Collars with bells are a popular pet accessory. I’ve often seen them on both dogs and cats. Although they are quite adorable, there’s no guarantee that your dog will accept his adorable adornment. I’ve come across the question of dogs wearing collars with bells, specifically about how well dogs tolerate them, and the short answer is that it’s a total gamble. It all depends on your dog’s temperament and his ability to roll with change.
Collars with Bells – A Big Fat Maybe for Dogs
Over the years at the vet, I saw lots of dogs roll through with bells on their collars. I saw a surprising number of them, in fact. For the most part, the dogs seemed to tolerate them reasonably well. However, there was always at least one or two who would come in and try to attack their collar while they were wearing it the entire time that they were in the office. They just could not get used to it. Although I thoroughly enjoyed having a front row seat to my own “America’s Funniest Home Videos” snippet, I did feel bad for those guys. So how can you tell if your dog will tolerate a collar with a bell?
Temperament
First things first. It is essential that you take your dog’s temperament into account. If you have a generally laid back dog, chances are he’ll adapt well to his new collar. However, if you have a high strung dog or a dog that tries to eat the leash or harness when you go for a walk, it’s probably not a great idea to try the bell.
Environment
I wouldn’t recommend collars with bells for homes with more than one dog. Here’s why. Dogs who love to eat things or chew at things won’t stop with their toys or an offending bell on their own collar. Chances are, you’ll turn around only to see one of your dogs ripping the bell off of your other dog’s collar. The best case scenario is that you wasted a bell. The worst case scenario is that you’re looking at a foreign object.
Is He an Eater
Collars with Bells are a big, fat NO for any dog who has a history of ingesting foreign objects. A bell on his collar or a bell on another dog’s collar is just an invitation for him to eat yet another no-no object that will have you feeding him hydrogen peroxide or taking him to the vet for X-rays.
Collars with Bells Might be Okay. Or They Might Not
I wish I could be more definitive, but that’s the real scoop on collars with bells. Sometimes they’re okay, and sometimes they’re not. It all depends on your dog, his temperament, his environment, and his propensity for eating things he shouldn’t. So take all of those factors into account, and if you think it’s a go, then give it a try.
One last piece of advice is to watch your dog like a hawk for the first day or two to ensure that he isn’t going to attempt to pull off the bell. Other than that, give it a try if you think your dog can handle it.
Do your dogs wear collars with bells? How do they tolerate them? Share below!
