Citronella Dog Bark Collar

NOTE: No one collar will work on every dog. Barking is a common
problem because so many dog breeds, especially small
dog breeds, have an innate love of barking.

Mother Nature spent generations developing a barking mechanism
in dogs. Don't be surprised if you find that behavior
difficult to stop.

If your regular training isn't working or you have to leave
your dog alone and your neighbors complain of his barking,
see if one of these collars may be the answer.

This type of collar works better for some dogs and appeals
to owners who consider electronic colars cruel and a
form of shock treatments.

Features:

• Has a battery-operated, electronic bark-sensing unit.
  


• Releasesan all-natural citronella spray when your dog barks.
  


• Citrus smell os harmelss but the quick action of the spray
  mist startles and confuses your dog'ss highly developed
  olfactory sense. That may cause him to stop barking.


• 
  Unit includes spray control receiver and collar, citronella spray refill (additional refills sold separately),
  battery, and operations manual. Manufacturer provides
  a lifetime warranty.


• Collar adjusts to fit necks up to 25". The collar will
  be large on most Toy breeds so you may need to manually
  shorten it. Any sewing skills you have will be handy.


• Spray will not function at temperatures under 25 degrees
  F.


• $89.99

Possible problems with citronella collars:

• They are not as precise as the electronic collar reviewed
  on the previous page. Barking sets them off but it
  may not be your dog barking. They only use sounds
  to trigger the spray.


• I've seen collars, especially the cheaper ones, emit the
  total supply of citronella in one blast. That stops
  the dog for a minute but once he resumes barking,
  there's no more citronella.

If you want an all-natural bark collar, this is a good
one to try. Again, neither the electronic nor the citornella collar is going to work on all dogs.

For more information or to order, click the photo above
or use

this link: Citronella
Bark Dog Collars by Premier Pet Products

Click
here to read about electronic collars

_______________________________________________

Electronic Dog Bark Collar

NOTE: No one collar will work on every dog. Barking is a common
problem because so many dog breeds, especially small
dog breeds, have an innate love of barking. Mother Nature
spent generations developing a barking mechanism in
dogs. Don't be surprised if you find that behavior difficultto stop

If your regular training isn't working or you have to leave
your dog alone and your neighbors complain of his barking,
see if one of these collars may be the answer.

Finally, an electronic collar small enough for Toy breeds!
This collar can be worn by dogs as small as 4-5 pounds.

Put the collar on and when it senses barking, it emits a
harmless static electrical impulse.

Features:

• PetSafe is the most reliable brand I've found because it uses
  both vibration from your dog's throat and sound sensors
  to detect barking.


• The collar has 10 levels of correction. If excessive barking
  continues after the first low level of correction,
  the intensity will increase with each bark until the
  barking stops.


• Once your dog has learned to reduce the barking, the initial
  warning corrections are reduced.


• Collar is waterproof and has a low battery indication.


• Safety feature will shut off the correction for 3 minutes
  if the dog barks more than 15 times in 30 seconds
  


• WARNINGS - don't use longer than 8-hours at a time and don't
  use on puppies less than 6-months of age


• My Note - the batteries don't last long. Always have
  a replacement on hand.


• $89.99

For more information or to order, click the photo above
or use

this link: PetSafe®
Deluxe Little Dog Bark Control Collar

Click
here to continue to Citronella collar

_______________________________________________

Review of Cesar's Way

The New York Times best seller lists contains one book on training dogs: Cesar's Way: The Natural, Everyday Guide to Understanding and Correcting Common Dog Problems by Cesar Millan. (234-pages for $14.97 at amazon.com) As I write this, the book is #6 on Amazon.com's best seller list.

Many of you may know Mr. Millan as the Dog Whisperer from the National Geographic television show. Although many of the popular dog trainers are not well regarded among dog business professionals, Mr. Millan is the real deal. Someone well regarded by his peers and someone who offers realistic advice to dog owners.

Mr. Millan was born in Mexico and writes that he had an innate ability to relate to dogs. I'm not surprised. The truth is many dog trainers become dog trainers because they have communication skills with dogs that elude so many. He doesn't mention it in his book but that's one reason dogs often do well in classes but act like brats at home.

Things to be aware of before buying the book:

Although the book's subtitle states 'correcting common dog problems,' this is not a how-to manual. It's philosophy and canine psychology more than practical steps.
The chapters on famous people he's dealt with, such as Oprah Winfrey, may or may not appeal to you.

There's a good deal about Mr. Millan's personal history.
A key recommendation for having a well adjusted, obedient dog is EXERCISE. There's an old saying: 'a tired dog is a good dog' and Mr. Millan is a firm believer in that. This may not play well with couch-potato owners.

