Author: Brooke Thivierge

If you have ever thought that a retractable dog leash sounded like a good idea, this article is for you. Those who have used one most likely have a story of a minor incident they have experienced while operating these supposedly convenient contraptions. Unfortunately, too many have stories to tell of much more horrific injuries and experiences. The numbers are staggering with injuries effecting humans and dogs alike. Some users were burned literally, learned our lesson, and threw out the product. Next to burns and lacerations, amputations are also common. People of all ages have lost parts of fingers when entangled with the cord that becomes incredibly sharp and tight during disarrangement of the doggy kind. We love our dog’s excitement but for some it has resulted in lost limbs. With all of the love that I have for my own dog, I am glad that I sustained the wound and scar that would have been much more difficult to treat and possibly costly if done to himself. This is the case for many dogs who have also sustained burns and lacerations. More common injuries to dogs related to retractable leashes are the result of the leash cord or ribbon snapping and the dog getting loose. You can image all of the trouble a dog can get himself into. Some have been hit by cars, injured by other dogs, and caused injury themselves. This now becomes a huge liability for the dog owner that had previously taken the responsibility to retain their dog per most laws. Veterinary bills can be overwhelming for all involved.

It is not only the dog owners with experience using the retractable leashes that heed these warnings. Dog trainers across the world cringe when they see these leashes being used. They defeat the entire purpose of lead training. While training a dog to obey and perform on a leash they must first know that you are in control. This truly is not possible with the retractable leash variety. They must also learn that the pull they feel on the leash is their signal to let up, to know they have gone too far and return to their owner’s side. Even if you haven’t nor want to implement the heal training with your dog, I’m sure you would at the very least request that your dog not pull at the end of the leash. This makes walking the dog an unsafe chore instead of the pleasant exercise we would like to enjoy with our trusted friend.

ABC news interviewed certified dog trainer and behavioral consultant, Jamie Damato of Chicago for their article titled, “Dog Leash Dangers: Blindness, Amputations Blamed on Retractable Dog Leads”. Damato said it’s not just the injury factor that drove her away from retractable leashes. Letting a dog roam too far, especially when training, allows the dog to find all sorts of trouble. Some owners, she said, have watched in horror as their dogs darted into traffic while on a retractable leash while they fumbled with the lock. “If your dog is 16 to 18 feet in front of you … it’s almost impossible to have the response you want,” she said.

Over the last few years there have been recalls on certain brands of these retractable dog leashes. Please do yourself and your pet justice by doing the research necessary to keep yourself and your dog safe before buying a leash. We suggest examining your needs, using sound logic, and finding a sturdy, functional, correctly weight rated leash and collar.

About the Author:

For more information about the most convenient dog leashes and dog collars available, visit us at: GoUrbanDog.com

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Retractable Dog Leash Warnings and Information

Recently I have been engaged in quite a few discussions about off-leash versus leashed dogs. 

Most leash laws use language similar to “under control by leash”. The term leash is never actually defined, however, so there is some wiggle room in terms of what an individual might use. A quick search through the dictionary gives you a few different options.

• A restraint consisting of a rope (or light chain) used to restrain an animal
• A leash or a lead or lead line is a rope or similar material attached to the neck or head of an animal for restraint or control
• A leash or lead is a length of rope, leather, chain or other flexible material ostensibly for restraint or control.

According to these definitions, I could restrain my dog using an old necktie and as long as she was “ under control” my dog is considered leashed. By this logic anyone walking his or her dog on a string or rope of some sort automatically has control because the dog is in fact on a leash. 

As dog owners we spend time and energy to teach our dogs basic obedience commands. Sit. Stay. Lie down. Heel. Come. Sometimes, if your dog is stubborn or has behavioral issues, a professional trainer has to be consulted. It is both for our safety and the dog’s safety that these commands are necessary. Despite all this there are some alarming statistics out there regarding dog bites.

