doglirious.com » Archives for Walking

Enjoy wide open walking spaces in Seymour Lake park

Enjoy wide open walking spaces in Seymour Lake park
Zachary is a big fan of Oxford’s Seymour Lake Township Park, an easily accessible 125-acre highly developed park just a few miles west of historic downtown Oxford. Zachary, however, could care less about the lack of hiking trails at this park. And he never reads a single word of my column. He could care less.   Zachary is 2 years old.
Read more on The Oakland Press

Chance the dog, center of abuse case, dies over weekend
Chance died Sunday, Aug. 29, of kidney disease at his home in the Grand Rapids area.
Read more on The Holland Sentinel

Hydrogen Bonding Video [Greg Laden's Blog]
If you teach biology, you probably get to hydrogen bonding pretty early in the term. Here’s an inspirational video for you: hat tip: Bora Hydrogen bonding explains everything!!!! Why does water hold so much heat? Why does ice float? How does a water bug not sink? Why does a dog smell everyone’s butt? Read the comments on this post…
Read more on ScienceBlogs

Dog Training – The Secret To Loose Leash Walking

Leash walking is one og the commands that dog owners have difficulty with. In this video I share a simple secret to leash walking. Please leave a comment and you can get a free ebook “101 Ways To Improve Your Dog’s Behavior.” Go to www.amazingdogtrainingman.com
Video Rating: 4 / 5

When you are leash training your dog it is very important that you do not keep constant pressure on the dog. Learn more about training dogs to walk on a leash with tips from an animal behavior expert in this free dog training video. Expert: Donna Bainter Contact: www.SPCATampaBay.org Bio: Donna Bainter has been a feline and canine behavior trainer since 2000. Filmmaker: Christopher Rokosz

Plymouth Pet Care – Plymouth Dog Training ‘Dog Whisperer’ Dog Boarding, Dog Walking & Behaviour Specialist’s Take Devon by Storm


Plymouth Dog Training


(PRWEB) July 26, 2010

Plymouth Pet Care specialise in looking after pets and understand that many of you would prefer your pets to be cared for in their own environment. We recognise that it is often traumatic for an animal to be sent to a Cattery or Kennel. Many of us have difficulty giving a pet the time and attention it needs due to work commitments. Plymouth Pet Care home visits and home from home boarding will put your mind at rest, secure in the knowledge that: ‘Your pet is our privilege.’

Specialist Dog Trainers

Plymouth Dog Behaviour Training (R+ (CANRG) = Pack leader. People argue between Victoria Stilwell Positive Reinforcement (R+) method and Cesar Milan immersion therapy methods. At times people will label a canine issue as requiring dog training or dog behaviour rehabilitation, instead of implementing both. Also using pet care services like our Plymouth dog walking for regular exercise, or home boarding; Plymouth Dog Boarding or Plymouth Dog Sitting visits can be less stressful than Kennels or being home all day that lead to many behaviours.

Plymouth Dog Training leadership program is a effective training approach that establishes and enhances communication, by calm assertive energy (CANRG) leadership, positive reinforcement (R+) but in the appropriate circumstances with structure, setting rules and boundaries. We personally feel long term use of treats or lures to keep a dog’s attention actually demonstrates a lack of these things as nothing in life is free. That’s not a healthy human/dog relationship.

Your dog like us is required to work for anything he/she needs or desires (food, toys, attention, access to the outdoors etc.). In effect he must “earn” all valued resources by first obeying a command, such as SIT or DOWN and NO means NO. The objective is to have the dog follow the owner’s directives and correction as and when issued. If owners are consistent with this approach, the dog will learn that he must look to them to obtain anything he needs or wants, such as food, freedom, play, and social interaction. If the dog learns to respect and trust his owners in this way, he will be more likely to turn to them for direction when he’s feeling challenged or fearful and will be more likely to need directions or you can also stop unwanted behaviour by command.

