Would you be offended...

Just tell them her old collar broke and you felt bad since you were watching her so you got her another one, very sorry then everyone wins. In order to make it real take the old collar and break it.

 I would not be offended, but then again I doubt you would be having to buy me a collar since I would be aware that the one my dog was wearing was too tight.

dgriego

Just tell them her old collar broke and you felt bad since you were watching her so you got her another one, very sorry then everyone wins. In order to make it real take the old collar and break it.

That's what DH said too, to break it...lol. And also, she's 6 months old, so its very possible she suddenly grew a bit in her neck..she's getting a new one I can't bear to place this back on her neck. 

I'd just use the one you already have instead of buying another if that's an option.  They probably won't mind especially since the collar is already on the last hole--so they were probably expecting her to grow out of it soon.  They probably just didn't realize--I'd like to give them the benefit of the doubt.

I might take slight offence to it - it's MY dog, after all....

Just say it broke - and you had an extra one lying around. Just let them know you didn't want her to be without a collar,  and felt really bad that she broke it while you were watching her.

 when i was a kid we had a shepherd mix that had a route she visited (yeah we were THOSE kinds of dog owners.. let ours run loose and had no fence) but everyone loved Sandy.

there was a middle aged single fella two houses down from us that adored her. he always bought her snacks. he even told us if we ever decided to get rid of her he'd gladly take her. there was one particular occasion when Sandy came home sporting a brand new bright blue collar..... we didnt know who put it on her or why. there was nothing at all wrong with the old one. turns out this guy thought her old collar was just that.. OLD! and stinky. and dirty and he wanted her to have a nice new one.

my mom thought it was funny and cute that he liked our dog so much but i was mortified..... and jealous. i wanted to be the one to get her a new collar but we didnt have the money for "frivolous" things like dog collars. looking back now i wish we had let him have her. she would have had a much better life with him because he could have afforded all those nice doggy things she missed out on - except for when she made her rounds to visit her friends -

and i'm still the same way today. i wouldnt be upset or mad but horribly embarrassed if someone was paying more attention to my dogs than i am. if i cant do THAT much then i hardly need to have a dog! But i am also the kind of person that would replace a dog's old ratty collar to be nice to the dog and owner.... the guy that bought Sandy a collar was being nice :)
 

Slightly, I guess. My finace's mom is always trying to loosen my dogs collars and it really annoys me. I like for them to have enough space for two of my fingers to fit in snugly. I want to be able to grab my dogs collar and use it as a means of control if there is ever an emergency, it comes in handy at the dog park, etc. Her dog has a collar so loose she just takes a step backward and it comes off. I do not think it is safe. I think it depends on how tight the collar is on the dog. How much space is/was there?

I might be embarassed, but I wouldn't say anything and would probably go out and buy her a new one myself.

Regardless of their feelings though, I would put the new one on her.

If it was actually too tight and someone gave me a FREE new collar, nope, I wouldn't be offended.  

Kenya wears a very thin collar that sits higher up on her neck.  It is not too tight (I can easily slip two fingers under it), but I would not call it loose either.  To some, it may be too tight though.  IMO, if a collar cannot stay where it is positioned on the neck (ie, it slips down or sags), then it's too loose.

I figure this,  they will either be happy that their dogsitter was paying that much attention to their dog to notice the collar, or they may be a bit embarassed upset but not show it directly. Or I can always take the other route and just mention to them I noticed her collar is getting a little too tight for her, and say I guess she's growing out of it so that way they will know and buy her a new one.

dgriego

Just tell them her old collar broke and you felt bad since you were watching her so you got her another one, very sorry then everyone wins. In order to make it real take the old collar and break it.

I like this suggestion.  This way, you don't even have to worry about offending them.  And I agree you should "break" the old one so you can CYA.  Is it a snap collar?  You could break off one of the plastic tongs on the snap part and tell them it broke when you were trying to put it on the dog.  That's a believable excuse.  Then tell them that you had an extra collar that you put on her and offer that they are welcome to keep it, or you will be glad to buy them a new one (if it's a different color or something, some people are picky about color).

I would not be offended at all, but, I can say that with Rocky growing so much I am constantly loosening his collar.  We have already had to chg collars, 2x's since we got him and he is just 4 months old.   I check it constantly just changed collars last weekend and have already had to loosen it 1x, lol.   I have used Shadow older collars for the same reason he never wore them very long.   I would certainly use the one you have as long as it has no sentimental value to you!  If I were to be babysitting my grandkids and their shoes were too tight, you can bet I would be buying them new shoes

I wouldnt be offended either if you thought the collar was too tight. I'd be happy you were trying to help. But you know some people take things the wrong way. 

I would tell them it broke too. Shoot Jayde chewed Lillie's collar off one day. You could go that route too. Say one of your dogs chewed it off and you felt bad and bought them a new one. 

Here's a suggestion:  Leave the old collar on.  When the folks show up, have your new collar on the counter or someplace nearby and in view.  Tell them that you would like for their dog to have the collar so that it will get good use...and that it would make you very happy if they would accept it.  When they say OK (and I'm pretty sure they will), you take the old collar off, put the new one on and while you are doing so...tell them the old one looks like its getting too tight because the dog is growing out of it anyway.  Also while making the exchange, explain the best fit and why.

 I've done similar things. I left a bag of good dog food on my aunt's counter (Oh, my dogs didn't like it, and I thought yours might enjoy it!). I gave her dogs harnesses that fit, because they're too fat to fit into theirs (Oh, Teenie got too skinny, and she slips out of it! <<

With a puppy, I'd just say she must have had a growth spurt while you were away! I had this extra collar that didn't fit  Maggie, do you want it?