• Dogs bite nearly 2% of the U.S. population — more than 4.7 million people annually
• Dog bites send nearly 368,000 victims to hospital emergency departments per year (1,008 per day)
• An American has a one in 50 chance of being bitten by a dog each year.
• The vast majority of biting dogs (77%) belong to the victim’s family or a friend. (CDC)

Even trained police dogs are involved in off-duty attacks despite their high level of obedience training. Just last week the Boston Globe reported that a woman walking her Chihuahua was attacked by a police dog.

If a skilled and trained police officer doesn’t have complete control over his dog, what makes people think their own dog would never misbehave? I get extremely frustrated when I encounter dog owners who say their dog is obviously trained better than mine because they’ve never had an incident while their dog was off-leash.

To ALL dog owners (because it is easy to forget sometimes) I’d like to echo a statement I recently read on a blog from the San Francisco Chronicle:

Dogs are unpredictable 

Please do not assume yours is the world’s best trained dog. In fact go ahead and throw out ALL those assumptions. Stick to the facts. Dogs are animals. Like humans they have basic genetic instincts that at some point will rise to the surface. You can’t train out the instinct to chase a rodent (even if its just fake fur hanging around someone’s neck). At best, you can take steps to control the behavior, but you’ll never eliminate it altogether.

The Boston city council is looking to crack down on dog owners who don’t clean up dog poop.

According to an article in the Boston Globe, “solving the problem will not be easy. … the city does not have firm figures on the number of dogs …there are about 10,000 licensed dogs, but added there are between 5,000 and 15,000 more that are unlicensed.”

Boston joins other major cities that have begun to take control of the pet waste problem in the past few months. New York City recently increased their fines to $250 for people found not picking up dog poop.

One city official “believes steeper fines, coupled with a more efficient way to make sure those fines get paid, will deter scofflaws.”

However I’m not sure if increasing fines, that may or may not be enforced, will really solve the problem. There are a number of factors as to why people don’t pick up their dog poop.

Some people simply don’t want to touch it. They don’t want to be seen carrying around a bag of doggie doo. (I’ve never understood this argument, especially coming from people with children who have changed countless dirty diapers).

Sometimes, it’s an honest mistake and people forget a bag, and there aren’t any available. This is going to become increasingly difficult for those who use plastic bags from the grocery stores. Many grocery stores are now charging for their bags or getting rid of them altogether.

In April, a town in England released an image to initiate a clean-up in the community- and all signs point to it working! (Follow the link to see the picture- WARNING: it might offend some)

Whether or not you find the poster revolting, I bet if you saw it on the street you’d think twice about leaving behind your dog’s poop.

I think solutions to this problem will come from a combination of change in attitude and products, such as our ReadyLeash that never leave people without a bag.

So- thoughts? Should local governments continue to increase fines for leaving behind dog poop- or does there need to be a more aggressive campaign to change people’s ways?

Throwing away dog poop

Yesterday I took Storm out for our daily afternoon walk. There was nothing unusual about it save for the fact that it was earlier than normal time because the weatherman was predicting late afternoon showers.

We walked out of the front door and were about halfway down the driveway when she pulled a hard right to a small patch of grass near the mailbox. Before I even knew what was happening, Storm was flailing around on her back. I told her a stern no and pulled her up… that’s when I smelled it.

At first, I thought I had stepped in the dog poop, but then I realized it was Storm who smelled. Actually it was Storm, her collar and part of her leash!

There on the grass was the culprit – someone’s dog had left a calling card.

To me, this is way worse than stepping in poop left on the sidewalk, because I make sure to always pick up after my dog. I could easily walk away and leave my dog’s poop in any one of my neighbor’s yards, but I don’t because cleaning up is the responsible thing to do.

This puts me in a precarious situation in how to approach my neighbor. On the one hand, I didn’t see it happen so I can’t be 100% sure as to which neighbor let one slide. On the other hand, there is one dog I always see running around sans leash in the neighborhood.

How would you handle this situation? And what does it mean that my dog has suddenly decided she likes to roll around in feces? Thoughts? Advice?

Nina

Rascodog and the ReadyLeash is thrilled to announce that we are today’s feature product on the Daily Grommet.

Please take some time and check out all they had to say about the ReadyLeash. Leave your own comments and questions about our product, and watch the video featuring president and founder, Eric Suglaski.

