Thank Dog Item: Remote Citronella Dog Training Collar

Dr. J and I welcomed our new foster dog, Stewart, this week. Stewart is wonderful in so many ways, he listens, likes to snuggle, enjoys life in a way that only a dog coming from unforunate circumstances can do. However, Stewart has one issue: he finds Dr. J irresistible. Yes, Stewart has a tendency to get all Isaac Hayes on Dr. J. Since Dr. J is not looking for a gay lover, this was causing a fair amount of stress in our household. We tried everything we could think of - cans of pennies, firm scolding, time outs (which I realize are probably ridiculous, but we were desperate!) Nothing curtailed Stewart's mojo from getting the better of him. Then, we found our saving grace: The SprayCommander Remote Citronella Training Collar.

Now, it would not be cool to use this type of device for everyday things. In this case, however, it was getting to the point where Stewart was going to need to pack his bags for a new foster home. The collar works by spraying a mist of citronella up towards the dog's nose when the remote button is pressed. So, when Stewart would start to slip into something a little more comfortable, I pressed the button. He got a shocked, what just happened look on his face and stopped. He's had the collar on for about 12 hours now. He's only attempted to woo Dr. J three times, substantially less than his 40-50 wooings in the same time period yesterday.

The collars aren't cheap, they run around $100.00 (we borrowed ours from our rescue organization,) but if it's a difference between being miserable and being a happy and healthy family, it's worth it. The collar is available at Amazon. Now Stewart will be able to stay with us until he finds his new family!

Buying a Collar or Harness

Collars or harnesses are the only clothing most dogs wear. While fashion is important, function is essential. Collars are fine for most dogs, but those special canines possessing necks bigger than their heads should be in harnesses. You should consider the quality of the material, size and clasp when selecting a collar or harness. Pull, twist, yank and otherwise try to break the collar or harness in the store before you buy it. Don’t be shy. If it breaks, you can quietly place it back on the display and feel fortunate that it wasn’t on your dog at the time. Collars should be long enough to fit around your dog’s neck with two fingers tucked underneath. Harnesses should fit similarly.