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Attaching an ID tag to your dog’s collar is a must in case your beloved family member gets lost. But I know from personal experience that these tags can detach from our pup’s collar pretty easily. What’s a better solution? A personalized dog collar with your contact information and your pup’s name embroidered or engraved directly on the collar. No more annoying tag jingles!
Another benefit is that some of these collars have large embroidery so they’re easier for people to see your contact information from farther away in case your lost dog is hesitant to come close to a stranger. I’ve reviewed the best personalized dog collars for pups of all sizes and some with added features you may want.
| Durable | Puppies & Small Dogs | Large Dogs | Stylish Leather | Fun Patterns |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |  |  |  |  |
| GoTags | LovelyDog | Joytale | Custom Catch | Moonpet |
| View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon |
| Read Review | Read Review | Read Review | Read Review | Read Review |
Best Personalized Dog Collars: Our Overall Top Picks
I chose the best custom dog collars based on the quality of collar material, comfort, pricing, customer feedback, and more. I also broke down my recommendations into categories to help you decide on the best collar for your dog and the features you want.
Most Durable: GoTags Nylon Personalized Dog Collar Review
Is your furry friend a strong leash puller or a heavy chewer? This GoTags collar could be your ideal solution. It’s made with durable but comfortable nylon webbing and has a non-corrosive D-ring to attach your dog’s leash. The sturdy side buckle is easy to release with one hand. This collar comes in four adjustable sizes and five colors and fits neck sizes ranging from 8-26 inches. You can have up to 25 characters embroidered on your pup’s collar with 15 thread color options. Another plus is the lettering is large enough to be seen at a distance.
One important thing to note is that the GoTags brand name takes up space on the collar. Several customers complained that the phone number gets partly obscured if you adjust the collar toward the minimum size fit. So you may want to size down if you think you’ll have to adjust the collar close to the minimum size.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Made of durable nylon webbing | Brand name takes up space on the collar |
| Sturdy quick-release clasp | |
| Very large lettering | |
| Many color combinations | |
| Machine-washable |
Price
- All sizes: $18.95
Best For Small Dogs & Puppies: LovelyDog Personalized Dog ID Collar Review
If you have a very small or miniature dog, you know how hard it can be to find a good collar fit. And when it comes to personalized collar options, the pickings are slim for itty bitty pups. But the LovelyDog collar in XS can accommodate a neck size as small as six inches (most minimums are eight inches). They also offer three other adjustable collar sizes that fit dogs up to 24-inch neck size.
This collar is made of soft but durable nylon and has a large reflective strip to help keep your pets safe in the dark. It comes in five colors with 11 embroidery thread color options. You can choose up to 25 characters, but if you’re going small, you may want only to include your contact information.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| High-quality at a good value | It may not fit very large dogs |
| Sturdy clasp | Some complaints of the collar fraying |
| Large reflective strip | |
| Machine-washable |
Price
- Starting at: $8.99
Best For Large Dogs: Joytale Personalized Dog Collar Review
This Joytale collar is a major contender for the most durable personalized collar, but we chose it as our top pick for large dogs because its XL size can accommodate neck sizes up to 28 inches (larger than the GoTags collar). Four other adjustable collar sizes are available, with a minimum neck size of 10 inches.
Instead of embroidery, this collar has a slide-on stainless steel nameplate with up to four lines for your engraved personalized information (up to 20 characters each). It’s made with strong nylon webbing and lined with soft neoprene padding to help prevent irritation. It also has reflective stitching and comes in 12 colors. And you can get a matching leash to hit the town in style.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Excellent value | May not fit very small dogs |
| Durable nylon padded with soft neoprene | A few complaints that the tag fell off |
| Strong, quick-release clasp | |
| Reflective stitching | |
| Many color options | |
| Offers a free nameplate replacement if your contact info changes |
Price
- Starting at: $12.99
Most Stylish Leather: Custom Catch Personalized Dog Collar Review
Unlike the other collars we review here, this Custom Catch personalized dog collar is made with attractive soft leather and stylish engraving rather than embroidery. You have six color options and can even choose from three different fonts and optional cute designs (paws, bones, or hearts).
