Dogs

[sputnam]

Nothing is better than a happy animal...not even beer.

 

[SharonaZamboni]

So my 15 year old Bernese Wally is starting to wind down. He spends every race weekend with us and has been voted on the internet forums to be a more viable team captain than I am. He was a senior adoption for me at at 12 and we only planned to give him one good last year.

My furry family has surprisingly become a geriatric one. My youngest is 7 and with 225 # of fluf in the house, I have decided to adopt another senior giant breed or at least foster one.

My intentions are completely selfish but oddly honorably. Seinors are impossible to adopt and giant breeds are very difficult to adopt. Combine the two and...

I am on file with a lot of agencies and cleared for all but the Great Pyrenees Rescue of IL because a portion of my fence is not 6' (I already have a Pyr mix).

If anyone runs across a Bernese, Pyr, Newfie or similar senior in need of a home, let me know.

I love your idea. I'd love to adopt senior large breeds when I retire. I bet it gets expensive, though.

http://www.petsafe.net/gentleleader



Have you tried something like this? We had to get one for our Rott. That dog could pull a disk harrower.

I tried training, harnesses, and Gentleleader. My dog would dive to the ground and unclip the GL. I ended up with a pinch collar. When properly used, it was effective and not at all abusive.

 

[bradpoff]

Both rescues

View attachment 1423375650932.jpg

View attachment 1423375766552.jpg

 

[Zekk]

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1423376409.833703.jpg The family dog, Winnie or Winnifred, she responds to both. She's blind in one eye but otherwise she's a perfect quiet dog. Getting old, she just turned 8 this month

 

[Onkel_Udo]

I love your idea. I'd love to adopt senior large breeds when I retire. I bet it gets expensive, though.


I tried training, harnesses, and Gentleleader. My dog would dive to the ground and unclip the GL. I ended up with a pinch collar. When properly used, it was effective and not at all abusive.

Actually the senior thing is not as expensive as many think but it take a different mindset. "Heroic" measures are normally off the table and you are mostly managing the day-to-day and slow decline we all face eventually.

Our Husky required a pinch collar and I am all for them if the owner knows how to use it. The only two problems we ever had were that the (ex)wife and I were the only ones that could walk her because of this and people assumed she was vicious dog because of that collar.

 

[Jukas]

http://www.petsafe.net/gentleleader

Have you tried something like this? We had to get one for our Rott. That dog could pull a disk harrower.

I haven't yet, but I may. I normally use a martingale with him. He's generally a very friendly dog, but if he meets another dog and they give off any aggression it's on so having a collar that gives me control without risk of hurting him is important. Where is the pressure point on these?

Gentle Leader didn't work at all on my dog. He would pull hard and drag his face on the ground trying to get the nose strap off.

We went with an Ecollar and trained him with stim and treats to heel without a leash, then put the leash back on slowly.

I can tell you for sure the Ecollar saved my dog's life he was a nightmare before. We spent a year and thousands of $$$ in training and it wasn't until he realized we could reach out and "touch" him that he figured out how to behave. Now he's better trained than almost any pet dog ( hunting and pro trained dogs aside).

I've thought about an ecollar, but there are no trainers around here that I'd trust that train with them. I'm friends with a guy who uses one with his lab/boxer mix with great results but the trainer he used is up in Oregon and has a long waiting list as they mostly do birding dogs.

 

[SharonaZamboni]

I haven't yet, but I may. I normally use a martingale with him. He's generally a very friendly dog, but if he meets another dog and they give off any aggression it's on so having a collar that gives me control without risk of hurting him is important. Where is the pressure point on these?







I've thought about an ecollar, but there are no trainers around here that I'd trust that train with them. I'm friends with a guy who uses one with his lab/boxer mix with great results but the trainer he used is up in Oregon and has a long waiting list as they mostly do birding dogs.

I think most any dog has an issue when its leashed around other dogs.

They'll feel out of control because , well, they are.

I've been considering an ecollar to keep mine in the yard. He's doing well with all the snow but once spring hits...

 

[FastAndy]

The Garmin e collar we use on our lab wheaton mix has been the best thing we ever did for her. It beeps, vibrates and shocks so we use the beep like a clicker, the vibration is a warning, and the shock is a correction. Rarely do we have to go farther than a vibration anymore. Half the time just putting the collar on her calms her down, we've forgotten to charge it a couple times but just picking up the remote convinces her to make better choices.

