on Mon, 15 Jan 2007 15:43:11 GMT, Shelly wrote:

Usually, such tethering involves stuffing the end of her
leash into my jeans pocket.

This is where my ginormous supply of carabiners comes in handy! They even
hold up well in the wash when I forget to take them off my belt loop,
though I'm afraid the dryer hasn't been so lucky.

I wonder if they'll still hold a fall after that kind of abuse? ;-)

--
Lynne

On Mon, 15 Jan 2007 15:38:30 -0600, Lynne
, clicked their heels and said:

on Mon, 15 Jan 2007 15:57:45 GMT, Janet B
wrote:

ankle tethering

Holy accident waiting to happen, Batman! May as well run with scissors on
a busy freeway with your shoe laces untied.

just making sure that you don't think *I* advised that!


--
Janet Boss
www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com

on Mon, 15 Jan 2007 21:42:32 GMT, Janet B
wrote:

just making sure that you don't think *I* advised that!

Oh, I know! Hehe, sorry if I misquoted. I just realized I came to this
thread late.

But jeebus, ankle tethering?? I thought maybe Tara's speelchucker was
really on a roll...

--
Lynne

Lynne wrote in
m:

This is where my ginormous supply of carabiners comes in handy!

Tucking into pockets works fine for Harriet. It's for the humans'
benefit, not the dog's. She sticks to me like a burr even without
a leash, but some people are silly and nervous about dogs, so we
humor them.

They even hold up well in the wash when I forget to take them
off my belt loop, though I'm afraid the dryer hasn't been so
lucky.

Sounds noisy!

I wonder if they'll still hold a fall after that kind of abuse?

I don't think I'd recommend giving it a real life test.

--
Shelly
http://www.cat-sidh.net (the Mother Ship)
http://esther.cat-sidh.net (Letters to Esther)

It's when the parents are cannibals that the kids turn out like
this.
-- Melora Creager

"Mickee" wrote in message:

No opps so far today, but he is pulling and tugging my arm
out of socket to get to the cats and chase them.

What do you do when he is tugging your arm out of the socket or attempts to
chase the cat? Do you correct him in any way for misbehaving or reward him
for appropriate behavior? Is there anything you can do, at least
temporarily, to keep him well away from the cats (maybe so he can see them
but isn't close enough to get excited or want to chase them)? BTW, it might
be easier on you to tether him to your waist.

He is not
barking as much, but is anything but calm.

How much exercise does he get? Or training? That's one way to get any dog
to be a little calmer.

I am not
ready to give up, but wonder if he will ever get over his obsession with
the cats and really get housebroken, or will the obsession with the cats
override the housebreaking?

One thing probably has nothing to do with the other. I don't know if he
will ever be entirely safe to be left with cats, but he can probably learn
to leave them alone, at least in your presence. Towards that end, you will
probably need to give him lots of exercise, both mental and physical (no
need to take it *that* easy on him because he's 7), give him opportunity to
be rewarded for good behavior, and correct inappropriate behavior.

Suja

Mickee wrote in
:


O.K.

I have mine tethered to me. Remember he is 16# and almost 7 years
old,
not a puppy. No opps so far today, but he is pulling and tugging my
arm
out of socket to get to the cats and chase them. What now? He is not
barking as much, but is anything but calm. He keeps us constantantly
tangled. It has only been this one day and only a few hours. I am
not
ready to give up, but wonder if he will ever get over his obsession
with
the cats and really get housebroken, or will the obsession with the
cats
override the housebreaking?

Any suggestions?

Something that I find helpful is this:

in general, when on the tether, every time the dog stops pulling, or
especially looks up at you, PRAISE and sometimes give a yummy treat
right after the praise. That should get the dog looking up at you more
and more often. Every time the dog pulls towards something,
automatically STOP. No forward motion *whatsoever* if there is pressure
being put on the leash. As soon as the dog does put the slack back in
the leash, praise and treat. Rinse, repeat. Remember that you are
actually much bigger than the little guy and get to pick which direction
you go in :-)

I'm teaching my new pup, Little Miss Anniepants (ok, Annie) to Leave The
Cats Alone. She was waaayyyyy too interested in them when she first
arrived (being part Jack Russell and all), so I used a clicker to
click/treat every time the cats were nearby. Pretty soon, I didn't have
to do it that often, so I started doing the click/treat every time she
*looked* at the cats. So, she started associating looking at the cats
with returning to me for chicken (she was on a leash when I did this). I
also make sure to crate her and tether her (to a stationary object) for
a while each day where the cats frequent....AFTER she's had a vigorous
exercise session. That way, she's too tired to actually get frustrated
by their presence, but she still gets used to their presence without
getting overly stimulated. It takes time. She still tries to chase the
cats about once a week, but that's a far cry from two months ago when
she was obsessed with their presence. Plus, she's only a puppy, so I
don't expect her to be over it yet.

