Pet Dental Care

Written by: Lori Blauert owner of IB Pet.

February is Pet Dental Awareness Month! 
So what better time to talk about your pets dental health.  Did you know that an estimated 80% of pets in the U.S. experience gum disease by the time they reach their 3rd birthday?  And when the condition is left untreated it can become a very costly visit to the vet.

My dogs are almost 5 and 6 years old and have never had their teeth cleaned by the vet.  I feed them a raw diet, offer them raw bones and chews a few times a week and will brush their teeth with water and baking soda about once a month.  They've had anesthesia free cleanings done once a year for the last two years by Heidi with Teeth N Tails and I will also occasionally use a scaler to remove any build up from the teeth.  The photos below are what my dogs teeth currently look like today.  I just brushed their teeth prior to taking these photos and you can see a little bit of blood on Cali's lower gums (I may have brushed a little too hard) but over all they both have very healthy teeth and gums for middle aged dogs.

Cali (5 year old female golden retriever)

Tanner (6 year old male golden retriever)

Unfortunately, many pet owners don't start good oral hygiene habits with their pets until it's already too late.  Once the bad breath starts...the problem as already begun and bad breath is the least of your problems. Periodontal disease (gum disease) is quite common in dogs and cats, and is caused by food building up along the gum line.  When the build up is not removed it combines with saliva and forms tartar or calculus.  Tartar is irritating to the gums and the gum line will become inflamed.  This inflammation is known as gingivitis and gingivitis is what causes the bad breath.  After an extended period of time, the build up under the gum will separate the gums from the teeth. Spaces will form under the teeth, fostering bacterial growth.  Once this occurs your pet has irreversible periodontal disease. This usually leads to bone loss, tissue destruction and pus formation in the cavities between the gum and teeth.

Periodontal disease is not the only dental issue your pets may face.  Broken (fractured) teeth and cat cavities are also very common in dogs and cats.  Dogs can get a fractured tooth by chewing on rocks or experiencing trauma.  A dogs teeth are designed to cut through bone, but if their teeth are week due to poor oral hygiene they can crack and break even from the dog chewing on a hard bone.  Treatment options will depend on the extent of the fracture but often times the tooth will need to be extracted and/or capped and just like humans, dogs can get metal crowns or caps following the root canal procedure.  And you don't want to know what something like that would cost you!

Cat cavities are called Felilne Odontoclastic Resorptive Lesions (FORL).  FORLs develop on the sides of the cat's teeth near the gum line.  Bone-eating cells will destroy the tooth and eat their way down to the root.  They are not always visible because they are covered by gum tissue and often times plaque or tartar.  Infection sets in and it is very painful for your cat. When this condition goes untreated, the bacteria can enter the bloodstream causing damage to the kidneys and heart.  Treatment is usually surgery and tooth extraction. 

Periodontal Disease

Some symptoms to look out for:

• Bad Breath
• Inflammation or reddening of the gums
• Bleeding of the gums
• Tooth Loss or wobbly teeth
• Loss of appetite
• Pawing at the face 

What can I do to keep my pets teeth healthy?
1) Feed a raw diet
Contrary to popular belief, kibble DOES NOT clean your pets teeth.  Would you eat Captin Crunch to clean your teeth? A raw diet is what nature intended for your dog or cat too eat.  The live enzymes found in raw meat naturally clean the teeth and alleviate the bacteria in the mouth that caused plaque and tartar to form.  When dogs and cats tear through meat and crunch on  raw bones it helps to loosen and break off any build up on the teeth.
 
2) Offer plenty a fresh water 
Be sure to always offer your pet plenty of fresh drinking water especially after meals to help rinse away any food residue from the mouth.  

3) Brush and inspect your pets teeth regularly
Peak in your pets mouth regularly.  Your pet's gums should appear pink and healthy (not red or puffy) and make it part of you routine to brush your pets teeth.  You can purchase a pet dental kit at your local pet supply store.  Many come with a tooth brush, finger brush and tooth paste.  However tooth paste is optional.  Some can contain unnatural ingredients so I sometimes opt to skip the paste.