It comes in four adjustable sizes and fits neck sizes ranging from 8.5-22 inches. The traditional metal buckle closure may not be ideal for people who want a quick-release clip, but it’s more secure than many plastic clips that can come open. This collar gets overall excellent customer reviews for its quality and look.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Stylish soft leather | The largest neck size is 22 inches |
| Secure metal buckle closure | A few complaints that the leather broke |
| Can customize font and add designs | |
| Satisfaction guarantee |
Price
- Starting at: $14.49
Fun Patterns: Moonpet Personalized Custom Dog Collar Review
With 21 different collar patterns to choose from, Moonpet’s personalized collars give your pup a stand-out-from-the-crowd look. The band is made from eco-friendly microfiber, and the stainless steel nameplate is laser engraved with your dog’s name and your phone number. You can also add a matching leash for $13.99 when you’re customizing the nameplate. It comes in five sizes that fit neck sizes ranging from 7.5-28 inches.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Fits a wide range of neck sizes | Some complaints that the collar frays and fades |
| Made with eco-friendly material | |
| Soft and comfortable fit | |
| Sturdy quick-release clip | |
| 21 pattern options |
Price
- Starting at: $9.88
What About Upload Your Own Design, Waterproof, Reflective, Martingale & GPS Tracking?
We’ve found some other top picks if you’re looking for specific features in a personalized dog collar.
Best Upload Your Own Design: Vista Print Custom Dog Collar Review
Vista Print gives you the option to fully customize your dog’s collar so you’re not restricted on creativity. You can select one of their pre-designed templates, or upload your own creation. Either way, you have more flexibility and room to put your dog’s name, contact info, and more! The only limit is your creativity and imagination.
It comes in three sizes, and you can preview your design before adding it to your cart. You can really let your dog’s personality and style shine through with this custom collar option. And it’s affordable for the quality and how unique this collar is.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 3 size options with adjustable length | Only black as the base color |
| Heavy-duty nylon band and metal D-ring, plastic hardware | No reflective option |
| Machine washable | |
| Full-color printing |
Price
- Starts at $14.99
Our Personal Experience With Vista Print Custom Collars
We had the chance to try out Vista Print’s custom dog collar for our Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Georgie. I selected the medium size, which was a little big for his neck (he’s about 19 pounds) but was able to adjust it down to make it fit. I uploaded a design with his name and had a background that was trying to mimic the look of leather, but the detail was very fine and didn’t really turn out the way I intended. However the color is very crisp and the quality of the collar is very impressive with the stitching and thickness of the band. And for the price point, the value is a great deal! Plus it was quick to ship and I got the collar about a week after purchasing. They also have custom dog tags where you can put additional information like a QR code or additional info like allergies or conditions. We ordered one for his brother, Coco.
–Sadie Cornelius, Creative & Marketing for Canine Journal and Cavalier dog mom
Best Reflective: GoTags Reflective Personalized Dog Collar Review
Another quality collar from GoTags is their reflective collar. It features a wide and bright reflective strip that’s perfect for nighttime. The personalized information is embroidered in large lettering directly onto the reflective strip, and you can choose from 14 different thread colors. The collar itself comes in five colors and three adjustable sizes, ranging from 11-26 inches in length. Like other GoTags collars, it’s made of durable nylon webbing and a quick-release clasp.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Excellent nighttime visibility | Not ideal for very small dogs |
| Made of durable nylon webbing | Some complaints that the reflective strip starts peeling away after time |
| Secure side-release clip | |
| Very large lettering |
Price
- All sizes: $19.45
Best Waterproof: Yellow Dog Design Personalized Waterproof Review
Are you looking for the best dog collar with a nameplate that’s also stylish and functional? If your dog spends a lot of time in the water or you’re sick of having to clean a stinky collar, this Yellow Dog Design personalized collar may be just the ticket. Waterproof, odor-free, and extremely durable, this collar features a laser-engraved, anodized aluminum nameplate that’s riveted to the collar. It has a traditional buckle instead of a plastic clip, so it’s fantastic for strong pups.