Dog Behaviour mostly come from a lack of exercise, and dominance from a lack of leadership calm-assertive energy (CANRG). Plymouth Pet Care will show you how you how to be pack leader with Positive Reinforcement (R+) & (CANRG). Effective rehabilitation of your dog will also require commitment and willingness from you the owner. “Dog & Owner trained ” Nothing in life is free (R+ (CANRG) = Pack leader. We only use non-harsh methods “Not punitive” (no punishment) no gimmicks, specialising in all behaviours all breeds. How to Control Problem Dog Behaviours Read More

More information is available by calling Plymouth Pet Care Ltd

CONTACT: Leoine and Philip James on Office Line: 01752 294361 (Mon-Sat)

Or visit http://www.plymouthpetcare.co.uk

###





Find More Dog Boarding Press Releases

How to train your dog not to pull- Loose Leash Walking

In other words- walking on a loose leash. This video quickly outines exercises to get your dog walking on a loose leash by your side. Put very basically FIRST you will teach the dog what you want them to do! And secondly, stop reinforcing them when they pull! I demonstrate the exercise using a clicker, but if you do not have one, you can always use a verbal marker like yes etc. However you will get much faster and reliable results by using the clicker. If you hold the clicker in the same hand as the leash, and keep the treats in the other hand, you will find it easier to manage. Practice holding the leash, clicker, and treats when you do not have the dog attached to the leash yet, so you dont become overwhelmed. A great book on loose leash walking, or how to stop your dog from pulling is- My Dog Pulls. What Do I Do? by Turid Rugaas You can get this book on www.dogwise.com and other places too. Its very short and has lots of pictures. I would advise against using any forms of positive punishment when teaching any behavior, but especially leash walking, as startling or hurting a dog actually increases their stress hormones in their body causing the dog to be more hyperactive and more likely to become aroused and reactive towards other dogs and people (weather they want to greet them or not). DO NOT DROP THE LEASH! I showed myself dropping the leash on a street with no cars/danger and another person there. This would happen during an emergency, if you trip or fumble. In no …
Video Rating: 4 / 5

A “Quality” Walk — how do you know?

Daily exercise is such an important part of Cha Cha’s routine, as it is with all our pooches. As dog guru Cesar Milan reminds us in every episode of “Dog Whisperer”, a dog’s life should consist of “exercise, discipline and affection”. Okay, so how do you know when the doggie is getting ENOUGH exercise?

Let’s keep in mind that my little one weighs all of 7 pounds. Cha Cha and I have fallen into a pretty regular walking routine; 15 minute walk in the morning for elimination purposes (and she is actually making it through the entire night now, so she’s allowed back into the bedroom!). When I get home from work, we take a longer 20-25 minute walk around my community for elimination and exercise, then frequent potty breaks at night — or, another walk, depending on the weather. Now, Cha Cha is alone all day long, so I know she has a lot of energy to expunge. Sometimes running around my house suffices…sometimes she unexpectedly breaks out into the “zoomies” (you know, when your dog takes off at top speed and runs in circles?) (which, by the way, is HILARIOUS). This seems to be enough to tucker her out, and she’ll sleep through the night.

I still can’t help but feeling like I’m shortchanging Cha Cha on her walks, however. Should I be walking her until her tongue is hanging out of her mouth? With the weather heating up, it doesn’t take much to get her to that state anymore. Why does she take off sprinting (off-leash), even after what I feel to be a nice, long walk? It’s one of those weird dog things I don’t understand.

This past Sunday, my friend and I took our dogs to downtown Tampa’s Gasparilla Art Festival. Many people had their dogs out. We walked around for about an hour, and the temperature went from about 80 degrees to 76 while we were out. When I brought Cha Cha home, she was completely pooped. I’d never seen my dog that tired…she slept all evening! And I’ve heard it said time and time again: a tired dog is a happy dog.

Unfortunately, since I recently moved I’m no longer living near any decent dog parks. And when I did, Cha Cha spent more time standing next to me than she did running and playing. So, my fellow dog owners, I’m looking for input: How do I gauge that I’m giving my puppy adequate walking time?

Today, Cha Cha Learned to Swim….

A major drawback to crating your dog during the day is the sheer amount of pent-up energy that is released once said dog is freed from the cage.

Wowzers.

Every day after work, I release Cha Cha and we immediately go outside for a brisk walk around the neighborhood. She will go #1 immediately, #2 comes in time, and due to her small size, that seemingly brief walk helps her calm down a bit.

Not today.

