All about EM® Collars
How To Measure
Ensure a proper fit by following these instructions
How to measure: Measure by using a soft-sided measuring tape around the largest part of your dog's neck, or (for bracelets) around your wrist. Make sure it is SNUG BUT COMFORTABLE - I recommend allowing for about 2 fingers of space between the measuring tape and your dog's neck. For bracelets, be sure to indicate if you would like extra room for the bracelet to have a looser fit. Follow the instructions below for each collar style.
Do The Collars Need to be Snug?
No. The collar should sit lower on the neck than a flat collar, kind of like a necklace. View our inspiration gallery for photos of dogs wearing their collars for a better idea.
If your pet is a chewer, we recommend using a buckle or swivel clasp and keeping the collar more snug. The toggle clasp offers a looser fit with a bit of room for adjustment.
AN EM COLLAR SHOULD NEVER HAVE A LEASH ATTACHED! These collars are not built to withstand the strength of a dog pulling on a leash. These are built to be an accessory!
Caring For Your Collar
Cleaning the collar
EM Collars should be washed with warm water ONLY. Absolutely no soaps or chemicals as these will compromise the integrity of the Effective Microorganisms®!
Rotate and rinse the clay beads often - at least every other week - the beads will work best when they are clean and free of debris.
Swimming with the collar is fine - as long as it is not in chemically treated water. (i.e. chlorine or bromine)
Hang to dry in a warm, sunny area. Sun is good for the EMs and our paracord is mold-resistant & quick-drying!
If you use other topical products, do NOT allow these products to come into contact with the EM Collar. Oils, soaps and chemicals WILL compromise the EMs and cause them to become ineffective. These can also cause the Ceramic Clay to break down, and the pipes will crack.
If your collar becomes very dirty or smelly (because let's face it, dogs like to roll in some awful things!) you can safely soak the collar in warm water mixed with 1 teaspoon of baking soda. The PH of baking soda is safe to use with the EMs and will not harm them, but do this ONLY when there is a skunk/rolled in something emergency.
The paracord I use is the highest quality:
- 550 Paracord - Type III Commercial Grade with 550 lb minimum break strength
- Diameter of approximately 4.0mm - 7 inner strands
- Mold, mildew, rot and UV resistant
- Color will not bleed
- Made in USA (never any cord from China!)
How to get the most out of your collar
- Keep the collar on your pet 24/7 for the first month of use. This is to build up the effectiveness of the Effective Microorganisms®. After the first month of continual wear, you can remove the collar when it is essential (i.e. for safety), but they work better the more they are worn. **Note: you should still remove the collar to wash it during this first month!
- We recommend you change your collar/bracelet every year. You can extend the life and effectiveness of the collar if you maintain it bi-weekly. The collars do lose effectiveness over time - while it is different for every dog, most will lose effectiveness after continuous wear. Some will find they need to replace more than that, others find they can go longer. Wear & tear on the clay pipes, dirt, oil for from skin and contact with chemicals will all decrease the effectiveness of the EMs.
Additional precautions
- If you live in a multi-pet household, you may find that your pets enjoy chewing on the others' collars - if this is the case, remove the collar when they are unsupervised. These collars are NOT chew-proof and we do not offer replacements for collars which have been the victim of snack-time ;)
- For your pet's safety and the safety of other pets, collars should be removed when engaged in rough play. Any collar poses a choking hazard, should a collar become caught in another dogs jaws. Play safe!
- Never attach a leash to an EM collar. These collars do not have a leash clip and are not built to safely restrain a dog. It WILL break.
- EM Pipes are made of ceramic clay and are susceptible to breakage. The most common causes of breakage are: hitting against a hard surface (i.e. dog lies down on tile floor or cement), playing with other dogs (other dogs' teeth can easily crack the pipes), using topical products like essential oils can cause the clay to break down and they can crack. This is unfortunately beyond our control. Please do your best to avoid situations like this. We put MORE EM pipes that required on each collar so that if some break, it will not reduce the effectiveness. We do not replace 1 or 2 pipes, but if you are concerned or lose more than a few, please email us.