From my experience cats seem to be a little bit more difficult than dogs to clean their teeth so here is a great video with some pointers on how to clean your cat's teeth.

4) Offer your pet raw bones and chews
When dogs and cats chew through raw bones it help to loosen and break off any build up on the teeth. The live enzymes found in raw meat naturally clean the teeth and alleviate the bacteria in the mouth that caused plaque and tartar to form.  Chews such as pig ears, bully sticks and rawhide are also great for removing buildup from the teeth, however your kitty might not be as interested in them as your dog.

5)Ask your groomer to brush your pets teeth
If your pet won't sit still for you long enough to allow you to brush their teeth your groomer may be able to help.  Many groomers are very experienced with handling dogs (even difficult ones) and may be able to brush your pets teeth for an additional charge at your next appointment.

6) Look for an Anesthesia Free dental clinic in your area
Check with your local pet store or groomer to see if they know of any anesthesia free dental clinics in your area.  Many pet supply stores and groomers will hold dental cleaning clinics at their shop. These clinics are usually done by a trained individual who is very good with pets and can clean your pets teeth without putting them under anesthesia.

In San Diego,  I've used Heidi from Teeth N Tails multiple times for my 2 dogs and 2 cats and I've been very pleased with her service.  She is reasonably priced and even does house calls!  Contact Heidi at (760) 434-6254 or by email at teethntails@aol.com.

7) Take your pet to the vet at least once a year for a check up

Since some of the oral diseases in pets are hard to see, it is important to get your pets teeth checked out by your vet at least once a year.  Your vet may also suggest to have your pets teeth cleaned which unfortunately can be VERY costly but once it's too late it is sometimes the only option. 

With February being Pet Dental Awareness Month, we are giving away FREE Primal Raw Bones to our delivery customers and customers that visit our store.  Please visit IB Pet and ask to try free raw bone!  Also we offer samples of our raw frozen diets year round.

IB Pet

Lori & Russell Blauert - Owners

Phone : 619-822-1610

Email : contact@ibpet.net

Web : http://www.ibpet.net

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It's All in How You Say it to the Dog...

Written by: Amanda Purviance with Train Me Dog Training in San Diego

Voice Control in Dog Training

During my time dog training I am always amazed at how different people talk to their dogs. Now that’s not to say there’s anything wrong with talking to your dogs, it’s only bad when they start answering you.  What I am referring to is how I have to correct people in their tone of voice and inflection. When you are dog training it is important to realize that you have to be not only in control but also emotionally in control to properly train your companion.

There is a sliding scale that I use in dog training to illustrate my meaning of voice inflections and tones.  On one side there is the harsh, loud, forceful  voiced person that trains as if they are angry at the dog. On the other end there is the soft, quiet voiced person that begs, or nags at their dog to do what they want.  Which one would you want to be trained by?  

In Inflection of Voice...

Amanda and her dog Gun

They key to training is that you tell your dog to “sit” you do not ask it. Understanding that is what begins the process of creating a relationship with your dog. Your dog can be your friend, but you must be the dog’s teacher and leader first and foremost.  Being too harsh, on a soft dog is a quick way for that dog to shut down. However, being too soft with a “hard” dog will end in nothing but frustration and anger and can cause you to over react to the dog’s actions.  Here is where balance must be struck.

To Tone the Voice...

When I am dog training, I rarely allow my voice to raise above a soft spoken voice, or louder than if I was talking to a person who was standing 2 ft from me. Unless your dog has hearing problems, or is deaf, they can easily hear you from one end of the house to another when you speak in a normal voice. I use this trick on people when I want them to concentrate on what I am saying. Works well on husbands too ladies! Keeping your voice soft keeps not only you calm, but registers in your dog’s mind as that you are calm and collected just like a good teacher is!

