As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
A Bulldog has a short muzzle, a wide head and a thick neck, and that changes what collar or harness works best. PetMD says: “One of the most significant steps you can take to protect your flat-faced dog is to use a dog harness instead of a neck collar.”
A collar still has a job: it carries the ID and licence tags. Humane World for Animals says every dog needs a collar for “leash and license, ID and rabies vaccination tags”. So the usual answer for a Bulldog is a comfortable flat collar for the tags and a harness for the walk.
This page covers how to choose and fit both, then lists five products from their Amazon listings. We have not tested them. We have also removed a chain training collar and a spiked leather collar that this page used to list, for the reasons given below.
Sizes in the listings are mostly in inches. We give approximate centimetres. Measure your own dog and check the maker’s size chart before you order, because the right size depends on the individual dog.
Collar Or Harness For A Bulldog?
PetMD, writing about flat-faced breeds such as the French Bulldog, says “A dog collar only adds strain to the already compromised airways of flat-faced breeds.” The American Kennel Club quotes Dr Amy Attas, who recommends a harness for breeds like the Bulldog, French Bulldog and Pug, and notes that because their neck is almost as wide as their head, “it’s easy for dogs with this shape to slip out of a collar”.
If your Bulldog has noisy breathing, pants hard or struggles on walks, talk to your vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice.
A Harness For Walks
The Amazon listing for the PetSafe Easy Walk is for a no-pull harness in black and silver, and the title shows the Large size. Check the maker’s size chart against your dog’s chest measurement before you order. It is a harness, not a collar, so it will not hold the ID tags: keep a flat collar on as well.
Check price on AmazonAffiliate link — Dog Fluffy may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.How A Flat Collar Should Fit
Humane World for Animals says a flat collar “should not be so tight as to choke your dog”, should close with a buckle or plastic snap and have a ring for tags and a lead. To check the fit, “slide two fingers comfortably underneath the collar”.
Wrap a soft tape measure around the middle of your dog’s neck, where the collar will sit, read the number in centimetres and choose the size whose range includes it. Re-check as a puppy grows. If your dog’s collar slips over the head, it is too loose; if you cannot get two fingers underneath, it is too tight. See also what size collar for a French Bulldog puppy.
Collars To Consider
Moonpet Real Leather Padded Collar
The listing describes a soft padded collar in full-grain leather, in dark brown. The title shown gives a neck range of 17.2-22 in (about 44-56 cm); other sizes are listed, so pick the one that matches your measurement.
Check price on AmazonAffiliate link — Dog Fluffy may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.Buckle-Down Seatbelt Buckle Collar
A polyester collar with a seatbelt-style buckle. The title shown gives a 1 in (about 2.5 cm) width and a neck range of 15-26 in (about 38-66 cm) for the Large size, in a “Space Dust Collage” print. Check that the width suits your dog’s neck.
Check price on AmazonAffiliate link — Dog Fluffy may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.Pawtitas Reflective Collar
A reflective collar for small dogs in teal, which shows up in headlights on dark walks. Because it is sized for small dogs, it will suit a Bulldog puppy rather than an adult. We could not confirm it is in stock on 31 October 2026, so check the listing.
Check price on AmazonAffiliate link — Dog Fluffy may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.LupinePet Rain Song Martingale Collar
The listing describes a martingale-style collar. The listing is for the 10-14 in (about 25-36 cm) size, for small dogs, and other sizes are sold, so measure first. Whatever the style, the two-finger check below still applies.
Check price on AmazonAffiliate link — Dog Fluffy may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.Collars To Avoid
Humane World for Animals says there is “no way to control how much the choke chain tightens” and links choke chains to “injuries to the trachea and esophagus”, and that prong collars “can be easily misused and shouldn’t be used”. For a breed with narrow airways, that is a reason to avoid chain and spiked training collars entirely. If your Bulldog pulls, ask your vet or a qualified trainer about a harness and training.
The Bottom Line
For a Bulldog, choose a harness for walks and a comfortable flat collar for the ID tag, measured in centimetres and fitted with the two-finger check. Avoid choke and prong collars, and talk to your vet if your dog finds walking hard. See also our dog walking gear page.
