Sighthound Collars
Shaped for the narrower head and wider neck of sighthounds, the anatomy that makes a standard buckle collar slip off. Every collar in this collection is designed around the specific proportions of...
12 pieces, £36 to £68, collar sizes 9 to 26 inches. Every piece is handmade to order in Britain, and dispatched in two to six working days.
Add a lead to your order and 10% comes off it. No code needed: it comes off at checkout.
Find a collar that fits your dog
Collars here fit 9 to 26 inch necks. Measure the neck, not the old collar.
Shaped for the narrower head and wider neck of sighthounds, the anatomy that makes a standard buckle collar slip off. Every collar in this collection is designed around the specific proportions of whippets, lurchers, greyhounds and Italian greyhounds. Dachshunds are not sighthounds but share enough of the head profile to benefit; they have their own page. Whippet collars, lurcher collars and greyhound collars are the same idea cut to different numbers.
The wider centre profile sits between the narrowest point of the head and the widest point of the neck, so the collar is held by its shape rather than by tension alone. Available in waterproof BioThane®, leather, and British wool, all handmade in Britain, sold in size bands and made to order, so if you need a size between two bands I will build it.
Half check, or wide buckle?
Most people arrive here looking for a martingale, or a half check in British usage. There are two ways to stop a sighthound reversing out of a collar, and I make both. Neither is better; they suit different dogs.
Shape. A wide-panel collar is wider across the centre and tapers towards the buckle (38mm at the centre on the BioThane Cotswold Rambler, 43mm on the wool sighthound collars), so it sits in the hollow between the narrowest part of the head and the widest part of the neck. Nothing tightens. It is held by geometry. This is the Cotswold Rambler, the Cotswold Heritage leather, and the wool sighthound collar on its BioThane strap. Best for a dog who is settled on the lead and wears a collar all day.
Action. A half check adds a second loop that closes a little when the dog pulls backwards and releases completely the moment the tension goes. Best for a dog that startles and reverses, or a rescue still learning the lead.
The half check BioThane collar → · Wool, leather and BioThane compared →
Getting the size right
Run a soft tape around the top of the neck, just behind the ears and under the chin, snug but not tight. A sighthound collar sits higher on the neck than an ordinary collar, because the neck is wider than the head and a collar measured further down can pull off over the ears. That single number is all I need. I would rather you sent me the number than rounded yourself to the nearest size, and if it falls between two bands I will build it to your number. If you want extra room for a puppy still filling out, say so in the order notes and I will build it in.
The Cotswold Heritage leather collar is sold in these fitted sizes:
| Dog | Neck |
|---|---|
| Italian Greyhound & Dachshund | 11 to 13.5 inches |
| Whippet | 12 to 14 inches |
| Lurcher | 13 to 18 inches |
Greyhounds, deerhounds and larger lurchers are covered by the BioThane and wool collars, which are sold in size bands and made to order, so if a greyhound or a big lurcher needs a size the bands do not cover, say so in the order notes and I will build it. The measuring guide has a dedicated sighthound section →
That is what the Perfect Fit Guarantee is for, and it is why nobody here has to guess. If it does not fit when it arrives, tell me and I will adjust or remake it. I do not charge for that work. If I got the size wrong I cover the postage both ways, and if the measurement turned out not to suit your dog the postage is yours. The made-to-measure collars are built to your specification and sit outside the 14-day cancellation right, while the fitted-size Cotswold Heritage leather is an ordinary purchase with a full 30 days. Returns and the Perfect Fit Guarantee →
Collars by breed
Same shape, different numbers. Here is how the collection works out breed by breed.
Whippet Collars
The classic case. A whippet's head is narrower than its neck, so a plain buckle collar slides back over the ears. A wide-panel whippet collar sits in the hollow between the two and is held by geometry rather than tension: 38mm across the centre on the BioThane Cotswold Rambler, 43mm on the wool collars, tapering towards the buckle. In the fitted Cotswold Heritage leather, whippets take the 12 to 14 inch size. In BioThane or wool the collar is sold in size bands and made to order, so if your tape measurement falls between two bands, say so in the order notes and I will build it to your number.
Lurcher Collars
Lurchers have the widest span in the table above: the fitted Cotswold Heritage leather runs 13 to 18 inches, which covers most whippet-cross and collie-cross lurchers. Anything bigger, a deerhound cross or a greyhound-bred lurcher, takes a lurcher collar in BioThane or British wool, sold in size bands and made to order, so if you need a size beyond the bands just ask and I will build it. If your dog startles and reverses on the lead, which a lot of rescue lurchers do at first, look at the half check rather than the wide panel.
Greyhound Collars
Greyhounds sit outside the fitted leather sizes. A greyhound collar here is sold in size bands in BioThane or British wool and made to order, so if you need a size the bands do not cover just ask and I will build it, the same route as deerhounds and the larger lurchers. Run a soft tape around the top of the neck, just behind the ears and under the chin, and the wide panel does the rest; nothing tightens.
