If your dog's collar isn't personalized with his or her name and your contact information, you may be missing one of the easiest ways to keep them safe and make them stand out in a crowd.  

Hot Dog Collars is your definitive source for custom made gear that is anything but boring.  You can shop personalized dog collars here and find the perfect collar that matches your dog's style, color, or personality.  

What is a Personalized Dog Collar?

A personalized dog collar is exactly what it sounds like...a collar that is customized with your dog's name and your contact information either printed or embroidered right on the collar.  

Having that information on the collar itself means you don't have to worry about tags getting lost, stuck in something (possibly posing a hazard to your dog), or jingling in the night.

At Hot Dog Collars, personalization isn't just practical, it is fun!  You get to choose colors, patterns, and styles that matches your or your dog's personality.  The possibilities are endless!

Most personalized dog collars fall into one of two categories

Embroidered Dog Collars	Printed Dog Collars

• Embroidered Dog Collars - your dog's name and your phone number are stitched right on the dog's collar using a contrasting thread color that you choose.  This is a durable option and the embroidery itself adds a nice texture and contrast to the collar.  
• Printed Dog Collars - we use a technique called "sublimation" that allows us to print out your information and heat transfer it onto the dog collar.  The result is bright, colorful patterns, including your custom information that is permanently added to the collar and will not fade or wash off.  

Because each collar is custom made just for your dog, please allow an additional 1-3 days for your collar to be made and shipped.

Why Personalized Dog Collars Are Worth It

• On Larger Collars, your dog's information is much more visible
  No need to flip tags over to see the text on the back or squint to read smaller text that may not be as visible on a tag as on a collar with contrast.  The information is right there on the collar itself, and in theory, a person could see it from a distance rather than needing to get closer to or touch your dog (especially helpful if your dog feels "stranger danger").

• Jingling Tags?  Not if there is no tag!
  Some people say they "like the jingle" because they know where their dog is.  My house stays pretty quiet when the kids aren't home, so a jingling tag will make me bonkers.  My dog (Alaska) wears this embroidered pink stripe collar most days.

• Cleaner, more simple look and less risk of losing identification or ID tags getting caught and pulled off the collar (or injuring your dog)
  Prefer a more streamlined collar without dangling tags?  Worried about safety or losing the tag?  Attached tags can fall off, get caught in HVAC grates or other small spaces.  Having the information custom printed or embroidered right on the collar gives you peace of mind that the tag won't fall off or put your dog at risk.

• Made to match your dog’s personality
  No matter your dog's individual quirks, we have patterns, colors, and styles that will fit your dog's personality or your personality and make every day walking just a little more fun.  

• Durable and long-lasting
  The embroidered collars start with the same materials (webbing and hardware) that all of our collars use, so they are durable and strong to start.  The embroidery is added to the collar using industrial machines and professional quality so it holds up beautiful for everyday wear.
  
  Our printed personalized dog collars use a recycled poly webbing base that is smooth and soft on your dog's neck.  The printing is a sublimation process so it doesn't fade or wash away, the pattern and your dog's information is permanently and chemically embedded into the material itself, so this is also great for everyday wear.

• A practical upgrade that still feels fun
  It’s safety + style in one simple change and perfect for multi-dog households.  You won't get tags mixed up, you can see at a glance which dog you are talking to or working with.

Do You Need a Dog Tag if the Collar is Personalized?

Short answer?  Not really.  But there may be times when you  might prefer to have a custom made dog tag in addition to your personalized collar.  Some people prefer a clean eye catching collar design, some people travel often.  Your case may vary.

• If you switch collars often, a dog tag plus an easy to switch connector is a great option.  Some people are "one and done", find a collar they like and let their dog wear it until it needs to be replaced.  Others like variety and might have a different collar for each day of the week or month.  Some want their dogs to look festive in holiday patterns and switch collars out frequently.  These are all cases where you might want to also have a pet id tag for your dog.
• Another case might be if you travel with your dog often, or if you are boarding your dog while you travel, and you want to make sure your dog can be returned to you no matter where you are.  
• When you need to wash the collar your dog is wearing, it is always best to have a backup collar with identification.  This is another case where a dog tag might come in handy.

Some people prefer both, a personalized dog collar plus a backup custom dog tag for when the need arises.

What are the best materials for personalized dog collars?

It really depends on preference.  Some of the most important questions are embroidered vs. printed, durability, washing/keeping it clean, and comfort for your dog.

The webbing that we use now is a recycled polyester base (made from recycled plastic bottles) and it starts out white.  We use a special technique called sublimation that chemically bonds the pattern and custom information to the collar so that it will not fade or wash off.  

For more information about the best materials, read our guide on custom dog collar materials.

NOTE:  Everything we make is washable, you can find instructions on the "How to wash a smelly dog collar" page.

What to put on a Personalized Dog Collar (name, number, more?)

We believe that "less is more".  The goal is to get your dog back home and all it really takes is a phone number.  

Not sure what details to include? Check out our guide on what to put on a dog’s collar to make sure you don’t miss anything important.

How to Choose the Right Personalized Collar

You've read a lot of information already, but when or how should you choose your dog's personalized collar?  Knowing it will be custom made, the decision may seem hard.

Whether you are buying for your own dog or giving a custom collar as a gift, just remember that this is a collar your dog is likely to wear every day, so comfort is a must.  This is also a collar that could help you reunite quickly with your lost dog, so font size, contrast, and readability are also very important.

Finally, if Made in the USA is important to you, look no further than Hot Dog Collars and our personalized dog collar collection!