Material
To ensure they are not irritating for your dog, bandanas are almost exclusively made out of cotton, polyester or a mix of the two. This keeps them soft, comforting and breathable for your dog. Sometimes a bandana with special features, such as a cooling scarf will contain an additional middle layer of gel which can reserve cold temperatures.
Styles
Before purchasing a dog bandana, you need to consider the three different styles and which will be the best option for your canine.
Adjustable Straps/Buckles
Essentially collars with neckerchief attachments, bandanas with buckles and adjustable straps simply need to be clipped on and then adapted using sliders to make sure they are a comfortable fit for your pup. They are the best option if you are looking to replace your pet’s collar with the neckerchief style.
Tie-ups
Bandanas that are made of 100% cotton material are often just a cloth triangle with no added buckles or straps. This means they merely need an owner to tie them up at the back for a perfect fit.
Collar fits
Usually just a triangular piece of cloth, an over the collar bandana will have a flap stitched into the back so it can be fitted over the top of a collar. These are probably the easiest to fit and remove but are therefore consequently the least secure.
Size
Because dogs come in all shapes and sizes, it’s vital you check the size of a dog bandana before your purchase and also measure your mutt’s neck to best determine their perfect fit.
How to Measure Your Dog’s Neck
- Using a seamstress tape measure, fit the tape around your dog’s neck snugly but not too tight and record the measurement
- Then add around 5 cm to your recorded measurement and fit the tape measure around your dog’s neck again with the 5 cm adjustment. This is to ensure your pup has a more roomy fit
- If it’s perfect, you should be able to fit two fingers snugly into the space between neck and tape measure. If you can’t continue to add a couple of cm onto the measurement until you can. If there is a big gap between your fingers and the tape measure, begin taking away a couple of cm off the measurement until they fit perfectly