When it comes to pet accessories, a bell is probably one of the most common and adorable ones. Pet parents put a bell on their pets whether it is a cat or dog and there are some solid reasons behind this practice.
No doubt putting a bell on your dog has both positive and negative sides. This is the reason that pet parents usually look for the answer to the question, is it okay to put a bell on my dog?
Well, the answer can go both ways and this guide will cover all these aspects so that you have a clear mind before putting a bell in your dog.
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Reasons to put a bell collar on a dog
There are plenty of reasons that may urge you to tie a bell collar on your dog’s neck. Below are some of the most prominent reasons that are briefly discussed below.
1. To protect prey animals
One of the basic reasons that urge pet parents to put a bell collar is that they want to protect prey animals from their dog. We all know that dogs are great hunters and they can catch prey animals without their knowing.
The bell will act as a warning for such animals so that they can know about the dog and run or fly over to save their life.
No matter how much you feed your dogs, they will never let the chance go out of their hands of hunting prey. This is just like a sport or fun activity for them.
2. To locate your dog
There are huge possibilities that your dog may slip out of your hand while you are passing through a garden or jungle. Dogs have an instinct of roaming here and there to look for things or maybe to enjoy the journey.
Dogs may also disappear while you were closing your home’s door or were busy buying some stuff. In such cases, a bell can allow pet parents to locate their dogs without facing any major difficulties.
You will be able to listen to every single jingle of the bell and reach that very spot where your dog is standing. Chasing your dog on the tracks of bells will also be a fun activity for you.
3. Your dog like to have one
While some of the dogs may not like the idea of having a bell on their body, many dogs find it interesting.
They love the sound or jingle of the bells. This thing can easily be analyzed by watching the movements of your dog.
If your dog loves bells, it will start jumping and running here and there while showing signs of joy. This factor is most commonly seen in small aged dogs also known as puppies.
4. To protect your dog
Where bells can protect prey animals from dogs, they can sometimes protect your dog from predators or harmful animals as well.
There are many witnesses where pet parents have seen a poisonous snake running from the ground as soon as he heard the ringing of a dog’s bell.
Is it a good idea to put a bell on a dog
It is always a good idea to put a bell on a dog as it brings a huge amount of benefits and conveniences. Just make sure that your dog is not getting annoyed by the bell and it is not hurting him as well.
Do dogs actually like to have bells
There is no straight answer to this question as some dogs really like bells while others don’t even want them to come near their body. The dog’s temperament, interests, daily activities, environment, and habit of eating non-food items are some of the major factors that impact the answer to the above-mentioned question.
To know the behavior of your dog and its liking for it, you should keep a strict eye on your dog for at least the first few days. If you notice that your dog is trying to take off the bell, it is better to remove it by yourself or train it to live happily with the bell. If your dog behaves normally as he always does, there is nothing to worry about in terms of bells.
Things to consider before putting a bell on the dog
- The first and most important thing is to analyze the behavior of your dog in terms of eating non-food items. Dogs usually tend to eat their own bell collar because of their habits and this can cause the bell to tear off or may even injure the dog as well.
- Dogs have better hearing power and they can get easily annoyed by the high-level sound of the bell. You should consider this factor and try to choose the bell that comes under the safe range for the dog’s hearing capacity.
- The size of the bell should also be appropriate for the dog. Some people put long bells on the dog’s neck. Even if the bell is lightweight, its bigger size can disturb or hurt your dog especially when they are running or playing around.
Are there any good alternatives to bells for dogs
It truly depends on why you are putting a bell on your dog. If you only want to put a bell on your dog so that you can track him in case of disappearance, there are various alternatives or maybe even better than traditional bells.
There is a wide range of digital trackers that can be connected to your mobile phones and can be attached to the dog’s collar or belt.
Such digital trackers allow you to watch your dog’s path directly on your phone. You will not have to go here and there as you will know the exact place of your dog.
Beepers are also a good alternative as their sound is not as echoes as the bell. Apart from this, the new digital beepers also have the option to change the sound frequency which is a great feature for your dog’s hearing.
One of the best things about these alternatives is that you can turn them off if there is no need for them and they are extremely lightweight as well. These factors can mitigate the chances of dogs getting annoyed by them.
What is the right place to put the bell on a dog
No doubt the neck is probably the best place to put the bell on a dog. Do keep this fact in mind that the bell should be placed on a collar and it should be tied at the bottom end of the neck. This will allow the dog to move his neck freely while keeping the bell at a place where it cannot touch any body parts of the dog.
Some people also suggest tying bells on the legs or feet of dogs. It is a good place and the bell will stay far away from the dog’s ears and there will be no issues even if the sound is loud.
The only issue is that putting the bell on the legs will always remain in contact with the body that can cause issues or maybe a mare disturbance in walking, running, jumping, and playing activities of the dogs.
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