|
|
|
Support This Website by Visiting Our Advertisers!
|
Collars have two primary functions. The first is to control the dog. The second is as an attachment point for identification. A good one should not present a safety hazard to your Traildog. Flat Collars Gentle Leaders Harnesses Choke Collars, Prong Collars A good, flat collar of a width relative to the dog's size is a good investment. Most are either of leather or nylon webbing. Leather collars are durable. One of appropriate width helps to control the dog without choking it if the dog is a puller. Few leather collars have the ability to "slip" if your dog becomes entrapped by its collar in brush. Many owners want a collar from which the Traildog could eventually pull itself free. Nylon flat collars are made of either "flat" or "tubular" webbing. For our purposes, both are "flat." They are both durable and resistant to rotting if wet. Many, such as the ones sold by WolfPacks, offer a "slip" mechanism that allows the dog to extract itself if hung upon a limb or brush. Don't underestimate the value of this. A handful of dogs are found each year after they have ensnarled themselves in fences or brush. Virtually every flat collar offers an attachment point for identification, which is a must. Nylon collars are also offered with reflective tape along their length. This makes the dog more visible when walking at night. Many dogs are pullers. Many owners also don't want to use the chain "choke collars" even while at home. A tool for managing "pullers" is the Gentle Leader. While more expensive than a collar, it acts much like a horse's bridle to direct the dog's head, rather than its neck. This removes much of the dog's motivation to pull. Dogs have an innate drive to pull against resistance; hence, sled dogs, skijoring, etc. Dogs don't like to pull against the GL. A GL, combined with appropriate training, will make a polite walker out of a puller. GLs are not muzzles & are not intended to serve in their stead. The dog can pant, drink, eat and bite while wearing it. They are highly popular as training devices. Canine Companions for Independence has adopted it for their service dog training program. The disadvantages are that there isn't a place to attach identification on a GL on a small dog. Shadow is in this spot. He wears a collar for ID as well as a GL. The other is that there might be slightly more of a chance that the dog could entangle itself in brush if it were off-lead. The operating assumption I have is that, if the dog's wearing the GL, it is definitely on leash. Otherwise the GL is useless. Harnesses are great. They have their place. They work well if you are sledding, trailscootering or skiijoring. They also work in conjunction with a canine flotation device while paddling. A harness serves as a safe and comfortable way to effectively translate the dog's pulling effort. Many people use them in a misguided effort to make life easier on themselves and their dogs if their dogs are serious "pullers." This is a poor Bandaid for exactly the same reason that harnesses work well for sledders, trailscooters, etc. It doesn't do anything to discourage the pulling. Indeed, it makes the pulling more comfortable for the dog at the same time that it makes the dog a more effective puller. So, the dog has more fun pulling at the same time it is doing a better job pulling its owner's shoulder out of socket. Use a harness if you want. Try a Gentle Leader or some other means if you want to train or manage the pulling, however. They're great and have their place in training among many trainers. The problem with them is that they're more prone to getting hung in brush. Prong collars would make it particularly difficult for a dog to extract itself. Great for the street, maybe not so hot on the trail. |
Katrina Aid
|
|
Copyright 1996-2005 Jim Greenway Questions? Suggestions? Broken Links? Let me know. SARTECH I(tm), SARTECH II(tm) & SARTECH IiI(tm) are all trademarks of the National Association for Search and Rescue (NASAR)
|
