Archive for the ‘Dog Leashes’ Category
One of the most enjoyable aspects of dog ownership is walking your dog. The standard six-foot dog leash is what I use and all too often I see people walking their dog having trouble the whole time. The main reason for this is that they only use one hand to hold the leash allowing the dog to walk in front instead of alongside.
The best way to use a six-foot dog leash is to use both hands; one hand in the loop end of the dog leash and the other about half way down leaving only enough slack to allow your dog to walk comfortably. This helps maintain control if your dog sees something he/she just needs to run after.
Dog owners whether new or experienced plan for the goal of having the most well behaved dog in the neighborhood. To achieve this goal, obedience training is the answer and that begins with the right tools. The first tool you need to embark on successful obedience training is the appropriate dog leashes.
Dog leashes come in all shapes and sizes from leather dog leashes to retractable dog leashes. Sizes vary from four feet to over 100 feet and depending the training session will determine the correct length and style. Leather dog leashes of either four feet or six feet are the right choice if training your dog to walk. While for most breeds a six-foot dog leash, works the best but for taller breeds the four-foot length is the better choice. The shorter length gives you more control as you walk with your dog.
When teaching the “come” command long dog leashes of 20 to 100 feet is the tool you need. Most of these dog leashes are made of nylon and can be attached to your dogs training collar. This is one the most important commands to teach your dog as it could save his/her life one day. When it comes to training your dog the basic commands choosing nylon or leather dog leashes is left to personal preference as either will achieve your goal.
Most new puppies will tend to swerve all over the sidewalk, stop to smell various objects for several minutes, and pee at least three times each block. However, with a little bit of training, your puppy will want to walk in stride with you. To get started, you will want to buy a retractable dog leash so you can control the distance your puppy walks from you. You want to ensure that your puppy is within about two feet from you at all times, so adjust their leash length and correct them accordingly. Some puppies will want to pull you down the street with the leash, and some won’t. For puppies that pull, a simple tug on the leash and praise when they stop pulling should help prevent them from learning that pulling is okay. When a puppy stops to smell something, give them a few seconds, but don’t let them linger, let them know that you are in control.
Treats and praise are key to training a dog to do most anything. When you are training a puppy you will want to give out both freely, this will help them to learn faster.
As one of the largest dog breeds on the planet, the English Mastiff can be a handful for its owner, but the Mastiff is also one of the most loving and fun breeds to own. Despite their size and appearance, Mastiffs tend to be calm, affectionate, and good with kids and small children. When put on the defense, Mastiffs can also act as guard dogs; they are fiercely loyal to their masters. Mastiffs do not require excessive exercise, but do require regular exercise throughout their lives. Because of their size, Mastiffs will require a great deal more food than a standard medium size dog.
Items like thick leather dog leashes, special order collars, and raised dog bowls may be necessary to accommodate the dog’s size, and can be purchased through specialty stores or online.
Speed walking is one the exercises I do to stay fit and my dog as well. However, using a standard dog leash makes that very difficult if not impossible to do properly. A six-foot leash is not long enough and a training lead is long. The solution I found is a dog running leash that’s hands free.
The hands free dog running leash connects at my waist and has bungee type leash the attaches to my dog’s collar. The bungee design works great, if he pulls a little it does not interfere with my walking. A neighbor saw the leash and asked to borrow it for a morning run yesterday. When he came back, the leash worked so well, he immediately ordered a dog running leash for himself.
One of our favorite things to do this time of year is walk through our neighborhood checking out the holiday lighting with our dog. We needed a reflective dog leash because our neighborhood is not well lit in order to add an extra measure of safety.
Reflective dog leashes come with a single strip either on one side or on both sides. With all the cars that travel through the neighborhood with the same idea, we opted for the double strip reflective dog leash. With the double strip, the leash reflects bright enough to be noticed from a long way off keeping us safe.
With this dog leash, we can take our dog along experiencing the holiday lights in our neighborhood. This year there seems to be many more homes displaying some holiday cheer.
We recently took on another dog from our local shelter. This is a great dog named Molly, a Bullmastiff who enjoys, as it turns out, to go running. I go biking daily and took Molly with me the other day using a bicycle dog leash. With such a large breed I needed to make the bike leash would not affect the bike.
Some bicycle dog leashes pull from the top of the bike with little to no give when and if they pull on the leash. Since biking is a daily routine of mine, the leash I choose has a low center of gravity equipped with a spring that acts as a shock absorber. When Molly pulls on the bicycle dog leash the bike is not affected at all. As she is an older dog and a breed that would be happier laying around taking her out for a bike ride is perfect for her and with a little more practice on the dog bike leash we will be able to travel quite a distance.
Friends of ours are getting a new puppy in January so this year for the holiday’s we are giving them a leather dog leash. As dog owners ourselves, we know that leather dog leashes can last a very long time and look great as you walk your dog through the neighborhood.
We found the perfect braided leather dog leash that not only looks great but the six foot length can be used a training lead as well for those early years. Their new puppy is going to be a Golden Retriever so getting them a strong dog leash will be a must and a braided leather dog leash is the perfect choice.
Over the years, I’d like to think I’ve gotten to know my dog pretty well. It’s to the point now that I can practically anticipate his every move. Somewhat surprisingly, he seems to know me just as well. He can read my actions and behavior well enough to know precisely what’s about to happen to him. Take, for example, his reaction to the daily walking routine.
If I begin putting on my shoes in the evening, the dog’s tail begins to wag slightly, cautiously. Then, when I pick up the trusty leather dog leash and begin twirling it in my hand, he barks expectantly. Finally, I dig out a plastic bag for the express purpose of picking up dog poop. At that point there can be no doubt about the fact that a walk is imminent, and the dog goes buck wild until I fit the leash onto his collar.
My dog just turned a year old last week, and he’s still got just as much energy as in his younger puppy days. With my hectic work schedule and family commitments, I only have time to take him for one walk per day. Like most Dalmatians, the dog requires much more exercise than a short walk can provide. Recognizing that the dog was showing signs of over-eagerness when our walks were about to end, I decided to take a new tactic.
I found a bicycle dog leash online and started using it immediately. It took some time for me to get used to the concept of riding alongside my dog – we take up more lateral space now on the sidewalk – and the leash was an adjustment for him as well. At first he tried running too fast, pulling the weight of the bike behind him. I convinced him to slow down and stride at the proper pace, and since then things have been rolling smoothly.