Oh, Leashes I Have Loved (& Hated)!

   There are few things more essential in a dog owners tool kit than the basic collar and leash.  I am particularly particular about my leashes, because I believe that they either greatly enhance or completely ruin what might otherwise be a wonderful walk/training session!
   With Cassie I always have to be careful about selecting leashes that are appropriate for the task at hand.  For instance, your average nice leather leash might work fine in the obedience ring, but take one on a walk she will be both out of control and overly enthusiastic about using it as a chew toy!  Therefore, I thought I would just say a bit about the leashes I have now or have purchased in the past and why I do or don't use them now.

   1. Top Paws Luxurious Nylon Leash:

Graduating from Petsmart

          These leashes are available at Petsmart (so I thought it fitting to show Cassie wearing it during her one Petsmart Puppy class) and are probably the most versatile leash you can purchase. It's just your bog-standard nylon leash, but unlike some nylon examples it doesn't seem to burn or blister the hands as much.  They are also very sturdy, so work well for strong pullers or for obedience training (as there is little to no give).  The Top Paws brand in general is middle-of-the-road, but the basic leashes are of good quality.  Cassie had a pink Top Paws Nylon leash as a puppy with a matching harness. Unfortunately, she decided it would be fun one day to chew her way through the leash and another day she chewed straight through the harness in a matter of minutes.  The last one was my fault, having just washed the harness and not fitted it properly before putting it back on her.
    We've gradated to a heavier gauge 6' nylon and love it.  I almost feel nervous taking a walk without it.  It's both a good weight and a good length and the material is just thick enough to be strong, but not cumbersome.  It's a great everyday leash!

   2. Premier Eco Leash:
       I've written about my unhappiness with the Premier Eco Line in general, but in particular the leash is probably the worst product I've ever purchased.  In theory, Premier has done a good thing by sourcing their Eco line from recycled materials.  I have to admit what drew me to this product originally were the bright colors (especially the granny smith green) as opposed to the more muted shades of the traditional line.  I was to be disappointed on many fronts. 
   Firstly, a cursory look at the Amazon comments will show that many people are upset with the quality and durability of the product.  It's very light weight, but not strong enough to stand up to any medium/large sized pulling dog and it won't withstand even the lightest chewing.  It also stretches to a degree that makes it useless for Obedience training. Worst of all, I took it to an agility class (because it was light enough for a puppy to drag without getting caught on obstacles) and before we got in the door a squirrel sent Cassie on a tear and ended up costing me several bandaids worth of cut fingers and blisters.  The leash sliced right through my skin and basically ruined our evening before it had begun.  I know that some pain may have been caused by any leash when a dog takes off full sprint, but the thinness of the leash mixed with the material acted almost like a knife.  This has never happened with any other leash I've owned (even the cheap ones from Walmart).  I wouldn't by the Eco line from Premier in any form or for any function.  It just isn't worth the money (or the pain).

   3. Kong Control Grip Plus Leash:
     After our escapade with the Premier Eco leash I had to find a substitute that would ensure I wouldn't be injured again on my way to class!  Thankfully, this was almost the exact week that Kong came out with their new line of leashes.  We picked up the Control Grip Plus in pink and have had it ever since!
     The people at Kong really knew what they were doing (for the most part), the leash loop is padded with a soft spongy material and the loop itself actually has a release buckle so that if necessary it can act as an instant tether.  I haven't had to use this feature much, but once on a walk with Cassie my husband came across a neighbor's dog running loose.  He quickly released the buckle and snapped Cassie to a mailbox, while he chased after the other pup (he had gotten loose while they were leaving for work and hadn't been noticed as missing!).  So the Kong leash saved the day!
    In addition, the manufacturer has added a sort of brake to the leash.  This bone shaped piece of heavy duty flexible plastic can be easily positioned at any point on the leash and with a little bit of thumb pressure can instantly be used as a soft extra-strong handle to hold back the more exuberant pup.  It really works and has been very helpful in encouraging Cassie to sit politely for petting (without having my arm pulled off).
    What I also like about this leash is that it has a very sturdy (almost industrial looking) clip that can be snapped onto a D-ring with two fingers.  The snap is a little heavy, so I wouldn't use it with a head halter (or 'choke'-style training collars, for those who use them), but for a standard collar it keeps a perfect amount of resistance on the dog's collar without having it flopping around during the walk.
   The leash only comes in four colors (grey, red, pink, blue), which is a bit boring, but all have strips of reflective material stitched in for added safety in dim light.  The only downside I've found is that the longest length you can buy the 1" in is 4 feet, while the light weight 5/8" leash comes in 6 feet.   It makes no sense to me why the heavier gauge wouldn't come in a 6 foot version, as well.  My husband is 6'5" and can't use the leash without keeping Cassie constantly at heel.   Still a great product that I think every dog owner would enjoy!

