Frequently Asked Questions
WHICH BITE SUIT SHOULD I BUY?
Your bite suit purchase should reflect the type of work you are doing, your experience level, and the protection level you are comfortable with. We have a full bite suit selection guide on our Demanet Bite Suits page, including videos explaining features. Please feel free to reach out to use via phone or email for specific questions, so we can make sure your bite suit purchase is the perfect selection for your needs.
Why does everyone recommend kirby k9 for bite suits?
Our owner, Josh Kirby, is a retired police K9 handler, trainer, and decoy. He has also decoyed as a sport trial decoy for over a decade and been selected as a national / world level decoy four times. During the course of his career, he developed a friendship with Hervé Mavuanga who is the owner of Demanet. Through this friendship, Kirby K9 became a distributor of Demanet bite suits in the United States. Josh has poured a tremendous amount of time, research, and resources into the design and innovation process with Demanet. Over the last 10 years, most new features, designs, and products from Demanet have either been tested, or developed by Josh Kirby for the US market. Because Josh is still active in the decoy world, most decoys and trainers trust the level of knowledge and product expertise regarding bite suits that Josh has acquired, which is why Kirby K9 is recommended by more law enforcement, military, and sport trainers than any other company.
What Size are the Collars?
Kirby K9 collars are adjustable and range between 15" and 20". This range typically fits adult working breeds such as Malinois, German Shepherds, Dutchies, and Labs. Other breeds such as Corsos and Rottweilers might need a larger size. If your dog does not fall within the standard sizing range, include a note with your size at check out, and we will sew accordingly.
How Long Before I Receive My Order?
While many orders of in stock items ship the same or next day, custom orders and items that we sew in house have a two week lead time. Most custom items and sewn items are made to order, and enter our build queue, so manufacturing times can vary. Orders of custom made Demanet or Gallais bite suits will follow the current factory lead times listed on the bite suit pages.
Which Collar is Best for My Dog?
While collar selection is an individual choice, the best collar for your dog might depend on what you do with your dog and how often the dog will wear its Kirby K9 collar. All of our working dog collars use either Type 13 webbing with a 7,000 lb rating or scuba webbing with a 6,000 lb rating. We only use authentic AustriAlpin Cobra buckles with a 4,500 lb rating.
For dogs that spend a great deal of time in the water, I recommend "The Original" collar as this collar is made entirely of scuba webbing and velcro. The Original collar is 1.5 inches in width, and a great choice for dock diving and hunting dogs that need a collar that will be subjected to water and still retain strength and form. We recommend The Original collar for small or younger dogs as the 1.5 inch width seems to be a perfect width. Many working dog puppies use The Original collar as their first agitation collar. The original collar is our personal favorite and the collar our dog's wear.
For dogs that need an agitation collar for protection or police work, the "Viribus" collar is a great choice. The Viribus collar is a two inch wide, multi layer design which offers an even greater level of strength. The collar utilizes a unique sizing design that creates a scuba webbing barrier between the dog's neck and the cobra buckle. While the Viribus collar is the most popular collar with police and military K9 handlers, it doesn't come on and off the dog as quickly as other models due to the multi layer design.
The Vexillum collar is our only collar made with a built in handle. Unlike many other collars with handles, the Vexillum collar uses a single piece of nylon for the entire collar and handle. This unique design creates greater strength than most handled collars. The Vexillum is made of 1.75 inch heavy duty nylon and is extremely strong. There is no scuba webbing in the Vexillum design so it will not retain form like "The Original" and "Viribus" collars.
The Semper collar is a good option for handlers that want a solid working dog collar without too much bulk, but still require a well made, reliable collar. The Semper is made from 1.75 inch type 13 webbing and has a variety of color options for exterior velcro colors, making it a favorite of handlers that want to match their equipment, or want a collar that will stand out from the crowd.
What is a Cobra Buckle?
All Kirby K9 working collars utilize an AustriAlpin Cobra D-Ring buckle which has a load rating of 4,500 lbs. The buckle uses a male / female opening and requires the user to push from both sides to open the buckle. This can be performed with one hand, however, the buckle can't be opened without engaging both releases, even under load.
There are many "variations" and "imitations" of cobra buckles on the market. In my experience, research, and manufacturing of equipment, AustriAlpin makes the finest, most reliable buckle in the world and is the only buckle we use on my collars. Beware of companies that advertise "Cobra buckle" collars which refers to the style of the collar. If the buckle is not made by AustriAlpin, it is an imitation, inferior product.
What is Scuba Webbing?
Scuba webbing is a mix of nylon and polypropylene and was developed for the scuba diving market to allow them to make belts that would retain strength and form in marine environments. Scuba webbing is much thicker and rigid than regular nylon and ideal for dog collars due to its ability to retain form.