Martingale Dog Collars - How To Prevent Your Dog From "Backing Out" of his Collar

For the responsible dog owner, control and safety are always a concern. The second your dog has escaped from his collar, you have lost control of your dog. From traffic to an aggressive dog or wild animal, you could very easily find your dog in harms way.

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Martingale dog collars, or greyhound collars as they are sometimes referred to, were developed with greyhounds in mind, so that they could not back out of their collars. Sighthounds like the Greyhound, Whippets, Borzoi, and the Italian Greyhound have larger necks than heads, making it easier for them to back out of a traditional buckle collar. Over the past few years, martingale collars have become popular for all breeds of dogs, often being recommended by dog trainers as the humane alternative to traditional choke collars. Martingale dog collars are suitable for any breed of dog, from the very largest to the very smallest. They are the "gentle choke" dog collar and are perfect for walking, training or for those very active dogs both young and old who seem to find their way out of a collar.

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Although martingale dog collars are considered somewhat "escape proof," they also have another benefit . Because of the way they are fitted, you will find less matting and bald spots than with a traditional buckle collar and they are more comfortable for your pet. The Martingale collar is fitted to the exact size of the dog's neck when the dog collar is in the closed position. The martingale slips over the head, so there are no buckles or clips to break or come undone. (If you have a non-sighthound breed, make sure to measure your dogs' head around the widest part.) A properly fitted collar will be comfortably loose when not in use, but when pulled, should be very snug yet not constrict the airway. The martingale dog collar is adjustable to grow with your puppy or to accommodate seasonal coat changes.

All collars present a potential hazard if left on all the time, and a martingale collar is no exception. However, the risk for a martingale dog collar can be minimized by making sure the collar is fitted properly.

Martingale Dog Collars - How To Prevent Your Dog From "Backing Out" of his Collar

Karen McLean is the owner of http://www.mypetspecialties.com As a pet owner myself, I am committed to providing pet owners with the most humane, yet effective training aids and pet safety products available. As a kinder gentler alternative to the choke collar we suggest martingale dog collars [http://www.mypetspecialties.com/martingale-collars/].

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Prevent Your Dog From Jumping on the Furniture

Protect your furniture by stopping your dog from getting on the couch.

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Start teaching him the right way to behave inside.

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The first topic to tackle is the house rules. When it comes to naps on the couch, people have different opinions about what behavior can be permitted. The good news is that you get to decide and you can be inconsistent as long as you are consistently inconsistent. To do that, you just have to set simple yes/no rules and stick to them.

Yes you can get on the gray couch. No you cannot get on the suede sofa.

To correct issues with jumping on the furniture you have to prepare for owner-absent problems. The best way to handle these behaviors is to establish a space for your dog (crate or gated area) where he can be when he is not supervised. If you are going to let him roam, then you can take other steps to prevent access to the sofa or comfort when he is on it. Access can be restricted by placing items in front of the sofa (for example TV trays or an ottoman that prevents him from climbing up.) Additionally, consider the possibilty of placing a couch cover over the furniture. That keeps the sofa safe while your dog gets to enjoy its comforts.

You can also leave crinkly aluminum foil on furniture you want to protect (make sure it doesn't scuff up the furniture in the process!) to make his landing - and potential nap - as uncomfortable as possible.

One thing to keep in mind when you find your dog on the couch is that you should not drag your dog off the couch by his collar. There are two main reasons for this. 1st if your dog gets loose a friendly by-stander may help by catching your dog for you. And 9/10 times he will grab the dog by the collar. That is what people do and so you want to avoid ever punishing your dog by grabbing his collar. Never start with that move or include it. It's pure silliness that can lead to a bite.

2nd he might bite you then and there. So for your sake and other people's, don't grab that collar. Instead use the leash or offer him a treat reward for getting off the couch (yes - that can increase his jumping on the couch in the future, so if you do find he's too stubborn to get down and you have to hand out the treats, make your next step blocking access. We're talking safety here - not rewards for bad behavior).

Jumping is an access issue. Control his freedom to get to people at the door and to furniture in the house and you will resolve the issue. If you want to be greeted exuberantly then teach him a visual signal and also add Down or Get Off to his training cue set. If letting him on one piece of furniture, but not all, then tell him the rule. Encourage him to jump on "his" couch while preventing access to the others. If you are consistent with your inconsistency he will soon learn the house rules and give you exactly the behavior you want.

Prevent Your Dog From Jumping on the Furniture

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Can You Prevent Cat Spraying?

No matter how lovely and adorable our pet cats are, they all have the propensity to release a pungent odor that stains our carpets and furniture.

What's worse is that the smell is so overpowering that removing it becomes an exhausting task. Since spraying is a natural behavior for cats, restraining spraying habits can sometimes be a real challenge for pet owners.

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Cats spray for several reasons. One is for marking their territory. Cats generally do their spraying outdoors, however, when conflicts arise with other cats within the house, they then may begin to spray on the furniture in an effort to mark territorial boundaries.

In order to prevent cat spraying inside your house, first make sure that cats are in harmony with one another. If you do sense a bit growing tension between them, then it is better to separate them in different rooms in order to alleviate and avoid tension and spraying.

Female cats will sometimes spray when they are in heat; however, it is primarily the males who frequently do the majority of the spraying. For male cats, simply having them neutered is an effective means in which to reduce spraying habits.

For females, if you notice physiological change in your cat that comes with her being in heat, then I suggest it may be better to place her in a room with less furniture or even out in the garage if you have one to prevent soiling your furniture. Even if you have difficulty in discouraging your cat from spraying, you can at least save your furniture from being sprayed.

So what should we do to prevent cat spraying?

Punishing your cat won't be much help at all. Stressing your cat by inflicting punishments may actually cause him or her to spray even more.

There are several approaches you can take to stop cat spraying, but not all may work for your situation. Spaying of females or the neutering of the males can certainly reduce your cat's desire for spraying.

In most cases, getting your kitten neutered early on is effective at stopping your cat from spraying in the future. Having your cat neutered at a point after the spraying activity has already begun may also serve to reduce it.

Can You Prevent Cat Spraying?

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