A chain collar is a great alternative to common dog collars made of other materials. The chain collar offers many advantages, but regardless of whether the longevity, easy care or the fur-friendly structure ultimately convinced you – with all the choices available finding the right chain collar for your dog can seem daunting at first.
In this guide, we'll show you how to find the perfect chain collar for your four-legged friend in four easy steps. This way, you can be sure that comfort, safety and functionality are optimally tailored to your needs.
Our tip: While you go through our guide, open the chain collar category in our shop and gradually set the appropriate filter options to only display the collars that are suitable for your dog!
Step 1: Chain collar material
First and foremost, you should consider, what material should your dog's chain collar be made of?
Why is the material of the chain collar so important?
The material of your chain collar not only affects the look, but also the durability, care and suitability for your dog. Depending on the area of application and type of fur, you should carefully select the material. Due to the different properties of the materials, they have influence on which wire gauge you should choose or which link types or chain models are even offered.
Chain collar materials overview
Our chain collars come in six different so-called qualities, who each have their own advantages and disadvantages.
Do you want details about the different chain materials? You can find out more about all chain collar materials here!
And here you can find them in a brief overview:
Stainless steel
- Solid material – polished
- Absolutely rust-free
- Resistant to seawater
- Durable and robust
- Safety through high breaking load
- Available in most link types and chain models
Stainless steel matte
- Solid material with a matte surface
- Stainless steel
- Resistant to seawater
- Durable and robust
- Safety through high breaking load
- Cannot be cleaned with metal polish
Stainless steel black
- Solid material – surface blackened & polished
- Absolutely rust-free
- Resistant to seawater
- Safety through high breaking load
- Available in many link types and chain models
- Cannot be cleaned with metal polish
- Not recommended for light/white dogs due to the higher risk of fur discoloration
Stainless steel matte black
- Solid material with a matte surface
- Stainless steel
- Resistant to seawater
- Durable and robust
- Safety through high breaking load
- Only available as NeckTech Fun
- Cannot be cleaned with metal polish
CUROGAN
- Special high-strength copper alloy
- Solid material – polished
- Nickel-free
- Stainless steel
- Minimizes fur discoloration in 90% of affected dogs
- Material darkens over time
- Slightly softer than stainless steel – if necessary, a higher wire gauge must be chosen
- Not available as an adjustable model
Steel chrome-plated
- Double rust protection through nickel and chrome layer
- High-gloss surface
- Cannot be cleaned with metal polish
- If damaged, rust can form on the steel core
What material for a dog's chain collar?
So, what material should you choose for your dog's chain collar now?
With stainless steel, you can't go wrong with most dogs, and you give yourself the opportunity to choose from a wide selection of chains.
For dogs with light or white fur and for dogs that are sensitive to other materials or react with discoloration of their fur, we recommend CUROGAN.
If your first necklace convinces you, then other materials with a special look can soon move in!
Step 2: Chain collar wire gauge
In the second step, you should then determine the wire gauge for your dog's chain collar. For this we provide a guideline through various dog breed examples as orientation, but you should also take into account your dog's actual physique, your dog's temperament, and the intended use of the chain when making your decision.
What does wire gauge mean for a dog chain collar?
With a chain collar, the wire gauge is NOT the same as the width of the collar. It only indicates how thick the wire is, from which the links of the chain are then bent. It affects the stability and breaking load of the chain, as well as the weight of the chain.
The right wire gauge for a dog chain collar
Our standard wire gauges for our chain collars are 2mm, 3mm, 4mm and 5mm. Example dog breeds, for which we recommend the different wire gauges, include:
- 2mm wire gauge – Chihuahua, Dachshund or Jack Russell
- 3mm wire gauge – Australian Shepherd, Dalmatian or Labrador Retriever
- 4mm wire gauge – Malinois, German Shepherd, Rottweiler
- 5mm wire gauge – Bordeaux Dog, Cane Corso, Mastiff
Attention: If you choose a thinner wire gauge than recommended, you should check the links for wear and tear regularly and replace the chain in time if necessary.
In addition to our chain links, which have a specified wire gauge, we also have our NeckTech Fun collars where the wire thickness is not specified. The flat metal links provide high stability and breaking load and are suitable for smaller to large dogs. For small dogs, it should be noted that the NeckTech Fun is very wide and heavy, and removing too many links can cause it to sit unevenly on small neck circumferences.
You can find even more example dog breeds and further information about the different wire gauges in our blog post.
Step 3: Chain collar link types
In the third step, you should think about the type of link you would like to choose for your dog's chain collar. The link type for example influences how gentle the chain is on the fur or also whether it is permitted in dog sports competitions.
Our tip: Choose the type of link primarily according to the fur structure of your dog to avoid hair breakage!
What types of chain collar links are there?
The types of links in a chain collar differ in the shape and size of the individual links which in turn affects wearing comfort, fur protection and appearance.
The most important chain link types at a glance:
- Long links – In long-link chains, the chain links are large and elongated, which gives the dog's fur a lot of leeway and makes these chains especially gentle on the fur. This type of link is required for dog sports competitions.
- Medium links – In medium-link chains, the chain links are shorter and more oval and compared to long-link chains there are more links on the same chain length and therefore the chain lies more smoothly around the dog's neck. Medium links are suitable for most fur structures and are gentle on the fur.
