prevent any chafing. Plus, unlike the other leather collars we tested, the outer material has sealed edges to prevent fraying. The two layers of the collar are fastened together with a row of neat, even stitching, and the thread used is thicker than that on many other collars. However, we did find that the buckle hole stretched out a small amount during the weight test — something to keep in mind if your dog is prone to pulling.

The buckle and other hardware on this collar are made from extra-thick metal, and I particularly liked that the D-ring (where you attach a leash) is on the opposite side of the collar from the buckle. Because the buckle is the heaviest part of the collar and naturally falls underneath your dog’s chin, this meant the D-ring was always readily accessible on the back of my dog’s neck. Almost all the other collars have the D-ring next to the buckle, which makes it a bit harder to find, especially if your dog has a thick coat like mine.

The Soft Touch collar was also a top performer in our cleaning tests. We were able to rinse the majority of the dirt off the leather exterior, though it did require a small amount of scrubbing to get the stitching clean. Because the edges of the collar are sealed, the material didn’t absorb much water, and it was dry to the touch after around 20 minutes. However, we did notice a small amount of lingering moisture around the buckle holes, which was likely absorbed into the inner padding.

While we were impressed with the construction and durability of this collar, it was one of the more cumbersome options to put on and take off. It has a belt-style buckle, which took more time to put on my dog, and because the double-layer construction is the thickest we tested, it’s stiffer than the other collars. This could be a deal breaker if you like to take your dog’s collar off at home, as it’s less convenient than a quick-snap buckle.

The Soft Touch collar comes in five color combinations and four sizes, and while the large was the recommended size for my dog’s 20-inch neck measurement, it was actually a little bit big. I had to fasten it to the tightest setting and it was still slightly loose around his neck, so I think he might have been better off with a medium. The large collar is 1.5 inches wide — one of the widest that we tested — and while the smaller sizes have narrower widths, this collar may look bulky on smaller breeds.

Best martingale dog collar: Lupine Pet Basic Solid Martingale Collar

From $11 at Lupine Pet or $14 From $13 at Amazon

Martingale collars, which have a loop of material where you attach your leash, are recommended for any dogs who tend to slip out of their collar: “A martingale collar allows you to have the collar fit loosely when not in use, but should a dog pull or try to back out, it will begin to cinch or snug up the collar, making it too tight to back out of,” says Garret Wing, founder of American Standard Dog Training. Of the martingale collars we tested, this model from Lupine was our favorite, thanks to its simple, yet effective design. It’s also the only collar we tested that comes with a lifetime replacement guarantee that covers damage caused by chewing.

The first thing that stood out about the Lupine collar is that it doesn’t have a buckle closure like the other martingale collars we tested. Instead, it simply slips over your dog’s head. I was a bit skeptical about whether it would be easy to put on, but the large slipped over the head of my female golden, who weighs around 50 pounds, with no problems. True to claim, the martingale design automatically cinched up to an appropriate tightness when she was on a leash. It was tight enough to get her attention but not so much that it was choking her, and it helped deter her from pulling while we were walking. It didn’t stop the behavior entirely, though.

The Lupine collar is made from nylon webbing, and it outperformed other synthetic collars in our comfort tests. The fabric is softer to the touch, though not quite as soft as the GoTags collar, and we also liked that the collar sits looser around the neck — something I’m sure my dog appreciated as well. Unlike the other martingale collars, it has mostly metal hardware (the adjustment buckle is the only plastic piece), and the collar didn’t stretch at all during the weight test.

In our cleaning tests, the Lupine collar needed to be scrubbed with a brush to remove the dirt, but it didn’t stain, even though the fabric is light in color. However, it did take more than six hours to dry completely. Because the fabric on the martingale loop is essentially doubled up, this area stayed damp for longer. One other caveat to note: After washing this collar, we noticed that there was a small amount of dye that leaked out as it drip-dried. We’d recommend washing the collar before letting your dog wear it to ensure it doesn’t stain their fur.

This collar comes in four sizes, two widths and eight colors; the brand also carries the same product in a reflective option, patterned designs and even fun holiday patterns. It’s also one of the more budget-friendly collars we tested, and if you order it directly from the brand, you can have it embroidered with up to 25 characters of text for an additional $15.

What’s the best collar style for dogs?

At the advice of our experts, we tested two main styles of dog collars: classic flat collars and martingale collars. Both styles have benefits and drawbacks you’ll want to consider.

“Flat collars are your typical store dog collar that maintains the same size around your dog’s neck,” Wing says. These collars are adjustable, allowing you to tighten or loosen them as needed, and they typically have a buckle-style closure that keeps them secure. They’re generally the most popular pick for everyday wear.

While they’re easy to use, there are a few downsides to flat collars, especially if they’re not properly fitted to your dog’s neck. “If your dog gets scared by a loud noise or sees a squirrel, dogs can very quickly — and I mean very quickly — back out of a flat collar,” Wing says. He also notes that flat collars put pressure on the dog’s trachea if they pull, causing discomfort and potentially even injury.

