Dutch Shepherd Forum

I have one of those slip on chain style training collars for Riddick. It's just a chain that you loop through itself then slip it over the dog's head. Basically he outgrew the chain collar and ended up getting hurt trying to remove it. So while it fit him his entire life since he was about three years of age, he put on some weight this past year getting older now at age 10 1/2 and the collar was really tight. Just enough so that the collar wouldn't just slip over his head easily as it had done forever. Anyway, I was trying to remove the slip on chain collar and it would barely clear his head and ended up causing an aural hematoma in his left ear. The whole ear swelled up like a lemon and then required surgery where the Doctor surgically inserted a plastic tube to drain it. Well the plastic tube is now removed but his ear won't stand perfectly like it once did due to the scar tissue. So my once perfectly picturesque representative of the breed is no longer perfect. His one ear stands nice and the other kind of flops around. So if you are using a slip over training chain collar, I suggest you get rid of it and use only a latching buckle type.

Sorry to hear about this. I hope Riddick is doing fine now.

I really thought most owners stopped using these in lieu of either a nightingale or herm springer type collar strictly for training.

It's definitely a good lesson for all, and perhaps it adds a little more character now to your amazing dog.

He's still perfect.

I'm sorry to hear about the whole ordeal though. Definitely will take note for future reference though.

I guess after reading this (hind sight is 20/20) if I find myself in that situation I'd use some bolt cutters to free the dog. Obviously, not the first thought I'd have if I never knew about your experience.

Other than the floppy ear, Riddick is well?

The collar is the Herm Sprenger slip on fur savor 21". Wouldn't slip off over his giant head like usual and he's had this collar for years. I guess the pressure of the collar being pulled off over his ear caused that seperation inbetween the layers which broke the blood vessels causing the hematoma. Hopefully the scar tissue heals up and his ear stands back up. I guess I could say, make sure to get a larger collar if the dog gets bigger obviously or to be on the safe side, get one that has a buckle type system. As far as the dog, he's doing OK otherwise.

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