 4. A Fleece Agility Tugger:
      These leashes from Clean Run are lovely for certain things, but not for everyday use!  I'm almost of two minds on this one.   It's made of braided fleece with a loop at one end and a basic clip at the other.  My friend Tracey won one at a Flyball show and I was so taken by the softness of it that the green-eyed monster I am went straight to Clean Run to pick it up!
      Like I said, it's good for some things like: agility training and tricks class.  It is very light and so doesn't slow Cassie down or catch on things (like tunnels) when we are moving through a course.  I can keep a leash on her while she's working and then because of it's fleeciness, use it as a tug reward at the end.  If you've ever seen agility competitions, the dog is not allowed to have a collar on, let alone a leash, but at the end of the course you will leash your dog and most people have a tuggy-leash that acts like a play reward.  This leash is great for that and is approved for use by AKC agility!

    What this leash is not, however, is a walking leash or a "transition" leash for people who's dogs pull or lunge.  By a transition leash, I mean a leash you use to move your dog from one area of an event to another.   At agility competitions, you will often be moving your dog around a lot: lining up before your turn, leaving the ring, getting to your seat, getting to another course.  So you need either a well controlled dog or a leash without a great deal of give...this leash is all about give!  It's soft braided material is loose and almost like a bungee. Therefore, if your dog pulls he will keep going after the "end" of the leash has been reached.  You won't have any leverage to stop him!  That give is what makes it so much fun to tug with, but not so much fun to walk with!  Still a great tool if you need it!

Haltis, Easy Walks & Muzzles: I'm Just Being Honest

The Easy Walk

   I've already expressed my profound love of the Premier Easy Walk harness.  Cassie, like many medium-large dogs, was an instant puller.  She actually used to pull in both directions (backwards and forwards) and she would become very excited during classes and would charge through the door and race for other dogs.  A great deal of time, patience and training has helped to bring an end to all these issues (for the most part) and the use of the Easy Walk in the early days did a great deal to help!  What I liked best about it, as one of my trainers pointed out, is that it doesn't put any pressure on the fragile muscles and bones of the puppy's neck and head, instead transferring all the pressure to the chest.  The Easy Walk made Cassie more manageable and, therefore, easier to focus for training.  It wasn't a long term device (though we do still pull it out for large crowds and lots of children), but was instead simply a short term management tool and training device.  Once the training was completed and there was no longer any bad behavior to manage the device went away and we are now on a very nice martingale collar (she still likes to pull backwards from time to time).

The Halti

   Now that Cassie is a year old and a good walker, I decided it was time to start training a new behavior...running!   This brought on a new set of issues that needed to be curbed and corrected, namely her herding instinct.  Many people will tell you about herding dogs (Border Collies, Aussies, etc) that will nip at the heels of fleeing children.  My herding dog, unfortunately, chose to herd me during our brief stints of unbridled running.  It was becoming such a problem that even our agility practice in the backyard was becoming a daily onslaught of nips and increasingly upsetting bites.  So with my arms black-and-blue, I went to my trainers in tears.  They suggested moving onto the next step in the harness line: a head harness. My trainer recommended starting with the Halti, so that is where we started.