Our warmest thanks to the wonderful staff at Daily Grommet for the glowing reviews about Rascodog.

It seems like no matter how many warnings people get about leaving their dogs in cars during the summer there is still a number of stories about the death of innocent animals.

Interestingly enough, the neglect is not limited to the average dog owner.

Over the weekend, two trained German Shepherd Police Dogs died after being left in a police car in Nottingham, England.

The animals were found dead in the private vehicle outside the Nottingham headquarters on Tuesday, one of the hottest days of the year. Police and members of the public have left tributes at the scene.

 

Dogs are not super creatures. They are similar to humans in many ways. How would you like to be locked inside a car in the middle of the summer with no air conditioning or air circulation?

Thankfully, there are campaigns out there trying to educate people about the dangers of summer heat. MyDogIsCool.com is a Web site with a variety of resources to help educate people about this issue.

They have collected data from studies comparing temperatures outside versus inside an enclosed automobile. You can check how hot it is in your area and download fliers to hang up around your community to remind people to not leave their dogs in a car!

Please help save the life of your dog and others by letting people know what can happen if dogs aren’t treated properly during these hot summer days.

Nina

Sunday afternoon I found an article from the San Diego Union Tribune Online discussing the recent trend of homeowners replacing their lawns with artificial turf. Certainly there is concern about the environmental issues involved. But as I was reading the article what disturbed me was a tiny little line at the end of one paragraph listing the benefits of artificial turf: Pet waste can be scooped up or rinsed away.

Most people read right through this sentence without blinking, but it stopped me dead in my tracks.

Under no circumstances should you EVER wash pet waste into the street. This goes for both cats and dogs.

Storm sewers drain directly into lakes, streams and nearby oceans. When the waste hits water it decays, using up oxygen and releasing ammonia (Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources). Especially in the spring and summer when water temperatures are warm this leads to the death of fish.

And the fish and shellfish that do survive… they’re probably carrying a disease from waste contamination. Now ask yourself how often you like to chow down on “fresh” seafood.

The trend of artificial grass has grown out of severe drought conditions in the West. However, there are plenty of healthier and natural options out there for people who still want that beautiful lawn.

Organic lawn care is one such option, but there are others. The Unleashed Pet Shop blog recently wrote a post on some great resources to help you get going with safe lawn care practices for people with pets.  And Raise a Green Dog is always a good source for tips on the best environmental practices for you and your dog.

So bottom line: Please Remember to Scoop the Poop! 

Nina

No Retractables!

I’ll never forget the first time I had to pick out a leash. I had no idea what to look for. I had read all sorts of books on puppy care- and while they all mentioned a leash, none of them gave further details.

Standing in the aisle, I heard the voice of a sweet girl asking if she could help. With a sigh of relief I said yes. She gave me a smile that said it all. This was not her first rodeo.

It wasn’t to long before Storm outgrew that first leash and I had to start shopping for another. This time, however, I was prepared. Ultimately Storm and I went home the happy owners of a new, red leash. Non-retractable.

My decision at the time was based on the fact that Storm would be at least 50 lbs. (being a lab-mix) when she was grown and I didn’t want a retractable leash to snap with one good yank.

It turns out retractable leashes have quite the track record for causing strange and unfortunate accidents.

In March, ABC News wrote a story about one little girl who was struck in the eye when the metal clasp on her retractable leash snapped. Video Here.

And according to both the ABC article and an article in Consumer Reports the warning’s that accompany some of these retractable leashes are quite frightening.

One company, Flexi USA offers these words of warning on their Web site:
“To avoid the risk of eye or face injury and cuts, burns and amputations to your body or the body of another person from the leash cord/tape or all belt and hook, read and follow these Warnings and Directions for Use before using your Flexi leash”

Now, certainly loss of sight is an extreme case, but I have heard many stories of burns caused by the retractable leash. I myself have been victim to the kamikaze bird, attack-induced leash burn.

Some people might tell me that I just don’t have control of the dog during the walk.

