Charlie's Thread

[LaFleche]

He has tennis balls he likes and a “boomerang” toy from AKC. I’ve never understood how to “reward” with a toy? Is it just throwing it for fun or maybe a quick game of tug of war? View attachment 2961771

For my dogs I have rubberballs attached to a string which makes it easier to throw them far away. But use the one he loves best for training and put everything else away.

Never play tug-o-war with a dog that is ready and willing to bite you. He will always be stronger than you and win, which is something we don't want.
You are the one calling the shots, all the time, every time.

 

[Geena]

I will see if I can find a good long line lead. Would retractable be a bad thing? I like that it can be short or long but they seem to have a bad reputation for some reason.

I always use long lines, mostly because my dogs are too big and strong for retractable leads. But you do need to learn how to let them out and reel them in without getting tangled up and tripping yourself. I think a retractable would work okay for a smaller dog like yours.

 

[Artichoke Lover]

I will see if I can find a good long line lead. Would retractable be a bad thing? I like that it can be short or long but they seem to have a bad reputation for some reason.

Retractable leashes should only be used with very well trained dogs if at all. The smaller line used in the leash can cause serious harm to the owner or dog if it gets wrapped around a hand or leg. I think there’s been cases of people losing fingers because they got caught in the line.
You also can’t really pull a dog back in on one which means it’s not useful for training.
Also the mechanism the holds the leash can break which depending on how it’s built can lead to the dog getting loose or at least hitting the end of the line when you don’t want them too.

 

[LaFleche]

I recommend one of these 10 m leads that are used with hunting/trailing dogs.

Retractable leashes should only be used with very well trained dogs if at all.

So true.

 

[Geena]

If you must get a retractable, get one with the "tape" lead, not the cord... those cords can give you some wicked burns.
I've used them on small dogs without any issues, but you don't have nearly the control you do with a long line, and the handle seems to more easily slip out of your hand than with a lead.

 

[StinkyAcres]

Retractable leashes should only be used with very well trained dogs if at all. The smaller line used in the leash can cause serious harm to the owner or dog if it gets wrapped around a hand or leg. I think there’s been cases of people losing fingers because they got caught in the line.
You also can’t really pull a dog back in on one which means it’s not useful for training.
Also the mechanism the holds the leash can break which depending on how it’s built can lead to the dog getting loose or at least hitting the end of the line when you don’t want them too.

Here is a good short video on how to use the long lead:

 

[HuffleClaw]

Today is going well so far, it was rather cold so we didn’t play any “fetch”. I let him out to potty at like 8am, then later I let him out for quite a bit and he ran around while I was feeding my ducks. He was cold but loves the wet weather as it’s been snowing (not sticking) and raining haha

 

[HuffleClaw]

I bought Charlie 2 pig ears, a “stuffed hoof”, a new rope ball toy, and 4 “long lasting chews” that lasted 60 seconds at best

Edited to fix a spelling error.

 

[lomine]

Something else about the retractable leashes is that there is always tension on the lead. That's just from their design. That's one of the biggest reasons so many trainers don't like them and don't recommend them. You can't train the dog to not pull because they are always feeling a pull.

Long lines take some getting used to and can be a bit of a pain sometimes, like when it's really windy but I like using one. I also didn't mind using retractable leashes with my previous dogs (they were 20 lbs). If I could only pick one, I would go with the long line.

 

[HuffleClaw]

Just wanted to update and say that we are doing great! I think I just needed to learn his boundaries. He’s a lot more interested in training when there’s toys involved and it’s a lot more fun for him.