   The Halti is a fairly simple device that fits over the dog's nose and secures behind its head.  It's not a muzzle, but it can be used to slip a hand up the nose loop and close the dog's mouth while turning its head away for a moment.  That should be enough to control the episode of nipping, while not harming the dog in any way.

  One of the key elements of the Halti (or any head collar I've seen) is the need to desensitize the dog to its presence.  So, over the past two weeks that's what we've been working on.  We're up to the point where she'll happily wear it around the house with a leash trailing.   We haven't yet gotten to the point where we could resume our walks (let alone our runs) with the Halti.   In the meantime, I have resorted to a somewhat more drastic management device: a muzzle.

The muzzle

   I'm not happy about it.  The muzzle I purchased makes her look like a dead ringer for Hannibal Lecter and I'm acutely aware of the looks we get from the neighbors, but it has allowed us to start desensitizing Cassie to the movement of me running.  For the first time we're able to run like a normal pair without my having to worry about soaking bruises afterwards.  I'm not going to recommend the muzzle I bought from Amazon.  The basket is made of cheap plastic and the straps are very flimsy, but what is most inconvenient is that the buckle that allows you to resize the neck strap is useless.  It constantly slips loose and the whole muzzle comes off.  So I'm going to look for a better one, unless I can phase out the muzzle completely before then.   Like I said this is a temporary management tool; we're going to wean her off the muzzle and onto the Halti and then hopefully onto nothing at all.  Training devices can't become crutches, I'm aware of that, but this seems to be the best solution for the time being.  We'll keep you updated on our progress.  Now stop looking at us like that!

The Rubit (You'll Probably Want This)

 The Rubit
   I was introduced to the Rubit by Modern Dog magazine a few weeks before Christmas and low-and-behold it ended up in my stocking come Christmas Day!   Cassie has several harnesses and collars that I switch out depending on the day's activity.  It was a real pain having to switch out her dog tags each time or simply make her wear multiple collars because I was too lazy to do so.  Now, I just put all of the tags on this carabiner style clip and pop it onto whichever collar or harness she has on.  The only draw back I've found is that they do jingle-jangle a bit more than normal, but this hardly outweighs the convenience and safety.

    I can put her id, rabies, dog tax and her microchip tags on any collar in a second, which makes me feel safer taking her out.   I have the large round Rubit, which cost only $8 and was worth every penny.  They can be purchased directly from the Rubit source site or on Amazon.   The Rubit site has a bigger selection than Amazon.  It's a must for any busy pet owner.

Times I've Been Led Astray

   Though by-and-large I actually do like most of the products I end up bringing (or having delivered) home, there are always those few items that go even more quickly than they came.  Here are two examples that I've either thrown away or returned in the last few months:

  1. The Inflatable Collar
          Around Thanksgiving time Cassie had some pretty extensive surgery along with a general spay.  This left her looking like a Franken-puppy and because of her history as a fixated licker, she was forced to wear a pretty uncomfortable cone to bed for about two weeks.  The basic plastic cone that the vet sent us home with was a bit awkward to get on and a little uncomfortable for Cass, but seemed to do the job.  That is until one morning when I came down to find that she had somehow gotten it off and spent a good portion of the night chewing on it.
          In desperation, I headed to our local Petsmart where instead of getting another cone I picked up an inflatable collar that claimed to do the same job with less stress on the dog.  It wasn't cheap (around $30) and more annoying was the fact that it took ages (and all of my cheek strength) to get the darned thing blown up.  Cassie adjusted to the inflated collar fairly quickly, but she always seems to be ok with wearing most things (the cone did take a little while).   Unfortunately, she adjusted to the new collar a little too well as she immediately lay down on the rug and started licking her stitches.  So, after almost 20 min spent blowing the thing up, it didn't work at all.  I put it back in the box, got back in the car and handed it back to the same woman I had purchased it from a few hours before.  When I explained why I was returning it she said: "Oh, this is the 2nd one that's been returned today.  That person said the same thing."
    The message I took away was this: These inflatable collars must work for some dogs, but clearly dogs with longer snouts (most shepherds and hounds) will be able to reach right past them.  Stick with tradition in this case and deal with fitting the cone.  Oh! And Petsmart are very good at taking returns without giving any grief.

