Making A Zip Line For Your Dog
Keeping our dog safe, and abiding by the rules of many of the places we visit, means that Myles spend a lot of time on-leash. Though we’re always exploring new places, life at the end of a six foot tether doesn’t provide him with much freedom. So, to give Myles more room to wander while we’re camping, we made an inexpensive zip line for our dog!
Zip Line vs. Tie-Out
The zip line has a lot of advantages over cable tie-outs, which people often use to keep dogs from wandering off.
First, jumping up every two minutes to untangle your dog doesn’t happen with a zip line. If you have a dog who’s constantly wrapping his tie-out around the picnic table, tent stake, trees, and your chair, you know how impossible it is to relax with those shenanigans going on!
Second, you’ll never again feel the dread of watching your dog bolt to the end of their unforgiving cable tie-out. The zip line has more give and protects pets from injury.
Third, the zip-line won’t trip you when you’re stumbling around the campfire in the dark!
Materials and Assembly
All you’ll need to make a zip line for your dog is some nylon rope and two spring clasps. Any hardware store will have these materials, or you can order them online for about fifteen dollars.
We chose a rope with a smooth cover, which makes it comfortable to handle when we’re putting it up and taking it down. It also has a bit of stretch for some shock absorbency to protect Myles from a sudden stop.
Rod used his Eagle Scout skills to handle the knot tying. He made quick work of the two bowline knots, attaching the spring clasps to the ends of rope.
Melting the fibers by passing the raw ends of the rope though a flame keeps them from unraveling. And – SHAZAM – the zip line is ready for action!
Deciding On Length
The most difficult part of making your zip line will be deciding how long it should be.
We decided on a 50 foot line, which gives Myles plenty of room to explore. And because having too much is better than not enough.
That length also gives us more flexibility if we’re at a campsite with few anchor points. If we don’t have trees, we can attach one end to the ladder on the back of our motorhome and the other to a picnic table or post.
Setting Up The Zip Line
Before setting up your dog’s zip line at a park or campground, check the rules to verify that they allow the rope to be wrapped around the trees. Also, placing a 1 to 2 inch webbing between the tree and the rope will help protect trees with soft bark. Nails and screws should not be attached to the tree when putting up your zip line.
It takes about five minutes to set up our zip line. In the photo below, we’ve wrapped one end of the rope around a tree and clipped the spring clasp on to the rope. Then, keeping the rope taught, we ran the rope to another tree, going around the tree as many times as necessary to take up the slack before clipping the spring clasp back to the rope.
The rope is placed high enough to just give Myles the ability to lie down comfortably. Giving him just enough leeway keeps him from building up too much velocity and jerking at the end of his leash if he decides to chase a gofer or give a squirrel a run for his money.
We also use the dog zip line when our campsites have a ramada. It’s easy to wrap the line around two posts and snap the ends back on the rope.
One Zip Line For Two Dogs
When we still had Ty and Buster, we made separate runs for each dog on the zip line.
We’d wrap the rope around the first tree and clip the spring clasp back to the rope. Then article shows ’d make a complete pass around a second tree, creating the first section of zip line where Ty’s attached in the photo below. Then we’d wrap the rope around a third tree and clip the spring clasp back to the rope. That created the second run of zip line where Buster is attached in the photo below. Giving the boys their own space kept them from getting tangled around each other!
Connecting Dogs A Zip Line
Pets should never be attached to a zip line by their collar, because it could choke them if they became tangled. When he’s on the zip line, Myles wears his harness, which has a loop on the back to connect the leash. The final step is to slip a heavy-weight carabiner through the leash handle and snap it on the line.
What’s “heavy-duty” enough for your carabiners? It depends on your dog! Mass times velocity = force. So, if you have a 50-pound dog and he can accelerate to 5 mph on the zip line, a caribiner rated for 250 pounds should be sufficient. Again, it’s best to err on the side of safety.
Place your pup’s water bowl within easy reach and you’re done! Just remember never to leave your pal unattended on the zip line.
Have you tried a zip line with your pets? Please share your experience in the comments below!
https://www.gopetfriendly.com/blog/making-a-zip-line-for-your-dog/
Pet Care Tips Specifically For Dog Owners.
What is more fun that having a dog? So many dog owners know the special happiness that comes from having a canine in their lives. If you’re one of the people who know what it’s like to have a dog, you want to do your best to make sure he’s with you a long time. Here are some tips to help make sure of that.
