Making Life Better....

Everyday begins with the rustle of collars and leads as our patients drag in their owners. We preach that we give your pets “cookies” as a reward at the end of a visit to reinforce that all that happens here really isn’t that bad. We like to see you pet drag you in thinking that they are coming for a cookie and not to be poked or prodded.

Every so often a pet will come in with a choke collar, pinch collar or just a nylon collar in which the owner cannot stop or control their dog. We cringe when we see a choke collar because after all you have to choke you pet to get it to listen. If the choke collar is placed incorrectly you can place the emphasis of the choking on the trachea (windpipe) instead of on the back of the neck. Worst yet are pinch collars, we like to tell clients to take it off their pet, put it around their thigh and let us pull on it. Most clients nervously decline but seem to realize the potential for the pain that is involved. Then we are usually confronted with the fact that the client cannot walk Fido and that these collars are the only method that will keep Fido under control. These collars are pain inflicting and potentially dangerous but there is a gentler, humane method of training your dog.

Dogs pull by natural instinct (that’s why Huskies make such great sled dogs!) and some are so large they can be near impossible to control. The following is a story of a Doberman Pinscher named, Stout Jones. Stout is a large 94lb, muscular bundle of love. As we all know pets need exercise and Champs mom loved to walk him. Champ was so enthusiastic he would drag mom down the street, an exercise Champs mom dreaded. It became so difficult to walk Champ that a choke collar was tried, then a pinch collar and finally an electric shock collar. Champ would still pull so hard that it began to hurt Ms. Jones arm. Ms. Jones thought about giving Stout away to someone who could handle him and walk him the way he so desired. Luckily, Ms. Jones met Sharon (our office manager) who educated her about the Gentle Leader. Ms. Jones scheduled and appointment as a last ditch effort to keep the dog she so loved. Ms. Jones brought in Stout to be fitted by Roly and in 10 minutes was no longer pulling. Ms. Jones was amazed by the immediate change and control provided by the Gentle Leader. The Gentle Leader gave Ms. Jones the control she had always desired. Stout was no longer pulling and was under complete control of Ms. Jones. The Gentle Leader not only changed Stouts life but gave Ms. Jones back the dog and control she so desired.

Have a dog that is pulling or unruly? Stop in and have one of our technicians go over the benefits of the Gentle Leader head halter. We can change your life in 10 minutes!