Italian Greyhound Collars
The collars here suit Italian greyhounds. In the fitted leather they share the smallest size with dachshunds, 11 to 13.5 inches. These are the narrowest necks in the collection, so the measurement carries more weight than usual: a centimetre out on an 11 inch neck shows. Send the tape measurement and the Perfect Fit Guarantee covers the rest. If it does not fit, say so and I will adjust or remake it. There is no charge for the work either way. The postage is mine when I got the size wrong and yours when the measurement turned out not to suit your dog.
Dachshunds
Not a sighthound, but the head is narrow in profile relative to the neck, so the same shape holds where a standard collar slips off. In the fitted Cotswold Heritage leather they share the smallest size, 11 to 13.5 inches, with Italian greyhounds. For everything else, sizing included, the dachshund and small breed collars have their own page →
Why the wool ones cost more
The wool sighthound collar sold here is the 4-row 43mm weave on a 19mm BioThane strap, in six size bands from 9 to 26 inches. Take it in a fixed colourway, or build your own in charcoal Brampton wool or ecru Dingley wool.
The Brampton and the Dingley are £68 against £36 for the Cotswold Rambler. The wool is woven by hand on the bench before the collar is assembled, which is the slow, unglamorous part of the job and the reason the two prices sit where they do. If you want the sighthound shape without that, the Cotswold Rambler is the same profile in waterproof BioThane.
The woven wool sighthound collar on a leather strap has been rehomed to Daylesford and redesigned for them, in cream or grey undyed British wool with brass hardware. The Daylesford collection →
Frequently asked questions
Why do sighthounds need a specific collar?
Sighthound anatomy is unusual, the head is narrower than the neck, so standard collars slip off backwards. A sighthound collar is wider at the centre so it sits between the narrowest head point and the widest neck point, locked in by the shape rather than only by tension.
Do you make a martingale or half check collar for sighthounds?
Yes. The half check BioThane collar has a second loop that closes slightly when the dog pulls backwards and releases fully when there is no tension. It is the right choice for a dog that startles and reverses out of a collar. The wide-panel collars solve the same problem a different way, by shape rather than by action, and nothing on them tightens at all.
Which breeds are sighthounds?
Whippets, lurchers, greyhounds, Italian greyhounds, salukis, borzoi, deerhounds, podencos and other long-headed running breeds. Dachshunds are not sighthounds, but the head profile is similar enough that the same shape holds.
How do I measure my sighthound for a collar?
Run a soft tape around the top of the neck, just behind the ears and under the chin, snug but not tight. A sighthound collar sits higher on the neck than an ordinary collar, because the neck is wider than the head and a collar measured further down can pull off over the ears. Send me that measurement and I will tell you which band to order, or build it to your number if it falls between two. The Cotswold Heritage leather collar is sold in fitted sizes instead: 11 to 13.5 inches for Italian Greyhounds and Dachshunds, 12 to 14 inches for Whippets, and 13 to 18 inches for Lurchers.
How wide is a Green Dog sighthound collar?
38mm at the centre for the BioThane Cotswold Rambler and 43mm at the centre for the wool sighthound collar, which is the 4-row weave on a 19mm BioThane strap. The width tapers towards the buckle so the collar still fastens comfortably. The Cotswold Heritage leather sighthound collar uses a similar tapered profile in vegetable-tanned leather.
Can a sighthound collar fit a non-sighthound?
Yes, but it is not the most efficient choice. If your dog is not narrow-headed, a standard collar will fit better and look more in proportion. Sighthound collars are made for the breeds that need them.
Where are Green Dog sighthound collars made?
Handmade in Britain. Collars are sold in size bands and made to order, so if you need a size between two bands I will build it, and if you want extra room for a puppy still filling out, just ask. Making takes 2 to 6 working days to dispatch, and UK tracked post is one to two working days after that.
What collar is best for a whippet?
A wide-panel whippet collar in BioThane, leather or wool. It is 38mm across the centre on the BioThane Cotswold Rambler and 43mm on the wool collars, tapering towards the buckle, so it sits between the narrow head and the wider neck without anything tightening. In the fitted Cotswold Heritage leather, whippets take the 12 to 14 inch size. If your whippet startles and reverses on the lead, the half check BioThane collar is the better answer.
Do you make lurcher collars?
Yes. The fitted Cotswold Heritage leather lurcher collar covers 13 to 18 inches, and the BioThane and wool lurcher collars are sold in size bands and made to order, so a bigger deerhound or greyhound cross can be built to whatever size it needs if you say so in the order notes.
What size is a greyhound collar?
Greyhounds sit outside the fitted leather sizes. A greyhound collar is sold in size bands in BioThane or British wool and made to order, so if you need a size the bands do not cover, say so in the order notes and I will build it. The same applies to deerhounds and larger lurchers.
What size collar does an Italian greyhound need?
In the fitted Cotswold Heritage leather, an Italian greyhound collar is the 11 to 13.5 inch size, shared with dachshunds. In BioThane or wool the collar is sold in size bands and made to order, so if your measurement falls between two bands, say so in the order notes and I will build it to your number. Run a soft tape around the top of the neck, just behind the ears and under the chin.
Not a supply chain. A standard. Every collar and lead is made by hand in Britain, tested, measured and finished before it is packed. You are buying from the person answerable for it.