Parker
“I love playing with all the dogs in playgroups at the shelter, and I’m very outgoing and affectionate with people!”
Let’s find Parker a forever home for 2020. He has been patiently waiting 8 long months. This delightful, fully obedience-trained 3-year-old Lab Mix is a medium energy and highly social pup. He would be great for apartment living because he’s quiet, enjoys lounging and would love a trip to one of the many nearby dog parks; [email protected]; MagicCityK9.org.
Pull Management
Q: My dog pulls like a freight train! Should I get a pinch collar?
A: I understand the frustration you’re feeling when it comes to having your arm yanked off every time you take your dog out for a walk. Although it’s perfectly normal to want to jump straight to something like a pinch “pronged” collar to get an instant no-pull result, rest assured that it’s usually unnecessary to use a tool that was designed for causing dogs discomfort. There are many other types of training collars which are much more humane and just as effective, including the Gentle Leader Head Collar, ideal for reactive dogs or dogs with fear or aggression issues; the Easy Walk Harness, perfect for medium to mild pullers who need a harness to prevent them from lunging forward; and a Martingale Collar, which is what we call a limited-slip collar. It’s less abrasive than a thin choke chain, which can cause trauma to your dog’s trachea. I generally do not recommend any metal collars for training. Finally, you can use a Slip Lead, my preferred tool for training dogs because it’s one size fits all and easy to put on and take off. It’s not appropriate for dogs with fear or aggression issues. It’s important that you’re using proper training techniques when incorporating a slip lead, so as to not choke your dog. If you’re using a slip lead and actually hear your dog choking, you’re using it incorrectly! Always remember that when your dog pulls it’s because you’re allowing them to pull. Don’t be permissive, be PATIENT!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
› Dee Hoult is the owner of Applause Your Paws, South Florida’s largest privately owned pet dog training company. Want to ask a question about your dog? [email protected] or send a DM @ApplauseYourPaws.
