Snowfairy
Newbie
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| 09/07/2008 6:00 PM |
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What does your rat terrier wear?
I hope soon to be adopting a young "special needs" Rattie from rescue. (Here is my first post about him-- if I've got links figured out.)
For the first chunk of time (whatever it takes) I imagine I'll be doing some kind of "umbilical cord" training; keeping the dog tied to my belt so he can get used to our home and me as leader etc., while allowing me to keep a good eye on him (When I can't have him with me I'd crate him).
The 2 questions are, with his background (suspected/confirmed abuse) and current behavior (avertion to objects of restraint):
1. Is this strict control going to make him nuts? (I imagined hand-feeding this whole time to ease the transition) and
2. What do healthy Ratties wear?
That is, the foster-mom has all her dogs running "naked," and that's nothing I do if I can help it. I've read some breeds of dogs have more fragile windpipes and so harnesses are recomended, or for some wider collars are acceptable.
I hope that just picking something and having it on him all the time will help him learn it as the new-and-safe "normal," but I'm not sure how that will work in real life.
Any input from the Been-there crowd? |
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michelle
Firehouse Big Dog
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| 09/07/2008 6:06 PM |
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mine wear collars in the house but when we go for a walk I put gentle leader harnesses on them. They do not pull and it makes easier controllof the dogs for me. |
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michelle, mom to Sydney (JRT), Sonic (Rattie), Buddy(Jack-Rat) and Proud mom to Army son, Jordan
http://www.dogster.com/dogs/893222 Sydney
http://www.dogster.com/dogs/893220 Sonic
http://www.dogster.com/dogs/901405 Buddy
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pepper
Ratastic
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| 09/07/2008 7:44 PM |
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Especially if you are doing the cord training, it's better to use a collar, purely because if they turn around funny, it will just rotate around and they will not get tangled up as easily. If you don't know what triggers there may be, you may want to use a harness for outside and safety. You don't want the pup to freak out and tug till she's choking.
The breed is pretty resilient in general, and it's largely a matter of preference. When you have the pup at home and tied to you, you will get a sense if it's gonna be a tugger, or just goes to the end and gets the hint they can't go any further. That will be your biggest clue. |
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Kristin ~ Pepper's mommy |
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singingpilgrim
Ratastic
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| 09/07/2008 9:28 PM |
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I have no idea about special needs, but if you're simply wanting a poll, I do fine with just a collar...
But from what I've seen TONS of ratties need halters to walk on. |
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Pamela
~Sophia Abigail's Mom~
Ratbones Rescue Volunteer |
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melo
Terrier Terror
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| 09/07/2008 10:57 PM |
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I have tried many things and the easy walker harness is light easy and she can't pull it ) |
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Nora's mommie --
www.melodybreyer-grell.com
Selling CD's with 50 percent going to Ratbones!! Check it out! |
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Noodles n Me
Terrier Terror
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| 09/08/2008 12:27 AM |
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| My Noodles uses a collar. She does real well while on a leash, off one too, but I still panic when we walk by a street with cars, so to ease my mind she wears a harness, which she hates worse than anything. |
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There is no joy greater than being owned by a Rattie!!
cat |
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Harley_31908
Obsessed
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lynnygal
Rat-A-Tat-Tat
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| 09/08/2008 1:40 AM |
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Our girls both wear regular collars normally during the day. IF we go out for a walk then we use harnesses. I really like them because I feel like I'm not choking them.....even if they pull on the leash..... Some people on here use the Puppia harnesses which are supposed to be really nice as well....but I have not personally tried them. Good luck with your new little guy/girl....hope it all works out!
Lynn |
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--------------------- lynnygal --------------------------------- |
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tiggarat
Bratty Ratty
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| 09/08/2008 2:57 AM |
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| mine wear collars all the time, but when I take them for a walk I use a harness. I had a dog in the past (dobie mix) that had cervical issues (unrelated to collars), and I want to avoid potential neck pain/problems with the ratties. |
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Lisabeth
furbabies: Lucy and Molly (1 1/2 yr old decker ratties), and Rosie (3 yr old dobie)
Buddy - gone but never forgotten.
"I don't think he has any idea he's a dog, really. Of course, he thinks he has a rather odd figure for a man" - Dodie Smith |
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melo
Terrier Terror
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| 09/08/2008 12:19 PM |
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| always a collar for id reasons---) |
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Nora's mommie --
www.melodybreyer-grell.com
Selling CD's with 50 percent going to Ratbones!! Check it out! |
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Dinks Mom
Terrier Terror
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| 09/08/2008 12:23 PM |
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Dink either has on nothing or a collar around the house but when we go out to public places, I'll put a harness on him for better control. |
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~Susy~
http://www.myspace.com/pbrluvr |
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Mitzy's Mom
PAWesome
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| 09/08/2008 12:38 PM |
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| Mine all wear collars at all times for ID purposes, just in case they would get loose or lost. For walking...some wear harnesses, some don't....just depends on the individual dog. |
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Mary Beth, mom to the Lollipop Kids
Georgia Foster Mom, www.newrattitude.org
Pics of my current fosters:
http://imageevent.com/newrattitude/caradoc
http://imageevent.com/newrattitude/willow
http://imageevent.com/newrattitude/fiona
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Caesar & Julia's mom
Alpha Feist
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| 09/08/2008 5:36 PM |
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| Both Julia and Caesar wear their collars at all times~ like MB, for ID purposes. However, when I take them anywhere, or on walks they wear harnessess. |
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Diane~ loved by Caesar and Julia
"Don't count the days, make the days count..."
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Apollo's Mommy
Feisty
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| 09/08/2008 6:00 PM |
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My pups don't wear their collars all the time simply because they are very rarely out of my sight. However, when we go somewhere ( to the park, vets, etc. ) or for walkies they wear them for ID purposes only and I attach their leads to harnesses. |
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"You can't fix stupid." - Ron White
~ Jolene ~
Mommy to Apollo, Emma, & Indie
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Pam&Maggie
Ratastic
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| 09/08/2008 6:22 PM |
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| For smaller dogs I prefer harnasses if there will be any kind of pulling involved. I've had experience with a dog with a collapsed trachea and I never want to go there again. So,my two ratties wear collars in the house but wear harnasses for training, my minpin goes naked most of the time but has a chip for id. |
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The Rat Patrol
Pam, Maggie, Kidd Roo, Nitro and Rudy
Ratbones Rescue Volunteer
Ratbonerescues.com |
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rattytatty
Training Moderator
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| 09/09/2008 8:15 AM |
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| I prefer collars... and I do all training with collars -vs- harnesses. |
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~Nora~
Mom to Hoss, Lil'Bit, Buster & Bailey, CGC, OA, OAJ |
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