Training Basics

You’re sitting on the couch watching TV. Your faithful pup is lying at your feet sleeping.    Suddenly you start to notice him twitching. His tail starts to thump, and he starts yipping ever so slightly. You think, “What the heck? Is he ok?” Then you begin to wonder if your pooch is dreaming. It…

You just came home with your new best friend. Maybe you went to a breeder, perhaps you went to a shelter, maybe he actually found you- either way, what do you do now? Other than love, food, and shelter, what else could your new pup possibly need?    How about some TRAINING??!!   You may…

Trying to figure out your dog’s age?    We all know the equation – Take how many “human” years old your dog is multiplied by 7 to figure out that your dog is X age.    If you’ve ever owned a dog, you know all too well that dogs age much faster than us. The…

We get lots of phone calls asking for in-home lessons. In theory these are great. It’s private instruction at your home, tailored to your needs, your dog’s behaviors and in your normal environment. So, why aren’t private lessons a good place to start for many people? First, if I shadowed you at your job for…

Do you have a first aid kit prepared for your dog? Where is it? Does it travel with you? Here are some common items that you should have in your first dog’s first aid kit: Place everything in a durable and portable container (like a small plastic tote to keep materials dry). Identification and Phone…

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/canine-corner/201905/do-puppy-classes-have-effect-later-dog-behavior?eml

We see A LOT of dogs each year. And we are starting to see A LOT of dogs with food allergies. But where did they come from? It seems that 30 years ago pet allergies were unheard of by owners and vets. So what has happened? It’s all in the food. Yes, that expensive grain-free…

Our dogs love the snow and cold weather, luckily, so do I. We’re still out daily for our walks, which means I have to take extra care of their paws this time of year. Most people know that salt can be very irritating to our dogs’ paws. You’ll notice it most when they are transitioning…

UPDATE: On 1/12/2018 Camp Bow Wow updated their vaccination requirements to include the Canine Flu vaccine. From an email to their clients: “We will be requiring campers to be vaccinated for the H3N2 flu by March 31st, 2018. After that campers that are not vaccinated will no longer be permitted to come to camp…We will…

Monday nights during November and December will be all about tricks. What tricks, you wonder? It will depend a little on your dog…but… Around. Backpack. Bang. Beg. Bounce. Bucket. Circle. Crawl. Fire hydrant. Handstand. Push. Reverse. Roll.  Speak. Spin. “Spider”. Spread ’em. Touch. Twist. Under. And MORE.   The fine (ok, bold) print: Classes will be…

It’s summer in the ‘Burgh. That means it can get H-O-T! This should go without saying, but, we’ll say it anyway… Make sure you don’t leave pets or children in parked vehicles with only windows cracked. If you can’t or are unwilling to leave your car runnig with the AC on, if you can’t provide cool…

Did you know that veterinary behaviorists identify the critical socialization period for puppies as 3 – 14 weeks old? The first several weeks of socialization comes with their littermates and mother, until they are sold to their new homes. Responsible breeders will not sell puppies prior to 8 – 10 weeks of age. But, not all puppies…

Finn is making great progress! Compare this video from the one below – he’s quiet, less jumpy, more focused and more relaxed. We were able to work closer to a dog than before, and his barking was nearly non-existent during his third lesson. Stay tuned for more updates!

One of the most common but misunderstood behaviors in our pet companions is destructive behavior, specifically chewing. If your pet is a puppy, it is understood they are teething and are using chewing as an outlet to soothe the pain and keep themselves entertained.  But if your dog is older and suddenly starts to have a…