We walked longer than usual, in spite of the colder temps in Florida today. She didn’t have to go #2, so I decided to let her off-leash when we got back to my yard. I do this sometimes to let her roam around and go #2 freely.

Today, Cha Cha decided to take off. At first, she ran in circles which didn’t necessitate me chasing after her. It was funny at first. But, she then ran off to the grassy area next to the conservation pond. I called her back, but she decided to ignore me. It looked like she was going to go #2 anyway. Then, she disappeared over the grassy knoll. This caused me to run. And when I got over there, she jumped into the pond. The only water Cha Cha has ever been in is bathwater. But she managed to get herself out. And, she apparently thought my pursuit was the newest game in Cha Cha/Carla land. She ran further and further away, chasing the cranes that were taking flight afar. She eventually ran back 50+ yards to me, at full speed. Yet refused to go inside. I had to snatch her up and carry her in myself.

And she earned herself a nice bath as a result of these shenanigans.

Can this dog ever be trusted off-leash? Perhaps…when she’s sleepy.

Cha Cha a.k.a. Shawshank struck again.

Adventures in Pulling, Part II

We finally got a backpack for Riley to wear on her walks.  As you may know, Catahoulas are working dogs, so we thought a backpack would help Riley to focus during walks.  So Riley, Justin, and I tested out three different dog backpacks and ultimately decided on the RUFFWEAR Approach Dog Backpack for its durability, comfort, and design.

Baked Beans Make Great Walking Weights

Baked Beans Make Great Walking Weights

We began by loading the pack with car keys, poop bags (empty), and two cans of baked beans.  The total weight was about 5 pounds (10% of Riley’s total body weight). According to Ruffwear, most dogs can carry up-to 1/3 of their body weight, so we can certainly increase the workload in the future.  But, at this early stage, we just wanted to ease Riley into it. We dutifully and quickly rewarded Riley with lots of treats as we put the pack on, so she thinks it is a fun thing to wear.  We also were plentiful with the treats during the walk.

Every morning that we walk  Riley now wears her pack.  (We sometimes go on runs–she isn’t wearing the pack for those.)  And she’s even getting compliments on how cute she looks.  Success! Also, a quick side benefit: by adding additional weight, our trainer tells us that a 30-minute walk actually feels more like an hour to Riley.  I don’t think that is true.  It seems more like 45 minutes…but who’s counting?  (Me!)

Riley putting on her backpack Riley sitting proudly with her backpack on Riley smiling closeup Riley sitting on her walk Closeup of the RUFFWEAR Approach dog backpack Riley waiting for a command Grant Park in downtown Atlanta, Georgia Riley at the zoo Riley up close Riley getting treats at the zoo Justin and Riley at the park Justin and Riley walking down the street Justin and Riley at the Zoo

Even though Riley doesn’t pull like she used to, every once in a while she’ll try to sniff something. But she doesn’t pull ahead of me at all.  It’s loose-leash walking the whole way; sometimes I feel like I don’t even have a dog attached to the leash at all!  And I can even see that Riley enjoys the work. She looks forward to her “job” each morning, and I can see the focus in her eyes and body language during walks.

I am beginning to think a training tool is only as good as the owner who wields it (and I am still learning).  But, her behavior is seriously magnificent with it on.  This backpack was so worth it!

adventures-in-walking-partii-riley-headshot

Riley’s Opinion
I do lots of things around the house on a daily basis to help my people out.  I bark at the UPS guy: a very important job.  And I spend most of the day looking out the window just in case he’s coming up to our doorstep.  But I just got a brand new job…a promotion!  I’m now the “Chief Baked-Bean Carrier”…can you believe it!! Yup,  I carry those super heavy cans in my new backpack.  People pass me on the street and see how hard I’m working. Usually they want to talk or pet me, but I’m just too busy thinking about my new job for chit-chat.  The best part is that I walk with this pack, I get a ton of treats!  I’ll be carrying the beans for a few steps and bam: a treat.  Wow! I love this job.  Don’t get me wrong though, it’s hard work.  I wouldn’t recommend this job for puppies.  You’ve got to be big and strong like me.  I just hope one of these days I get to eat some of those beans!

Dog Backpack Review

We’ve considered trying a dog backpack with Riley for a while but just weren’t convinced the rewards would equal the relatively high cost of a quality backpack.  Well this review turned out to be the perfect opportunity for us to try several dog backpacks on Miss Riley (our lovely model and review pooch).