I think you could really benefit from some overal obedience training,
from the sounds of it. If your dog is more focused on you, and able to
tune in and follow commands, the tethering would be a picnic (leash
training rules apply *anywhere* as far as I'm concerned. If the leash is
on, the rules apply).

Remember, its easier to keep your dog's attention than it is to get it
back. So, don't wait until your dog has already lost it and is trying to
get to the cat to try to get his attention. If you teach him to pay
attention to you overall, and then work to KEEP his attention in the
presence of the cat, things will probably go a little easier.

Tara

[quote=Tara]Mickee wrote in
:
[color=blue][i]

O.K.
Tara:

Well at the moment I have him tethered around my biceps of one arm. When he pulls there is definitely tension and he stops and coughs, but it doesn't phase him. Yes, he needs overall obedience I will admit that totally. When he came to us he had no obedience whatsoever and I worked more on housebreaking than anything else and never got that accomplished, so did not move on to any obedience. This is why we ended up at nearly 7 years old completely disobedient.

I am working on some obedience while tethered, which he does well with if the cats are not around.

One problem he has is that he wraps the tether around my chair and then cannot go anywhere. I type all day and so therefore sit most of the day. He does, if the weather is not too cold get exercise, but it is soooo cold here now that It has been run out to potty and run in. I have been taking him on his leash though and repeating potty while he is doing it and rewarding when finished.

I do hope one day he will be trained and be a little more obedient for the remainder of his life.

Thanks,

Mickee

What do you do when he is tugging your arm out of the socket or attempts to
chase the cat? Do you correct him in any way for misbehaving or reward him
for appropriate behavior? Is there anything you can do, at least
temporarily, to keep him well away from the cats (maybe so he can see them
but isn't close enough to get excited or want to chase them)? BTW, it might
be easier on you to tether him to your waist.


Well it would be difficult to tether him to my waist. I work from home and rarely have on clothing with belt loops, usually sweats or bathrobe, etc. I could do the ankle thing, but don't have much strength in my ankle and my upper arm. What kind of correction do you suggest for pulling on the lead? I mean he gets to the end and chokes, isn't that enough punishment??? He likes for them to run so he can chase them. I am convinced he will not hurt them, but loves the chase. If they sit and won't run he just stands and looks at them and even touches noses. But he wants the chase.


How much exercise does he get? Or training? That's one way to get any dog
to be a little calmer.


Well if the weather is pretty, not now we are in an ice storm, he can play in the yard all he wants. He is an outside dog as I could not ever get him housebroken. So he gets all the extercise he wants. Now training is another matter. As I am trying to housebreak him, I also am working on simple commands and he is a fast learner, until distracted by a cat, person, etc. If it is just he and I and no distractions he does great, with a treat or even without and just praise. But now, being tethered he acts as if he is feeling punished and looks a little sadder.



One thing probably has nothing to do with the other. I don't know if he
will ever be entirely safe to be left with cats, but he can probably learn
to leave them alone, at least in your presence. Towards that end, you will
probably need to give him lots of exercise, both mental and physical (no
need to take it *that* easy on him because he's 7), give him opportunity to
be rewarded for good behavior, and correct inappropriate behavior.


If he will just get housebroken I can deal with any of the rest. I just think he is a smart little doggies that deserves to live out the remainder of his life inside, and has the ability to learn to do this.


I hope I answered all the questions, if not ask again as I must have missed one accidently.

Thanks,

Mickee

On Wed, 17 Jan 2007 16:50:00 +0000, Mickee
, clicked their heels and said:

Well it would be difficult to tether him to my waist. I work from home
and rarely have on clothing with belt loops, usually sweats or bathrobe,
etc.

Get a long enough leash and put it under your butt. When walking, put
it around your wrist.

What kind of correction do you suggest for
pulling on the lead? I mean he gets to the end and chokes, isn't that
enough punishment???

Short pops are often an effective correction for dogs who don't mind
pulling on a leash and choking, Alternative collars or harnesses are
also useful.

H likes for them to run so he can chase them. I
am convinced he will not hurt them, but loves the chase.

Doxies are meant to kill vermin. Don't allow chasing of cats.

Well if the weather is pretty, not now we are in an ice storm, he can
play in the yard all he wants. He is an outside dog as I could not
ever get him housebroken.

Make him an indoor dog.

But now, being tethered he acts as if he is feeling punished
and looks a little sadder.

Get over the "sad" stuff. Did you read the x-pen suggestion?
--
Janet Boss
www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com

*Ankle*???!?? Does somebody actually tether to the ankle?
I'll bet negotiating stairs is a hoot. Not to mention those
of us with larger dogs ending up on our ass when the dog
decides to head in a different direction.



I've tethered to my ankle for two reasons: small dogs can't pull you enough
to knock you down and I don't have steps to deal with (I live in a bi-level
but have no reason to go downstairs)