Do you have a pet? Maybe a nice little Persian kitten or Golden Retriever? Well, if you do have a pet, then you’re probably an animal lover. I’ve yet to meet someone who owned a pet, but didn’t like animals. Anyway, some interesting topics arise when it comes to domesticated animals now days. One of them is shock collars for dogs. How much negative reinforcement is too much? Are we actually protecting our pets or being cruel to them? This is an issue mocked and ridiculed in the media these days. Just check out the last Jim Carrey flick, “Fun with Dick and Jane.” He actually puts one of the contemporary shock collars for dogs around his own neck to test it out. However he is unpleasantly surprised by how strong it is. What do you think? Cruel and unusual or necessary?

Would you put one of the new shock collars for dogs on your pet? Maybe you already have one on your dog because he stays outdoors. I think it’s important to address why someone may purchase a shock collar. As we all know, many pets end up getting ran over by cars, trucks and rigs. This could be for any random reason. Maybe they simply aren’t paying attention, or maybe they spotted a rabbit and bolted after it. You have to remember that all of these animals run on instinct. They simply can’t help it. Therefore if you do decide to own and take care of one, it’s your responsibility to keep them safe.

Some times that may even involve measures such as shock collars for dogs. Since I don’t personally own a dog, I don’t have a first-hand take on things. On the contrary, I do own three cats. In fact my wife grew so sick and tired of them going upstairs to sleep under our bed that she purchased some shock collars for cats. To start and sort of test it out, she placed one shock collar on our largest cat. Now, you have to keep in mind that it will only zap them if they go where they’re not supposed to. It works more like a negative reinforcement than it does a literal punishment.

When we watched our cat interact and frolic about with it on, it was sadly ineffective. Either our cat is invulnerable to pain, or it’s simply not strong enough to bother him. In the end you may or may not want to give shock collars for dogs a shot. It all depends on your dog and the situation. If you would like more information, just hop online for the scoop.

Pulling on the leash is one of the most common misbehaviors seen on all kinds of dogs. Puppies and adult dogs alike can often be seen taking their owners for walks, instead of the other way around. Pulling on the leash can be much more than an annoying habit. Leash pulling can lead to escape in the case of a break in the collar or leash, and an out of control, off leash dog can be both destructive and dangerous to itself and to others.

Leash pulling can result from a variety of different things. In some cases, the dog may simply be so excited to go for a walk that he or she is unable to control themselves. In other cases, the dog sees itself as the leader of the pack, and he or she simply takes the “leadership position” at the front of the pack.

If excitement is the motivation for leash pulling, simply giving the dog a few minutes to calm down can often be a big help. Simply stand with the dog on the leash for a couple minutes and let the initial excitement of the upcoming walk pass. After the initial excitement ahs worn off, many dogs are willing to walk calmly on their leash.

If the problem is one of control, however, some retraining may be in order. All dog training starts with the owner establishing him or herself as the alpha dog, or pack leader, and without this basic respect and understanding, no effective training can occur. For dogs exhibiting these type of control issues, a step back to basic obedience commands is in order. These dogs can often be helped through a formal obedience school structure. The dog trainer will of course be sure to train the handler as well as the dog, and any good dog trainer will insist on working with the dog owner as well as the dog.

The basis of teaching the dog to walk calmly on the lead is teaching it to calmly accept the collar and lead. A dog that is bouncing up and down while the collar is being put on will not walk properly. Begin by asking your dog to sit down, and insisting that he sit still while the collar is put on. If the dog begins to get up, or gets up on his own after the collar is on, be sure to sit him back down immediately. Only begin the walk after the dog has sat calmly to have the collar put on, and continued to sit calmly as the leash is attached.

Once the leash is attached, it is important to make the dog walk calmly toward the door. If the dog jumps or surges ahead, gently correct him with a tug of the leash and return him to a sitting position. Make the dog stay, then move on again. Repeat this process until the dog is walking calmly by your side.

Repeat the above process when you reach the door. The dog should not be allowed to surge out of the door, or to pull you through the open door. If the dog begins this behavior, return the dog to the house and make him sit quietly until he can be trusted to walk through the door properly. Starting the walk in control is vital to creating a well mannered dog.

As you begin your walk, it is vital to keep the attention of the dog focused on you at all times. Remember, the dog should look to you for guidance, not take the lead himself. When walking, it is important to stop often. Every time you stop, your dog should stop. Getting into the habit of asking your dog to sit down every time you stop is a good way to keep your dog’s attention focused on you. Make sure your dog is looking at you, then move off again. If the dog begins to surge ahead, immediately stop and ask the dog to sit. Repeat this process until the dog is reliability staying at your side. Each time the dog does what you ask him to, be sure to reward him with a treat, a toy or just your praise.

Remember that if your dog pulls on the leash and you continue to walk him anyway, you are inadvertently rewarding that unwanted behavior. Dogs learn whether you are teaching them or not, and learning the wrong things now will make learning the right things later that much harder. It is important to be consistent in your expectations. Every time the dog begins to pull ahead, immediately stop and make the dog sit. Continue to have the dog sit quietly until his focus is solely on you. Then start out again, making sure to immediately stop moving if the dog surges ahead.

One of my best friends is a wonderful woman that is trying to parent her two children on her own. Her husband died when she was eight months pregnant with their second child. She works full time and still manages to do a great job in parenting the children. Her husband has been dead for eight years. During that time both of her parents also passed away along with the dog that she had for twelve years. Two years ago she decided to get another dog. She bought a terrier that is very head strong. When it was a puppy she talked about enrolling him in dog obedience training, but the breeder told her to wait until the dog was a year old.

My husband and I raise and train hunting dogs. We begin dog obedience training as soon as they are weaned from the litter. I explained this to my friend, but she thought she should listen to the breeder. She thought it made a difference that her dog was a terrier and ours are Labrador Retrievers. Her dog has always been quite difficult to be around. He barks and jumps up on people when they come to the door. She does tell him no and removes him from the situation, but he was given no other training. When she takes him on a walk she uses and extension leash, so the dog has full control over the situation.

Now that the dog is two years old and weights fifty pounds she is trying to discipline him, and she is running into resistance. He still barks and jumps on people. Over the summer he bit a child in the hand. Her son told her that this child has been mean to the dog in the past. The bite did not require medical attention and the parents of the child did not pursue any action. My friend thought this was an isolated incident and that it had occurred due to this child being mean to the dog. Two months ago the dog jumped on a neighbor’s child and scratched his face. The scratches were so deep that the child required stitches. My friend decided that she needed to get the dog obedience training immediately or she may be facing a law suit. The humane society suggested that she hire a trainer that comes into the home and works with the family and the animal to correct behavior problems. This situation seemed to go beyond the realm of basic dog obedience training.

The trainer came to the house and met the dog and my friend and her children. The trainer listened to the concerns and then developed the dog obedience training specifically for their dog. The process is supposed to take about six weeks to correct the dog’s behaviors. My friend agrees that she should have listened to me and started the dog obedience training when her dog was a puppy.