  2. Bottle Buddies
      Bottle Buddies are basically just a soft shell on the outside of a plastic bottle, so your dog can enjoy the bottle without threat of injury.  I bought this one from Clean Run on the recommendation of one of my trainers who said her Frenchies loved it.  Cassie and I had a go in Tricks class with the trainer's Buddies one night and she did indeed seem to find the crunching and crinkling sounds a joy and continued tugging away all through class.
      I purchased one from Clean Run the next day (though I bought a fox shape that doesn't seem to be available anymore).  I knew Cassie already like foxes, because she loves the plush stuffingless Crazy Critters foxes you can get a Petsmart, Petco, Target, etc.  I was right, she really liked the Bottle Buddies!  So much so that it was in pieces within ten minutes, after which the bottle that came inside was out and being chewed as well.
     Granted, my dog is a super chewer and has a history of being tough on plush things (beds, blankets, socks, soft toys), but the company claims it is supposed to be able to stand up to chewing due to it's "durable ballistic nylon" lining.  All and all, I paid $7 + shipping for Cassie for it to go in the trash within minutes.  Not a toy for dogs that chew.  Boo hoo.

Time Has Come to Name and Shame

   In contrast to my list of wonderful everyday dog products that I can't live without, there are a few items off the bat that I want to point out as having a number of fatal flaws.  These were items I was excited about at the time of purchase, but that upon use were clearly not up to the job and some were even dangerous.


1. The Premier Eco Line
    Now a days, everyone wants to believe that they are doing their part for the enviornment and like most people I subscribe to the 3 R's (reduce, reuse, recycle).  In theory, Premier has done a good thing by attempting to source materials from recycled sources for their Eco line.  I have to admit what drew me to this selection of products originally were the bright colors (especially the granny smith green) as opposed to the more muted shades of the traditional line.   I was to be disappointed on many fronts.
   Firstly, a cursory look at any of the Amazon comments will lead you to see that many people are upset with the quality and durability of the product.  It is very light weight, but not strong enough to stand up to any pulling dog.  It also stretches to a degree that makes it useless for traditional Obedience training (stick with leather on this front).  It won't withstand even the lightest chewing.  Worst of all, I took it to an agility class (because it was light enough for a puppy to drag) and before we got in the door a squirrel sent Cassie on a tear and ended up costing me several bandaids worth of cut fingers and blisters.  The leash sliced right through my skin and basically ruined our evening before it had begun.  I know that some pain may have been caused by any leash when a dog takes off full sprint, but the thinness of the leash mixed with the material acted almost like a knife.  This has never happened with any other leash I've owned (even the cheap ones from Walmart).  I wouldn't by the Eco line from Premier in any form or for any function.  It just isn't worth the money (or the pain).


2. Target's Fold 2 Go Travel Pet Bowls 

I bought these to take to class and to take hiking so that I would have something easy to pack and then fold up when we were done. The first time I used the water bowl was on a hiking trip.  I filled it, the dog drank out of it, I zipped it and put it back in my bag and an hour later all of my field books were soaked.  I thought this might just be a problem I was having, but other reviewers have commented on the same problem.  The food bowl, I never used so I can't comment. Both bowls ended up in the trash a few weeks later.  A cheap and useless product that causes more harm than good.

    

Let's Get Started: A Few of My Favorites

  I believe it is always best to start with the positive, so here are a few of my favorite products on the canine market today:


1. JW Pet Company Hol-ee Roller 

      This toy is as wonderful as it is simple and can work for any dog that loves to tug, fetch, chase, and throw.  This is far and away Cassie's favorite thing in the world (next to chicken).  It is pretty much indestructible, flies through the air, has just enough heft to be a something fun to carry around (for the dog, not for you).  More practically, it's easy to clean and comes in a number of sizes, colors and styles.  It is an essential part of my dog's life and I think yours will love it too.