Riley Wearing her New Dog Backpack

Riley Wearing her New Dog Backpack

Backpack Benefits

Dog trainers say backpacks change a dog’s mentally. This is because your pooch becomes more focused on the job at hand (walking, and carrying the load), better behaved, and even receives more strenuous exercise.  This is especially true for working breeds who need a job.

Well, let me begin by saying that backpacks really work!  Everything we heard about “giving your dog a job” is true. We simply loaded the pack– two cans of baked beans, poop bags, and car keys–strapped it onto Riley’s back and then hit the road.

But after reviewing several models, we highly encourage you to find the correct backpack for your specific pup, as it’s important to find a pack that fits well and provides the utility you need.

The Contestants

For this comparison, we purchased three backpacks from REI.com, one of our all-time favorite outdoor gear stores. With Riley tipping the scales at 50 pounds, we ordered all 3 backpacks in size medium.

1. Adventure Dog Backpack by REI

The REI Adventure Pack is stunning in it style and appearance. We actually bought the orange/yellow backpack which looked beautiful on Riley.

rei-pack-new-side rei-pack-new-top rei-pack-new-underside rei-pack-right rei-pack-top rei-pack-left rei-pack-buckles REI Adventure Dog Backpack rei-pack-riley-laying-down-top

Pros
Out of all the packs, the REI Adventure Pack was the easiest to get on and off.  As you can see in the pictures, the buckles are accessible and snap together very easily. Overall the pack is light and portable.  Additionally, the underside of the pack contains meshing, which allows for continuous airflow on hot days.  The pack also features three body straps, two deep pockets on each side, a snug form-fit, and a metal D-ring to attach your leash for ultimate control of your pooch.

Cons
First of all, the front strap fits around the dog’s neck.  This immediately struck us as awkward, since this placement could potentially place too much pressure around Riley’s lower neck. And even though a piece of mesh fabric protects the dog’s skin from being pinched inside a closing buckle, this same mesh material isn’t quite large enough to serve is full purpose. If your pup has medium/long hair then beware of this pack as their locks may get caught in the snaps. One other downside to this pack is how its straps got looser as Riley walked around. In fact, on one of our walks to the dog park, I had to stop once to re-adjust the pack…this is not an easy feat for a dog who’s impatience (and excitement) about a dog park in the distance keeps her body bouncing around. Also, the pack has no reflectors, so beware of traffic when walking your dog during the twilight hours.

Conclusion
This pack works well for shorter neighborhood walks, but we don’t recommend it for camping, hiking, or carrying heavier loads. With its light weight and mesh ventilation, this dog back pack should work great in warmer climates. And even though we had a few gripes, we do recommend the REI Adventure Dog Backpack for its comfort, durability, and easy on/off qualities.

rei-adventure-riley-headshot

Riley’s Review
“I really have to concentrate hard with this thing on my back.  But I really don’t like how it slips around when the straps get loose, so I try to walk straight and get it right. I’d say this pack thingy is comfy—except for those darn cans of beans I have carry around as weights!  But I ‘m glad to work.  Best of all when we get home I get treats super fast because it only takes 2 seconds to get this thing off me.  And, of course, I look beautiful in my yellow/orange pack.  It shows off the different colors of my coat.”

Prices
Small $40.00, Medium $45.00, Large $50.00

Doglirious Rating (out of 5)
doglirious rating point doglirious rating point doglirious rating point

2. RUFFWEAR Approach Pack

Similar to the REI pack, the RUFFWEAR Approach Pack also has three body straps. However, unlike the REI backpack, the front strap on this RUFFWEAR pack fit more like a harness. As you can see in the picture, you’ll have to lift your dog’s paw in order to get the backpack on and off. This is a bit more time consuming but does provide for a better fit with greater support.

