Just been in the loft and came across the bag holding my "old" dogs collars. Sam and Gyp's. Gypsy's.
And I swear even after all these years I can still smell them on the collars opening the bag (an old carrier) I just got a wonderful whiff of the leather and I could smell (I swear) the dogs on them.

Just looking at the collars brought back memories. Lovely memories.

Odd I reuse leads but collars are "special" Does anyone else keep their previous dogs collars or am I just soft?

No, always keep the collars  and never put them on any of the others. Stored away in bags just bring myself to let any of the others use them.

Not soft at all.  I do the same.  They're kept in a drawer and I, like you, get them out now and again.

Sarah.

Mine are re-used with the younger generation.  My collars last longer than my leads, which only last a couple of years.

I also keep all mine aswel, due to changing breeds they can't be reused again so I tend to put one of them on top of their boxes of ashes with a picture on my kitchen window sill. I'm lucky in that I have only suffered the loss of 3 dogs and have the ashes of 2 of them (wasn't old or wise enough when my first dog died to get her ashes) but have kept the various leads and collars from all of them. Still using a lovely leather lead with my newf that came from my first ever dog (dobe) that is now over 18 years old, remarkable that its lasted this long with only a few puppy chew marks when my husband got careless and let Izzy have a couple of chews.:)

I have my boys collar in the cupboard, still with his tags on etc: It will not be worn by anyother dog as it is his, I can't bring myself to move it to a safer place yet as still very difficult.
I don't normally 'keep sake' leads, but there has been one leather lead that was my boys, but sadly when we went on holiday the family member looking after our pup who looks after dogs in her house for an income, sent another dog home with my boys lead :(
She has offered to pay for a new one, but is not the same :(

Karen we have so many ickle collars and big collars as well All with the tags on as well

Never reused as they hold a big memory for us ;)

Lucy
xx

I have Abbys collar hanging up with the girls ones as I havent benn able to bring myself to put it away even after almost two years. I have her dog tags on my keyring which lots of people think is strange.
Mary

We've only lost one dog as we're relatively new dog owners.  Her collar (lhasa) is hanging up in the understairs cupboard, alongside biscuit and dicksy's leads. 

I also keep my old dog collars & leads -  they are hanging up with my current 4 hounds collars & leads.  My first Pharaoh, Jacob, was born in 1980.

I think one day when I have spare time I will go photo browsing.

Pam

>I have her dog tags on my keyring which lots of people think is strange.

I think that is a wonderful idea and something I can imagine myself doing when the time comes.....

Thank you dont know what I would do if I lost them.

I keep little memory boxes for each of my pets, including those that are still with me. Each dogs box contains the puppy collars, and the baby teeth, photos, videos, clippings from any papers, rosettes. etc. For those that have gone to the bridge, I have added their adult collars, their name tags and a lock of hair. Every now and again I explore my little memory boxes and I hold the locks of hair to my face and breathe deeply....It really brings their memories back as you are right, each dog has its own special fragrance.

cathy

pinklilies, my daughter has a little trinket box and she has hair of nelly in there, today i've looked out a pic of nelly to put on photobucket as we don't have that many but she used to be in the garden all the time with the guinea pig running freely around, they were good mates. 

I kept Spangler's collars and they are safely put away in a drawer with one of his favourite toys and I admit to going in and having a smell of them, still got some of his hair there too - I was a little worried that the smell was not quite as obvious as it once was and that upset me :(