Choosing the Right Equipment

Perhaps, the one piece of pet equipment that vexes most dog trainers is the retractable leash.  I do not know of any other trainer that actually encourages its use.  A few years ago, a Consumer Report warned dog owners of the dangers of retractable leashes.  The article specifically profiled an incident where a woman’s finger was severed by the retracting cable.  In addition to injuries to fingers, hands and paws, there are several other reasons why retractable leashes are not favored by most dog trainers.  Retractable leashes are not really well-suited for walking on busy, urban streets.  An open park or field is one thing but a narrow city sidewalk is not the ideal situation to allow your dog 10-20 feet of unrestricted distance from you.  Your dog may run into the street before you can stop it from happening or your dog may confront a not so friendly oncoming dog before you have a chance to intervene.  I have also witnessed many dogs on retractable leashes aggressively charge after another dog with the 15 feet of  freedom afforded by this type of leash before the owner can apply the "brake".

I have also witnessed owners accidentally let go of the handle only to have a very frightened dog being “chased” by the retracting cartridge.  In addition, many trainers teach dogs to walk with a slack or loose leash which is the antithesis of a retractable leash that works by remaining taut due to the dog’s pulling.

So what equipment should the average dog owner use?

Leashes

I prefer a  traditional 5-6 foot canvas or leather leash.  One inch width for  medium and large dogs over 20 pounds and 3/4 inch width for small and toy dogs under 20 pounds. I feel the length gives me a lot of flexibility compared to a 3-4 foot leash.  It is not so short that the dog does not have room to meander, yet the length is not so great to be cumbersome.


         

Harnesses and collars.

I have previously written a detailed article reviewing the different body harnesses and collars out there but here is a brief summary of the equipment I most often use.  I do not use prong, choke or slip collars as its use and application is contrary to positive-reinforcement-based methods of animal training. I prefer to use no-pull body harnesses as my first go-to piece of eqiupment .  I feel that most dogs do well with a body harness and are more comfortable wearing them which is why I rarely use a head harness like the Gentle Leader or Halti except in special circumstances which are summarized in the article above. Examples of no pull harnesses include the Freedom Harness made by Wiggles, Wags and Whiskers, Premier's Easy Walk Harness or the Sense-ation harness.  These harnesses are removed after the walk and should not be worn all-day.  My personal favorite is the Freedom Harness as I find it fits the majority of dogs very well.

             

Kiku modeling a Freedom Harness

Martingale Collars - For those dogs that do not tolerate harnesses or are escape artists (like my Shiba Inu), I use Martingale collars.  These collars are limited slip collars that prevent the head from slipping out.  If you are going to use this type of collar, care must be taken not to jerk your dog's leash and collar to avoid neck injuries. 

   

Buckle Collars – I also use a plain buckle or snap-type collar to hold my dogs’ i.d. and for short excursions. Even though my dogs are microchipped, they always wear a buckle collar with I.D. because if your dog gets lost, the average person will look for a tag and it may not occur to them that your dog is micro-chipped.

 

Long lines

For training dogs from a distance or working in parks and fields, I like using a long-line.  These extra long leashes allow one to teach a dog to come or stay from a long distance and lessens the risk of having your dog run into the street or other unsafe situation. 

Using equipment that reduces the risk of injury to you and your dog and is comfortable and painless for your dog is the first step to starting an effective training program.

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City Dog Etiquette in an Urban Jungle

I recently had a conversation with a colleague of mine regarding the differences in lifestyles of urban dogs and rural dogs. Many rural dogs spend their time off leash and don’t have to deal with narrow sidewalks, busy streets and parks teeming with unfamiliar dogs. City dogs on the other hand have to learn to navigate their environment while connected to their owner on a leash.

Often when I go to pet stores, I see people so distracted by shopping and talking to other people that they do not pay attention to what their dog is doing. Take for example, the family that lets their two year old hold the flexi leash in the pet store while their dog takes full advantage of the 20 foot radius of freedom the child just gave him or the woman with the reactive terrier who obliviously stands in the middle of the aisle talking to a friend while her dog threatens every dog that tries to walk by. A dog on a leash should be viewed as an extension of yourself. For safety reasons, you should be aware of what your dog is doing at all times. Even if your dog is not normally reactive, your dog may encounter a reactive dog or your dog may become insecure and reactive in tight quarters.

An urban Akita surveys
the City of Santa Monica

Here are a couple of tips to safely navigate your dog in an urban environment:

Stay Away From Retractable Leashes (AKA Flexi Leash) – This is my least favorite piece of equipment. Retractable leashes are better used for field work and they are often misused in an urban setting. They are not designed to work well in tight quarters or narrow urban sidewalks, let alone trying to teach your dog to walk by your side with a slack or loose lead. It is too easy for the cartridge to slip from your hands or for your thumb to let go of the lever. Then, your dog has 20 feet of instant freedom. I have seen too many owners lose control of these devices only to have their dog get into an altercation with another dog. Another problem with this contraption is when an owner accidentally lets go of the cartridge, the leash begins to retract and their little Pomeranian is suddenly being “chased” by a brightly colored plastic object; a very scary experience for a small dog. You are better off with a 6 foot leather or nylon leash.

Be aware of what your dog is doing at all times - If you are getting into a conversation with someone, train your dog to sit calmly by your side. If your dog does not know how to do this or gets too distracted, consider enrolling your dog in an obedience class that teaches polite greetings and focus exercises. You do not want your dog to get into other peoples’ or dogs’ space.

Stand away from the middle of an aisle or sidewalk - Most dog altercations happen when dogs are forced to meet each other in narrow aisles or have to walk past each other in a constricted or confined area. So if you are speaking to someone, try to avoid standing in the middle of an aisle or sidewalk. Instead, try stand to the side of an aisle to allow other people and their dogs to walk by and minimize confrontation.

Coming and going from elevators and or exits - Elevators are scary contraptions for some dogs. They are a confined space that moves, which can elevate the stress level for dogs. I know of several vet offices that are on a second floor and the elevator is one of the ways to get to the main floor. If you are waiting for an elevator, stand a few feet away with your dog sitting at your side. Wait for the door to open and allow the occupants to exit the elevator first. When exiting the elevator, check the surroundings first before exiting. If you have a reactive dog, wait for the next ride if you have to share the car with another dog. Teach your dog to “wait” so they do not dart out of the elevator before you do. The same rules apply to doorways and exits.

Polite Greetings – when encountering other people walking their dogs, try not to let your dog run ahead of you and “rush” at the other dog. Teach your dog to “sit” or “heel” and “wait” at a safe distance (greater than 6 feet) until you can say hello to the other person and ask them if their dog is friendly. Even if your dog is friendly, other people’s dogs may not do well with a strange dog rushing head on at them and they can become defensive and/or aggressive.

Reactive dogs – if you have a reactive dog, you will need to be more aware of your dog’s behavior and the triggers that make them react. If your dog cannot walk calmly in tight quarters with other dogs the pet store may not be the best place to take your dog. Toy dogs can be reactive too. Size is not an excuse to allow your dog to bark and lunge at another dog. The danger of having a small reactive dog is that a larger dog may not be tolerant of such behavior. Small dogs that are reactive need training just as much as a large breed. From the other dog’s perspective, the behavior can still be viewed as a threat even if it is coming from a smaller package. Reactive dogs need to learn to make positive associations with the sight of strange dogs and learn alternative behaviors to lunging and barking. Jerking the dog's collar and yelling at them will not make them feel better about the strange dog that is invading their space.

If you view your dog as an extension of yourself, it will help you navigate your dog in our often congested urban jungle.