Dog control while camping

[uncle_bob]

Hi

We've had dogs (plural) for a lot of years. Back when we were in tents, the dogs might or might not go with us. It depended a lot on what the destination was.

One *very* significant part of the decision to get the AS was to be able to bring the dogs with us as we travel. Leaving them in a kennel for 6 to 9 months may sound fine to you, but it's not fine with us. They go where we go.

These are not small dogs. We had two Neuf's and a Lab, now we have the Lab and a Neuf pup (he's only up to 60 pounds at this point ... just a few months old).

Many years ago we ran into issues with things like zip lines and staked ropes. Not going to do that again ... ever. Don't need another dead dog. If it works for you - fine, it did not work for us.

If the campground says leash the dogs, we leash the dogs. If we are outside, so are they. One end of the leash is on the dog, the other is in a hand or toggled very close to hand.

If your retractable leash does not handle a large dog, get another brand. If you get tied up by the leash while walking the dog, you need some training on how to use one properly (plan ahead is very much part of it). In 20+ years of using them neither issue has come up while walking a dog. Is there a dog that is to big for any retractable? Maybe there is, our 150 pound Neuf's were not in that category. If anything the "lightweight" Lab's have pulled harder.

If your dog can pull you down the street, either you need a smaller dog or a different breakfast cereal. There *will* be issues. You need to be able to *halt* the dog if it heads off at speed. The collar and leash also need to be up to the task. Don't guess about this. Check it out *before* there is a problem. If anything, check it out multiple times.

Training wise, sure we work with the dogs. Sure they respond to voice command. Leave the trailer door open and they look at you to find out what to do next. Motion them through the door and the come out and sit waiting for whatever "we" are going to do. Wave them in the direction of the truck and they go sit waiting to load up. That's fine and it makes things much more controllable.

So how about that full grown Bison 10 feet away from you and the dog? Seems to have the dog a bit riled up. Voice commands not working very well? Indeed they aren't. Fortunately the (closed) truck door / window was between us and the Bison. Still I have no doubt that voice only control would have been impossible if the dog had been walking off leash.

Not going to get that close to a Bison ever? Ok, how about when one decides to bed down overnight next to your trailer (indeed it happened to us). Bison are rare? Ok how about full grown deer? Had them bed down by the wheels of the trailer as well. Haven't had a bear knock at the door yet. Had them walk through the campsite many times over the years.

Are the dogs on leash the whole time we are away from home? Certainly not. There *are* places that they are allowed off leash. A bit of research will help you find public locations. If you are on private property, the owner may or may not be ok with the idea.

One thing that has not come up so far: Vet services "on the road". If you *need* a vet, jump past the listings for "regular" vets. What you want are the ones listed as "Emergency" vets. They are the only ones likely to get somebody who is not a regular customer in quickly. Here at home, our regular vet will quickly "fit us in" if there is a problem. Not so much when you are out and about.

Lots of twists and turns.

Bob

[Belbein]

Originally Posted by uncle_bob

... If your dog can pull you down the street, ... full grown Bison 10 feet away from you and the dog

Two things you said here that struck particularly loud chords with me (it was an F#minor).

First, a dog on a leash but that can pull an owner is a dog not in control. When I see this happening I go the other way. I'm not of inconsiderable mass, but I've had an Airedale pull me off my feet. So if a person can't invariably get their dog to stop in their tracks, they need to not use a retractable leash, or use a choke collar (I don't like them either), or not take the dog out.

Second, the idea that any dog is trained to always be on voice control is totally BS. Maybe the military trains some dogs that way. But people don't. And dogs are thinking, reacting animals who don't always think before they react. You, dear "my-dog-has-never-attacked-anyone" Owner, may think your dog is under perfect control. It probably is 99% of the time. I don't want to be the victim of your dog's inevitable 1% failure rate.

Finally, just because your dog is mythically "under perfect voice command" doesn't mean that they will stay away from my dogs. If one of your Perfect Control dogs shoves it's nose up my little FiFi's tail, she's going to turn and snap, and game's on. Even though mine are on a leash and yours is (in "my-dog-has-never-attacked-anyone-Owner" speak) "just being friendly." Mine snaps, yours snaps back, then its a bite and then its apocalypse. Who would have started this? You, ""my-dog-has-never-attacked-anyone Owner" by not following the law.

So if you're someone out there in AirForums reader land saying "MY DOG doesn't have to comply with the leash laws because he/she is SPECIAL," recognize that you are not a responsible adult. You should not go to a public place with your dog where the rest of us are responsible and law abiding.

