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Location: In an English country cowpat
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 2,810
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02-11-2011, 09:39 PM
Originally Posted by MarchHound 
Ive recently attached a bell to a clip so I have one that I can easily attach.....I think its useful for camping and low visability off lead time.
I'm also looking into buying/making small pouches (like a jewellery pouch) and sewing a small strong magnet into the bottom - these are used as bell silencers and attached to the collar at the same place - you just pop the bell into the pouch and the magnet stops the 'dinger' (usually iron or steel) from...err... 'dinging'
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Location: dumfries
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 320
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Location: w
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 10,769
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02-11-2011, 09:42 PM
Originally Posted by MerlinsMum
I must admit I really love bells, I'm a bellaholic
Years ago when staying at a friend's house in southern Thailand, the torrential rain from a fierce tropical thunderstorm washed away some soil in the back garden and uncovered a rusty length of light chain, with a bell attached. My friend identified it as a traditional Thai dog bell, made of brass; it was a bit larger than a hazelnut and covered with intricate whorled designs. He said it was probably quite old, so he cleaned it up and added it to his keyring.
Later on that trip I managed to find a shop in Bangkok selling many different sizes of these bells, and bought a handful to bring home as gifts. I still have one, and my sister has another - she tied some red ribbon to it and it's now one of her Christmas tree decorations.
I wasn't very prepared for last winter as I'd only recently moved to this area and found it difficult to walk Merlin in the dark... even in the depths of winter the beach was our favourite place and usually light enough to walk for miles.
This year I have invested heavily in some stunning flashing collars, and - wait for it - bells!
I have two dogs now, and I am determined to find a way of walking them in the dark in the fields around here - the tiny local park just doesn't cut it. So with a good torch, flashing collars and bells on both dogs I shouldn't have too many problems!
Thinking of the Thai dog bells I have just received some brass bells from China, of a similar design, found on Ebay. Plus I have bought some brass falconry bells which are big and loud and rather pretty.... and I got them for about 10p each!
So the bells will go on the flashing collars, only for use after dark.... and if it all goes pear shaped I will have a LOT of very pretty tinkly additions for my Christmas tree!
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Location: Wiltshire UK
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 14,404
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02-11-2011, 09:50 PM
I love walking on the downs in fog and in the dark and never carry a torch, the bells mean I can tell where the dogs are without having to keep looking for them.
I have a clip on the bell and just clip them on when relevant and take them off when we are back at the car.
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Location: Manchester/Cheshire
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 2,813
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02-11-2011, 09:54 PM
Originally Posted by Moon's Mum
How does it help blind dogs?! I thought it would help blind owners
Reminds me of my ex who once started talking about assistance dogs and mentioned "blind dogs for deaf dogs"
Useful for blind owners in that they know where the dog is and useful for blind dogs when the owner carries it as baileysblind mentioned
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Location: Manchester/Cheshire
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 2,813
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02-11-2011, 10:36 PM
These dark nights are a bit of a surprise for me though so I am going to have to work out some way of safely walking Kestral
I am getting a flashing collar but STILL waiting on PAH to get the better ones in. She's quite sensitive though so not sure what she would think of a bell, and I think it would make our walks much less peaceful Still anythings better than losing the little critter
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Location: In an English country cowpat
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 2,810
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02-11-2011, 11:13 PM
Originally Posted by WhichPets
These dark nights are a bit of a surprise for me though so I am going to have to work out some way of safely walking Kestral
I am getting a flashing collar but STILL waiting on PAH to get the better ones in.
There is a new website that specialises in them called Flashdog, or you can look on Ebay.
I have bought a couple from Ebay and to be honest at £3-sh a throw inc P+P I won't be too bothered if they don't last. I also just got some sent from China via Ebay for about the same price, and they are very bright indeed, and the best so far.
I took both dogs out a few nights ago with their bells on and it was only just starting to get dark - I have to say being able to hear where they were in the fields and open spaces was quite pleasant and comforting.
Walking along residential streets it does sound a bit too Santa Claus for my liking (although the flashing collars got some very positive attention.... especially in Glastonbury High Street!
) hence my looking into easy on-and-offable clips and/or silencer pouches.Saying that, there is someone in Glastonbury who has a very large Malamute which wears a harness festooned with sleigh bells day in, day out - you can at least hear it coming, and for some reason almost every dog dislikes it, so that's useful - but I suspect that's not the real reason it wears the bells, as the owner dresses like an extra from Lord of the Rings...Maybe the bells are the real reason why it's so unpopular with local dogs!
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Location: warwickshire uk
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 105
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03-11-2011, 06:21 AM
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Location: United Kingdom
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 273
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03-11-2011, 08:37 AM
It allows him to know when/if they are coming which is especially useful when the young ones are doing zoomies and he is able to get out of their way!
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Location: Essex UK
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 3,424
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03-11-2011, 09:46 AM
The bells cut it down to only one or two and those must have been deaf or really too far from their burrows!
No point anymore, he doesn't run like he used to and Bizkit was the brains of that operation, she would let Pharaoh blunder in then wait and pick of the scattering bunnies.
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