IB Pet

Lori & Russell Blauert - Owners

Phone : 619-822-1610

Email : contact@ibpet.net

Web : http://www.ibpet.net

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/IBPET91932

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Raw Pet Food 101

Written by: Russell Blauert

Owner: IB Pet
I wanted to do a write-up on the basics of feeding raw to your pet.  I think this will be good info for the new raw feeder and the veteran alike.  I know that my wife and I learn something new about raw products every single day!  I've gotten a lot of questions over the last few months and I hope to answer a lot more with this post.  This article is going to touch on the basics of raw such as feeding requirements, feeding amounts, the difference between supplemental and complete and balanced, average prices, preparing raw and brand differences.

Why feed raw?  What are the benefits of feeding raw over kibble and can?

Feeding raw has many benefits, the most important of which is it's a more nutritional option for your pet.  Cooking food destroys the natural nutrients, enzymes and bacteria(good & bad) that is found in raw foods.  Cooking meat is important for humans because we cannot handle the bad bacteria that is found in some meat.  In contrast, your pet does not need cooked food because of it's evolution to be a scavenger and hunter.  Your dog and cat have extremely short digestive tracks that do not allow bacteria the time to multiply to a significant level.  Dogs and cats use what is needed in the food and get rid of the rest and all this happens very quickly.

Kibble was developed for our convenience and not your pet's health.  Kibble is generally cooked at temperatures between 160º F and 300º F.  The food is cooked to kill bad bacteria that may be found.  There are two main problems with this.  First, the bad bacteria which may be found is only bad to humans and we aren't going to eat the food.  Secondly, cooking food kills good bacteria and lowers nutrient levels.  In meats, legumes and vegetables this nutrient loss can be up to 50%.  The USDA put a study out on this and it makes me want to eat raw food whenever possible.  

To learn more about how kibble is made check out, How are Dry Pet Foods Made on Pet MD.

Click here for a link to a report by the USDA in 2007 on nutrient loss.

This is bad news for your pets.  Because of their short digestive tracks they need nutrient rich food to get proper nutrition and cooked kibble is not the best option.

Corn Poo

Another benefit of raw is there is less waste coming out of your pet.  (If you wonder what raw fed dog poop looks like click here)  The raw meat is used much more efficiently by your pet than kibble because there is little or no fillers in the food.  Kibble and cans have rice(or potato, beans, peas, soy OR CORN) mainly as a binder and filler.  Cooked food needs a binder or the food would look like a bunch of rice and cooked ground beef in the bottom of a paper bag.  The binder is there for our convenience.  The rice, potato or CORN acts as a filler as well.  The pet food companies need something cheap to fill up those 30 pound bags.  The animals use very little of the binders and fillers and everything unused comes out as poo.  Thirty pounds of corn equals a lot of poo.  Raw food eliminates the need for fillers or binders.  The food isn't cooked so it can stay together in patties or chubs just like raw hamburger.

There are many, many benefits of raw food for your pet but the last one I'll mention is the reduction of ingredients that is possible.  Since raw is so nutrient rich, manufacturers don't need to add a lot of ingredients to make the diet complete.  Even Premium 5-Star kibble usually have around 100 individual ingredients!!!  Raw foods, because of their inherent nutritional value, can have as few as 10.  Smallbatch Raw is a prime example of this.  Around 15 ingredients and 1/3 of those come directly from the animal.  The other ingredient are all readily identifiable such as kale, carrots, etc.  Animals with allergy problems should go to a true "limited ingredient diet" with raw.  Reducing the number of things going into your pet and raising the nutrition levels is the best advice for allergy prone animals.

Primal Beef 2 lb Chub

I am overwhelmed by choices,  and what is a chub?