2. Tuffy's Ultimate Ring Dog Toy

         Tuffy's products are always one to recommend for strong chewers and this ring is no exception.  Cassie has had the same one since she was a puppy (and Daddy still harbored hopes of her ditching agility for Disc Dog).  It flies just like a regular frisbee, but is soft on the mouth.  It stands up to the strongest chewers and the hole in the middle provides an added way for the dog to carry the ring back to you.  Unlike a regular frisbee it is soft on both mouths and hands and it bends when someone runs into Mommy's leg.  It also has a couple of squeakers thrown in, so you can get your dogs attention during play or it can be used to encourage dogs who don't normally play with frisbees to bite and squeak a disc shape.  However, like a frisbee it flies far and fast, can be used for tugging and can be thrown as a target for the dog to begin practicing tricks like flips, air spins and over the back jumps.  The only draw back for this toy is that the fuzzy material does get very muddy and can be a bit hard to keep clean.  I put mine in the washer and though the squeaker faired alright, there was some residual water in them.


3. Premier Easy Walk Harness

     I would not be able to survive walking four miles a day without the Easy Walk by Premier.   Aussies are strong pullers and in order to save her neck as a puppy I put Cassie on the Easy Walk at the suggestion of one of my trainers.  After a little help from a clerk at my local Petsmart in properly fitting the harness, Cassie took to it almost immediately and became much more manageable both on walks and in class.  At a year old, we are now transitioning to a martingale collar and guess what: she still doesn't pull.  I still take the Easy Walk when we are going to be somewhere that I need more control: shopping centers, parks, places with kids, and hiking.  It offers that extra assurance that she won't be able to wiggle loose and I can keep her close without putting any strain on her neck or throat.  
    I will offer a few caveats:  Sizing and fit are both very important with the Easy Walk.   If you size too small you risk causing discomfort and irritation.  Whereas, if you size too big or do not adjust the fit properly the Easy Walk will become too loose to do its job and you risk your dog getting free.  Luckily, the gods at Premier seem to have recognized these issues and offer a very wide range of sizes, though only small, medium and large are commonly available in stores like Petsmart and Petco.  Cassie now falls into what is called a "tweener" size, which I've had to order through Amazon both times (I left her unattended once and came back to find she had chewed through the first one: this was my fault not the Easy Walk's).


4. Dogswell Vitality for Dogs
    I use a wide variety of treats for our dogs and I've tried even more.  When I want a packaged treat that is easy to come by and isn't going to cost the moon I turn to Dogswell Vitality (which is just a dehydrated chicken breast).  Cassie and Lilly both seem to love this and it makes a great everyday treat (Tobey doesn't really like it, but then I am starting to wonder if he is a vegetarian).  I take it to training and use it when I think Cassie has already had too much string cheese.  It comes in strips that make it more convenient to transport, but must be broken up into smaller pieces prior to training as it can become a bit fiddly.  I mostly use it around the house for training or good girl biscuits.   I like that it has such a high chicken content and that it also offers some essential oils, but most of all I just like how much the dogs seem to like it.   The fact that it's real chicken means that is has a pleasing smell even for humans (not something I can often say of the smelly treats my dogs enjoy) and it is very clean on the hands leaving no bad smells or residue.  If you carry it around in your pockets like I do for training you will find chicken dust in your pockets, but that is true of almost all treats that have to be broken up.  Cassie likes these much better than any flavor of Zukes (which I'm sure I'll get to in another post), though the Vitality does loose out to fresh cooked chicken (sorry Dogswell).   
  
   Vitality can be conviently purchased at Target, though I haven't seen it at Petsmart of Petco yet.  It can also be found online at Amazon.