After publishing the last article concerning the debate about the various types of choke collars, several readers presented the question of how does one properly fit and position the Martingale or Half Check Collar. As requested, that will be the topic of this article.

To provide a quick summary of the previous article, half check collars and Martingales are quite similar to choke collars but are considered by many to be much more humane. These collars were conceptualized for sight hounds to prevent them from backing out of a regular collar on account that their necks are too large.

Manufactured of either leather or nylon webbing with chain, the half check collars or half choke collars, differ as the Martingale collars are made entirely of nylon webbing. Both have a dual-loop design that acts by contracting around the dog's neck when an attempt is made to escape, yet it will release when the struggling subsides. The unique, limited closing effect of the half check collar and the Martingale collar prevents the collar from becoming too tight

Martingale collars are generally made up entirely of nylon webbing with two loops. A smaller control loop contains a 'D' shaped ring for connecting a dog leash. A larger loop allows the collar to tighten or loosen to fit the dog's neck. Buckles are frequently added so the collar can be snapped around the dog's neck with ease.Martingale Collar

Fit and positioning of the Martingale collar is as follows, place it over the dog's neck and position the collar up in back of the dog's ears. While holding this position, make the appropriate adjustments. When tension is applied to the D-Ring, the smaller control loop should close. The two pieces of hardware attached to the control loop should not touch. If they do make contact, adjust the collar so that it contracts to a minimum of 2 inches.

In many ways, the Half Check Collar is similar to the Martingale except the control loop is made of chain rather than webbing . They have two loops which work in the same fashion. The D-Ring is attached to the chain control loop and is also used to attach a leash. The chain is connected to either the webbing or the leather part of the collar with metal hardware.

The half check collar is fitted in the same fashion as the Martingale collar. If the dog attempts to back out of the collar, the chain retracts the webbing or leather and contains the dog. The chain will never contact the dog. The noise that the tightening chain makes also makes a training tool as the dog tugs against the collar.

When trying out both of these collars, it becomes apparent how equivalent these two collars really are. Fundamentally, these collars act the same way. More importantly, these two collars are more gentle to your dog while tethered to a leash.