Archive for the ‘Dog Collars’ Category
Is A Halter Better For My Dog?
Many people today want to use the gentlest method possible for controlling and training their dog. Choke collars, pinch collars, and prong collars make many people uncomfortable. Some people prefer to use halters such as the Halti or Gentle Leader for their dogs but there are pros and cons to these head collars. Should you use one for your dog?
A head collar is different from an ordinary collar for dogs. Most regular collars fit around a dog’s neck. Head collars work like a horse halter. They have straps that fit behind your dog’s ears, along the cheeks and over your dog’s nose. It is this nose strap that really controls your dog. There is a D ring on the underside of the head collar where you attach your leash.
It’s important to properly size a head collar to fit your dog. Otherwise the halter won’t be effective at all.
Most dogs don’t like a head collar at first. Some dogs never get used to them. When you put the head collar on your dog you should allow plenty of time for your dog to get used to it. Let your dog wear the head collar in the house a few times before you ever try to take him anywhere wearing the halter. Give him some treats when you put the head collar on. Give treats and take the head collar off. You can do this a few times so that he associates the head collar with something pleasant. You can even put the head collar on before you feed your dog and let him eat while he’s wearing it.
After your dog has gotten used to wearing the halter you can attach your leash and practice walking your dog. You can practice in the house before going in the backyard or on a quiet street.
It’s a good idea to have a standard collar on your dog and an extra leash with you, just in case. It’s always possible that the halter could break and you might need to attach your leash to the back-up collar.
Walk your dog on a loose leash and let him walk in front of you. Head collars are great for controlling boisterous dogs and dogs that aggressively pull. They are often chosen by small people with very large dogs since they help them control the dogs better. Your dog should be walking more quietly for you with the head collar.
You can practice walking 10 to 20 feet, then give your dog a treat. Keep this up for a few days and your dog should be walking quietly for you.
Those are the basics of training your dog to walk with a head collar. It’s not hard to teach your dog but there are pros and cons about using a halter on a dog. Some trainers believe that a head collar is a “quick fix” for a training problem. If your dog pulls when you walk him with an ordinary collar, you haven’t really solved the problem by putting your dog in a head collar. You have only increased your control. If you put your dog back in an ordinary collar your dog will likely still pull.
Other people dislike using the head collar because, with the nose strap around the dog’s muzzle, it looks like your dog is wearing a muzzle. This can give people the impression that you have an aggressive dog which makes many owners uncomfortable.
By far the most serious negative about using the head collar is that there is the potential for soft tissue damage and damage to the spine from using the halter. The head collar works on a dog’s nose instead of the lower neck. If a dog moves out to the end of the leash and yanks or is pulled back, or if you simply don’t see what he’s doing, his head can be whipped to the side at the top of the spine. This is similar to a facemask injury in football, with the head being whipped around to the side and it can cause a lot of physical damage to your dog, especially if it happens repeatedly.
And, as already mentioned, many dogs simply seem to hate the head collars. They don’t seem to like having something placed on their nose, especially so close to their eyes. Although the halter is similar in design to a horse halter, the head of a horse and that of a dog are very different.
Head collars are very effective for dogs that pull a lot, especially for small people trying to control large dogs, but you’ll have to make your own evaluation about the pros and cons and whether you think the good outweighs the bad.
<a href=”http://information.i-love-dogs.com/dog-articles/dog-training/4190-Halter-Better-For-Dog.html”>Is A Halter Better For My Dog?</a> courtesy of <a href=”http://information.i-love-dogs.com/dog-articles/”>Dog Articles</a>
Gift of Adoption
If you read the newspapers or watch the news you have a slight idea of the animal abuse that occurs day in and day out. It is a never ending battle of what the American Humane Society fights daily.
I am taking a hint from the American Humane Society and asking that if you are thinking of adopting a pet for a family member or friend, please remember that it is a huge decision to take on your own. You may have the best of intentions to rescue an animal in need but if the receiver of that gift that does not appreciate the gesture than it is more heartbreaking and confusing for the animal to have to return the adoption center.
The best way to give the gift of adoption is to wrap a dog collar, dog toys or a horse halter in a box and present that as a gift with a card. In the card let them know that you are giving the gift of adoption to them at a time when they can visit a shelter and choose the best pet for them.
Providing a gift in this way is providing happiness for both the animal and the person receiving your gift.
Check out www.americanhumane.org for more information on adoption.