Yes, there are a lot of choices when trying to find a raw.  Raw companies are numerous and fill every little niche that a discerning customer could imagine.  Organic, free-range, exotic meats like ostrich, limited-ingredient, small company and all USA products are just some of the different options you'll run into.  First and foremost, raw is better than kibble.  It just is.  That is step one.  Any raw that you can feed is contributing to the better health of your pet.
Raw generally comes in three different forms.

First and the most commonly bought is the "patty".  It looks like a hamburger patty and usually weighs 8oz (1/2 lb).  Sometimes they weight 4oz.  Patties are a very convenient option.

Raw Frozen Nuggets

Another way that raw is formed is into 1 oz "nuggets".  They are the easiest option for small dogs or for adding to kibble.

And lastly, the chub.  Chubs come in weights from 1 pound up to 10 pounds.  They require a longer defrost time but are popular because of the cheaper price per pound.  The manufacturer spends less money making chubs because it's just a tube of frozen meat so in turn the retail price is less.

We carry a lot of different raw brands.  I'll go over the current ones in our store and the highlights of each.

Primal: Very honest about where products are sourced from.  Lots of options and lots of organic ingredients.

Nature's Variety: High meat to vegetable ratio(95% Meat / 5% Fruits Vegetables).  Relatively low cost for quality products.

Bravo: Bulk raw at good prices including 10 pound chubs.  Lots of chub options.

Paw Naturaw: Organic meats, very high quality ingredients.

OC Raw: Local company, exotic meats.

Rad Cat: The #1 selling raw for cats.  Cats just like it better than most other brands.

Smallbatch:  Lots or organic ingredients, small company from San Francisco.

Stella & Chewy's:  Great brand, similar to Nature's Variety with great freeze dried line.

Tucker's: The best looking raw bones I know of.

K9 Kravings: Good raw at a great price point.

How much do I feed?  What is the difference between supplemental and complete & balanced?

The number one question I get is:  How much does my dog need to eat a day?  Your dog or cat will eat a different amount of raw as opposed to kibble or can.  Here is the general rule: Your dog will eat 1 pound of raw per day for every 50 pounds of weight.  So, here is an approximate formula to go by:   

Dog's weight / 50 = pounds of raw per day

If you want a more scientific calculator most brands provide a feeding guide on their websites.  Here is a good example of one by Nature's Variety: Nature Variety's Feeding Calculator.

A healthy average weight cat will eat about 1/2 pound of raw every day.  Remember, all cats are different and require different amounts of food.

Since there is a wide range of raw's price the cost to feed will also range.  Usually raw costs between $2/pound and $5/pound.  A 50 pound dog exclusively on raw will cost between $60 and $150 to feed depending on the brand and protein source.  A lot of people feed half raw and half kibble and that will reduce your cost slightly.  Remember: raw is similar in price to cans and similar in price to premium kibble.  You will most likely save hundreds of dollars every year in decreased vet bills so don't let the price scare you.

I'd like to write about the difference between complete and balanced and supplemental.

Just like it sounds, complete & balanced is formulated to be the only thing that your pet eats. We always recommend that you feed raw bones and turkey necks in addition to any diet that your pet is on but the manufacturer stands by it's product as a complete diet.

Raw pet food including patties, nuggets, chubs, and bones

"Supplemental feeding only" is a term used by manufacturers that means that other items must be introduced into your pet's diet for them to receive all the necessary nutrition.  The main items you will find bearing this label are chubs.  A lot of people just want to add some raw to their pet's diet and the easiest and most cost effective way to do that are through "grinds" that come in the chub form.  Bravo's supplemental line is a good example of this.  It has meat, organ, bone and vegetables mixed together.  It is almost a complete diet.  The only thing lacking is vitamins to complete the diet.  Because of the lack of some ingredients the price is a little cheaper than complete & balanced diets.  Most brands of raw have "grind" options for a lower price than their complete & balanced lines.

Sounds good, how do I switch to raw?

