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Tag: Leash

  • Retractable Leash Alternatives From the Experts at Pawsh

    If you do one smart thing for you and your dog this year, replace that dangerous retractable leash with a safer option. We turned to the team at Pawsh Dog Boutique and Salon for suggestions on the types of leashes available for various needs.

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    Mike & Nancy Maida from Pawsh Dog Boutique & Salon (on Gloucester St. between Newbury & Commonwealth Ave. in the Back Bay) demonstrate a leather Euro cross body leash and a martingale collar.

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    Leash, Harness, and Collar Options

    My choice of a round, rolled, leather leash and collar for my dogs was made for very practical reasons. The round collar does less damage to Westie fur and the round leash is easier on my hands if I grab it. What’s more, while leather may be an expensive initial purchase, these items last for years. 

    Friends with sighthounds have shown me the value of martingale collar that prevent these dogs with necks larger than their heads from slipping out of the collar. Nancy has one in the photo above.

    Our Poppy's leash is connected to a strong sports harness with double clips and Velcro® closure because she is noise adverse and needs a strong connection to keep her from bolting when frightened.

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    Harnesses

    “At Pawsh, we carry the soft Puppia harnesses and traditional ribbon step-in versions,” Nancy said. “Both styles are great for walking dogs who pull on the leash so that you do not irritate their necks. Harnesses are especially important to use on toy breeds, like Yorkies, who are prone to collapsed tracheas.”  

    Nancy also recommends front pull harnesses like the EasyWalk or Gentle Leader. These she says, “…not only help to avoid irritating a dog's neck, they also can be a game-changer for owners whose dogs pull hard on the leash.”

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    Leashes

    Last month, we stopped to admire the leash a young man had on an older Golden. It was a standard, six foot, woven lead with a second hand-loop near the collar for greater control in tight spaces. In addition to this two handle style, Pawsh also carries traffic leads that might only be one or two feet long and work well with larger breeds.

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    On the opposite end of the length scale, there are training leashes in 20 to 40 foot lengths. Nancy says these may be used, “… to work on coming back when called, or to allow a dog some freedom to roam, when appropriate, while still being leashed (like on hiking trails, the beach, etc.)”

    Adjustable Styles

    From the days when we fostered rescue dogs, we have sturdy Marine Dog adjustable leashes. These are made of the same material used for hoisting sails on boats. 

    They can be configured for use as a cross-body, hands-free leash. They can be coupled as a two dog leash or just used as a sturdy single dog control system. We have lent these to friends with arm injuries. Pawsh carries an adjustable Euro Leash version of this style.

    If you’ve only considered one style of leash and collar, look at what is available the next time you visit your favorite shop. Avoid styles that choke, pinch, shock, snap, or in some other way have the potential to hurt your dog or you. Have the shopkeeper show you how each works and how to find the proper size. 

    If You Are Local, Please Support Pawsh!

    We have linked to some of these items on Amazon for our readers in other parts of the country. But if you are from Boston, stop by Pawsh. Mike, Nancy, and the staff were kind enough to add their expertise to this post and they will be able to help you find the perfect solution for you and your dog or dogs. Please support them with your local dollars.

  • Spread the Word on The Yellow Dog Project & DINOS!

    We recently learned about The Yellow Dog Project thanks to our friend David Ziegler. (Thanks David!) This is an attempt to give an easy to recognize signal that a particular dog needs a bit of space.

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    The project asks that those of us who have a dog who needs a bit of space for whatever reason (health issues, training, rehab, behavior) put a yellow ribbon or marker on our leash. Then, those of us who see this signal can keep ourselves and our dogs away. 

    DINOS_PSA_poster-012013-02-18-dinos-ask-first- poster-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    A second group with the same goal and some good resources on their website is DINOS or Dogs In Need Of Space.

    Even dogs you know well may occasionally need a bit of space and can't play with your pup. They may have a GI upset that is going around the neighborhood and a considerate guardian who doesn't want to spread it to your dog. They may have an injury that means they can only have a quiet walk and have to avoid the movement and excitement of greeting pals. The may be out as a part of a training exercise and should not be distracted.

    We used to walk with a dog that was perfectly happy strolling with her usual pack but would turn growly and fierce if a strange dog approached. You can imagine how we all reacted every time a dog, often off-leash, came bounding our way with a guardian trailing behind yelling, "He's friendly!" Yes, your dog may be friendly, but the one on a leash may not be. One more reason why no dog should be off-leash outside of dog recreation spaces. 