Indeed, the Web site wiseGeek tells me “to effectively use a retractable leash, the handler must anticipate when he or she will need to restrain the dog.” But it seems to me that not even Bear Grylls himself could anticipate the action of some very cheeky squirrels that reside in my neck of the woods.

I think the attraction to a non-retractable leash is “a sense of freedom.” This is certainly understandable. All it takes is one time chasing your dog down the street to make you swear she will never escape again (and she probably will). However, there are much safer ways for dogs to experience “freedom”.

Take them to the dog park once in a while.

Research off-leash areas near your house and let your dog run wild for a little bit.

Or exercise them enough that they don’t really care about anything except getting home to pass out in their favorite spot on your kitchen floor.

The next time you’re in the market for a leash take some time to consider the safety of yourself, your pet and others.

Nina <nina@rascodog.com>

Honor your faithful companion and enter to win a free ReadyLeash!

At Rascodog, we try to make every day Take Your Dog to Work Day, but tomorrow (June 26) is the national Take Your Dog to Work Day. Sponsored by Pet Sitters International it is a way to recognize our favorite companions and promote pet adoptions around the country.

According to a 2006 APPA survey:

• 55 million Americans believe having pets in the workplace leads to
a more creative environment.

• 53 million believe having pets in the workplace decreases absenteeism.

• 50 million believe having pets in the workplace helps co-workers
get along better.

• 38 million believe having pets in the workplace creates a more
productive environment

• 46 million people who bring their pets to the workplace work
longer hours.

In honor of our faithful companions, we want to see your photos and share some of ours!

Snap a photo of your dog hard at work!
Click Here to become a fan of Rascodog on Facebook.
Then upload your picture to our TYDTWD album.

It’s a universal experience so unpleasant that it is often acknowledged via shouts of various four-letter words.

It happens when you least expect it. On your way to an important career-defining meeting, during a leisurely stroll in the park, or, in accordance with Murphy’s Law, after long hours of preparation involving curling irons and brand new designer shoes.

Dog Poop. Crap. Poo-Poo. “It” prefaced with “sh.” Feces. Waste. Excrement.

Call it what you like, but dog poop is a fact that you’re guaranteed to see proof of during your lifetime. City to country, whether you own a dog or not- the poop will find your shoes and maybe more (yikes!)

Sh*! and runs have become particular problems in the cities, and as a result state governments are increasing pet waste pollution fines.

Recently, our friends at dogchatter.com also blogged about this growing problem. Among their list of reasons why you should pick up after your dog was that dog poop contains fecal coliform bacteria that can make you sick.

I started to wonder if people were aware of the effects of letting your dog loose on city sidewalks. For such a health conscious society rarely do people discuss health effects of irresponsible dog owners.

Think about this:

-Dog poop is one of the leading causes of E. Coli pollution: each gram of dog poop has over 20,000,000 E. Coli colonies in it.

-3.6 billion pounds of dog waste/year is produced in the United States alone, equaling 800 football fields, one foot high.

-A dog or cat can obtain various different parasites, viruses and stages of bacteria from their own poop. How confident are you that your neighbor’s dog has been dewormed? Do you know what worms your dog is protected against?

-Storm water carries pet waste and other pollutants directly into waterways.

At Rascodog we believe in responsible owner behavior. Your dog isn’t going to pick up after himself after all!

Here are some simple things you can do to keep your pets healthy and save a chunk of change:

Put a friendly message on the bulletin board at the local dog park to remind pet owners to clean up after their dogs.

Make sure you have appropriate dog walking gear with you and your dog at all times! Rascodog’s ReadyLeash makes this easy with biodegradable bags built-in to the leash handle.

Have a neighborhood clean up and start fresh!

Peer Pressure (as suggested by SmartDogs): Politely remind someone to pick up after their dog if you see them walking away… you can even offer them an extra bag!

Become your communtites own “poop police”… although I wouldn’t reccommend picking it up with your bare hands like this guy from Florida: Poop Policeman 

What are some other things you can do? Leave us a comment below and we’ll include your tips in the list above!

For more information about some canine parasitic conditions check out PetMD.