Hi Nora,
Thanks for the review. We are sorry to hear the buckle has not been performing well for you. Our Summit Collars in general are not recommended for working dogs, but that is especially true if the collar has a Fidlock buckle.
The Fidlock is a nifty buckle, but it does have some limitations. Due to the design, this is not a redundant locking system—meaning it does not have to have two elements actuated at the same time to release. While the buckles are designed to hold under tension even if the tab is lifted, the collar can be released easily when there is no tension on the collar. Therefore it is possible that a dog could release the buckle from scratching, or if your dogs are playing and a tooth catches the lift tab. While this is not a problem for a large majority of customers, every dog and enviornment is different.
To help mitigate the buckle accidently coming off there are a couple things to try:
First, we recommend regularly cleaning the buckle since the magnet can collect small debris.
Next, you can also remove the (cord) pull tab from the buckle—this reduces the surface area for a claw or tooth to catch. The buckle can still open if a nail or tooth goes under the pull tab, so the next thing to try is adjusting the collar fitment. The way these buckles work is that there are two grooves inside that, when tension is applied to the collar, lock in place. This actually keeps the collar from opening at all if any force is applied.
Lastly, if the collar is fitted snug it can keep the buckle from opening.
You can test the way the buckle works by taking the collar off the dog and having someone pull slightly on both ends of the webbing, putting tension on the buckle. Now gently try to lift the release tab and you will notice the buckle will not release. Just remember to be gentle (if you pull too hard you can actually break the tab off). Likewise if you ever go to release your dog's collar and the buckle is not coming free, there is probably a bit too much tension on the collar—so just push the ends of the buckle toward each other, which will release the tension, and it should come right off.
If you need any other assistance please reach out to our support team. Thanks!
