Successful Canine Housemates
A new puppy or dog is a time of fizzy excitement and anticipation. If you have an existing dog at home, some careful planning can make things a whole lot smoother. Here are some tips for making the introduction a positive and stress-free experience for both furry friends.
Read MoreThis cheerful and companionable powderpuff comes from the Mediterranean area; bichons traveled widely as companions for sailors, minstrels, and circus groups. Beginning in the Middle Ages and into the Renaissance, they found favor with one royal European family after another, from Spain to Italy to France (King Henry III of France reputedly carried his bichon in a basket hanging from his neck)
Read MoreA common reaction when people see a three-legged dog is sympathy (“Poor thing…”), or admiration. (“What a brave pooch!”). Both are understandable. For humans, amputation can involve complex psychological and emotional issues. For dogs? Less so. Dogs have no notion of body image, no mental image of what they are supposed to look like. What they care about falls into two major categories: One, whether they are in pain. Two, whether they can do things they love: go for walks, play with toys, eat yummy food, get belly rubs, snuggle on the couch, etc.
Read MoreTreats are an essential part of canine life—ask any dog. Not only great for every teachable moment and training session, treats can help you build a positive association for your dog towards something new or scary. By definition, treats are delicious and desirable, and treat makers often achieve this with extra fat, salt, and sugar. Here are some rules of thumb to avoid undermining your dog’s healthy diet.
Read MoreAs responsible dog owners, it is essential for us to not only provide our furry friends with nutritious meals but also to ensure the proper storage of their food. Safe food storage is crucial to maintain the quality and freshness of dog food, preventing the growth of harmful bacteria that can potentially harm our pets. Here are some tips for safe food storage for dogs:
Read MoreDogs will be dogs. They see things differently then we do. They do things differently then we do. For example, when meeting new people, we typically shake their hand. Dogs however, meet each other by sniffing each other’s rear ends, a manner in which we humans find quite rude and disgusting. It is also not appetizing for us to consume cat feces; however, this is quite a delicacy for some dogs. Due to our species and cultural differences, dogs will always do things that we humans just don’t understand. Many of the problem behaviors that we view as problematic, are not at all an issue for the dog. It is just normal behavior for them. What dogs need to learn is to have good manners and how to live with us in a way that meets both their needs and our needs at the same time.
Read MoreI recently made calls to several “experienced” dog breeders and to several “recreational” breeders in order to add to my list of breeders and because I am often asked by families to recommend breeders and shelters where they can purchase a dog from. The information I gathered was very enlightening.
Read MoreOne of the top dog training priorities for dog owners is potty training. Every dog is different in what motivates them and the time it takes to potty train. The breed of the dog and gender of the dog can make a difference as well. Below are some tips to help in potty training your dog.
Read MoreYou are your dog’s most important influence. You have the ability to shape your dog’s behavior by teaching him new lessons and to reshape bad behaviors or habits that he may currently have into good ones. When a dog is displaying inappropriate house manners, one of the first things that I recommend doing is kennel training your dog. The kennel is a valuable management tool and can be a great place for your dog to relax.
Read MoreIn your mind are there certain names that make you cringe, make you quake with fear, or give you images a positive, happy person or memory? What does your dog associate his name with?
Read MoreDog parks can be a wonderful place to take your dog to allow him to exercise, give him a chance to run, and to play and socialize with other dogs. It does however come with a lot of rules for proper behavior on both the part of the dogs and the owners part. Below are 12 items to keep in mind when taking your dog to the dog park
Read MoreWith the temperatures here in Buckeye, Arizona reaching 116 degrees, it is not safe for dogs to go outside and play for very long. This leads to a lot of pent up fur-baby energy. So what are you to do? Whether you live in a hot climate like Arizona or a rainy or snowy climate, here are my top 5 ideas for you!
Read MoreOver the years of being in the dog training business, one of the main things that I have come to learn is that if you were to ask ten dog trainers what the best way to train a dog is, you are very likely to get ten extremely different answers.
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