Dogs bring loads of joy but also perils on a leash

There is an easy fix to all this: Cats

Perhaps a bit of training would not go amiss.

There is an easy fix to all this: Cats

Different tools for different jobs. We have both in our home and love all of them dearly, and both are special in their own ways. Each offers a different form of companionship. In a few minutes here I am going to risk my life walking my two sweet doggies.

She calls retractable leashes a “no go." Period. They can cause burns when held too close to the body if they lengthen or retract quickly.

Just keep your thumb over the button that stops it changing length. Retractable leads are great. They allow the dog to go a few meters off the track to have a poo.

@Gene Hennigh

Have just seen a tabby cat being walked on a roll of twine here in Hokkaido.

Didn't look happy.

My step daughter walks her cat in a harness and leash. Cat loves it.

I carry a length of steel rebar on walks and have had to use it to fend off attacking dogs and menacing coyotes more than once. My old neighborhood had a lot of mean outdoor dogs and they would try to attack my dogs on walks. One even came into my garage as I was working on a motorcycle, bared it's teeth and growled at me. I nailed that dog with a wrench!

I used to use a wooden stick but that wasn't enough with one dog that attacked my female Husky. I had to physically choke the dog, a big boxer pit bull mix, to get it to release "my daughter". Hitting him and kicking him in the cookies wasn't enough. Choking a big dog is hard work! Luckily the owner came out and grabbed his dog. I wasn't sure I could hold on long enough to choke him unconscious. That's when I switched to rebar. I had to use the rebar on a dog that attacked us and it backed right off. Once in a while we encounter coyotes on our walks so I have to brandish it to get them to back off. These desert dogs can be more aggressive than the coyotes.