To the other folks: Sorry to be angry. The "my dog is special" thing just really pisses me off.

[OTRA15]

Good points that would probably be better heard without the anger overlay IMO.

Peter

[SteveSueMac]

Belbein - F#minor indeed! Perfect chord for this scenario (add 9 if you like for extra tension!).

I don’t know why you’re apologizing for being angry. There are things worth being angry about. People who think they’re above everyone else is one of them.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by Belbein

snip.....or use a choke collar (I don't like them either), or not take the dog out.

There is NOTHING wrong with using a 'choke' collar, properly called a slip collar...the AKC requires them in the show ring. We use metal rope when showing and nylon at home.
We also use an electric belt collar for field & water training.......sock-ray-blu.😳

Bob
🇺🇸

[sheriff1]

Originally Posted by Belbein

Two things you said here that struck particularly loud chords with me (it was an F#minor).

First, a dog on a leash but that can pull an owner is a dog not in control. When I see this happening I go the other way. I'm not of inconsiderable mass, but I've had an Airedale pull me off my feet. So if a person can't invariably get their dog to stop in their tracks, they need to not use a retractable leash, or use a choke collar (I don't like them either), or not take the dog out.

Second, the idea that any dog is trained to always be on voice control is totally BS. Maybe the military trains some dogs that way. But people don't. And dogs are thinking, reacting animals who don't always think before they react. You, dear "my-dog-has-never-attacked-anyone" Owner, may think your dog is under perfect control. It probably is 99% of the time. I don't want to be the victim of your dog's inevitable 1% failure rate.

Finally, just because your dog is mythically "under perfect voice command" doesn't mean that they will stay away from my dogs. If one of your Perfect Control dogs shoves it's nose up my little FiFi's tail, she's going to turn and snap, and game's on. Even though mine are on a leash and yours is (in "my-dog-has-never-attacked-anyone-Owner" speak) "just being friendly." Mine snaps, yours snaps back, then its a bite and then its apocalypse. Who would have started this? You, ""my-dog-has-never-attacked-anyone Owner" by not following the law.

So if you're someone out there in AirForums reader land saying "MY DOG doesn't have to comply with the leash laws because he/she is SPECIAL," recognize that you are not a responsible adult. You should not go to a public place with your dog where the rest of us are responsible and law abiding.

To the other folks: Sorry to be angry. The "my dog is special" thing just really pisses me off.

[emoji106][emoji106][emoji106]

[mtbmitch]

We boondock most of the time. Dogs never stray to far away but do get into mischief sometimes. One time they chased a juvenile wolf. That was scary.

[Landshark]

Originally Posted by uncle_bob

Hi

One thing that has not come up so far: Vet services "on the road". If you *need* a vet, jump past the listings for "regular" vets. What you want are the ones listed as "Emergency" vets. They are the only ones likely to get somebody who is not a regular customer in quickly. Here at home, our regular vet will quickly "fit us in" if there is a problem. Not so much when you are out and about.

Bob

Excellent point, Bob, and good thinking to solve the problem. I've only needed a vet quickly once, and in a small town, the local vet made room for us. I hadn't thought about what to do in case he hadn't made room...

Thanks!

Vivian

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by Cerberus

Excellent point, Bob, and good thinking to solve the problem. I've only needed a vet quickly once, and in a small town, the local vet made room for us. I hadn't thought about what to do in case he hadn't made room...

Thanks!

Vivian

Hi

We didn't figure it out very fast. Fortunately we had good cell coverage as well as internet to look up phone numbers. I'd guess we called a dozen vets within a 120 mile range ....

One other note - this was in an "end of life" situation and that may have impacted their willingness to get involved.

Bob

[Lily&Me]

When we first found Lily, we stopped in at the first vet we came across and asked if they could check her over for a chip and to possibly give her immunizations.

They took us in, took care of things and sent us on our way knowing she had been starving and dehydrated, but was otherwise healthy and on the mend.

After she’d been attacked by the pit mix last September, I called a local vet near where we had overnighted, and they took her right in.

She’d had several serious bites on her right upper leg, tho they didn’t require stitches they told me the puncture wounds from dog bites are highly prone to infection.

They sent her off with two antibiotics, and an anti inflammatory for pain.

We even had a follow up phone call, to see how she was doing.

