A Martingale Collar Works Great On My Puppy
Sorry I haven’t been posting a lot the last few weeks. Summer is such a busy time and with my new puppy being sick since I got him, I haven’t had much time to post.
I named my new puppy Chase because he loves to chase things. Things are going much better with Chase now. We have been to the vet 3 times in as many weeks and have finally found an antibiotic that works. I am pleased to say he is on the road to recovery as are my other two dogs who caught the respiratory illness from him.
I have been using a martingale collar on him and it works great. It is so much more humane than the traditional choke collar and he responds really well to it. He loves to run and thank goodness I have a big yard. I attach a ten foot drag line to his collar so I have a chance to catch him if he tries to leave the yard but he has been so good. After almost four weeks he has not even made an attempt to run away.
Puppy Toys for Chase
I brought my new puppy home from the humane society a couple of weeks ago. He is a Border Collie mix and I have to say he is one of the smartest dogs I have ever owned. His name was Newport but I thought that sounded a little stuffy so I renamed him Chase.
The biggest problem I have with him is, he came home from the humane society with just a touch of a cough. It was one small cough every few hours. Nothing major. By the time I could get him in for a vet check 5 days later, it was a little worse. The vet gave me some antibiotics for him but it did not help. He got worse. And to make matters worse, he had given it to my other two dogs.
I took him back to the vet last week and she gave him a new antibiotic and he is still getting worse so we are going back to the vet tomorrow.
Other than that, he has been the best little puppy. twice in one night he picked up one of my shoes and started chewing on it. I took the shoe away from him and redirected his attention to one of his rubber puppy toys. He has not touched my shoes since. I really love this little guy.
A Martingale Collar For My New Puppy
Recently, sixteen dogs were seized by animal control from a home in a small town not to far from here. It seems the owners only took took two dogs outside so the neighbors had no idea there were that many dogs in the home. The Lord knows my house is not the cleanest but I can only imagine what a mess the inside of that house was with so many dogs doing their thing wherever they wanted.
Now, I wasn’t looking for a dog at this time and really did not want another dog, but the people I work with kept at me all day. “You have a big yard where a dog could run.” Wouldn’t it be nice to have a new dog”. “All those poor dogs need a home. You could help by taking one”. Then one of them pulled out one of those fancy phones and and brought up the pictures of the dogs in the humane society. By the end of my shift, I felt such a sense of urgency that I did not even go home first. I went right to the humane society.
Sure enough. I wasn’t there for five minutes and I had fallen in love with a border collie mix. He is about three months old. I have named him Chase because that is what he likes to do-chase a ball, chase a Frisbee, chase other dogs.
He is a smart little guy and it did not take him long to figure out how to “back out” of his collar. I don’t know if you can tell by the picture above but he is now wearing a martingale collar. Problem solved.
Be A Responsible Pet Owner On Hikes
1. Train your dog to COME when called the first time NO MATTER WHAT THE DISTRACTION. If he cannot come the FIRST time, he should not be off a leash. This can be a matter of life and death in some situations. A dog that chases game or other people or dogs, is a dog likely to get lost or hurt.
2. Carry a Gentle Leader Harness and leash with you so you can leash your dog if needed. Carry treats and practice “coming” along your hike. Teach your dog that that the command “COME” does not mean the end of a good time and that he gets to return to his hike. He is far more likely to come in an emergency if you practice on every hike.
3. Carry Citronella Spray in a canister to use on dogs that are aggressive with your dog. Protect yourself and your dog from other dogs that do NOT have good manners. If you or your dog are attacked by another dog, be sure to get a description, name if possible and REPORT THEM to the authorities for the area you are in.
4. Call your dog and move OFF the trail when someone approaches. Have your dog do a sit or down stay while the other people/dogs/horses/mountain bikes pass by. Your dog does NOT have to play with every dog that comes along. And besides, many other dogs are NOT in the control of their owners and DO NOT have good manners. Protect your dog from others who are not as responsible as you are.
5. Put a Swiss bell on your dog at all times in the forest. This alarms other animals that your dog is near so they will leave so there are not confrontations with wild animals. This also helps you to hear where your dog is at and also allows others hiking to hear an approaching dog.
6. Put a reflective dog collar on your dog for visibility and a reflective vest in the fall so hunters see you have a dog. Be sure to include a name tag on the reflective dog collar even if your dog is chipped.