You're not Cesar Millan. He does things like running and feeding his dogs in packs that can be tricky for average owners. This won't be an issue for the owner with one or two dogs but if you have more than that, I'd be leery. There's a reason he's getting rich training dogs and you're not.

Things I like about the book:

One reason there's such a demand for dog training books is that too many people see their dogs as furry human beings and never discipline them. Mr. Millan's approach is that a dog should be allowed to be a dog. Placing unrealistic expectations on a dog is going to make the owner and the dog unhappy.
His stress on being a calm-assertive leader will prevent many problem behaviors from developing. If you're Mr. Millan or other innately gifted dog communicator, you may be able to retrain a dog with bad behaviors but most owners won't have the time or patience to do this. Listen to Cesar Millan and prevent bad behaviors.
This book is worth reading but it isn't the how-to manual many owners want and need.

Why this book

Not everyone is a fan of Mr. Millan and his methods. Some people claim they are out-of-date and we now know so much more about dog psychology now.

The out-of-date claim reinforces the fact that his approach has been around a long time. That's because it works and has worked for years. Lassie and Rin Tin Tin never attended a clicker class!

It's funny how after the 'enlightenment' that the critics claim has happened in the canine world that there is such an explosion of dog training books, tools, training aids and even drugs for dogs (doggy Prozac).

I concur that he does not stress all the popular approaches such as all-positive training or clicker training. I'm not opposed to those but Mr. Millan's way works with real dogs and real problems. As he states "I rehabilitate dogs - I train owners." If you have a dog with a problem behavior, you need to correct it - not ignore it.

One last thing as to all the knowledge we supposedly have. I subscribe to Tufts and Cornell University newsletters for dog owners. They both get asked questions such as 'why does my dog eat grass?' Know what the most common answer is to those questions - 'we don't really know why a dog does that.'

They're dogs, not people and if you persist in treating them as such, it's unfair to the dog, unfair to people and other animals who have to be around the dog and unfair to you when the dog can't meet all YOUR emotional needs.

Be a good owner which also includes being a realistic owner.
Get the book at Amazon.com's.

Avoid Little-Dog Aggression on Walks

A neighbor of mine is concerned about her Yorkshire Terrier. A widow, she sold the family farm and moved into our urban area. When she starting taking her dog for walks, Arthur, her Yorkie, would growl and bark at bigger dogs.

Fortunately, all the dogs have been on leashes so the owners were able to restrain them and no dog fights ensued. There’s no way to know if Arthur will always be so fortunate.

This is not an uncommon problem. Some dogs like Arthur have not been exposed to many other dogs and don’t understand canine etiquette. Other small dogs may be fearful of larger dogs and react aggressively as a defense. Trying to get the first bite, so to speak.

This is dangerous behavior for small dogs! A larger dog attacked or challenged is liable to bite. That is normal behavior in dogdom. A bite that might not harm another Labrador could snap the neck of a 5-pound dog.

For puppies

If you have a puppy, it’s important to establish play dates for your puppy with older, big dogs that you KNOW are mellow and won’t harm your puppy. The ideal situation is that your dog learns how to behave with other dogs from other dogs.

Limit the play group to only one big dog although you can have other small dogs. It’s never a good idea to let one small dog alone with two or more big dogs – no matter how well trained the big dogs are. If one big dog in the pack becomes aggressive to the small dog even in play, all the other dogs are likely to join in. That’s instinctive pack behavior Remember, bites that wouldn’t harm a big dog can kill a small dog.

Four tips for any dog walker

1. If your dog is inclined to growl, stare or lunge at other dogs, especially big dogs, distract him before he reacts. Use a command, a toy or a treat to get your dog’s attention before encountering the big dog. Carry with you a ball or squeaky toy that your dog likes. Use the toy to make your dog watch you instead of other dogs.

2. Another alternative is to put your dog on your side away from the other dog so they don’t look at or pass one another. Do whatever you have to do so that your dog can’t stare at or make eye contact with the big dog. In dogdom, eye contact means challenge.

3. I don’t recommend picking him up unless the other dog seems aggressive. Picking up your dog all the time will teach him to be afraid. It’s also no guarantee the other dog won’t attack you as well as your dog.

4. If you’re amused when your 6-pound dog challenges a big dog, you should plan ahead on where you want to bury your dog when the inevitable happens. Don’t let your dog be the aggressor. That’s a death sentence for small dogs.

Next month we’ll discuss how to stop dog attacks.


P.S. Visit http://www.ToyBreeds.com next month for a new edition of the Bone-Mot™.