You may know that chocolate is dangerous for dogs, but you may not know the specifics. Chocolate is dangerous because of the stimulants caffeine and theobromine. Baking chocolate is the most dangerous, with a high amount of stimulants. White chocolate contains the least amount of stimulants. Take you dog to vet if he ingests chocolate.
Groom your dog regularly. A dog requires constant grooming to keep his coat in tip top condition. Make sure that your dog is completely relaxed before you start the grooming session; this is especially important if he is excitable. Keep the session quite short (5 to 10 minutes at most) until he is comfortable with the idea of being groomed. Most importantly – be sure to praise him and offer a treat after a successful grooming session!
As soon as you notice your dog engaging in bad behaviors, immediately try to correct them. If you ignore it, it will be hard to contain it later. This could lead to huge problems down the road.
Never allow your dog to ride in a car unsecured. Sitting on your lap or in the front seat is dangerous both to him and your ability to drive. Always place him in an appropriately sized pet carrier or invest in a pet seat belt that will keep him snug and safe in the middle of the back seat.
When it’s time for dog training, you’ll want to do it inside your house or in your yard. This will give you security and an area that your dog is comfortable. Distractions occur, making it difficult to get your dog to focus on basic commands.
It is very common for objects to get lodged in the pads of your dogs paws. Check them regularly to make sure that nothing is in there. If you see something, be very careful about taking it out, or it may become lodged even deeper. It is a wise to use tweezers for this.
When choosing a dog for your home, don’t forget to estimate the size it will be as a full grown adult. This is especially true if you have small children at home. Although a small puppy will be cute, it may grow into a large, one hundred pound dog. Do some research on the average adult size of the breeds you are considering.
If you have a smaller breed dog, make sure everyone who touches him knows the proper way to hold him. Small dogs can be easily injured by inappropriate handling and many owners find this out the hard way. Gently lift at the belly from under his front legs and secure him with both hands.
Know that an animal doesn’t need too many people telling it what to do when it’s being trained. Everyone will have a different way of trying to teach the dog something, and that can make things confusing for the animal. Have a single person focus on training your dog, and have anyone else work to reinforce what the dog is learning. No matter what their opinions are, they should stick to the rules set by the trainer.
Always make sure your dog has fresh water available. Water is essential for the health of a dog. He can easily become dehydrated without it or look for unsafe water sources, such as puddles or contaminated ponds. Making sure your dog always has water is an easy way to keep him happy and safe.
Consider puppy training classes for your young pet. Puppies are eager to learn, and a class is a wonderful atmosphere to let them do so in. Classes are also often cheaper than individual lessons. This will teach your pup essential behavioral skills and allow the two of you bonding time too.
Owning a new puppy is very similar to having a new baby. Puppies need a lot of attention and have to be taken care of constantly. They are not ready to be left alone for long periods of time and need to have a fair amount of attention devoted to them.
If you pick up a dog from a shelter, make sure that he has been seen by a medical professional. You don’t want to bring home a sick dog unless you are aware of it, particularly if you have other dogs at home. Make sure to ask if the dog you have chosen has been around sick dogs in the past few weeks as well.
Don’t bathe your dog after you have applied a flea or tick medication. Some medications tout that they are waterproo, but they only mean against rain or swimming. They will largely wash away with a dog shampoo, rendering the treatment ineffective. If you must bathe the dog after a treatment, use a soap free shampoo.
Make sure that you spend adequate time on each thing that you try to teach your dog. Even though your dog might catch on to something, for example the “sit” command, it may not be mastered. You’ll want to make sure that the command is done every time that you ask no matter what situation you are in before you move onto a new command.
Make sure that you spend adequate time on each thing that you try to teach your dog. Even though your dog might catch on to something, for example the “sit” command, it may not be mastered. You’ll want to make sure that the command is done every time that you ask no matter what situation you are in before you move onto a new command.
Make sure that you carry small bags and gloves with you while you are out walking your dog. If he uses the bathroom outside, it is your responsibility to clean up the mess. It is unsanitary for you to leave it there, and it some places you may receive heavy fines for that.
There are few greater joys in life than the love you can share with your loyal companion. It won’t always be a walk in the park but the rewards are more than worth it. Enjoy your pup and continue to learn more to help keep your lives happy and healthy.
All You Need To Know About Caring For Dogs
Isn’t it great owning a dog? Dogs are the number one pet in America; there is a reason for this. They are loving, affectionate and always up for a good time. In short – they are wonderful companions. It’s important to be the best owner that you can, which means making sure that your dog is getting the care that they need. Follow the advice presented here to be a good friend to your dog.
