AU739852B2 - Method and apparatus for controlling an animal - Google Patents

Description

WO 99/51088 PCT/AU99/00257 "METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING AN ANIMAL" TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates to a method and apparatus for controlling an animal, particularly a dog.

BACKGROUND ART Many people have difficulty in controlling or training or restraining (herein generically referred to as controlling) their dog's pulling or lunging when it is on a leash. This is particularly true in relation to larger dogs.

Choker chains have been widely used for the purpose of controlling a dog on a leash. However, many dogs continue pulling despite the choker chain. Furthermore, many people are not comfortable with using choker chains as they are concerned that the chain may injure the dog.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION In one aspect the invention resides in apparatus for assisting a person in controlling an animal, the apparatus including:a harness including guide means; running gear in use extending substantially forwardly from the person controlling the animal to the guide means and then substantially rearwardly to the animal's hind legs for attachment adjacent each of the hocks such that the pulling of the animal causes a forwardly directed force to be applied to each of the animal's hind legs.

In another aspect the invention resides in a method for assisting a person in controlling an animal including:utilising running gear to apply a forwardly directed force to each of the animal's hind legs in response to WO 99/51088 PCT/AU99/00257 2 the animal pulling or lunging away from the person.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS In order that this invention may be more easily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred example of the invention, wherein:- FIG 1 is a side view of harness apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention and positioned on a dog; FIG 2 is a plan view of the harness and dog shown in FIG 1.

BEST MODE Referring to FIGS 1 and 2, the example of apparatus constructed in accordance with this invention includes a conventional dog leash 2, a harness 4 and running gear in the form of a length of shock cord 6. For the reader who is unfamiliar with this term, "shock cord" comprises an elastic core and a braided sheath which enables limited resilient stretching.

The harness 4 is fabricated from webbing, and includes a body strap 8 which encircles the body portion of the dog immediately behind the front legs of the dog, and a chest strap 10 which extends across the chest of the dog and which is stitched at its respective ends to the body strap 8.

Both the body strap 8 and the chest strap 10 are adjustable to accommodate different sizes of animals and both are provided with quick release devices (not shown) to facilitate positioning of the harness 4 on a dog and to facilitate release of the harness from the dog.

The chest strap 10 is provided with guide means in the form of a pair of metal anchor D rings 14 adjacent its two ends at each side of the dog, and the body strap 8 is provided with central guide means in the form of a WO 99/51088 PCT/AU99/00257 3 metal anchor D ring 16 adjacent the upper back portion of the dog.

Extending rearwardly from the body strap 8 adjacent the D ring 16 is a closable storage pocket portion for storage of the cord 6 when not in use.

The cord 6 extends from just above the hock of the left rear leg 22 of the dog through the left hand side guide means 14, through the central guide means 16 to the leash 2, then back through the central guide means 16, and through the right hand side guide means 14 to just above the hock of the right rear leg 24 of the dog.

As will be apparent, a loop 26 is formed from a middle portion of the cord 6 and extends rearwardly through the harness body strap D ring 16. The leash 2 is slidably attached to the loop 26.

The ends of the cord 6 are attached to their respective lower hind leg by adjustable loops 28 provided at the ends of the cord. A known fastening, such as is known, for example, in camping equipment, closes or tightens the loop in place above the hock. The loops 28 are each provided with a rubber sleeve member to protect the leg of the dog from injury. The loop is retained in position immediately above the hock by virtue of the fact that the dog's leg is larger in diameter immediately above and below the attachment point. Thus, the loop cannot slip upwardly or downwardly. It should be noted that the illustration shows the loops loosely attached to the animal for illustrative purposes only. In practice, the loops are snugly or firmly tightened in place.

In use, the harness 4 is positioned on the dog as shown in FIG 1 utilising the harness body and chest strap quick release devices. The two ends of the cord 6 are firmly secured above the respective hock portions of the lower hind legs 22, 24 of the dog. The cord loop 26 is pulled through the harness body portion D ring 16, and the leash 2 is attached to the cord loop 26. Thus, the running gear cord 6 extends substantially forwardly from the person holding the leash to the guide means D ring 16 WO 99/51088 PCT/AU99/00257 4 and then substantially rearwardly via the pair of D rings 14 to the dog's hind legs immediately above the hock.

Attaching loops 28 just above the hock of the dog's leg(s) provides improved control and prevents the loops 28 slipping below the hocks thereby avoiding possible injury to the dog.

If the dog lunges or pulls, a reactive tensile force is applied to the running gear cord 6 via the leash 2 and this causes resistance of rearward movement of the dog's hind legs and/or causes a forwardly directed force to the legs, which in turn controls the dog's movements. These forces are transmitted in a damped manner due to the limited resilience of the cord 6 thereby ensuring the dog is not injured but also ensuring transmission of the force. Often, the dog will be caused to sit in response to its own pulling by virtue of the forwardly directed force which is applied to its rear legs. It will be appreciated that the reactive controlling force is directly proportional to the magnitude of the dog's own pulling.

The sliding engagement of the leash and the rearwardly extending loop of cord results in substantially equal forces being applied to each hind leg.

Slidable locking means, similar to those used on each hock engaging loop and which cannot pass forwardly through D-ring 16, could be provided on the rearwardly extending loop 26 to maintain a length of loop rearwardly of D-ring 16 to thereby selectively restrain the dog in a seated posture if necessary.

It will of course be realised that whilst the above has been given by way of an illustrative example of this invention, all such and other modifications and variations hereto, as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art, are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of this invention as is herein set forth.

Claims (6)

1. Apparatus for assisting a person in controlling an animal, the apparatus including:- a harness including guide means; running gear in use extending substantially forwardly from the person controlling the animal to the guide means and then substantially rearwardly to the animal's hind legs for attachment adjacent each of the hocks such that the pulling of the animal causes a forwardly directed force to be applied to each of the animal's hind legs.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the animal's hind legs are pulled forwardly such that the animal adopts a sitting posture.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a middle portion of the running gear extends substantially rearwardly towards the person from the guide means.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the middle portion of the running gear forms a loop and the loop is slidably held to substantially equalise forces on the hind legs of the animal.

Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein locking means are provided on the rearwardly extending loop of running gear to selectively restrain the dog in a seated posture.

6. A method for assisting a person in controlling an animal including:- utilising running gear to apply a forwardly directed force to each of the animal's hind legs in response to the animal pulling or lunging away from the person.