for Gina Spadafori at the end of the column.)
Back in the late '70s, when I first started teaching obedience classes and competing with my own dogs in obedience trials, the choke-chain collar was standard training equipment. I had dozens of them -- hanging from the end of every leash, in the pockets of my jackets, dangling from hooks in the garage.
How things have changed! I realized the other day that none of the four dogs who share my life now ever wear a choke-chain collar. These days, I know ways that are easier on me and my dogs when it comes to teaching leash manners.
For years I've argued that the choke-chain collar is only for walking and training your dog, and that you put your dog at grave risk if you leave a chain collar on an unleashed dog. That's because the moving ring of the chain can get snagged. When a dog feels the chain tighten, his natural instinct is to pull away, which causes the collar to tighten even more.
The end result is too easy to imagine. Over the years I've heard from readers whose dogs have choked to death when their collar rings became caught on the tooth of another dog in play, on a piece of fencing in the yard or even a heater grate in the house. In other cases, dogs were injured and traumatized, and the owners who saved their lives by getting them free of the collar's deadly grip were often bitten by their terrified dogs.
Knowing what I know, I want to scream when I see people whose dogs have choke-chain collars for everyday wear, as evidenced by tags hanging from the stationary ring. I cannot say this strongly enough: If your dog is wearing a choke-chain collar as his everyday collar, replace it with a buckle or snap-together collar today.
OK, so that's what I've always said: Choke-chain collars are for training and walking only. But these days I go one step more: When you take that chain collar off, throw it away.
The choke-chain collar has always been a problem in dog-training because it's a piece of equipment that's nearly impossible for the average dog owner to use properly. And when the collar isn't used properly, it's ineffective at best, cruel at worst.
There are only two ways to put on a choke-chain collar: with the moving end over the dog's neck (correct), or under the dog's neck (incorrect). By the simplest law of averages you'd think folks would get them on right half the time, but it never seems to work that way.
When the moving part of the chain comes from under the dog's neck, the chain doesn't release easily when the leash is slackened. And that means the collar is constantly tight, choking the dog.
Even if the collar's put on right, people still manage to use it wrong. A choke-chain collar is meant to be loose at all times except for the occasional split-second tightening to correct a dog's behavior. But people don't seem to know that, and so I am always seeing gasping dogs in tight choke chains dragging their owners behind them.
So throw away those choke chains and get the help of a good trainer to choose the right piece of equipment and to learn how to use it. For some dogs, a buckle or snap-together collar will be all you need. For others, a head halter such as the Gentle Leader will work best. For a few dogs, the best choice may be a pinch-collar, which looks horrific but can't tighten down the way a choke-chain can.
Before too long, you'll have a dog who's easy to walk and who'll be able to breathe while he does it. Won't that be an improvement?
PETS ON THE WEB
Boxers run in my family. As a young man, my late grandfather fought professionally under the name of Pete Daley (so his mother wouldn't know what he was up to), and for as long as I've been alive, there have been canine boxers in my family as well. They're great dogs! If you love boxers, too, you ought to visit Boxerworld (www.boxerworld.com ). There's lots of great information on the breed, and ways to get even more advice by asking questions of longtime boxer fanciers. Best of all, there are thousands of images of boxers, contributed by their loving owners. There's a big push for boxer rescue on the site for those boxers who don't have loving owners -- yet!
THE SCOOP
While it might be hard to believe if you live in a place where there's still snow on the ground, spring has officially arrived. Days that are warm -- but not yet hot -- lull many dog owners into thinking it's OK to leave their pets in the car while running errands. Be careful! Even a sunny day in the 70s or low 80s can turn a car into a death trap for your dog. Call it the "greenhouse effect" if it makes it easier to understand why this happens. All those windows on your car let heat come in and build to dangerous levels quickly. And no, a cracked window isn't going to save your dog from one of the most miserable deaths imaginable.
QUESTIONS FROM THE PACK
Q: I have a problem that my veterinarian can't answer, and I am desperate for some help. I have a spayed female boxer/Akita mix and her urine is burning my lawn. I tried a product I bought from a pet catalog that is for this specific problem, but it hasn't worked in the year and a half I have used it. It's expensive, too.
I am sure there must be some herb or ingredient I can add to her food or water to prevent this problem. Do you have any suggestions so I can turn my yard from a mud pit back into grass? -- J.L., via e-mail
A: Over the years I've heard of all kinds of supplements "guaranteed" to fix this problem, from tomato juice to garlic to salt to vitamin C, along with all kinds of commercial products. I haven't seen good evidence that any of them work. Furthermore, some additions to your dog's food or water can increase the risk of illness for your pet, and that's never worth a greener lawn, in my opinion.
Probably the best solution is to set aside a part of your yard for your dog's potty needs, and train or restrict her to use this area exclusively. Replace the lawn in this area with decomposed granite, pea gravel or other kill-proof cover that will present a nice appearance and offer easy cleanup.
If it's not possible to split off part of the yard for your dog's potty area, it will help if (after your dog squats on your lawn) you take the hose and flush the area with lots of water to dilute the urine to non-damaging levels. You need to do this fairly soon after your dog urinates, and you cannot rely on every-other-day water from the sprinklers to help much.
Years ago, a dog-loving friend of mine with an exceptionally lovely yard came up with a solution that takes some effort, but worked well for her. She kept a fresh roll of sod growing in an out-of-the-way corner of her yard, and when a spot on the lawn turned started to turn yellow, she'd cut it out and replaced it with fresh sod. The maintenance was constant, but so was the green of her yard.
Q: We've sort of adopted a cat who started hanging around with our cats on the back porch where we feed them. The edges of the new cat's ears have a slight crust on them, and the ear looks dirty inside. What can I give her for this? -- S.P., via e-mail
A: Make an appointment with your veterinarian. Your cat likely has ear mites, nasty little pests that feed off the lining of the ear. Since the mites are highly contagious, there's a good chance other cats in your home are likewise infested.
Your veterinarian can give you medication to eradicate the mites. Be warned, though, that you must continue the medication as recommended even after it seems that the problem is under control. You may also need to take your pet in for a recheck. Ear mites can be very hard to get rid of, and if you stop medicating too soon, they'll stage a comeback.
While the cat is at the veterinarian's, don't neglect other preventive-care measures, such as neutering, testing and vaccinations as recommended. "Sort of" adoptions don't help much: Take full responsibility for your new pet.
Gina Spadafori is the award-winning author of "Dogs for Dummies," "Cats for Dummies" and "Birds for Dummies." She is also affiliated with the Veterinary Information Network Inc., an international online service for veterinary professionals. Write to her in care of this newspaper, or send e-mail to writetogina(at)spadafori.com. You can also read her frequently updated Web log or view her column archives at www.spadafori.com.
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