Yeah, there are definitely leash laws around here, but it's not covered by the cops. It's Bylaw, and Bylaw is split up into stupid divisions, so traffic/parking Bylaw can't issue tickets to off-leash owners. I once asked a parking Bylaw officer what I can do about off-leash dogs, and this was the process: Stalk the owners, write down a schedule of where/when they walk their dogs, write down a description of the dog/owner, and submit it to Bylaw... Then if they feel like it, they might scope out the area for a day or two. Seems futile. I've also gone to my superintendent to complain about a woman who always has a sheltie off-leash in the elevator/foyer... and they don't do much about it. Bylaw also can't do anything about that woman because she's on "private property" (private property that she doesn't own).
On another note: Superpet staff aren't the brightest. (I was there today and the MANAGER helping me had no idea what a Shiba was). I don't know if Superpet exists in the US, but they're a large-scale pet supply store. Anyways, I ended up finding a Halti, and I'm going to work on getting Mylo accustomed to it. =0)
Where I live in Massachusetts, there are leash laws, but it's pretty rural and no-one goes around citing off-leash dogs if there is nothing else wrong. It's one of those deals where if there were to be an Incident, and the police were called to address the Incident, and a party to the Incident had their dog off leash- Unrestrained Dog would just be added to the list of charges.
My sister has SuperPets in Pennsylvania...
Take it nice and slow with the Halti and assure Mylo YOU think its a fun game, but no particular big deal. Always err on the side of the positive! and patient! When you get to the point of walking him with it, walk at his own interest- keep the pressure off the halti. I can;t remember where I read this, so I apologize until I do remember the attribution, but it goes like this regarding introducing a dog to something new:
If you had never met a man from Mars before and he was very nice to you, but the next man from Mars you met was mean, you would think - That's not right, all the men form Mars I have met before were very nice, he must be an odd one. SO the third man from mars you met you woudl expect most likely to be like the first. However, if the first man from Mars you meet is a jerk, then you will worry the second and third times you meet men form mars that they might also be jerks. If you meet 3 nice men from Mars before you meet a mean one, you will THAT much more strongly be sure that the mean one is not typical.
In this way, if the first 3 walks with the Halti (or any new thing) are in safe areas with a nice loose lead, that will be established as his default expectation for halti wearing, and he will object less to small moments of light pressure. If the first time he wears it, you guys get ambushed and you tighten up and he feels restrained by it and fearful it will make it harder for him to accept that the next time you put it on things will be loose and normal as usual.
Creative transition technique from collar to halter: When I was introducing Sage to the Halti, I was advised by a vet tech I know who works with horses as well as dogs to attach one end of a leash to the halti, and the other end to the collar by slipping it through its own handle around the collar's D ring. (this works with a thin leash) In this way, you hold the leash in the middle of the leash, or you can hold it closer to the collar end so that if you need to direct him/tell him something, the pressure goes to the collar FIRST, where he is used to feeling direction from and contact with you, and only lightly to the halter, which he is not completely used to yet. In this way, you are not yet completely committed to the halter as primary and you can still maintain familiar collar control while he is learning that the Halti itself is nothing to worry about. I only did this a few times but I felt that it gave Sage some halti time in which it was ON, and we were in the world, but his fmailiar collar contact was there with me and the thing on his face really wasn't much of a factor
Take lots of time and only use it when you are most sure there are unlikely to be any emergencies. If you have to take him out under conditions where he HAS to pee now and this is the time Cujo on the 2nd floor is usually returning from his walk, set the new halti aside and stick with your regular leash/collar action. When he seems confident in the Halti, then you can take it to the streets with regular single-attachment of the leash to the halti, and the halti safety clip is of course attached to the collar. Mylo will show you how long the steps will take!
this trainer in Ottawa looks pretty good, modern and kind training. I like all the trainers she quotes and refers to on her site- Donaldson, Dunbar, Rugaas, Pryor-
She has a social manners class - 4 dogs only per class! this might be a good place to start! Mylo doesn;t have "bad manners" but this looks like the class that addresses fear, calmness, behavior around other dogs, etc. See what you can find out!