Maggie

[Belbein]

We were out in near west Texas (west of San Antonio) hiking with our big Airedale and our Good Old Southern Hound. I don't remember what happened, but we had to find a vet, but fast. The first one around was a large animal vet. He was like something out of the old west: big mustache, big boots, big corral in the back for his patients … When he touched my dog, though, it was with gentle kindness and heartfelt care. It was clear the guy was a saint. I was so thankful for his gentleness and kindness that I still get shivers thinking about it.

See? I'm not always angry. As long as the story doesn't end with a dog getting attacked.

[Lily&Me]

And, you know, many of us find ourselves in love with a dog who presents some challenges , for whatever reason, and I think it is important to always be open to re-assessing whether what we are doing is working.

We took Lily to dog school after we’d already had her about two years, because as an alpha she was unlike any dog either of us had ever been around.

Some of the best time and $100 ever spent, but I continue nearly 10 years later to learn from her as well as from her interactions with other dogs.

Dog parenting...a process, not an event.

Maggie

[rmkrum]

Not to brag on them too much, but my middle son and his wife are both veterinarians. My four dogs trust them totally, even our slightly paranoid street dog rescues that met them for the first time last fall in Alabama.

They have the ‘touch’ with dogs.

[Belbein]

I have a golden doodle who loves to bark. This collar stops her in her tracks. It's cheap--like under $30. It does not deliver an electric shock. What it does is deliver a vibration and a sound. Both are adjustable ... we're on level one.

Here's the golden doodle before I put the bark collar on this morning: barkbarkbarkbarkbarkbarkbarkbarkbarkbarkbarkbarkba rkbarkbarkbarkbarkbarkbarkbarkbarkbarkbarkbarkbark barkbarkbarkbarkbarkbarkbarkbarkbarkbarkbark

Here's the golden doodle after I put the bark collar on:

bark
[silence]
bark?
[silence]

And that was it. ( I do not have any pecuniary interest in this product or this company, but it's solving our problem like a miracle.)

[rmkrum]

Link?

[Wayne&Sam]

Originally Posted by Foiled Again

The problem with retractibles that the dog can run circles around you and you get nasty rope burns on your legs... Plus if the dog runs to the end of the leash too fast the spring can give your dog whiplash. The handle is pretty bulky too. And bigger dogs can break that thin leash.

In a field or large yard they may be OK, but around other dogs where unpredictable things might happen, they are actively dangerous.

I wasn't implying that the dog didn't to have some manners, just that those leashes can be used responsibly.

[Landshark]

Originally Posted by uncle_bob

Hi

We didn't figure it out very fast. Fortunately we had good cell coverage as well as internet to look up phone numbers. I'd guess we called a dozen vets within a 120 mile range ....

One other note - this was in an "end of life" situation and that may have impacted their willingness to get involved.

Bob

I'm sorry you lost your critter; that always hurts so badly. Fortunately my boy just had a foxtail well into his front paw. I couldn't believe when the vet just took some "pliers" and started digging around in the foot. He did this three times before my boy came unglued and warned the guy off in no uncertain terms. One doesn't ignore a Doberman's serious warning. But a little anesthetic solved the problem: should have used it in the first place!

That was OK though, at least he made time for us.

Vivian

[Belbein]

It's called Petic Bark Collar for Small Large Dogs No Shock Barking Collars Anti Barking Device Training Dog Barking Collar Stop Barking Deterrent Device No Bark Collar 7 Adjustable Levels Bark Collars [/B][/I] etc, I just looked on the Amazon and there are about a dozen identical collars that give tone and vibration but no shock and don't spit a fog of chemicals, all by different companies. To me, that means there's a company in China producing them and distributing them by a bunch of different names. But my dogs are not the least bit prejudiced. They respect it.

But now my update: The battery is a rather odd size. Available online. And after only a week of intermittent use, our first battery has already burned out, so I'm looking for a regular supply. Luckily, Petic gives you two with each collar. And they appear to be readily available on line.

And by golly, it still works, for both of my barkers.

[SteveSueMac]

Belbein (or anyone who uses something similar) - does such a collar prevent the dog from EVER barking? For example, if you want him/her to bark if strangers are approaching the house/trailer/family, would they avoid that instinct while wearing the collar? Do they bark without the collar (so you could just take it off when you want him or her to be an alarm) or do they get so used to the no-barking lesson that they just never do it anymore?

[JonDNC]

We have two training collars the barking one adds stimulus after 2 barks and gets stronger the longer he goes. The other one is a manual collar that we control stimulus and strength. We use the manual one more now FWIW.