I just told hubby tonight I was going to try a choke chain on her. Is there a difference between a choke chain and choke collar?
I don’t suppose you’ve considered crates to help with housebreaking?
I just found out about crating today. I might go that route.
Sounds like your first full day with them was a fun one, if a lot of work. :o) Sleepy tight!
It was fun and now I really have to take them out for the last time tonight. I stink to high heaven.
Good night. :)
That was THE best thing we did when we got our puppy. No worries if we leave for a couple of hours that the sofa will be in shreds when we return, etc....
When she sees us get our coats out of the closet (or when I get my purse and keys); she lets herself into the kennel and waits for her treat. She's almost three now; and still sleeps in it at times.
You will need very large kennels, however. A friend of mine has several large dogs; she built a 6x6 kennel in her basement.
Nah, no difference between choke “chain” or “collar.” There also are slip collars/leashes of nylon that work on the same principle but are meant more for quick leashing & control rather than correction of stubborness. Only use such devices on them during training sessions.
My dogs permanently wear martingales, aka “greyhound collars,” now that they are finished growing. (Nylon with a limited choke. Adjusted so the dog can’t pull his head through yet it wouldn’t choke him to death if he hung himself by it. In the absense of tension, you can easily slip the collar over the dog’s head.)
Gotta use caution with those because many that I find now are of thin guage. I got a lesson on how playful dogs and thin nylon collars are a bad combo. The bigger dog got a tooth trapped as it punched through the smaller dog’s collar. As that dog tried to pull away, she was strangling the puppy. It turned into a tumbling tug of war that swapped ends and produced panicked yelps from both before I could find an opening to separate them. No permanent damage, just a lot of fright on the part of all involved.
Get a prong collar. And my dog trainer had us sharpen a couple of the teeth for my Golden who loves to pull. THey are not exactly a choke collar as they are designed somewhat differently. But don't allow them to run around outside unleashed when wearing a choke, or a prong, collar -- it is just for training. Those prongs look evil, but they won't hurt the dogs. They are just a reminder to be used with your commands. One quick jerk reminds the dog to listen.
It would really be a good idea to take a puppy class with a qualified trainer while they are in their rambunctious stage. And purchase their training collars from a good pet store where the owner can help you sort through all of the possibilities.
Another type of collar/leash for a dog that pulls is the "easy leader". It is a nylon affair that goes around the nose, instead of around the neck. It looks a little strange and people will ask if it is a muzzle (it is not.) I've never used one, but people swear by them. All the pressure is on the nose, and the dog quickly learns that it is uncomfortable if he pulls and stops doing it. Their necks and shoulders seem to be able to take a tremendous amount of pressure without bothering them. That is why you will see a dog pull on his collar and choke and cough. It never seems to occur to them to stop pulling. For some reason the easy leader makes them more manageable. And that is also why my dog trainer had us sharpen a couple of prongs. A little prick did wonders to manage a large dog that nearly pulled my arm out of the socket the first week I had him.
Look up Petco on the web and type in Easy Leader, if you do not have a good pet supply near you.
How is day 3 with your new pups? I’m also curious to know how far they traveled to get to your door step from the store?