Posts tagged "dog leash"

Do right by Mother Nature as well as have a stylin' pooch with Dublin Dog eco-Lucks collars and leashes. Each eco-Lucks collar is made from one and a half recycled plastic water bottles; each leash is made from two and a half recycled water bottles. The ink is water based and ecofriendly, and all products are made in the USA. Win, win, win!

And speaking of winning -- this week, one lucky Paw Nation reader will win the Dublin Dog eco-Lucks leash and collar in his or her choice of size (collars come in small, medium and large) and color/design (there are 11 from which to choose).

And the giveaway doesn't end there. The winner will also receive Dublin Dog's new ecominded dog toy, the Roxxter. Made from dog-safe, recyclable materials and available in three colors, the Roxxter is vanilla scented and, in addition to a treat chamber, has a counter-weighted roll to keep your furry friend fully engaged.

To enter, leave a confirmed comment below telling us how often you walk your dog.

The comment must be left before 5 p.m. EST on Fri., Feb. 11, 2011.

You may enter only once.

One winner will be selected in a random drawing.

One winner will receive a Dublin Dog eco-Lucks collar and leash in choice of size and color, as well as a Roxxter toy in choice of color (valued at up to $66.95).

Open to legal residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older.

Click here for complete official rules. Winner will be notified by e-mail, so be sure to provide a valid e-mail address.

We know there are people out there whose dogs walk right by their sides. These animals are perfectly trained and it's a relaxing joy to walk them around the neighborhood. We are not those people, despite the hours (not to mention hundreds of training treats) sacrificed to getting our dogs inline. So we've checked out a few products designed to tackle common dog walking challenges.

1. Self-Adjustable - The Laughing Leash

What it does: When you have a dog that doesn't necessarily pull hard, but likes to sometimes be in front, sometimes behind, and sometimes right by your side, the Laughing Leash ($24.99) is the answer to your prayers. The leash extends from two to six feet without you having to do a thing. It's drag-free and tangle-free (as the dog comes closer, the coil inside the fabric automatically shortens), so it stays clean and your dog stays safe.

Best for: Moderate pullers and smaller dogs who like to dart up and back. For really strong dogs that do nothing but pull the leash to its full length, this product won't help. It's not a training tool, but does make walking with a light puller much more enjoyable.

Bonus: A portion of proceeds are donated to shelters and rescue organizations in the U.S.

Our experience: This works really well for leisurely walks through the neighborhood where there is plenty of room to move around. It allows dogs to prance around and sniff and explore. However, it's not as easy to keep the dog under control in a busy situation since the leash stretches out to six feet and there's no way to lock it in a shorter length.

We've liked Paul Frank's whimsical and fun characters since they were introduced back in the late '90s. And now we don't have to settle for Julius on our pajama pants and Skurvy on our wallets; our pets can get on the action too!

Paul Frank offers a wide variety of pet products, many of which you can find at 26 Bars & a Band, a small company that supports pet rescue while offering stylish products at reasonable prices. And this week, courtesy of 26 Bars & a Band, you could win a Paul Frank Signature Julius Collar and Leash in orange in your choice of color!

To enter, leave a confirmed comment below telling us where you'd take your pet in this cute and stylish collar and leash set.

The comment must be left before 5 p.m. ET on Friday, August 20, 2010.

You may enter only once.

One winner will be selected in a random drawing.

One winner will receive a Paul Frank Signature Julius Collar and Leash in orange in the size of their choice (valued at $60).

Open to legal residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older.

Click here for complete official rules. Winner will be notified by e-mail, so be sure to provide a valid address!

Meet Mary Burch, American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen Director and Paw Nation's expert columnist addressing your questions on animal behavior. Dr. Burch has over 25 years of experience working with dogs, and she is one of fewer than 50 Certified Applied Animal Behaviorists based in the United States. She is the author of 10 books, including the new official book on the AKC Canine Good Citizen Program, "Citizen Canine: 10 Essential Skills Every Well-Mannered Dog Should Know."

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I have a 2-year-old Lab mix named Carlos. He has a lot of energy and still acts like a puppy. That's OK with me for the most part, but I'm concerned about how hard he pulls on his leash. Sometimes it feels like he's going to yank my arm off or pull me down the stairs. I'm considering getting a no-pull leash, but I don't know if that will be enough. Do you think I can train Carlos myself?