Ok, you've heard enough, you want to switch to a raw diet.  Great, that's what I was hoping you'd say! We recommend that you slowly transition your pet's diet to raw.  That means mixing in only a little bit of raw at the beginning and ramping up the amount over a week or two.  As the amount of raw goes up remember to lower the amount of kibble or your pet will over-eat.  I would suggest for a 50 pound dog to mix in 1 oz on day one and go up by 1 oz per day.

Raw is meant to be eaten by your pet raw.  Don't cook it!  That is defeating the purpose of feeding raw.  The easiest way to deal with defrosting is to break your raw into one-day portions and put one day's worth of raw into the refrigerator each night when you feed you pet.  So you feed a bag out of the refrigerator and then you place the frozen meal for the next day into the refrigerator.  Repeat the process each day.

Your pet might experience some loose stool at the beginning.  Some dogs are more sensitive to diet changes but they will adapt quickly.  Mix in some pure pumpkin or pure sweet potato as a natural stomach soother.

Thanks for your time and I hope that you learned something by reading this post.  Please comment below or click my name to email me.  We plan on having several write-ups over the next few months on raw diets and feeding.  Follow us on blogger to stay up to date with our information! 

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Lori & Russell Blauert - Owners

Phone : 619-822-1610

Email : contact@ibpet.net

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History of Dog Food

By Lew Olson • August 2005 Newsletter

This is part one of a twelve part series to address the subject of home prepared meals.  For more info go to http://www.b-naturals.com/newsletter/history-of-dog-food/ The history of commercial dog food is short in comparison to the length of time that dogs have been companion animals. The use of bagged and canned foods became popular in the United States after World War II. Most people born in the last fifty years do not have any memory of feeding dogs in any other manner. The notion of the term ‘dog food’ has become so entrenched in the vocabulary that most people state they would never feed their dog ‘people food’. The misunderstanding is that food is ‘food’, and that commercial dog foods are simply heavily processed ‘people food’ that is specifically made for shelf life and economy. Until commercial dog food grew in popularity, dogs generally ate whatever food was available in their environment. For farm dogs, this could include raw meat scraps, raw milk, eggs and food found scavenging. City dogs probably depended on scraps from the owners’ table, and offal and cheap cuts of raw meat from the butcher. Dogs owned by the very rich and royalty are reported to have had meals specially prepared them, with great attention to the quality and addition of seasonings to the diet In 1860, the first processed dog food was introduced by James Spratt, of Cincinnati, Ohio who developed a biscuit made of wheat, beet root, vegetables and beef blood. His inspiration for this product came from watching stray dogs eat hardtack thrown away by sailors off ships in port. The name of this new product was called Spratt’s Patent Meat Fibrine Dog Cakes. Other companies quickly jumped on the bandwagon, and more baked dog products were on the market. Some offered paid endorsements by veterinarians, while others made claims to cure a dog of worms and certain diseases. While the controversy continued on dog nutrition, new forms of packaged dog foods were appearing on the market. The depression in the 1930’s also prompted dog owners to look for less expensive methods to feed their pets. Less raw meat was fed, and more grains and cereal products were introduced in home diets. Canned meat products were introduced in the 1940’s and in 1943, dehydrated dog food was introduced, with the instructions of ‘just add water’. New debates were developing on feeding dogs, and several marketers of the new dog products were stating that their products were superior, as they were able to utilize waste products such as grain hulls, sweepings and meat unusable for human consumption. Another argument was that fresh meat was just too expensive to feed dogs, and that it actually made them too ‘finicky’. While it was noted fresh meat and vegetables were superior, they argued that dogs could be fed more economically with these factory waste products, and still do well. The sales of dry processed dog foods picked up considerably after World War II. Mill operators and grain dealers were finding a good source for their by-products in the dog industry. Slaughterhouses were also available to sell non-human grade, diseased meats, unusable parts, and meat by-products to pet food manufacturers. This created a market for products that previously had been discarded. Since many of these meat sources were non-human grade, the practice became common to mix these with the grains and cook them together for many hours or days to kill bacteria and disease. The final mix was then formed into pellets that were easily bagged for convenience of feeding. Then, in the 1950’s the Purina Company discovered an innovative new concept for dry dog food. Dry dog food was generally found in two forms prior to this. One was biscuit, or crumbled biscuit, known as kibble, which was baked. The other type was dog food made in pellets of which the ingredients had to be hand mixed. Purina’s new technique was called “extrusion”. The extrusion process consisted of combining and cooking the ingredients together in