On the other hand, martingale collars (also called limited-cinch collars) have a double-loop design. They can be left fairly loose on your dog’s neck, but when your dog pulls, the collar gets tighter, preventing your dog from backing out of the collar. “It has the added benefit of distributing leash pressure on a wider stretch of the collar, thereby limiting the pressure directly on the dog’s trachea,” Wing says. However, because of their tightening mechanism, martingale collars are not recommended when your dog is unsupervised, as it can be dangerous if they get caught on something.

When it comes to the topic of collar closures, our experts offered differing opinions, ultimately saying that it depends on the dog. Several noted that classic buckles (like the ones on a belt) prevent you from accidentally releasing the closure if, for instance, you grab your dog’s collar, but others pointed out that a quick-release buckle can be removed faster in case of an emergency. In the end, it’s really a matter of personal choice, so you’ll want to consider how you interact with your dog’s collar and whether you take it on and off frequently.

What’s the best dog collar material?

Dog collars are often made from synthetic webbing, such as nylon or polyester, but there are other materials you may want to consider too.

Synthetic webbing

Nylon and polyester webbed collars are popular for good reason. Not only are they inexpensive but they’re quite durable, come in a wide range of colors and are easy to clean. “If you have a mud-loving furry friend, a nylon collar is going to be easier to clean — with a simple dip in the sink and soap scrub, it becomes as good as new,” says Joey Morris, co-founder of OverWatch K9 Academy. However, they may fade over time, take on odors if not washed and often take several hours to dry when wet.

Leather

Several of our experts recommended leather collars, which are often a bit more durable than synthetic materials. “Leather collars are sturdy, long-lasting and provide a classic look while being able to handle more resistance from a dog that is pulling on the leash,” Morris says. The downside is that leather is harder to clean and can take on odors if your dog regularly gets wet and dirty.

Waterproof

Waterproof collars typically have a webbed core and are coated in PVC (a type of plastic) for a rubberlike exterior. They don’t absorb water, allowing them to dry quickly, and they’re also easy to clean and impervious to odors. They’re typically more expensive than other types of collars, but if your dog frequently goes swimming or gets dirty, a waterproof collar may be a worthwhile investment.

Closure material

When it comes to hardware, our experts recommend selecting a collar that uses metal, not plastic. “Plastic parts are cheap and can crack, break and become weak and brittle with age and cold weather,” Wing says. “Plastic parts can also be easily chewed and ingested.” If you do opt for a collar with plastic components, inspect it regularly to check for signs of wear that could compromise its performance.

How tight should a dog collar be?

It’s an age-old question that many of us pet parents get wrong. In short, a flat dog collar should be tight enough that it can’t slip over your dog’s head. “Your dog’s collar should fit snugly but allow room for two fingers to be placed between the collar and your dog’s neck,” says Lorrie Reynolds, a dog trainer at Maximum Fun Dog Sports. “If you can slip the collar over your dog’s head, it is too loose. If you can’t fit two fingers under the collar, it is too tight.”

Martingale collars can be a little looser around your dog’s neck. “With a martingale collar, it needs to be fit loose enough so that it freely spins on your dog’s neck, but if pressure is applied to the collar — dog pulling, for example — it will become too snug to slip over the dog’s head,” Wing says.

How we tested

With the help of my two golden retrievers, I put each of the 14 dog collars through a series of tests to evaluate their strength, ease of use and ease of cleaning. Here are all the tests we put the collars through:

Design

• Overall construction and materials: Is the fabric soft? Flexible? Is the stitching neat? Is the hardware metal or plastic?

• Fit and adjustability: Is it easy to adjust the size? Is the fit as expected based on the sizing chart?

• Variety and warranty: I took note of each collar’s size range, number of color/pattern options and brand warranty, where applicable.

Performance

• Comfort: I had one of my dogs wear each collar for two days. We went about our daily activities, going for walks, playing fetch and taking the occasional car ride. I noted how each collar performed, as well as if my dog seemed comfortable or if they were scratching at the collar more than usual.

• Strength: I used each collar to hang a 25-pound kettlebell from my desk. I measured the length of the collar at the start of the test, then again after three hours. I noted whether the collar slipped or stretched at all and if there were any signs of wear.

• Cleaning: I dragged each collar through a patch of mud (there’s plenty to go around in New England during the winter), then let the dirt dry. I then hand-washed each collar, using dish soap and a stiff-bristled brush as needed. I noted how easily the dirt came off and whether there were any lingering stains, and then I hung them over the edge of the tub to air-dry. I checked on the collars in 30-minute intervals, recording how long it took each one to dry completely.

Other dog collars we tested

The Foggy Dog Adjustable Collar

$35 at The Foggy Dog

The Raspberry Gingham collar proved to be both well made and attractive in our testing. Of all the collars we tried out, this one earned my dog the most compliments, with several people commenting on how pretty she looked in the pink checkered print. It was also the softest collar we tested, as it has a webbed nylon interior that’s covered in a cotton fabric, and all the hardware on the collar is metal. The one downside is that the cotton absorbs significantly more water than synthetic materials like nylon. Even after we wrung it out, the collar still took more than eight hours to dry, so it may not be a suitable choice if your dog likes to go swimming.