Four adjustable collar sizes fit necks ranging from 10.5-24 inches. And you can cut the collar down or add an extra buckle hole for a perfect fit. It’s available in several collar patterns and nameplate colors. One bummer, however, was that only a handful of patterns were available when I went to customize the collar.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Extremely durable material | It may not fit very small dogs |
| Waterproof and odor-free | Some owners said it’s too stiff and gets hot |
| Sturdy traditional buckle | No reflective striping |
| Easy to clean | |
| Made in the USA |
Price
- All sizes: Check Amazon for availability
Best Martingale: Blueberry Pet Essentials Personalized Martingale Collar Review
Pickings are pretty slim for personalized martingale collars, but I found this high-quality collar to be a fantastic value. It’s made with high-density nylon webbing and embroidered with large lettering. You can choose from 20 collar colors and over 10 thread choices. This slip-on collar comes in three sizes ranging from 12-26 inch neck sizes. Just be sure to choose a size large enough to slip over your pup’s head. Learn more about martingale collars here.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Great value | Part of the name gets obstructed if you adjust the collar |
| Heavy-duty material | No reflective striping |
| Large lettering | |
| Large color selection with matching leashes available |
Price
- All sizes: $16.99
Best For GPS Tracking: GoTags Engraved Airtag Dog Collar Holder Review
Do you want to maximize your chance of finding your furry friend if he gets lost? This cool gizmo is an Apple AirTag collar holder that you can also personalize. This gives you super safe GPS tracking of your pup’s location with real-time alerts if he wanders away on your iPhone or iPad (requires an iPhone with a U1 chip). The holder is made of comfortable silicone. It comes in four colors, and you can have up to four lines of information deeply engraved into the silicone.
It slips on most standard collars and is compatible with collars 3/4-inch to 1-inch wide (large) or 5/8-inch wide (small). If you love this concept but don’t see the need for personalization since you can track your pup, check out the Pup Culture Airtag Dog Collar Holder for a less expensive option.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Compatible with a wide variety of collars | On the pricey side |
| Secure holder for AirTag | |
| Made of comfortable silicone |
Price
Our Personal Experience With a Lost Dog And Personalized Collar
My rescue dog Daisy (now 13) ran away when she was about 4 years old. We were in a new house and had only lived there for about a week. Daisy hates the sound of power tools, and the neighbors were having some repairs done. Daisy freaked out, broke through the fence, and ran into the neighborhood. I was really worried because it was a brand-new neighborhood and she did not know her way around. She is also a big dog, and people can be intimdated by her, so having her out loose is never something I want to happen.
Thankfully, her collar had some identifying information on it, including her name and my phone number. A kind neighbor saw her about half an hour later and got close enough to get my contact information. While Daisy would not go with them, I was able to come and get her before anything terrible happened. She was a few blocks over, hiding under a porch. I am not sure we would have found her so quickly if she had not had the personalized collar.
– Danielle DeGroot, Rescue Dog Parent, Canine Journal Research & Writing
How To Measure Your Dog’s Collar Size
Each company has its own guidelines, but the general rule is to use a soft measuring tape (if you have one), a piece of string, or a phone charging cable (then run that along a regular tape measure). You measure around the center of their neck where a collar normally sits. Pull the tape/string/cord snug enough to fit two fingers between it and your dog’s neck.
Consider Microchipping Your Dog As A Backup
In addition to having a personalized collar or an ID tag, you should seriously consider microchipping your fuzzy family member if he isn’t already.
A study of over 7,700 stray animals at animal shelters found that microchipped dogs were reunited with their owners 52.2% of the time, but dogs without microchips were returned to their owners only 21.9% of the time.
Many professional pet welfare organizations, including the Animal Humane Society, recommend having your pet microchipped as a backup in case your dog’s ID tag or collar falls off. A 2018 survey of 3,000 pet parents by Embrace Pet Insurance found that 57% of respondents ID their pets with both a dog tag and microchip. With both identifying markers in place, it’s more likely that you can find your furry friend.
Tips On How To Find A Lost Dog
Even if you cover all your dog ID bases, it’s important to know what steps to take if your dog runs away or goes missing. Read our ultimate guide on how to find a lost dog, which also includes tips on prevention tips. If your pup makes a run for it frequently, you may want to consider getting a smart collar with GPS tracking ability like Tractive so you can be alerted the moment he strays.
Why Trust Canine Journal?
Sally has researched and reviewed hundreds of different dog products and tried many with her own pup. She is an expert at reviewing products based on quality, usability, and safety. She’s part of a team of dedicated canine professionals and long-time dog owners at Canine Journal. We test and research the best pet products, not only for our own pups but for all of our readers.