a liquid form, and then mechanically pushing them through the extruder, which expands the piece of dog food and then it is baked again. These dog food pieces were much larger and lighter than the pellets, giving an appearance of ‘more for your money’. Thus began the onset of ‘clever marketing’ in the race to promote dog food to the public. In 1969, according to Dr Kronfeld DS PhD DSc MVSc from the University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine, the pet food industry utilized veterinarians to proclaim that all meat dog foods were incomplete. He reports the editor of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association also agreed with this, and said dog foods needed to be fortified with nutrients, too much protein was harmful and some carbohydrates are necessary for the dog’s health. Convenience was the first selling point for prepared and packaged dog foods. Scooping dry pieces of food into the dog’s food bowl was more time saving than cooking or preparing their pet’s dinner. The second selling point was developed by a professional marketing campaign. Dog food companies began labeling their dog foods as complete, with no additional foods or supplements being necessary. In fact, they began warning the public that adding table scraps could actually be dangerous to the dog’s health. An active campaign was developed in 1964 through the Pet Food Institute, to inform the public of the dangers of table food scraps, and the importance of feeding processed dog food. This was accomplished through press releases to one thousand newspapers, articles in 16 magazines, includingRedbook and Good Housekeeping and airing this information on 91 radio stations. Continuing marketing strategies included using celebrities in television commercials, making dog foods that produced their own ‘gravy’, making dog kibble into various shapes, and using dyes in the dog food so it would look ‘natural’ and pleasing to the dog owner’s eyes. Pet food ads were appearing regularly in the media and designs were developed more to attract the owner’s idea of a tasty and visually attractive meal than for the dogs’ health. Pet food sales moved from the feed stores to the grocery stores, with bright labels and appealing pictures. The marketing strategies were paying off, and soon pet food sales were surpassing the amount of money spent on baby food. Aisle and shelf space for dog food sales were expanding by leaps and bounds each year as more dog food companies joined the marketing competition. The next marketing strategy was in specialty diets, formulated for specific diseases or disorders in pets. The first diets were developed for kidney and heart disease in 1948. These have expanded to more than 20 specialty diets being offered today. Dr Mark Morris DVM, founder of Hill’s Pet Products (Science Diet) was the first in the field to develop this idea. The Purina Company quickly followed, along with several other companies. Only veterinarians offered these Hill’s prescription products. This really began to portray dog nutrition as complex, and the public relied more on their veterinarian’s advice about nutrition, than trusting their own judgment or common sense. Shopping now expanded from the supermarkets to the veterinarian’s office. Up until 1974 the National Research Council (NRC) developed the protocol for the nutritional values needed in pet food. The Animal Protection Institute (API), in their article “What’s Really in Pet Food” points out that in 1974; a new organization was formed, called the American Association of Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). This group was organized by the pet food industry. They decided to change the standards of the NRC (National Research Council) testing procedures from extending feeding trials of the dog food over a period of time, to simple testing of the chemical analysis of the dog food. While this provided results for the percentages and breakdowns in the dog food, it certainly didn’t address the type of food used, freshness, or digestibility of each of the ingredients. As API states in their article, this leaves the pet food industry to police itself, without government intervention. In 1985, the National Research Council updated their guidelines for nutrition, instituting three important changes. The first was that the percentage requirement was removed for protein, and instead requirements for ten amino acids were listed by weight of the dog. These were developed for growth and adult stages. The second change was removing the word allowances from the guide, and replacing it with the word requirements. This was to provide information on the availability of nutrients in the food when eaten and digested. It also developed a chart that listed factors that could affect the bioavailability of the ingredients of the food chosen and mixed together for dog food. Bioavailability is defined as the efficiency of absorption, and the availability of amino acids in the food. The intent of this classification was to take into consideration that many of the ingredients are affected by processing, heating and cooking. Combining certain ingredients also affects nutrient value, especially in the phytates in grains that block certain minerals, and the differences in animal and plant amino acids profiles. IB Pet Lori & Russell Blauert - Owners Phone : 619-822-1610 Email : contact@ibpet.net Web : http://www.ibpet.net Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/IBPET91932 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ibpet/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/ibpet