Canine Wheelchair
I am in the process of developing a new wheelchair for dogs. I have found, after having to purchase one for my dog Charlie, that it is a very expensive tool. There are also very few brands to choose from ranging from$300-$575. My thought on this topic is that it is not at a price point that most can afford. To think that you would possibly have to euthanize your pet because of a medical condition that can be assisted is absolutely heartbreaking.
I would like to ask a few questions from others that have had this experience or those that may soon face the need to purchase a canine wheelchair.
1. How much would you pay?
2. What are some concerns (i.e. portability, weight, etc)?
3. Would it beneficial to have it size adjustable?
Massage for Your Dog?
I remember about 10 + years ago I began a new part of life and started attending massage school. I had to go at night because I also had a full time job. Well…I also had a family and 7 dogs to care for. So I get home feed the entire family and then go to school. I usually got home around 11pm. By then I was absolutely tired. I made the mistake (?) of giving a massage to each of the dogs one night when I got home. After that it was…a habit? No sooner did I walk in the door, of course I had to put the dog collars and dog leads on all to give them a walk and then all of the dogs lined up to get their daily dose of massage. It was great and they were so patient waiting for their turn but by the time I finally got done it was well past midnight. I know they like the special touch and the connection I was making with them but I was getting worn out.
10 years later SURPRISE!! I have now found my new best friend…a dog bed that has heat and massage, all in one. I am absolutely in seventh heaven and so are the members of my dog family that I have left. Miracle is 15 years old now and has a hard time walking due to a lot of health issues and she is always trying to find a comfortable place to lie down. I think now I am going to get the dog bed for Baby and Marina now. They still get a dose of massage periodically, but I get to bed a little earlier now.
Charlie’s Chair Needs A Home
I have written about Charlie before, but I wanted to elaborate further on what his condition is and the wonderful people, besides my family, that helped me through it. Let me first tell you about Charlie. He was a bouncy, furry, loveable little boy. He was always up for chasing a ball or, of course, the squirrels. He would always squeak with joy when you came home. When he turned 8 we noticed that he was dragging his back paws. Then he started tripping over nothing. When we took him to vet he was, basically, “diagnosed” with something call Degenerative Myeolopathy (DM for short). It is a condition that affects the spinal column and basically breaks down the body and systems of the body. We were told that there was no cure. He would gradually deteriorate. The vet gave him a few months until he would have to be “put down”.
Well, I found the best website, www.mzjf.com, that contained a lot of information for me and everyone else going through this. I never realized that it was happening to so many. Their forums were wonderful support and had recipes and medicine (through a Pharmaceutical company) to help slow down the progression.
We bought him a wheelchair in February 2008. That was about 6 months after he was diagnosed. He was in doggie diapers and we used a sling to move him around in the house. He happily used the wheelchair for a year before it was his time to cross the rainbow bridge. I wanted to share this information in case you thought you were alone in this. Feel free to contact me through my website to get information on Charlie’s wheelchair as I have it sitting in my garage waiting for someone who may need it.
I have already found homes for his dog harnesses, orthopedic dog bed and other supplies and his dog toys have been handed down to his sister and “cousins”.
Marina the Bear!!
It seems to me that almost every dog I get, and it has been a lot, has to have an amount of fur that would make a dozen great sweaters or make a multiple amount of bird nests. Marina is one of those dogs. Just take a look at her picture! That’s just her face! All of the dog collars I have used seem to disappear in her fur.
I have tried all the newest concoctions out there. No matter what I do she always winds up with the knots behind her ears or the mats under her tail. And we won’t talk about the mess I found this weekend on her hind end. Its fall and it seems she is so furry that I couldn’t see all the leaves she had gathered while going to the bathroom until after she was in the house. Just wonderful. I spent over an hour just brushing and combing her hind end that I never made it to the front or belly. I guess I have to work in stages and maybe one day I can get it all in one day. Wish me luck.
Gifts for a Faithful Football Fan
My uncle Arthur is one of the few diehard Detroit Lions fans who has yet to give up on his beloved football team. Through 40 years of mediocrity on the field, bad drafting decisions and injury issues, he has stuck by the beleaguered franchise. In fact, if you visit his suburban Midwest home, you’ll probably see a Lions flag flying just below the Stars and Stripes on the flagpole.
Much to my aunt Jackie’s disdain, the entire basement is decorated in Honolulu blue and silver – the team’s long-established colors. One side of the room is crammed with collectible cards, signed jerseys and esoteric memorabilia. Knowing all about Arthur’s fondness for the Lions, I decided to get him a unique gift for his birthday. To be specific, it’s one of the NFL dog collars I found online – his dog Sanders will be wearing it with pride for the remainder of the season.