I know you want to show your new pup a good time but remember that he is just getting to know you so taking him to a dog park or any other active public area isn’t a good idea since, if he gets scared or nervous, he won’t know that he should trust or listen to your guidance.

This can set both of you up for possible disaster such as a dog fight at the park or having nip a stranger in public. Instead, you want to make sure your dog has a quiet and stable environment while he is adjusting to your home for the first two weeks. This will allow him to bond with you and learn to trust you before he has to meet the rest of the neighborhood. Just think of all the stress he has recently gone through! Give him time to relax and get familiar with his new life. Once he adjusts to you, give him at least 3 new experiences every week. Wear a large hat while you feed him breakfast. Drop a book. Skip around the house. Show him a skateboard. Introduce him to the landscaper. Have him meet friendly dogs on leash.

DO NOT take your dog to a dog park until you are sure he is dog friendly and has learned his basic commands such as Leave It, Stay, and Come. This will make sure that his first experience at the park is a positive one.

Great question! There are many different things to consider when picking a collar. But remember, that no matter which you chose, there is no “quick fix” in training and that your dog will also need lots of treats, praise, and guidance to become the good dog you are looking for.

Flat Buckle Collar

Every dog should wear one with ID tags attached. If it is a young dog that goes to dog parks frequently or has another dog at home that he/she plays rough with, the collar should have a snap buckle that can easily be released if the dog gets tangled up with another dog. The collar should fit be comfortable and fit about 2 fingers between the collar and the dog’s neck.

Martingale Collar

This is a great collar for dogs that pull a little or one’s that like to slip out of their collar. The chain martingales are the best since they release easier and the sound from the chain correction helps to train the dog to not pull. The collar should fit tight around the dog’s neck. This collar should only be on during walks since it tightens around the dog’s neck and can cause injury if this happens by accident when the owner is not home.

Gentle Leader/Halti/Snoot Loop

This is not a muzzle. It’s great for dogs that are strong pullers or dog’s that are reactive to other dogs. The owner should desensitize the dog to the collar for a week in the house before they start using it on a walk. If the dog is extremely reactive, the gentle leader should be attached to a martingale collar to assure that the dog won’t break free from the owner during a reaction.

Easy Walk/Sensation Harness

This is a great option for small dogs that pull or larger dogs that do not desensitize to the gentle leader. Most dogs show instant improvement in their leash manners. Many owner’s put the harness on wrong. The different color strap should be underneath the dog’s legs.

Chain Collar

The chain collar is not a good option for most pet owners since the collar is frequently used wrong and becomes a “choke chain”. The excessive pressure on the neck can cause health issues for the dog. If someone is on a chain collar, they should switch to a martingale collar immediately.

Prong Collar

These collars are very powerful and should only be used in very limited circumstances, under the advice and guidance of a professional trainer for very strong and confident dogs. They should never be put on small or fearful dogs.

Treats are a great motivator for your pup and should be used throughout training! A high quality, tasty treat works best.

You want a treat that your dog absolutely loves since that will give him the motivation to learn new commands. Soft treats work best since they are easy to break. The treat should be small. You do not want to give your dog a whole bone or a large treat every time he does a command. The do g w ill quickly become full and will no longer be interested in learning. The ideal size of the treat should be the size of a dime. Yes, a dime!

In the beginning you want to give your dog a treat every time he performs a new behavior. This helps to show your dog that he is on track and motivates him to continue to learn. Make sure to praise him every time too. So it should be “good boy!” as you give him the treat.

Timing is critical! If you ask your dog to sit, he sits, and then as you fumble for your treat he gets up and walks away, you have missed your opportunity to reward the good behavior. So be ready to reward within 1-2 secs after the dog does the behavior you are looking for.

Once your dog starts to become “fluent” in his new command, it is important to fade out the treats so the dog will listen to you even when you don’t have anything in your hand.  To do this, you want to turn your dog into a gambler. Give him a treat the first time, then the 3^rd time, then 4 treats the 10^th time, and so on. For your dog, “winning” a treat, becomes just like someone sitting at the slot machine hoping to win the jackpot. Your do g w ill never know when he will get lucky so he will play all day long.

There are many things you can do to make sure Fido has a festive and happy holiday season.

A potato chip here, some mashed potatoes there, and just one more spoonful of stuffing because it’s a holiday and Fido likes it so much! All of these table snacks may seem harmless but this high fat and calorie diet can lead to acute Pancreatitis, which can be a serious medical condition for your dog.  Symptoms include abdominal swelling, lack of appetite, loose stool and possible vomiting. Often times, people equate these symptoms to their pup just having too much holiday excitement so they delay contacting the vet. Do Fido a favor, and leave the leftovers for you!

Cooked Turkey bones splinter easily and even small amounts of Onions or Chocolate can be dangerous for your pup so make sure to keep all out of reach! This includes taking the trash out after the holiday dinner so your dog doesn’t try to get some of these items out of the trash while you are distracted.

The house may look magical as it is filled with holiday glitter and glamour but some of those decorations can actually be dangerous for your dog. Cedar pine trees, poinsettias, mistletoe, and holly berries are poisonous. Tinsel, Holiday decorations, and Christmas tree lights are also dangerous if chewed on. Make sure to always supervise your dog while he is around the decorations. If you have a younger dog, you can also put a fence around the Christmas tree or a gate to prevent him access to the room where the Christmas tree is. This will help keep your decorations and your dog safe.