Approach Pack - New - Side View Approach Pack - New - Top View Approach Pack - New - Inside Lining Approach Pack - Right View Approach Pack - Left View Approach Pack - Back View Approach Pack - Front Harness View Approach Pack - Side Padding View

Pros
The overall fit of the backpack is stellar. The harness design, coupled with plush padding throughout, takes pressure off the neck. This allowed Riley a wider range of movement in her legs and also allowed her to jog and even lay down while wearing the backpack. This pack features two D-rings: one metal and one fabric, which provides more options for you with attaching the leash.  Reflectors run down the entire length of either side for ultimate visibility during nighttime city jaunts. Unlike the REI Adventure Pack, the padding surrounding the buckles on the RUFFWEAR pack is spectacular. If you have a hairy or fluffy dog, you can rest assured that you won’t easily buckle your pup’s fur in the clips. Additionally, this same padding protects your dog’s skin by distributing heavier weight loads across a wider body area. The Approach Pack’s straps remained firmly in place while Riley walked, and each strap is enclosed in soft padding, which increases doggy comfort on those longer hikes and camping trips.

Cons
The sizes are strange. For example, RUFFWEAR makes the Approach pack in XXS, XS, S, M, and L. Since Riley was a medium in the other packs, we bought a medium Approach pack as well…big mistake. It was too big. In fact, a 50-pound dog is actually between sizes, so we went back to the store and tried a Small on for size; that was much snugger and more supportive. On the downside, it’s pockets were smaller than the Medium. Also, as described above, putting on (and taking off) the harness is more time consuming, and it is a bit difficult to adjust the straps—although once you adjust them, they won’t slip or come loose during the walks.

Conclusion
We love this pack! Even though it’s the most expensive pack in our review, it’s by far the best of the bunch. The RUFFWEAR Approach Pack is one of our favorites, and the company’s reputation is built upon solid design, comfort, and durability. There’s even a higher-level RUFFWEAR backpack that we’re looking at for hardcore biking, hiking, and camping trips.  Oh, and remember, these backpacks run large, so you may want to get a size smaller than other brands. In fact, we’re going to return our medium pack and get Riley a small.

approach-pack-riley-headshot

Riley’s Review
“I’m ready to take this puppy (is that what humans call a “pun”?) hiking, running, to the lake…everywhere!  This RUFFWEAR Approach Pack makes me the most stylish pooch on the trial. Oh, and I know I’ll be able to carry my weight without the straps digging into my sides with all of this padding. So now, I can concentrate really hard while I work and carry tons of heavy stuff. The best part is I can still jump around with this backpack on, and I can comfortably do my business while out on my walk—the bag doesn’t get in the way at all.  I even carry my own dog poop bags (empty ones of course).  I can’t say that I love getting in and out of this thing, but my parents always give me lots of treats when they do—which by the way, is the very best way to get your pup to enjoy the backpack experience. Overall, this backpack makes me feel so important. After all, I really love working for my food and water. I bet your dog does too. Ruffwear!  Ruffwear! “

Prices
Small $65.99, Medium $76.99, Large $76.99

Doglirious Rating (out of 5)
doglirious rating point doglirious rating point doglirious rating point doglirious rating point doglirious rating point

3. Granite Gear Ruff Rider Backpack

The Granite Gear Ruff Rider immediately struck us as an inferior backpack. A quick visual inspection revealed its two body straps (compared to the three straps on our other reviewed packs) and no neck support.

granite-gear-new-side granite gear dog backpack granite-gear-left granite-gear-laying-left granite-gear-right granite-gear-front granite-gear-buckle

Pros
The underside of the backpack is lined with soft fleece, and it sports a couple of huge pockets and reflectors.

Cons
We just can’t get over the two straps!  And if that wasn’t bad enough, only one of the straps buckles; the other just tightens (no buckle). The first time we put it on Riley, we thought maybe it was defective…”Is this thing missing strap?” Granite Gear should have spent more time designing this pack. For the price, it isn’t the most expensive model out there, but it isn’t the cheapest either. In fact, it’s in the same price range as the REI Adventure Pack in this same review. I wouldn’t suggest putting much weight inside of this backpack.

Conclusion
We don’t recommend this dog backpack. Not only isn’t it sufficient for carrying heavy loads, but for the price, you’d do way better with the REI Adventure Pack. This Granite Gear dog backpack *might* work for smaller dogs, but again, for the price, just go with REI’s brand. We’ll give this dog backpack a single star just for the fleece lining and reflectors.

granite-gear-riley-headshot

Riley’s Review
“Well, I am not sure what that thing was—maybe a shirt with big pockets?  I never got to carry my heavy cans of beans around town while wearing it, so I was kind of bored. And for some reason Mommy wasn’t comfortable putting stuff inside these great big pockets.  Oh well, I can’t complain. It was kind of comfortable with the soft…fleece…I think it’s called.”

