They say dogs are a man’s best friend so if you own a dog then at some point in time it is likely you will have to put up with the dog cone collar. This is a device veterinarians use when your pet needs to be restricted from licking or chewing places on their body. It is usually used after any type of surgery on the dog.

The regular cone collar is made of stiff plastic generally opaque or translucent in color. The design is fitted around the dog’s neck and forms the shape of an ice cream cone with the smaller end around the animal’s neck and the larger end extending past their nose.

In general, dogs do not like wearing cones and although they do get used to it you will still have a fight on your hands to get it back on after the initial wearing. The cones have to be worn in the course of the healing which means your pet could be wearing this for weeks at a time.

Thankfully there are alternative pet accessories out there to protect your pet in a similar fashion as the cone collar.

There is a collar that is made of similar plastic to the conventional cone collar with padding inside. The cone is worn in a similar fashion by fitting it over the neck and is wide enough to cover most of the neck area restricting the dog from bending its head backward to reach any part of the body. It also has a strap that goes around the chest area right behind the front legs that add additional movement restriction. Some dog species might be able to reach the tail area but in general, this is a good design that works. Moreover, it is more comfortable for dogs and you do not have to worry about the cone extension.

There is U shaped and inflatable doughnut-shaped cone that fits over the neck area. You can inflate the dog cone depending on the width and length of your dog’s neck. These provide a limited barrier to keeping your dog’s head protected. Although it is designed to provide comfort, it does not provide adequate protection for the whole body. A dog could reach the hind or tail areas pretty easy with this.

Finally, there are many different soft dog cone collars also known as comfy cones that are designed similar to the traditional cone shape. These are made of either nylon or a softer plastic material over stiff foam padding. These cones were designed to provide comfort to healing pets. It is still possible for some dogs to reach the tail area if they work at it.

So if you need a cone for your pet, your choices will only be limited by your imagination as they come in various colors, styles, shapes, and sizes.