Yesterday I posted a bunch of pictures of Boyo in a couple of FB groups I am part of, which is about dogs. In both groups, someone questioned why I use nose ghost on my dog instead of teaching him to go nicely in leash. Today I was going to go into just that, because I don't think I've written about it before.
Boyo in his noseband and wide necklace, down in Kopparlunden Västerås.
First time me was introduced to the nose halter when Ella was a young dog and completely ox crazy on a leash. It was not possible to go with her. The whole dog was completely insane. She tore and pulled, rushing back and forth and acting like an idiot. It really didn't matter what I did, for she had lost all hearing and understanding.
And there was the noseband. All of a sudden I was able to get her under control. All of a sudden we could go. Not that she acted any less of an ass, but it was possible to bring her under control. And then the noseband had to be on for the rest of her life, except for the last three months or so. It should be added that Boyo walks much better on a leash than Ella ever did (except for the last six months). Ella liked to hang on to the leash and preferably lie down some steps (or seventeen) before. And before you think it was me that was wrong – I have heard from several people who had FM dogs that they had the same problem. I saw a video clip from somewhere, where police- and military dogs were demonstrated – and believe in hell, it was exactly the same thing. The dogs hung on the leash and the man leaned back in it 45 grader. But the dogs worked there, of course.
But in which fall – back to the noseband.
I have a noseband on Boyo too. I will most likely continue to have it. Why? Because I find it convenient. During Boyo's worst teenage years when he forgot just about everything about how to walk neatly and neatly on a leash, it was necessary. Now he mostly walks nice and neat, but can rush away a bit when he is on a long leash (however, not always or very much). But when the noseband is on, it is very much needed, very little pressure on the leash to get him to follow me. With a collar or harness I would need more power, and I'd like to avoid that.
I can do it myself find it hard to understand why people insist on wearing harnesses on their dogs. There are a few circumstances where I can imagine wearing a harness on my dog, and all have to do with drag. If I could bring myself to train Boyo in weight-pulling or to pull a small cart or similar, then he would be wearing a harness. If I were to work on training his rear end and hind legs on hills, I would also use a harness specifically designed for that (I had a harness like that for Ella). Other than that, I have a hard time seeing why a harness would be better than a collar or noseband.
Regarding Incidentally, I think necklaces are small, thin, skinny necklaces are insane. For example, I don't like whole throat if that's the only thing you use. A full choke is only effective if it sits at the top of the dog's neck, but since it slides down all the time, it loses the point completely. I prefer really wide necklaces, so that any pressure is distributed evenly and does not cut into a small area.
…
What I believe – and I really mean it believe that people get upset when you use something other than what they themselves think is good, is that they believe that one's dog cannot walk on a leash. And I have to say in Boyo's favor that although there are some little things I can be bothered about (I'm fussy), so, on the whole, he walks quite nicely on a leash now.
There are things left to work on, but he is still a teenager. The only thing that can really be annoying about him is the twitches that occur when he realizes he wants to chase a rabbit, bird or possibly cat he sees when we are out.
But that assuming that a dog does not walk nicely on a leash because a certain aid is used feels a bit sad.