    Spread the word to your dog loving friends. Ask your veterinarian, groomer, pet supply shop, and dog group to sign on as a supporter  of both sites and make this universal signal a reality!

    Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.

    Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

     Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Artwork: Courtesy of The Yellow Dog Project & DINOS

    Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

    Related articles
    Tie a Yellow Ribbon Around The Old Oak Tree…. Or….
    Yellow Dog Project: Giving dogs space
    How to Broach the Subject of Reactivity Without Demonizing Your Dog
    Make a List of Your Dog's Words!
    Meet the Leonberger
    Enhanced by Zemanta

  • Spread the Word on The Yellow Dog Project & DINOS!

    We recently learned about The Yellow Dog Project thanks to our friend David Ziegler. (Thanks David!) This is an attempt to give an easy to recognize signal that a particular dog needs a bit of space.

    Postcard6x4-TYDP_2

    The project asks that those of us who have a dog who needs a bit of space for whatever reason (health issues, training, rehab, behavior) put a yellow ribbon or marker on our leash. Then, those of us who see this signal can keep ourselves and our dogs away. 

    DINOS_PSA_poster-012013-02-18-dinos-ask-first- poster-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    A second group with the same goal and some good resources on their website is DINOS or Dogs In Need Of Space.

    Even dogs you know well may occasionally need a bit of space and can't play with your pup. They may have a GI upset that is going around the neighborhood and a considerate guardian who doesn't want to spread it to your dog. They may have an injury that means they can only have a quiet walk and have to avoid the movement and excitement of greeting pals. The may be out as a part of a training exercise and should not be distracted.

    We used to walk with a dog that was perfectly happy strolling with her usual pack but would turn growly and fierce if a strange dog approached. You can imagine how we all reacted every time a dog, often off-leash, came bounding our way with a guardian trailing behind yelling, "He's friendly!" Yes, your dog may be friendly, but the one on a leash may not be. One more reason why no dog should be off-leash outside of dog recreation spaces. 

    Spread the word to your dog loving friends. Ask your veterinarian, groomer, pet supply shop, and dog group to sign on as a supporter  of both sites and make this universal signal a reality!

    Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.

    Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

     Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Artwork: Courtesy of The Yellow Dog Project & DINOS

    Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

    Related articles
    Tie a Yellow Ribbon Around The Old Oak Tree…. Or….
    Yellow Dog Project: Giving dogs space
    How to Broach the Subject of Reactivity Without Demonizing Your Dog
    Make a List of Your Dog's Words!
    Meet the Leonberger
    Enhanced by Zemanta

  • Spread the Word on The Yellow Dog Project & DINOS!

    We recently learned about The Yellow Dog Project thanks to our friend David Ziegler. (Thanks David!) This is an attempt to give an easy to recognize signal that a particular dog needs a bit of space.

    Postcard6x4-TYDP_2

    The project asks that those of us who have a dog who needs a bit of space for whatever reason (health issues, training, rehab, behavior) put a yellow ribbon or marker on our leash. Then, those of us who see this signal can keep ourselves and our dogs away. 

    DINOS_PSA_poster-012013-02-18-dinos-ask-first- poster-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    A second group with the same goal and some good resources on their website is DINOS or Dogs In Need Of Space.

    Even dogs you know well may occasionally need a bit of space and can't play with your pup. They may have a GI upset that is going around the neighborhood and a considerate guardian who doesn't want to spread it to your dog. They may have an injury that means they can only have a quiet walk and have to avoid the movement and excitement of greeting pals. The may be out as a part of a training exercise and should not be distracted.

    We used to walk with a dog that was perfectly happy strolling with her usual pack but would turn growly and fierce if a strange dog approached. You can imagine how we all reacted every time a dog, often off-leash, came bounding our way with a guardian trailing behind yelling, "He's friendly!" Yes, your dog may be friendly, but the one on a leash may not be. One more reason why no dog should be off-leash outside of dog recreation spaces. 

    Spread the word to your dog loving friends. Ask your veterinarian, groomer, pet supply shop, and dog group to sign on as a supporter  of both sites and make this universal signal a reality!

    Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.

    Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

     Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Artwork: Courtesy of The Yellow Dog Project & DINOS

    Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

    Related articles
    Tie a Yellow Ribbon Around The Old Oak Tree…. Or….
    Yellow Dog Project: Giving dogs space
    How to Broach the Subject of Reactivity Without Demonizing Your Dog
    Make a List of Your Dog's Words!
    Meet the Leonberger
    Enhanced by Zemanta