 

[Rbeckett]

Have been considering using one to break Dixie from raising so much hell at the front door when guests arrive. She has that ominous big vicious dog bark and it tends to scare the home health aides that I have coming all the time lately. Don't want to break her spirit or stop her completely but when we tell her enough she needs to stop and not continue to threaten. I have just caught back up on this thread and like the different options because a buzz before a shock is much more referable to me. I just have a real issue with shocking her because she is so sensitive to me and my needs. I got her as a Service Dog and we have completely bonded so if I am having a bad day she senses it and becomes even more protective which tends to make her do the vicious bark. Once the guest is inside the house she immediately loses interest in them and goes back outside to patrol her domain. Just that initial greeting and allowing invited visitor in is the issue I have been working on to break the habit. Thanks for a bunch of great ideas and some possible resolutions to getting her trained to hush when told to do so. She is a full blooded and very smart German Shepherd and is headstrong and willful because she is still quite young at only 3 1/2 years old. Sorry to chime in so late, but been doing life on life's terms lately and it has kept me super busy since I fell and broke my hip. Finally just about over that, since I fell in Oct all that is left is pain and regaining muscle strength I lost from being bedridden for a long while.

Wheelchair Bob

 

[Rbeckett]

Nothing is better than a happy animal...not even beer.

I call BULL****..... Nothing is better than beer, a happy dog is just icing on a great cake!!!! And like Forest says "life is all about good times and happy dogs" (just made that up, but said in true Forest Gump fashion).

 

[FastAndy]

Bob we were very nervous about the shock function as well. The vibration mode has been really reliable since she knows what's coming next if she doesn't react how we want. She was a rescue as well and is pretty sensitive but the shock was not as hard on her as we thought. It's adjustable from 1 to 18 in intensity so it doesn't have to be painful.

 

[SnakeRidge]

I haven't yet, but I may. I normally use a martingale with him. He's generally a very friendly dog, but if he meets another dog and they give off any aggression it's on so having a collar that gives me control without risk of hurting him is important. Where is the pressure point on these?

The pressure point is around the muzzle of the dog. If they try to pull it kind of pulls their head down and to the side. That's the biggest benefit for us with our Rott. He is very reactive, and being able to turn him away from the confrontation lets you get his attention back and break him out of escalating.

I agree with all the people who said it doesn't work for them though, it's not hard to get out of it when there is no pressure on the loop. It mostly works for us but I would like to try one of those harnesses that attach the leash at the chest.

 

[Zolon]

Wow.... Where did you get the Akita....... Beautiful Dog!!!!!

I had a buddy 20 years ago that had an Akita roaming around in his Bike Shop... He was absolutely the best looking animal I have ever seen..... the Akita, I mean..... threw that in for clarification!!!!!

Friends with his breeder. He is being trained to be my mobility service animal.

 

[green_bierz]

New member to the brewing family. Born on Saturday. Will be coming home in 8 weeks
Arlo the bloodhound

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1423620718.230422.jpg he's the fat one on the left
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1423620747.912752.jpg
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1423620768.395973.jpg

 

[ChshreCat]

Unless your dog has a really short muzzle, if you get the headcollar properly adjusted they won't be able to get it off. It's also important to work with them A LOT when you first put it on because if they do manage to get it off once or twice, they'll never give up until they get it off after that and it becomes useless.

 

[Onkel_Udo]

Unless your dog has a really short muzzle, if you get the headcollar properly adjusted they won't be able to get it off. It's also important to work with them A LOT when you first put it on because if they do manage to get it off once or twice, they'll never give up until they get it off after that and it becomes useless.

Both if these are so true. My Newfie could not do a gentle leader with his complete lack of muzzle.

My friend's Ridegeback mix was the first dog he ever had with issues walking on a leash. He bought a head collar but did not actually read the instructions so it never got adjusted correctly for the three months he was using it...he was complaining about it at one of our races where Manny popped the nose collar off while one of the teenage daughters of a teamate was walking him. Two minutes and I had it fixed. Nine months later he still spends at least a half hour trying to get it off every time it is put on.

 

[SharonaZamboni]

My dog unclipped the leash from the harness. He's also somehow unclipped from his lead outside. I looked for the old fashioned type of clip that is just curved, with the piece that you depress with your thumb. Can't find one anywhere.