With patience, you should be able to train Carlos to walk nicely on a leash. At 2 years old, he's an adult (even though he acts like a puppy), and this is the perfect time for him to learn good manners. Pulling isn't just annoying, it is also potentially dangerous as even small dogs can pull you off your feet or injure your joints and muscles with their tugging.

Here are several things you can do to break the leash pulling habit.

1. Don't Reward Pulling
Your dog tugs on the leash to get the forward motion he needs to reach another dog, a great new smell, or something else that he badly wants. Every time you allow Carlos to pull you along, you are rewarding him for dragging you down the street. The trick is to teach him that pulling actually keeps him from his goal (the dog run, park, etc.) whereas walking nicely gets him there much faster. In the book "Citizen Canine," we describe two techniques that are effective for training your dog.

Technique A: If the dog pulls, you stop.
1. When your dog starts to pull, stop.
2. Stand still. Don't move forward with the dog.
3. Wait. The dog will pull, but eventually he'll stop.
4. When he stops pulling, you can praise him and move forward.
5. Uh-oh. He is so excited that you're moving forward, he's pulling again. Now what? Repeat the procedure. It won't take long until he figures out you aren't going anywhere as long as he pulls.

Meet Mary Burch, American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen Director and Paw Nation's new expert columnist addressing your questions on animal behavior. Dr. Burch has over 25 years of experience working with dogs and she is one of less than 50 Certified Applied Animal Behaviorists based in the United States. She is the author of ten books including the new official book on the AKC Canine Good Citizen Program, "Citizen Canine: 10 Essential Skills Every Well-Mannered Dog Should Know."

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I hate to walk my dog because he always barks at the other dogs that pass by. Charlie's a very sweet, 6-year old, neutered corgi, but when other dogs come near, he starts pulling at his leash, snarling and barking. I yell "No!" and pull back on the leash, but that only mildly reins him in. He's never attacked another dog, but he does scare them and their owners. I don't know why he does this; he's nice to my friends' dogs when they come by. Do you have any advice to help make walk time less stressful?

There are a number of reasons a dog will lunge and bark at other dogs while on a leash. It sometimes happens if a dog is particularly aggressive, but this doesn't sound like your corgi, as you say that your dog is nice to your friends' dogs, suggesting that his problem is specifically with unfamiliar dogs. Other reasons a dog might behave this way could be fear, acting protective of its owner, wanting to play, or a lack of adequate socialization with other dogs.

You mention that you've tried an approach that involves corrections -- yelling "No!" and pulling on the leash -- and this hasn't worked for you. Don't worry, there really are ways to make walk time more fun. Below I've given several approaches to try to make life easier for you and Charlie.

1. Consider enrolling Charlie in a Canine Good Citizen class. Teaching your dog to react appropriately to other dogs is one of the core parts of this program and a class would give you and your corgi opportunities to practice and learn this skill with other dogs.

2. Another thing to try is to only move toward another dog if your dog is behaving acceptably. If he lunges and barks, turn around and go back in the opposite direction away from the other dog. When he settles down, you can turn him around and try again. I've had good success with this procedure.

Dogs might have a larger eco-footprint than an SUV, but that doesn't mean you can't take measures here and there to reduce your environmental impact. One possible step to greener dog ownership is walking your pooch with an upcyled leash, like those offered by Krebs Recycle.

Krebs Recycle offers dog leashes made of pre-consumer and post-consumer recycled nylon climbing rope. Presumably, if it's strong enough to hold a 250-pound man climbing a mountain, it's strong enough to hold your golden retriever. The rope remains in its original form, eliminating the need for any carbon-intensive processes, and nothing goes to the landfill.

This family-owned company washes ropes from gyms, rope manufacturers and guide services, cuts them to one of the three lengths (the 6-foot "Reggie," 4-foot "Ruby," and 2-foot "Heeler"), then sews them into leashes.

I sampled the Reggie and Heeler leashes, and was very impressed. For one thing, they're cool. I haven't seen anybody else carrying anything similar at my dog park. And even though I like the bright colors, the rope looks rugged and tough, so my husband prefers carrying this leash to anything else hanging on our wall.

The Heeler is perfect for training the foster dogs that come through my home, while the six-foot length is perfect for leisurely strolls with my constantly curious Lab mix. She can sniff to her heart's content without dragging me off the path. And at just $14, $15 and $16 each, it won't break your pocketbook to buy a couple of lengths!