Ancol are a British company who have been selling cat and dog accessories for over 40 years. These include leads, beds, grooming items and toys - basically anything you would need for your pet.

Being a miniature schnauzer, my dog Sawyer's neck is not particularly thick, and even though he is 2 now, he has been wearing a fabric puppy collar the entire time I have had him. For Christmas last year I decided he had to get something more grown up, so this collar caught my eye when I was in the pet shop at the beginning of December.

THE COLLAR
The collar is made from leather, which is stitched. There are 5 holes in it, so it's easily adjustable according to the size of your dog's neck. The number of holes means that this could be used for puppies, as you can change what hole to use as they grow larger.

The collar is secured by a silver metal buckle which has 'Ancol' embossed on it. There is also a metal loop to feed the end of the collar through once it is buckled. This is also perfect for attaching any tags to.

There are 7 small metal studs along the length of the collar. I like the look of a studded collar... Sawyer is a wimp who is scared of everything, so this makes him look a wee bit tougher! (He isn't).

SIZES AND COLOURS AVAILABLE
This collar comes in 3 colours - black, red or tan. Some may find this a limited range of colours, especially for those who like their dogs to wear collars that are patterned or a bit 'snazzier', however I personally like fairly plain collars and so I have no problem with this at all. I have the red version which is a bright scarlet and really matches Sawyer's pepper/salt coat.

The collar comes in 7 different sizes so this will suit any breed or size of dog. The sizes available are:
12"/30cm
14"/35cm
16"/40cm
18"/45cm
20"/50cm
22"/55cm
24"/60cm
26"/65cm

DURABILITY/USAGE
Initially the collar was very stiff to put on because it is leather, however with time and usage, it softens and it is very easy to take on and off. So far the leather has not cracked and the stitching remains intact. It does not irritate or chafe Sawyer, and he has never seemed anything less than completely comfortable when wearing it.

I really have no complaints about this collar so far - I can't see me having to replace it for a very long time.

AVAILABILITY
Ancol seem to be one of the leading brands in the pet market so you should have no problem finding their products in the likes of Jolleyes, and independent pet shops. Sadly Pets At Home do not appear to stock these, however they are widely available online.

PRICE
Prices for these vary, but you can expect to pay from around £1.79 for the smallest size, to around £5.89 for the largest. I think this is a very good price considering the collar's durability; and at those prices it's not going to break the bank when it comes to replacing it.

SAFETY
There are quick release dog collars available which click open rather than unbuckle in case your dog gets its collar caught on something. As this particular Ancol dog collar buckles, this does not offer the same advantages. However, I always remove Sawyer's collar while he is in his pen so he does not get it caught on anything, and as he is not anywhere that he may get his collar snagged on, for me personally this Ancol collar suits our needs.

You may prefer to have a quick release collar if that is more beneficial to the lifestyle you and your dog lead - it all comes down to personal choice and what suits you. However for Sawyer and I's needs, this Ancol collar is completely fine as long as it is used responsibly.

WOULD I BUY THIS AGAIN?
I would, yes. It's a reasonable price, available in varying sizes, and I have yet to encounter any negatives with this collar. Once it does eventually start to look shabby or cracked, I would have no hesitation in buying exactly the same collar as a replacement.