Ruffwear Crag Reflective Collar

$22 at Ruffwear

Ruffwear makes some of the best dog coats we’ve tried, and we also liked the brand’s Crag collar. The design is quite basic: It’s made from reflective polyester webbing with a plastic buckle and metal D-ring, and it comes in a dozen color and pattern options, as well as three sizes. The collar includes a separate attachment ring for your dog’s ID tags, helping to prevent jingling, and dirt came off easily when we scrubbed the material with a stiff-bristled brush. The collar took around six hours to air-dry, but unlike the GoTags option, it shouldn’t be put in the washing machine. It’s certainly not a bad choice for your pet, but it really didn’t stand out at all in our testing.

Ruffwear Front Range Dog Collar

$15 at Ruffwear

The Front Range and Crag collars are identical in their design, but this collar is made from a slightly different material that’s stiffer and a bit rougher to the touch. It also only comes in solid colors, no patterns. The good news about this collar is it dried two hours faster than the Crag and is half the price, but overall, we think the Crag would be a more comfortable option for your pet due to its softer material.

Orvis Personalized Collar

$25 at Orvis

If you want to have your dog’s collar personalized, this product from Orvis is another popular choice. It has a standard nylon weave that comes in 16 colors and patterns, and you can have your dog’s name and your phone number embroidered onto the collar for no added cost. It also has a slightly higher character count than the GoTags collar: The medium, large and extra-large sizes can all be customized with up to 28 characters.

While it’s a solid and well-priced pick for your dog, there were a couple of minor reasons this collar didn’t quite edge out the GoTags collar, despite their similar designs. The Orvis collar’s nylon material isn’t as soft, and it also appears to be held together by glue, not stitching. It also required significantly more scrubbing to get dirt stains out of the fabric.

Frisco Two-Tone Top-Grain Leather Collar

$13 From $12 at Chewy

Another padded option for your pup, this leather collar from Frisco is much thinner than the Soft Touch, making it well suited for smaller dogs. It has a durable leather buckle and neat stitching, and the D-ring is on the back of the collar, making it easy to access. The design wasn’t perfect, though: The edges of the material are raw, which may lead to faster deterioration, and we noticed that the stitching is hard to get clean, even when scrubbed.

Made to Roam Premium Dog Collar

$20 From $18 at Amazon

If you have a larger dog and want a heavy-duty collar, this model from Roam definitely fits the bill. It’s crafted from double-layered nylon webbing that resembles a seat belt, and it had the most heavy-duty buckle closure of all the products we tested. It also comes in more sizes and colors than most, allowing you to find just the right one for your dog.

However, there are two factors that you’ll want to keep in mind before buying this collar. First, the double-layer material takes a long time to dry when wet — more than eight hours in our testing. Additionally, the material is very stiff and slightly abrasive, so it may rub your dog’s skin and cause discomfort, especially if they have shorter fur.

Wild One Collar

$30 From $27 at Wild One

The colorful Wild One Collar is made from nylon webbing with a PVC coating, and while it’s soft to the touch, durable and easy to clean, its design has one major flaw. Despite my following the brand’s sizing chart, the large size was too big for my dog’s neck, and when it was tightened to its smallest setting, there was a lot of excess material sticking out from the buckle. It ended up flapping around underneath my dog’s neck, which looked awkward and caused her to scratch at it frequently. To use this collar, I’d have to cut off the excess material or return it and get a smaller size.

Wilderdog Waterproof Collar

$29 at Wilderdog

Another waterproof option for water-loving pups, the Wilderdog comes in a variety of fun colors and patterns. It’s made from polyester webbing with a PVC coating that’s smooth and soft, but we ran into a few issues with the collar’s overall design. First, the adjustment buckle creates a kink in the collar, which causes it to stick up from my dog’s neck. Additionally, the Guava colorway had a few stains after just two days of wear, and they didn’t come out when I cleaned it.

Petsafe Quick-Snap Martingale Collar

$13 From $10 at Amazon or From $10 at Chewy

If you prefer a martingale collar with a buckle closure, this inexpensive option from Petsafe is our recommendation. The nylon construction is stiffer and not as soft as the Lupine martingale, but it still worked the same way, tightening on my dog’s neck whenever she pulled on the leash. The size of the collar was easy to adjust, and the nylon came clean with just a little bit of scrubbing. Plus, you can’t beat its low price; it was one of the most inexpensive options out of everything we tested.

Frisco Solid Nylon Martingale Dog Collar

$9 at Chewy

Frisco offers another inexpensive martingale with a buckle closure, but we didn’t like it as much as the Petsafe or Lupine. Despite following the sizing chart, it was too big for my dog, and the loop portion of the collar hung down awkwardly when it wasn’t attached to a leash. The nylon construction is also very thick, and its edges are rougher than the other options we tried, making it less comfortable for your pet.

Note: The prices above reflect the retailers' listed price at the time of publication.

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