Feeding Primal Raw Turkey Necks Video

Ever wonder how a dog eats a raw turkey neck?  Here is the video that you've been waiting for!

IB Pet

Lori & Russell Blauert - Owners

Phone : 619-822-1610

Email : contact@ibpet.net

Web : http://www.ibpet.net

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How To Make Homemade Raw Pet Food

Hi everyone, I made this video to show how you can make your own raw using ingredients found in your local pet stores or delivery services.  If you have any questions don't hesitate to comment or give us a call.  This exact recipe is intended for supplemental feeding. 

IB Pet

Lori & Russell Blauert - Owners

Phone : 619-822-1610

Email : contact@ibpet.net

Web : http://www.ibpet.net

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Dog Training Tools (Part 1)

By: Amanda Purviance

Owner: Train Me Dog Training                                                                            

Amanda and Gun

Dog Training Tools (Part 1)

Sometimes I can get caught up with the latest gadgets in the human world, I know I certainly drool over the IPad and think about replacing my 4-year-old laptop when I walk into the electronic stores. But what about dog training tools? What is a tool? What are the best tools? And do all tools and or techniques, work the same from dog to dog?

This will be a series of pictures and informational demonstrations to enlighten the reader as to the tools that I have in my dog trainer’s pouch.

I will begin by explaining the different types of collars and what they are used for.

Flat-Buckle Collars:

These are the most common type of collars that are seen on dogs, ranging from the plain single color from $5.00 to the fancy ones that can range as much as $30+ in the stores. Does one work better than other for the price? No, a flat buckle works as a tether to the leash and holds identification tags.  However, these are invaluable to have on your dog in case they slip out and become lost.

Martingale Collars

This collar is a mix between a flat buckle collar and a choke chain. They work on giving minor corrections and work well on sensitive dogs that are having difficult time learning to heel. These can be used in place of a regular flat collar but I must warn people that there is a choking hazard if left on and unattended. They work by creating pinching sensations when they are pulled tight. To work the most effectively they must be on the dog tight enough to not slide around on the dog’s neck.

“Chain” Collar

“Chain” Collar are probably my least favorite tool to use as a dog trainer. They come in many varieties, some plain metal, others with a cloth woven in and out of the metal links.  I believe that they are not as effective at corrections as the other tools. I got rid of this after a few months of using it.  To be the most effective it must be placed high on the dog’s neck, but the slack that the chain collar allows makes it slip lower on the dog’s neck therefore nulling all to most of the corrections I would use it for.

Prong Collars

Looking at this device it looks as if it came straight from a medieval torture chamber. However, this is one of the best tools, IF USED CORRECTLY.  For many dogs only a few corrections need to be made to see their problems on the leash be corrected. Many people refer to this as “Power-Steering” for dogs. I like the idea of only having to do two corrections with a prong collar as opposed to using a choke chain or flat buckle and giving anywhere from 20 to 40 corrections to see the same result.

This ends the basic correction collar segment and be sure to check back next week for the next installment of dog trainer tools!

Written: Febuary 8th, 2012 by Amanda Purviance

IB Pet

Lori & Russell Blauert - Owners

Phone : 619-822-1610

Email : contact@ibpet.net

Web : http://www.ibpet.net

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