Prices
Small $50.00, Medium $55.00, Large $60.00

Doglirious Rating (out of 5)
doglirious rating point

Adventures in Pulling

When we brought Riley home from the Humane Society over a year ago, she didn’t know how to sit, lay or stay. Actually, teaching her those commands (along with a whole bag of tricks) proved to be quite easy. But, most worrisome at the time was her inability to walk properly on a leash.

In fact, when we first got her, Riley would often walk me around neighborhood, dragging me into the street  and into other people’s yards. I’m a small person so maybe this was an easy task. But one time, she even dragged Justin (who is 6 feet tall) around the park and eventually onto his bottom…

Clearly, no one had ever taught Riley to walk properly.

Adventures in Pulling Photo

Riley in Autumn wearing her Gentle Leader

The Gentle Leader

So the first thing we did was to buy a Gentle Leader, which is a training lead that allows for greater control of an unruly pooch. But even with the training lead, I had to remain highly alert as the Gentle Leader didn’t always keep Riley from chasing squirrels, bicyclists and runners. Recognizing the dangers of Riley trying to chase after cars in the street, we immediately sought professional dog training.

One trainer suggested that patience and encouragement would help her to walk properly. And every time she pulled on the leash, we were instructed to stop walking; this lack of forward movement is actually a punishment to the dog. And then when Riley loosened up and relaxed, we’d continue walking. With this method, Riley was to associated calm, relaxed energy with a reward–moving forward. It would also teach her that pulling on the leash would bring on a negative consequence–standing still.

This technique was very frustrating for Riley because she has to stop all the time.  But its also frustrating to me (because we have to stop all the time!). With Riley pulling so often, we’d have to stop and wait every few steps…and just wait. Our trainer also taught us how to use treats to keep Riley focused while walking. Riley absolutely adores treats; she is truly food motivated. So, with a treat in hand, whenever I said “heal”, she’d walk perfectly beside me, waiting of course for the yummy reward. But without the treat in my hand, Ms. Riley would be off  to the races.

Another trainer suggested the method of being the calm, assertive leader, a la Cesar Milan. The trainer suggested using a slip lead and slightly (but quickly) jerking the lead whenever Riley was out line. This method is much harsher, and I wasn’t always comfortable with it. Nonetheless, that method did quickly teach Riley to not run towards cars. And with our situation at the time, that was perhaps the highest training priority on our minds.

Problem Solved?

So, how exactly did we teach Riley to walk on the leash? Well, actually we combined both methods and then added a large dose of patience. Slowly but surely,  Riley learned how to walk on her leash like a good Catahoula. Eventually we got rid of the gentle leader, stopped using the slip lead, and transitioned into just your standard collar…and for a while, she was doing pretty well.

Until recently.

Because now, it’s return of the crazy dog. She’s pulling me through the neighborhood and lunging every time a UPS truck passes by. Why UPS trucks? I have no clue. Maybe they look like a big brown dog to her.

Time for Something New

So, I’m using this blog as a journal to chronicle our attempts to get Riley walking like the once-walkable dog I know she can be again. To begin, I’m purchasing a Martingale Collar from Classic Hound. It’s a beautifully fashioned accessory yet functional in that it should help with Riley’s pulling. And I’ve also decided to retry the patience, encouragement, discipline strategy once again. I’ll continue adding to this post over the next few weeks and will let you know how it goes.

Riley’s Comment

Riley Pulling Photo

Walks?! I looooove walks. That’s cuz I get to go wherever I want, whenever I want. I used to be very good and mellow on the leash, but now I like to use my walk time to sniff for cats and chase those big brown delivery trucks…I LOVE those trucks! Other than that, I try to protect my mom cuz she needs a guard and I am very good at my job. But I don’t know why she doesn’t like me to bark. Somebody’s got to do it! Maybe she’ll see things my way soon enough and join me in the fun. We could even chase the truck down the street! Wooohooo!