- Round and flat-polished links - Chains with round and flat-polished links are often also referred to as armored chains. The links of these chains are even shorter than medium links and twisted in themselves, so that the individual links interlock and form a flatter surface than other chain links. Due to the tighter links, these chains are less gentle on the coat and especially recommended for dog breeds with short fur.
- NeckTech Fun links – The chain links of the NeckTech Fun are wide, flat plates that are bent on the back and interlock - don't worry, the surface is still flat and comfortable for the dog to wear! These links are suitable for many coat types, but have a similar effect on the dog's coat as other flat collars.
You can find even more detailed information about all link types here!
Step 4: Chain Collar Models
In the final step, you can then choose the chain collar model and determine the corresponding needed chain length.
Depending on the decisions you made in the previous steps, it may be that not all chain models are available. If you have a specific model in mind, you may need to reconsider previous decisions or make compromises. If you are unsure, you can also contact us at any time, and we will help you find the right collar for your dog!
What types of chain collars are there?
There are just as many different models of chain collars as there are of other dog collars. They differ in their functions and in their handling and have accordingly various advantages and disadvantages.
The chain models at a glance:
- Chain collars with assembly chain
- Chain collars with assembly chain and hook
- Chain collars with assembly chain and ClicLock
- Chain collars with hooks
- Chain collars with ClicLock
- Chain collars with two rings
Chains with assembly chain and chains with assembly chain and hook
Chain collars with assembly chain tighten when pulled and loosen again when no longer being pulled. However, pulling in is limited to the length of the assembly chain, so that the chain has a fixed pull stop to prevent endless tightening and choking. This is particularly helpful for dogs who, for example, tend to try to wriggle out of their collar out of fear.
Chains with assembly must classically be pulled over the dog's head, which not every dog likes and can make choosing the right chain length more difficult depending on the dog's physique and head shape.
We also offer our chain collars with assembly chain and hook or as NeckTech Fun chain collars with assembly chain and ClicLock. Here the chain doesn't have to be pulled over the head, but can be opened for putting on and taking off and can also be adjusted, which makes finding the right chain length and handling the chain easier.
Chain collars with hooks and chain collars with clasps
Our chain collars with hooks are particularly popular as collars for leisure dogs or family dogs, as they are gentle on the fur, airy, but there is no tightening through pull possible. The hook allows for easy fastening and makes the chain adjustable, perfect for dogs with a broad head or dogs that aren't fully grown yet.
In addition to the chains with our SPRENGER hook, we also offer our NeckTech Fun chain collars with ClicLock closure as an alternative chain collar style with a clasp. These too can be opened by our ClicLock security closure. Here adjusting the chain is only possible by removing/adding links. You can find out more about the NeckTech Fun chain collar here!
Chain collars with two rings
The chain collars with two rings are the classic chains required in dog sport trials. These chains only have a ring on each side and must be threaded, to form the collar and must be pulled over the dog's head, because opening it is not possible. Here theoretically, it is possible to tighten the collar endlessly and thus choke the dog. We recommend these chains only for experienced dog owners. Proper and animal welfare-compliant use is the most important thing here., this includes:
- The correct way to leash to a chain with two rings, either on the dead ring, one of the chain links, or by turning over part of the chain on itself.
- Retrofitting the chain with a pull stop for example, in the form of a shackles or splentrings. The advantage, compared to chains with an assembly chain is that the pull stop can be individually adjusted to your dog and thus can offer even more protection against the dog wriggling out of it.
- Find out about the rules and laws that apply in your country for use with this type of chain collar beforehand. In Germany, the use of a pull stop is mandatory.
The right length for a chain collar
Once you've decided on the right chain collar model, there's just one last point to consider: choosing the right chain length. The chain length must be chosen depending on the chain model to ensure an optimal fit and handling.
You should do the following beforehand: Measure your dog's neck circumference and for chain models that need to be pulled over the dog's head, also measure the head circumference. You can find out how to correctly measure your dog's neck circumference and more information on dog collar sizes here!
After that, you can take a look at our list to find out how many centimeters you need to add to your dogs neck circumference to get the right chain collar length:
- Chain collars with assembly chain - Neck circumference + 8cm; The length should be greater than the head circumference
- 2mm chain collars with assembly chain - Neck circumference + 5cm; The length should be greater than the head circumference
- Chain collars with assembly chain and hook - Neck circumference + 8cm
- 2mm chain collars with assembly chain and hook - Neck circumference + 5cm
- Chain collars with assembly chain and ClicLock - Neck circumference + 11-12cm
- Chain collars with hook - Neck circumference = chain length; depending on how tight the measurement was, plan for a 1-2cm buffer
- Chain collars with ClicLock - Neck circumference + 2-3cm
- Chain collars with two rings - Neck circumference + 5cm; The length should be greater than the head circumference
- 2mm chain collars with two rings - Neck circumference + 3cm; The length should be greater than the head circumference
When choosing the chain length, always select the available length that is closest to your calculated measurement. Does your dog fall exactly between two sizes? We recommended to choose the longer length, especially for chain collars that need to be pulled over the head.
Tip: Measure your dog at the point where the collar will later sit, or use an existing, well-fitting collar as a reference when choosing the size.
