Inspired by, and borrowing the graphic from, an earlier post from @LadyButterfly@piefed.blahaj.zone
this post was submitted on 21 Apr 2026
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Who takes their dogs collar off? If they get out, their location and everything is right on it.
Do you guys really not take your dog's collar off? Is this an across the pond thing? In Australia most people I know don't leave their dog collars on when they're at home. If somehow your dog got out, other people usually call animal services. Dogs are microchipped, vets can scan it and you can do it yourself with your phone on the newer ones.
My dogs are a lot more comfortable with their collars off at home. If I forget to take it off they refuse to nap or try to grab at it with their paws.
Lots of people. We're a "no shoes, no collar" house.
Both dogs are trained to not bolt out the door when it opens, and I've got a fenced yard.
Yo these people are weirdos for putting you on blast for no reason. I also take my dog's harness off inside the house. If I leave it on him his fur gets matted to heck, and if it's any looser he can slip out. Let these pearl-clutching "won't anyone think of the puppies" people live in their own little fantasy world of escape artist dogs and dog stealing burglars. You don't gotta justify yourself.
My dog would sit in front of is and whine of we don't take the harness off after a walk.
My dog only wears her collar when she's outside.
Edit: you have to catch a dog to read a collar, so it's not that much different than a microchip.
Anyone can read a tag, you need a device to read a microchip. If it’s just a registration #, you can call animal control, don’t need to take them in to get scanned.
It's going to be a super rare case anyway. I'm fine with needing to involve animal control in that situation.
I don’t use collars on my dogs, but we have a harness for walks. I long ago stopped using collars with so much info about me, my dog, my phone, etc… microchips take care of the lost part in the very unlikely event my dogs leave me.
There's a cadre of crazies in this thread. I don't think they're open to rational thought, lol. Just a bunch of collar/harness extremists who think they know what's best for all dogs in every situation.
I don't think they're necessarily "extremists". Different cultures, different countries, different legislations, and different dogs create varied opinions on the topic of collars and harnesses.
Here in Montreal, IIRC dogs above 40 lbs must be in a harness and wear a collar at all times when out in public, and must be held on a leash no longer than 6ft outside of designated area. They must wear their license, be microchipped and be neutered unless you get a special permission.
Having a border collie, if I left his harness on at all times, his fur would get matted and he would get infections as he loves to get wet in summer, so I take it off when indoors. He's also not a flight risk, but I still leave his collar on most of the time because he spends a lot of time free in the backyard.
Another dog may have short hair so matting may not be an issue, or could be a flight risk, yet another dog may live in the countryside and have nowhere to go but home. Some countries have easy access to microchip scanning at a vet, some countries require you to go to their SPCA equivalent to get the microchip scanned, and some countries don't even require microchipping.
TL;DR opinions vary based on experience and situations, and no one is right or wrong. See my pinned post, but I encourage conversation.
I believe I've been misunderstood. I don't think they're extremists in a political sense or anything. I think their stance on the harness discussion is on the extreme end of things. Many of the arguments were "Your dog must wear a collar or harness 24/7 or you are an irresponsible owner", and they left no room for alternative views. That falls under the definition of extremism in my books.
I agree 100% with that practice. In my opinion the only time dogs should ever be off their leash in public is when they are in designated off-leash areas. When I have my dog in off-leash areas I leave his harness (with contact info) on too. We weren't talking about dogs outside though. It was mainly about dogs whether dogs should be required to wear their collar/harness inside the home.
Anybody who said they took their dogs collar/harness off would face the wrath of the "you're an irresponsible owner" crowd. No counter arguments would be considered either. One user made the outlandish argument that an apartment dog could escape into a common hallway, get into the fire stairs through a propped-open door, go down 5 stories, open the emergency exit via a crash bar, and get outside. To me that is an absurd scenario to use for an argument, and definitely something that only a person with extreme views on the topic would stand behind.
Fair enough, I agree, they saw things as very black and white.
Yep. My dog doesn’t need a collar, no other reason. But she has a harness because it’s the leash law. She doesn’t run off, she doesn’t leave the yard… why put a collar on her that does nothing more than become an ornamental with personal info. I value my privacy, trained my dog to be better… tell me why she needs a collar?! I just want to say, “You know what, your dog runs away because she doesn’t have freedom!” Hah
Anyway, glad I’m not alone in my version of crazy. Hah
I take their harnesses off because they cuddle in bed with me and I don't want the plastic and metal parts jamming into me while I sleep. I don't use neck collars since they're just for identification and they're chipped.
Yes your dog needs to have a collar and tags at all times. Chipped or not.
They only need a license tag when out in public in my state. That goes on the harness. They do not need a collar nor does the tag need to be on at all times. And given your other comment about them being readable by a person: My license tags just have a serial number with their name on it. It's not gonna help find a lost pet outside of a pound or vet that can search it up; which is exactly what the chip does.
You can call animal control and get the owners information with the serial #, you’re avoiding a few steps by having one. They are not “exactly” like a chip, a microchip, if they have one, you don’t know unless you take them in as well, you need to take them in for. Taking them to the vet or animal control, they usually take them, which incurs costs for them to hold.
A tag is just objectively simpler, and better.
No you can't. That would be a breach of privacy. Animal control will ask you bring the dog in for holding and contact the owners themselves. That's why the liscense tags don't have more than a serial number and the animal's name. It also costs nothing to get them checked for a chip at animal control; it costs the owner to get them released.
I'm guessing you don't actually have dogs.
Ours is public, or atleast when signing up you have the option.
I’ve held a dog and they called the owner to come grab it from my place as well. It’s just simpler and easier. Can’t do that with a microtag.
Mine only has a harness for walking. She also has a microchip, and doesn't run away, even if we leave the door open. Everytime we're out though the harness goes on.
We only put things on when we leave the condo. The dog does not just get out. We control the door.
For me it depends on the dog. Some can be trusted to stay with you no matter what and only need a collar as a social cue. Others need a gps tracker attached to them even during bathtime.