What’s the difference?

Hexamstu has posted a link too what he refers to as a “spaz lead”.

A long line is just that – a length of line (webbing strap/lightweight rope) about 10m long that clips to the collar/harness and trails behind the dog.

Imagine a dog walks on a loose lead for 10/20/30 meters, 10/20/30 seconds or whatever and then starts to tug, then get the dog to walk nicely on the lead for less than his limit, then reward him.

This reward might be to allow him to have sniff in the bushes/play with a toy, whatever motivates the dog. Chances are, if the dog isn’t walking on a loose lead the he doesn’t have a reliable recall – this is where the line comes in. Walk on the lead, release the dog with the line running free behind – his reward is then extended freedom.

As Dezb previously said, you can apply similar thinking to the barking problem by reinforcing his good behaviour.

I see the difference Taylorplayer. When we got our rescue shep we used a long line on her until we were sure of her recall.

She came supplied with a retractable lead. We no longer use, we decided that if she was behaving properly, then she was off lead, if not or in an area/situation where its not appropriate shes on a short lead.

Part III of the Environmental Protection Act covers statutory nuisance, but it is difficult to get any useful guidance on what the legal threshold for nuisance might be. I’m concerned that “nuisance” might be whatever the neighbours opinion deems it to be…

Our neighbours don’t like our dogs barking, and (to our way of thinking) have come across as fairly aggressive, ie – You’re dogs are barking. You don’t keep you’re dogs in the same way as we keep our dogs – therefore do something about it.

Any sympathy or strong desire to try and resolve the issue has been diminished. We get the feeling it’s a question of you keep your dogs like we keep ours (locked in all day) – or get rid… which is obviously a very emotional position to be put in.

If our dogs are causing a nuisance, I want to resolve it, but I get the feeling that there is an element of if the neighbours want to complain vociferously we’ve just got to roll over, which is upsetting if it means getting rid of the dogs or drastically changing their lifestyle

Point of view I would expect from dog owners who’s dogs bark and expect their neighbours to live with it. 🙄 So we should just put up with disruption to our lives been woken up late at night keeping our children awake on school nights, trying to relax in the garden on a summers day or tiding garden in the Autumn winter months with a dog barking its head of next door. Washing my car or fettling with my bike on the driveway with an idiot dog barking at me from a window when his owners do nowt about it. Sorry but you don’t have my sympathy especially when all was well before the dog arrived, quite entitled to complain, tried talking nicely, then put it across in a firmer manner no shouting or swearing just pointing out the effect its having on our and other neighbours lives but seems to fall deaf ears, ignorant dog owners who think its acceptable for their dogs to disrupt peoples lives.

soon as the dog even thinks about barking give it a sharp rattle and say no in stern way. While staring at the dog. You must also get your wife to do the same.

I don’t think his wife barks as badly?

Point of view I would expect from dog owners who’s dogs bark and expect their neighbours to live with it. So we should just put up with disruption to our lives been woken up late at night keeping our children awake on school nights, trying to relax in the garden on a summers day or tiding garden in the Autumn winter months with a dog barking its head of next door. Washing my car or fettling with my bike on the driveway with an idiot dog barking at me from a window when his owners do nowt about it. Sorry but you don’t have my sympathy especially when all was well before the dog arrived, quite entitled to complain, tried talking nicely, then put it across in a firmer manner no shouting or swearing just pointing out the effect its having on our and other neighbours lives but seems to fall deaf ears, ignorant dog owners who think its acceptable for their dogs to disrupt peoples lives.

Ahh, so you didn’t read my post then. We are quite prepared to deal with our dogs if they are a problem. What is quite difficult to define is what threshold becomes a problem.

I don’t know your situation, but what you describe sounds like a problem. My point was that it is any easy target for complaint, but without a clear test of what constitutes statutory nuisance.

Barking all day, or barking at all after dark is going to land you in trouble, and rightly so – but what about barking when the local scotes are messing about on your boundary? To me, that’s the. Dog doing it’s job.