Rolled Leather Dog Collar

MIKE MOONEYHAM: Rowdy Roddy Piper: From Pit to Pinnacle

It’s been nearly 28 years since “Rowdy” Roddy Piper and Greg “The Hammer” Valentine did battle in a match that will live forever in Mid-Atlantic wrestling lore.

The bout was part of arguably the biggest and most ambitious show ever staged in this part of the country.

The inaugural Starrcade was held on Thanksgiving night in 1983 in Greensboro, N.C., and was designed to be the closed-circuit prototype for future mega-shows produced by Jim Crockett Promotions.

Starrcade ‘83 was headlined by an NWA world title match in a steel cage between challenger Ric Flair, the champion of the future, and eight-time titleholder Harley Race, the respected veteran who was being asked to pass the torch. The match would serve to launch Flair’s second run as National Wrestling Alliance champ.

But the bout destined to take its place in the annals of Mid-Atlantic history was a special dog collar match between two bitter rivals whose feud had come down to an innovative gimmick bout.

Eight matches were broadcast on closed-circuit television that evening throughout the southeastern part of the country.

Behind the scenes, though, the event had far-reaching ramifications for the entire industry.

“Starrcade at that time was the ending of the ‘Civil War’ between the North and the South. Bruno Sammartino and Larry Zbyszko had gone into Shea Stadium and drawn $500,000. Starrcade was Jimmy Crockett’s answer to that,” says Piper, who would go on to become one of the biggest stars in the wrestling business.

It wasn’t until the bell rang, says Piper, that the significance of his match with Valentine really sunk in.

“It dawned on us that all the important people in our business were looking at us. It was a pride issue. We had a responsibility to make them proud and make history if we could.”

And make history they did.

“Hot Rod”, who will be one of the major attractions at the NWA Wrestling Legends Fanfest in Atlanta on Aug. 4-7, has fond memories of that night and his battle with Valentine.

The main purpose of the match, he says, was really quite simple.

“They wanted Greg and me to have a match that was so brutal that people would keep coming back to see it.”

Promoter Jim Crockett Jr. and booker Ole Anderson gave Piper carte blanche to come up with some original ideas for the match. Piper took the challenge seriously.

“I went and got a 12-foot logging chain and leather collars with spikes,” says Piper. “It really hadn’t hit me what I got myself into until that moment for some reason. At that point I took the dog collars back and got sheep’s wool.

Rolled Leather Dog Collar - What Makes It Different?

In effect, it is made of leather that is “rolled up” so as to create the effect of being circular in diameter. Many of them are about a half an inch around, and there is a flat area at the end that is wider, and that is the area that contains the buckle.

What a lot of people tend to like about rolled leather dog collars is that they are stronger, because the tension is concentrated around a smaller area. The buckles are generally very durable, and they are pretty easy to fashion. Also, they can be a lot easier on some dogs, because obviously they are going to be pulled on these collars. Just make sure you pick up one with genuine leather.

You can also pick up rolled leather dog collars that are very stylish. If you look around, you’re going to find out that they come in all kinds of colors, and they really look good on your animal. You can do some interesting mixing and matching with an accompanying leash. They also don’t wear quite as badly as the strap, so chances are that it will last over a longer period of time. The good news is that they are priced right as well. We are your headquarters for finding and buying the rolled leather dog collar!

101 training tips for your dog

The Dog Bible, Everything Your Dog Wants You to Know

Knack Dog Care and Training, A Complete Illustrated Guide to Adopting, House-Breaking, and Raising a Healthy Dog

Everything Dog Book 2nd Edition

ASPCA complete dog care manual