Moose's Special New Trick

by Aimee Amodio | More from this Blogger

04 Jun 2007 02:18 PM

My dog Moose is definitely NOT the stereotypical German shepherd. I've had little kids stop me and ask me if Moose is a police dog, and I have to laugh. He's definitely not the smartest of dogs.

Don't get me wrong -- Moose is a loveable, cuddly, goofball of a dog. He just doesn't seem to have much in the brains department. For the first few weeks I had him, he didn't answer to his name. (He came from the shelter named Coyote.) He's not the best with obedience and basic commands, but he tries. Sort of.

Alas, now that we're settling into our new home on the West Coast, Moose has learned a new trick that is driving me crazy. My darling doofus has learned that if he angles his head just the right way and twists, he can slip his big fat head right out of his leash and take off. I keep tightening his collar -- while making sure that I can always fit at least two fingers between collar and neck -- and he keeps slipping his head out.

It's a bad sign that I'm already losing count of how many times he's done it.

And Moose thinks the subsequent chase is great fun. He's the kind of dog who will let me get just close enough to hope I can catch him, then trot off again. One morning I had to chase him across the street; that was upsetting. Usually he heads deeper into the apartment complex in search of other dogs or cats he's seen or heard. That isn't as panic-inducing, though there is still traffic through the parking lots.

The solution? I think the Moose is going to have to start wearing a harness, instead of a regular collar. Or at least in addition to his collar at walk time. A harness will fit around his chest and legs, and I don't think he'll be able to extract himself.

Then again, I didn't think he'd learn to slip his collar quite so efficiently, either!

Learn more about Aimee Amodio

Aimee is a fiction writer... dog lover... music lover...

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Courtney Mroch (9169) 05 Jun 2007 02:29 PM

You're right, Aimee, Moose and Murphy ARE very much alike! When Murph was a puppy he did this same thing with his collar. We didn't try a harness, but we did do the choke collar. (The kind that has 2 loops at either end and at first I was like, "How the heck do you make this work?")

You might already know, but in case not or for those with similar problems...take one looped end and pull the chain through. Make a "P" and then slip it over your dog's head. Then hook the leash to the end that moves freely...I'm not saying this just right and probably made it more confusing, but it was the best $5 we ever spent. (Worst for Murphy!)