Look into subsidized health care for your dog if money is tight. Many local communities, in cooperation with groups like the SPCA offer discounted services that have proven invaluable to dog owners. Look into getting your dog spayed or neutered and vaccinated for a fraction of veterinary costs at a sponsored event probably close-by to you. Just contact the SPCA or an animal shelter in your town.
You may know that chocolate is dangerous for dogs, but you may not know the specifics. Chocolate is dangerous because of the stimulants caffeine and theobromine. Baking chocolate is the most dangerous, with a high amount of stimulants. White chocolate contains the least amount of stimulants. Take you dog to vet if he ingests chocolate.
If you are interested in providing your dog with the healthiest of diets and making positive contributions to the earth’s environment, make his food from scratch. You can buy locally grown organic ingredients and provide him all the proteins, carbs and fats he needs with no preservatives while reducing the waste from packaging as well.
If your young dog is teething and gnawing at everything, buy him a fun chew toy and keep it in the fridge. Not only does this provide him with a good alternative to your furniture, but the cold will help to make his gums feel better. Most younger dogs gnaw out of necessity, not poor manners.
Teach can rabbits eat succulents to be trained, even if you don’t plan on devoting a lot of time to special tricks. A dog needs to understand the basic hierarchy of the home and should be prepared to listen and learn throughout his life. Practice the basics like “sit” and “down” in the beginning and introduce something new every once in a while.
If your dog has long hair, make sure to take the time to trim the fur around his feet. If you allow your dog’s hair to grow too long, they can get things stuck in their fur. This could lead to injuries between the pads of the feet and around the nails.
To make your dog happy and increase the bond between you, try learning how to give him a massage! It’s been shown in recent studies that structured massages are highly beneficial to a dog’s health and can improve their overall well-being. This activity can also be very relaxing for you as well.
Some breeds have inherent health issues you need to watch for. Do what you can to combat those issues early. Ask your veterinarian what steps can be taken to prevent issues that are common with your dog’s breed.
If you buy a new dog, set up a vet appointment as soon as possible. Do this as soon as your dog arrives at your doorstep. Your vet will administer the necessary shots and make sure your dog is in good health. Unwanted puppies are a tragedy, so make sure your dog gets spayed or neutered.
Respect your pet. When out on a walk, do not force your dog to interact with other people or animals if he does not want to. There is a reason why your dog may not want to get too close, and it is important that you listen to him. If you try and make him interact, your dog may begin to act out over time.
Think about how your life is lived, including vacations and events that you go to, before considering a dog. Wanting a dog is a piece of cake, but actually taking care of one is harder.
Just like people, dogs need plenty of exercise for optimum health. Dogs are naturally hunters and love to run by instinct. Take your dog to the park, play Frisbee with him and give him a daily walk. This will help keep him physically healthy but will also make him mentally healthier.
It is very important that you put a lot of thought into whether or not you’re ready to add a dog to your family. There is a lot involved and it’s too simple to fall for a cute puppy’s face. Take the time to consider everything first so that you can be confident that you are capable of managing it all.
If your dog is always drinking out of the toilet, try changing how you provide him with water. Most prefer it cold and fresh, hence the attraction to the bathroom, so buy a fountain or thermally insulated dish to keep his water at a more appealing temperature. Also, add ice-cubes when it’s hot out and he’s panting
Keep in mind that some behavioral problems in your dog could be connected to health issues, especially if your dog is displaying a new behavior. Your dog might become aggressive when you touch it because of a pain and it might have a hard time with house-training because of an infection.
If you want to get a dog, you need to get it trained. This will make both lives happier and more rewarding. While training a puppy is easier, you can still teach an old dog new tricks.
Just as you would with a baby who has just begun to walk, you should take certain measures to protect your dog from harm in your home. For instance, if you decide to get a dog, get rid of any poisonous plants you have in your home. So many dog injuries and deaths can be prevented by taking a few simple steps.
Puppies may be cute when biting on a slipper, but the cuteness fades when it turns into a dog who is ripping them apart. Stop these problems early. If he’s doing something wrong, say “no” firmly. It is best to address this issue early.
Not only do you have a friend when you have a dog, you also have a responsibility. It’s important that you do your best to make sure that your dog is well-fed, healthy and happy. You need to make sure that you use the tips here to help you so that you and your dog both enjoy a good life.
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The Love of Kamp 750 