 

[SnakeRidge]

Unless your dog has a really short muzzle, if you get the headcollar properly adjusted they won't be able to get it off. It's also important to work with them A LOT when you first put it on because if they do manage to get it off once or twice, they'll never give up until they get it off after that and it becomes useless.

This is all true. Our Rott is pretty good while walking when there is tension on the muzzle loop, but if we put him on the tie out he can just dip his head and rub his face on the ground to get it off in about a second.

 

[HoppyDaze]

My dog unclipped the leash from the harness. He's also somehow unclipped from his lead outside. I looked for the old fashioned type of clip that is just curved, with the piece that you depress with your thumb. Can't find one anywhere.

Carabiner is your friend

 

[Hello]

Not spoiled. She does this when I get up to shower. I hate how much I love her and how much I let her get away with stuff.

 

[Hello]

I need to meet this doggie. He's adorable.

 

[dogdaympls]

Gooch on left
Penguin on right

 

[ChshreCat]

This is all true. Our Rott is pretty good while walking when there is tension on the muzzle loop, but if we put him on the tie out he can just dip his head and rub his face on the ground to get it off in about a second.

A headcollar should only be used on a leash and NEVER on a dog that's not attended.

 

[AnOldUR]

On the topic of leashes, collars, harness's. Below Amy is showing off her harness. It was one of the type that hooked in the front so that if the dog tried to pull or bolt, it would spin them around. With work Amy has become a great off-leash dog, so I modified it so that it hooks on top. A short leash that hangs at its center pulls through the loop when you grab one end and stops to make it long enough to walk with but not drag on the ground when centered.

Amy is pretty good even when we come across other dogs, but the owners can be intimidated by an off-leash dog. This setup lets me grab the leash until we're past, then she gets her freedom back, sniffing for rabbits in the fields.

Not a great picture, but you get the idea . . .

 

[yeahfairly]

New Boy Beau and our 5 year old rescue Harley Bear! Beau is growing fast. At five months he is able to steal bacon off the counter top!!!

 

[SnakeRidge]

A headcollar should only be used on a leash and NEVER on a dog that's not attended.

Yeah, should have been clear about that. We only clip him up when we're working in the garden, in the yard ect. We never leave any of our dogs on leads out of our sight, I absolutely hate people that do that.

 

[GrogNerd]

this freckle-face has been with us 5 years now

Happy Adoption Day to the Howdy!

The Howdy celebrated by waking the Daddy up at 2:45 am to go outside.

 

[The_Dog_42]

Have been considering using one to break Dixie from raising so much hell at the front door when guests arrive. She has that ominous big vicious dog bark and it tends to scare the home health aides that I have coming all the time lately. Don't want to break her spirit or stop her completely but when we tell her enough she needs to stop and not continue to threaten. I have just caught back up on this thread and like the different options because a buzz before a shock is much more referable to me. I just have a real issue with shocking her because she is so sensitive to me and my needs. I got her as a Service Dog and we have completely bonded so if I am having a bad day she senses it and becomes even more protective which tends to make her do the vicious bark. Once the guest is inside the house she immediately loses interest in them and goes back outside to patrol her domain. Just that initial greeting and allowing invited visitor in is the issue I have been working on to break the habit. Thanks for a bunch of great ideas and some possible resolutions to getting her trained to hush when told to do so. She is a full blooded and very smart German Shepherd and is headstrong and willful because she is still quite young at only 3 1/2 years old. Sorry to chime in so late, but been doing life on life's terms lately and it has kept me super busy since I fell and broke my hip. Finally just about over that, since I fell in Oct all that is left is pain and regaining muscle strength I lost from being bedridden for a long while.

Wheelchair Bob

A company called spray commander makes a citronella scented remote spray collar that has worked well for us. The collars have a beep and 2 spray settings. Only downside is they go through batteries quick and they're an odd size. We have 2 Belgian malinois on 1 acre, unfenced. We were able to border train them pretty well with it.

 

[dkwolf]

My dog unclipped the leash from the harness. He's also somehow unclipped from his lead outside. I looked for the old fashioned type of clip that is just curved, with the piece that you depress with your thumb. Can't find one anywhere.

Like this? Should be available at any hardware store, back by the cable and rope.

 

[dkwolf]

Like this? Should be available at any hardware store, back by the cable and rope.

Or this?