Choosing the Right Chihuahua Collar for Your Chihuahua As all chihuahua owners know, the most important chihuahua accessory is their collar. However, there are so many different kinds of chihuahua collars that owners don't know which ones are best for their chihuahua. Personality, activity levels and the size of your chihuahua all need to be taken into consideration before purchasing a chihuahua collar. Chow Chows have very unusual mouths. When they are born they look normal enough. However, by the age of about 8 weeks, their gums and tongues go from pink to an odd shade of bluish-black. Three common kinds of chihuahua collars to choose from are available in a variety of shapes, materials and sizes. The first kind is the traditional Slip Collar. This type of collar, more commonly known as the choke chain, comes with both benefits and drawbacks. Most chihuahua owners never use this type of collar to hurt or choke their DOGS, but it can affect your chihuahua's ability to breathe if pulled too tight. Usually constructed of a single strand of chain with two loops on each end, the collar is created as one end of the chain is pulled through one loop, creating a circle that is then placed over the chihuahua's head. The loose loop is attached to a leash or anchor chain. When used properly, it is an effective training and walking tool. While most dogs shed, poodles are actually incapable of shedding. That fact makes them excellent house pets, since they don't get the furniture covered in fur. Also, due to the nature of their fur and the fact that they do not shed, most people with dog allergies aren't allergic to poodles. Another type of chihuahua collar is the buckle-type, which is made out of various materials such as plastic, leather and polyester or nylon fibers. These collars are strong, yet such a collar must not be too tight or too lose or else it becomes useless to a chihuahua owner. Make sure that you can slide at least one or two fingers between your chihuahua's neck muscles and the collar when fitting this one. Also, keep in mind that when walking, your chihuahua may become excited, and he or she may be able to twist or wiggle their way out of that collar, leaving you holding the end of a leash with the collar attached while your chihuahua is racing off to destinations unknown. Rhodesian ridgebacks have an actual ridge along the top of their backs. The ridge is made up of forward-growing hairs. This ridge gives the rhodesian ridgeback a unique and easily recognizable look. Body harness collars are popular with owners of larger DOGS and do not come with the inherent dangers that traditional around-the-neck collars do. Leashes can clip to the harness at the shoulder, or around the chest area on most models, which provides optimum control for those who like to take their chihuahuas out walking or running every day. Make sure that no matter which type of chihuahua collar you purchase for your chihuahua that it is adequate for the purposes for which you bought it. Try to teach chihuahuas from puppydom to obey and heel, which will keep your reliance on a DOG collar to a minimum. After all, ensuring the comfort and safety of your chihuahua should always be your first priority. Bloodhounds have dewlaps. What are dewlaps? They are strange looking, pendulous folds of skin on the back of the neck. They don't seem to serve any useful purpose to the bloodhound, but are rather interesting to look at.