Every dog should wear a collar with ID tags for his own safety. A dog on the loose who's wearing a collar and tags is more likely to be returned to his owner, and less likely to be thought a stray who ends up in the animal shelter.

Dogs who live indoors or inside a fenced yard can be escape artists, so even these dogs need to be identified. Collars can get snagged and slip off, so a tattoo or microchip ID should be used as a secondary method of identifying your dog.

Your dog’s everyday collar should be a basic model with a buckle closure and a ring for his ID tags. To find the right size, measure your dog’s neck an inch (or two, for larger breeds) below his head, and add one inch for small to medium dogs and two inches for larger dogs. Collars usually come in even inches, so choose the larger size if your dog’s neck measurements fall in between. When fastened around your dog’s neck, it should be loose enough to slip two fingers between the collar and your dog.

Everyday collars come in a wide range of styles, and it’s important that you choose the right style for your dog. Rolled dog collars are best for long-haired dogs, since they aren’t as likely to damage the fur around the neck. Flat dog collars are fine for short-haired dogs.

Collars with quick-release buckles are safest choice for multi-dog homes, since dogs may get tangled in each other’s collars during playtime. These plastic snap-apart buckles are easy to unfasten even when there is tension on the collar, and can reduce your dogs’ chances of accidentally choking each another.

Dogs who tend to lunge at the end of their tethers should have sturdy collars with traditional metal buckles; plastic buckles may break. Dogs who are left alone for long periods of time should have break-away collars that will come off if they become caught on something. Break-away collars won’t come off when the dog is on a leash or tethered outside.

Slip collars can be useful in dog obedience training. Although "choker chains" are illegal in some states, when slip collars are used correctly they cause no real physical pain or discomfort to the dog.

Some people mistakenly believe that the goal of using a slip collar is to teach a dog not to pull at the end of a leash. Any dog owner who's seen his dog nearly strangulate himself trying to go after a small animal knows this doesn't always work!

Used correctly, the loose end of the collar is attached to the leash and given a gentle "slap" to make the chain rattle and gain the dog's attention or distract him from misbehavior.

A slip collar is dangerous as an everyday collar, since it can easily get snagged. Your dog may choke to death if you aren't around to rescue him in time. Always remove a chain collar from your dog's neck when the training session is over.

Electronic training collars use mild electrical current, vibration or tone to correct dog behavior. This type of collar should only be used by a skilled dog handler to correct extreme behavior problems in dogs, since the controversial method has high potential for misuse and abuse.

A harness is often used in place of a collar for the purposes of dog obedience training or as work equipment. Carting dogs and sled dogs wear harnesses to give them added pulling power.

Owners may use harnesses or head halters to control their dogs when the canines are resistant to lead training. a harness may encourage the dog to pull even more, which is why sled dogs wear them. Head halters, which allow the owners to lead the dog by the head, can help teach your dog to follow you instead of lunging away; where the dog's head goes, the dog will go. Head halters must be carefully fitted and adjusted to avoid digging into the dogs eyes and muzzle.

Martingale collars are often recommended for dogs (particularly sight hounds) whose narrow heads let them slip easily out of standard collars. The Martingale collar has two loops; the smaller loop tightens the larger loop around the dog's neck when it is pulled.