After checking out our latest post about Theo’s love/hate relationship with the Jingle Collar and Elf duties (click HERE to read that post), many of you have inquired about Theodore’s new black and red leather collar, so we thought a proper review might interest you!

For several months, we searched far and wide for a truly different, well constructed leather ‘lurcher’ type collar which is wider in the back (about 2 inches) and then tapers under the chin. This style is particularly appropriate for dogs with narrow heads like the greyhound…or greyhound mixes like Theo!

It’s not easy rounding up a unique leather lurcher collar that’s embellished in a way that’s not excessively girly, but our hunt for a new collar turned up El Hor, based in Dortmand, Germany.

El Hor handcrafts both lurcher collars and regular, straight collars, in a full array of designs.  Each and every one is a a work of art. Layers of intricately cut leather are sewn on a soft, padded base to create a collar that is both distinctive and striking.

*** Click HERE to view El Hor‘s full range of beautiful layered, studded, embellished, embossed and beaded collars. The many choices are mind boggling!

We chose this red/black combo from the company’s Ornament Collection. The Original style of Theodore’s collar (#0308) is made with red leather over a white background.  But we requested silver leather to replace the white and El Hor obliged! They’re incredibly agreeable folks who will advise you regarding the best size for your dog and suitable color combos, as well.

An El Hor collar from the Ornament Collection may not be the best choice for extended swimming and aggressive tearing through the brambles-sessions. The collar is made of soft, not rigid leather, and the padding is a nice touch that lends comfort to the collar, but I don’t recommend getting it thoroughly soaked with any regularity.

An El Hor collar will cost you around 82 Euros, or roughly $110, plus 6 Euros (about $8) for shipping.

I should note, too that the hardware is not brass (which is what I would have preferred on a collar of this quality and price) but it’s fine for wear that doesn’t involve lots of rough play or exposure to serious downpours or dunking.

When the collar first arrived, we found it shifted around on Theo’s neck, such that the main emblem would tilt to the right or left when viewed from behind. In time, the padding has softened and has conformed to Theodore’s neck, so the emblem sits more squarely. But if you’re particular about such things, do consider that this shifting will occur to some extent and will be much more noticeable on a collar like this which has a ‘center point’ than one with consistent decoration across the entire breadth and width of the collar.

For his more wild-jaunts in the country, Theodore will sport his rough and tumble Ruffwear Top Rope Collar.

But, for sheer beauty, city living, and leisurely country strolls,  El Hor‘s collars fit the bill.

One other important consideration to make before ordering from El Hor is that purchase is most convenient and economical via a PayPal account as direct-to-merchant credit card payments are not accepted at the time of this writing. Other modes of payment include international bank transfers, Western Union and the like. But we researched all of these other modes and found the service charges to be unacceptable given the relatively high price of the collar itself.  Our solution: we requested that El-Hor open a Pay Pal account to make it easier for customers outside of the EU to pay.  And El-Hor very kindly agreed.

To order, simply email the company with details about your design requests and questions, and once you settle on a collar, they will send you a Pay Pal invoice. If your order and special requests are complicated and very detailed, you may want to use Google Translate to send your request in German, unless you happen to speak the language well.

I found the folks at El-Hor accommodating and most helpful. And Theo couldn’t be more pleased with his new collar. Thanks El-Hor!

El Hor Leathergoods

Website: www.el-hor.de