I bought one of these collars for my dog because his original collar was too large. This collar is quite soft and my dog seems to like it. I have not observed any irritation or other problems from this collar, though I never saw any problems with his old collar.Unlike some other collars I've tried with nylon straps, the plastic clasp does not slip.I've had the collar for several months and it is holding up well. It seems better about not loosening up unlike some other collars I've tried on my active dog.