7. Carry plastic bags to pick up the poop your dog leaves. This is not only unsightly, but unhealthy for the wildlife and other dogs. Your dog packs it in, you pack it out.
8. Carry water for your dog and a small bag of treats or kibble in the event you are not able to get home and are forced to stay in the woods over night, and especially to reward that perfect recall you practice on your hike!
9. Carry a whistle and teach your dog that a whistle means treat! A whistle will carry much farther than your voice if your dog does run off.
Durable Rubber Dog Toys
Does Fido chew up everything he gets his paws on within minutes? Try the Squirrel Dude rubber dog toy!
The Squirrel Dude rubber dog toy’s extreme durability holds up well under the toughest chewers and its unpredictable bounce will have pets playing for hours. The opening at the bottom of the Squirrel Dude has inner-facing, soft, adjustable rubber prongs that move aside to allow the toy to be stuffed with kibble or treats. The prongs of the Treat Meter™ randomly dispense kibble and treats as your dog plays. Made of natural rubber and is better than a kong dog toy.
Citronella Bark Collar
The Spray Sense Citronella Bark Collar is the most humane and effective solution to problem barking. It delivers a harmless burst of citronella to interrupt your dog’s barking. It is twice as effective as an electric shock collar! Each Kit Contains: Anti-Bark Device (weighs approximately 2.5 oz. and can be worn by dogs 6 lbs. and over), Adjustable Nylon Collar, One Citronella Refill, Two 6-Volt Alkaline Batteries and Detailed Instructions. For more information click here.
Gentle Leader Easy Walk Harness
The Gentle Leader Easy Walk Harness is designed to gently discourage your dog from pulling while walking on a leash.
Why it works:Traditional dog harnesses can actually encourage dogs to pull harder because of the “opposition reflex.” That’s the reflex that makes sled dogs do what they do. The Easy Walk Harness’ unique front-chest leash attachment stops pulling by tightening slightly across your dog’s chest and shoulder blades. The gentle pressure steers your dog to the side and redirecting his attention back towards you. The Easy Walk Harness never causes coughing, gagging, or choking because the chest strap rests low across the breastbone, not on the delicate tracheal area.
Quality features Of The Easy Walk Harness:
- A quick snap buckle on both the shoulder and belly straps make it easier to get this dog walking harness on and off.
- Soft, but strong nylon and four adjustment points provide maximum comfort and a reliable fit.
- The belly strap is an attractive complementary color – making it easy to identify which strap goes over the shoulders and which goes under the belly.
- The Gentle Leader Easy Walk Harnesses are available in six great color combinations and 8 sizes.
Manners Minder Dog Training System
Dogs repeat behaviors that are rewarded. MannersMinder is a remote-controlled reward system that uses positive reinforcement for training dogs to behave better. By rewarding desired behaviors, the system can be an invaluable tool in helping redirect a dog’s focus away from barking at the door, jumping on guests, and begging at the table. The system can also be used to train different behaviors such as to come when called and specialty skills such as contacts, place and go-outs.
The Extreme Fido Float Dog Life Vest
Now introducing the Extreme Fido Float Dog Life Preserver! These fashion-forward designs feature all the same great benefits of the original Fido Float Dog Life Jacket, now available in sturdier fabrics.
Extreme Fido Float Dog Life Vest Features:
Additional reflective strips for increased visibility
Durable scratch-resistant material 1680-denier nylon (Black/Red) or neoprene (Blue/Yellow).
Heat Wave Safety For Your Dog
With many parts of the country experiencing heat waves this year, I just wanted to take some time to go over some important safety tips for keeping your dog healthy and safe.
Heat exhaustion or heat stroke and dehydration are the most common problems facing dogs in this weather. NEVER leave your dog unattended in the car. The glass on the car gives the interior the green house effect. It takes just minutes for the car to reach unbearably hot conditions even if the windows are left opened a little.
ALWAYS make sure there is fresh water available for your dog to drink. Even if spending time by a lake or the ocean, fresh water is a necessity. Lake water may harbor unseen bacteria or parasites that can make your dog very sick and salt water from the ocean is always bad for drinking.
When boating, ALWAYS put a dog life vest on your four-legged family member. It only takes a split second for your dog to jump or fall in. The dog life vest will not only keep your dog afloat, the assist handles that most dog life vests are equipped with will make recovery much easier.