Dublin Dog collar reviewOur dog, Tank, is a notorious mud, snow, dirt, and water hound. As a result, most collars have a tough time keeping up. Bright colors fade quickly in the strong Utah sun, and the smell – which no amount of washing can remove – starts to set in after just a week of fetching in the goose pond and wrasslin’ with pals.

Enter the Dublin Dog KOA collar.

A cross between a fabric and a solid rubber design, the KOA features a nylon webbing strap that’s been dipped in a tough, clear plastic. The plastic effectively “everything-proofs” the webbing, making it impervious to water, dirt, sun, and dog stink while retaining the look of fabric. How tough is it? Well, after three months, it still looks brand new. I picked a bright blaze orange with a 3M reflective stripe down the center, and the color is as bright as the day I bought it. Also, since the reflective material is heat-bonded to the plastic rather than glued to fabric, it is much more durable – no evidence of cracking or peeling despite almost daily wear. All the hardware is heavy-duty powdercoated metal (no idea if it’s brass or stainless since the coating has yet to wear off), and the riveted construction seems bombproof. All indicators point to long life under hard use, which is good, since the KOA retails at $26.

In fact, the only issue I have had with the collar is the sizing. Dublin Dog sizes their collars without any overlap, and Tank is right in between the Medium and the Large. I ended up buying the Large and trimming it down; Tank wears it on the last (tightest) hole, which is fine because he’s not getting any smaller, but some folks might be forced to make extra holes. All in all, though, the KOA is one burly, good-looking collar, perfect for field or general use. They even offer free customization with your dog’s name, your name, and a phone number laser-etched on any of the reflective versions. Assuming all Dublin Dog products are of the same quality, I’m pretty sure Tank will be stoked to try out a leash or a bed down the road.