The circumference of a German Shepherd’s neck will vary from one puppy to another, depending on their age and individual differences.
However, the average measurement is around 11 to 14 inches, so you should pick the collar size accordingly while adding around 0.5 to 1 inch room for comfort.
If you’re welcoming a new German Shepherd puppy to your household you might be wondering “what size collar for German Shepherd puppy?”.
Top 3 Collars for German Shepherd Puppies on the Market
When it comes to pet collars, there are several options on the market. However, choosing the right one for German Shepherds puppies can be quite tricky.
Help you with the process of choosing the right one for your needs, let’s have a brief overview of the best options available on the market:
1. PetSafe Martingale Collar
Kicking off the list with this collar from PetSafe, which is one of the overall best options on the market.
This collar is a martingale one, which is specifically great for most untrained German Shepherd puppies, which are popular for their playfulness, curiosity, and eagerness to run around.
The PetSafe collar features a high density nylon webbing construction, which makes it practically indestructible no matter how hard the puppy pulls it.
Additionally, the buckle of the collar is quite sturdy and reliable while making it very easy to put the collar on and off.
The collar comes in various sizes, including a small size that is suitable for German Shepherd puppies in addition to a strap width range that extends from 0.75 to 1 inch.
Although the collar comes in several color options, we would’ve loved it if the collar is available in more colors to pick from.
Top Features
- Incredibly durable construction
- Excellent for hyperactive and curious puppies
- Highly recommended by vets and trainers
2. Blueberry Classic Collar
This one is a classic collar that is ideal for relatively trained puppies that are generally calmer and more composed.
Blueberry used high density polyester while making this collar, which makes it durable and reliable while taking your dog on a stroll.
The collar has a strap width of 0.625 inches and comes in various sizes, including a small size ranging from 12 to 16 inches, which is perfect for German Shepherd puppies.
We also like that it comes in a huge variety of vibrant colors, so you can choose the ideal one for your little doggie. It’s also quite adjustable and easy to get on and off with a sturdy buckle.
Top Features
- Available in a variety of amazing colors
- The D-ring is relatively large for easy attachment to leashes and harnesses
- Accurate and reliable sizing chart for referencing
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3. CollarDirect Rolled Leather Dog Collar
If you don’t mind spending a little more to get your puppy a premium looking collar, you should opt for this one from CollarDirect.
This collar has a genuine soft leather construction, giving the collar a remarkable level of durability while maintaining an aesthetically pleasing look.
Additionally, the collar has a rolled design that keeps the collar comfortable to wear.
This design also solves a major issue with many leather collars that can be painful on puppies’ necks, even long-haired ones.
Besides the standard leather colors, the collar is also available in various color options to match your taste.
As for size options, the 12 to 14 inch one should be ideal for most German Shepherd puppies, but there are several other sizes for unique cases.
Top Features
- The leather gives it a touch of luxury
- Rounded design to keep your puppy comfortable
- Highly adjustable with buckle notches
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What Is the Ideal Size Collar for German Shepherd Puppies?
German Shepherds puppies usually have a neck size of around 11 to 14 inches in circumference.
This means that a collar that ranges between 12 to 16 inches should be good enough for your puppy.
While choosing a collar for your puppy, you should also check the sizing guide of the specific collar you’re buying because sizing systems aren’t standardized.
For example, what one manufacturer considers a small collar, another might label as a medium.
To find out the circumference of your puppy’s neck, you should do the following:
- Wrap a measuring tape around your puppy’s neck for a snug fit.
- Loosen the tape enough space to fit a finger or two between the collar and the neck. (around 0.5 to 1 inch)
- Take the measurement where the tape overlaps itself.
If you don’t have a measuring tape, you can use any string that you have, mark the point where it overlaps, then measure that distance with a ruler.
Things to Keep in Mind While Buying a Collar for Puppies
Besides sizing, here are a few more aspects to consider while buying a collar for your German Shepherd puppy:
Type
There are several types of collars out there. But when it comes to German Shepherd puppies. The two we recommend the most are standard and martingale collars.
Standard collars are regular collars that you wrap around your puppy's neck, then attach to a leash while having a walk.
Martingale collars are similar to standard ones but they’re designed so that they get tighter if your puppy pulls on them and loosens up as soon as they stop.
The martingale collars are ideal to train hyperactive puppies that like to pull the leash to maintain good behavior.
On the other hand, the classic is better suited for trained or naturally calm puppies.
Material
There are several materials to consider while buying a collar. Each one has its unique features. These include:
- Nylon: Extremely durable and reliable while being lightweight, malleable, and comfortable, but they’re relatively pricey.
- Polyester: Fairly affordable and very comfortable to wear, but not as durable as nylon.
- Leather: highly durable and quite stylish, but they vary in quality and can sometimes be tough and heavy on puppy’s necks
- Cotton: affordable but quite flimsy, so they’re not recommended for excitable puppies like German Shepherds.
Closure
Ideally, we recommend a quick-snap buckle for closure because it’s very easy to put on and off.
However, if you want a more adjustable collar, you should consider a prong buckle with notches.
Paul has been creating content for the dog niche for many years. The information he shares comes his first hand experience growing up in dog lovers household and then owning multiple dog breeds of his own as an adult. Paul enjoys doing the hard research to collect, analyze and present our dogtemperament.com readers with the best answers to their questions.