I feel for you. I have the same type of situation with my two rescued dogs. I have done quite a lot of research, and have attended a few "reactive" dog classes and have found some skills that help my dogs cope better with their environment. It's basically them learning to check in and focus on you - even a split second, that you can become trusted to do something so they don't have to. I would recommend carrying even a water spray bottle, which can sometimes distract an on-coming dog enough so you can get away. Practice your ability to call him away and turn away and practice in hallways. If you can get him to come with you- follow your lead and fast- you will save time and be able to help remove him from loose dogs. I also found that sometimes you have to be "rude"- shouting NO loudly sometimes stops people from approaching. They can't even get out the "oh he's friendly". Don't wait for them to speak- react yourself. Protect your dog. They need to be taught that they are the ones being rude, really. At the every least they'll learn to stay away from you :-) I found Ali Brown's "Scardey Dog!" to be an excellent resource for dgs who are afriad.
Comments
On another note: Superpet staff aren't the brightest. (I was there today and the MANAGER helping me had no idea what a Shiba was). I don't know if Superpet exists in the US, but they're a large-scale pet supply store. Anyways, I ended up finding a Halti, and I'm going to work on getting Mylo accustomed to it. =0)
My sister has SuperPets in Pennsylvania...
Take it nice and slow with the Halti and assure Mylo YOU think its a fun game, but no particular big deal. Always err on the side of the positive!
If you had never met a man from Mars before and he was very nice to you, but the next man from Mars you met was mean, you would think - That's not right, all the men form Mars I have met before were very nice, he must be an odd one. SO the third man from mars you met you woudl expect most likely to be like the first. However, if the first man from Mars you meet is a jerk, then you will worry the second and third times you meet men form mars that they might also be jerks. If you meet 3 nice men from Mars before you meet a mean one, you will THAT much more strongly be sure that the mean one is not typical.
In this way, if the first 3 walks with the Halti (or any new thing) are in safe areas with a nice loose lead, that will be established as his default expectation for halti wearing, and he will object less to small moments of light pressure. If the first time he wears it, you guys get ambushed and you tighten up and he feels restrained by it and fearful it will make it harder for him to accept that the next time you put it on things will be loose and normal as usual.
Creative transition technique from collar to halter:
When I was introducing Sage to the Halti, I was advised by a vet tech I know who works with horses as well as dogs to attach one end of a leash to the halti, and the other end to the collar by slipping it through its own handle around the collar's D ring. (this works with a thin leash) In this way, you hold the leash in the middle of the leash, or you can hold it closer to the collar end so that if you need to direct him/tell him something, the pressure goes to the collar FIRST, where he is used to feeling direction from and contact with you, and only lightly to the halter, which he is not completely used to yet. In this way, you are not yet completely committed to the halter as primary and you can still maintain familiar collar control while he is learning that the Halti itself is nothing to worry about. I only did this a few times but I felt that it gave Sage some halti time in which it was ON, and we were in the world, but his fmailiar collar contact was there with me and the thing on his face really wasn't much of a factor
Take lots of time and only use it when you are most sure there are unlikely to be any emergencies. If you have to take him out under conditions where he HAS to pee now and this is the time Cujo on the 2nd floor is usually returning from his walk, set the new halti aside and stick with your regular leash/collar action. When he seems confident in the Halti, then you can take it to the streets with regular single-attachment of the leash to the halti, and the halti safety clip is of course attached to the collar. Mylo will show you how long the steps will take!
http://www.carolark.com/
She has a social manners class - 4 dogs only per class! this might be a good place to start! Mylo doesn;t have "bad manners" but this looks like the class that addresses fear, calmness, behavior around other dogs, etc. See what you can find out!