Holiday Guests Holidays often bring out of town visitors-adults and kids-who may not have as much experience with dogs. This can make your guests and your pup nervous.  Plus as people arrive, it’s easy for the front door to be left open during all the holiday greetings. As a result, make sure to provide your pup with a safe place away from all the festivities.

Finally, giving your dog a special place to go that is away from the table and all of the action is helpful to both you and your dog! You can do this by teaching him to go to his bed or kennel on command and to stay there until he is released. “Bed” gives your dog a sanctuary and allows you to enjoy the day knowing that he is safe and sound!

Great question! So many people don’t even think about having an emergency evacuation plan for their pup until it’s too late. Below are things you can do NOW so you are ready when (not if) the next emergency situation happens.

Have a crate with an extra leash, collar, bowls, toys, bones , and at least 3 days of food and water packed and ready to go so you can grab it quickly in an evacuation.

Know where you are going. Not all emergency shelters or hotels accept pets. Make sure to do your research and find out what hotels outside of your area are pet friendly. Also have a list of boarding kennels in surrounding areas in case you need to board your dog.

Make sure you have a copy of all vet records including recent vaccinations and an update picture of your pup. This should be kept with or near the crate so you can find it quickly in an emergency. Some emergency shelters and most boarding kennels will not allow your dog to stay without proof of current vaccinations. The picture will help you to locate your dog in case he/she is separated from you.

Update your dogs ID tags and microchip information. Often when a person moves or changes their number they forget to call the microchip company or get that new tag made. Having the correct contact information is critical to help getting your lost pup back to you in an emergency.

Have an exit plan. Talk to your neighbors and develop a plan to get your dog out of danger in case you aren’t home when disaster strikes. This should include who will take your dog and how you will find that person if cell phone communication is limited.

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Active dogs are happy dogs but it’s our job to make sure our four legged exercise companions stay healthy and injury free as they start to get in shape.

First, make sure your dog is old enough to start an exercise program that includes jogging or intense cardiovascular workouts. Dog’s bodies don’t fully mature until they are 12-18 months old so stressful exercise before that can cause long term joint damage.

Once your dog is of age, build any exercise program slowly to give your pup‘s body time to adjust to their new routine. Start with a one mile run instead of ten!

As your dog starts working out with you, make sure to carefully watch for any injuries. Dogs want to make us happy and many won’t show signs of joint pain or muscle injury during exercise. So check your dog everyday for soreness or tenderness especially on their legs, hips, and paws (remember they aren’t wearing the new air cushioned tennis shoes like you!).

Beware of overheating. Dogs can’t cool their body as effectively as humans so Fido will start to feel the afternoon heat before you. Also, dogs cool themselves thru panting and the pads on their paws so if the pavement is hot, it means they may not only injure their pads but they won’t be able to stay cool. Make sure to watch your dog for signs of heat stroke on warm days and carry plenty of water.

Finally, remember that fuel is key! As your dog starts to exercise, his nutritional needs may change as his body starts to burn more fat and increase muscle. Your vet will be able to help you make sure that your dog is eating the proper food and getting any needed supplements.

Congrats on your new pup! Below are the top 3 tips to make your training more effective since HOW you train is more important than how long you spend training.

Praise the victories

The most important step in training a well behaved dog is to praise the small victories. Often, we get so frustrated with a pup so when she finally sits after being told 10 times we don’t reward her, we just walk away or move onto the next thing that we were trying to do. This is the wrong thing to do. Praise her lavishly each and every time she does something right. Did she come to you? GOOD GIRL! Did she sit? GOOD GIRL and a treat! Did she stay? Wonderful!

Remember that dogs increase behavior that feels good. If she sits when you tell her to, and she gets praise, she will be more likely to sit the next time since sitting gave her a positive outcome. However, if she is being resistant to sitting and you tell her to sit 10 times and when she finally does, you, feeling frustrated at her non-response, simply say “good” and walk away, she will think, “Well sitting got me nowhere and in fact my owner just stopped paying attention to me. I guess the only way to get attention around here is to act up!”

Set her up for success

The second puppy pitfall to avoid is giving the dog too many tasks to do at once when she first starts training. For example; sit then stay then come then stay. Because your dog is just learning these commands, you are almost setting her up to fail since somewhere in the sequence of events she will forget what she is doing and mess up. When she does, we correct her, thus erasing all of the positive stuff she did before she screwed up. So make sure to praise each and every step. Sit. Good! Stay. Good Job! Come. Wonderful!

The turtle always wins the race

Finally, move slowly when advancing a command. Don’t expect her to stay in one spot for 5 minutes one day and 20 minutes the next. She won’t be successful and the repetitive failures will cause her to shut down. You can also think of it this way: Which sounds better to you? Today you must pack your stuff, fly to Nepal and climb Mt. Everest; or I want to start training you to climb mountains, let’s go out for a short hike around town to get you started? The small step sounds better huh? And as long as you continue to move forward you will still reach the same goal.

It is normal for dogs to be scared of new things but how you deal with the fear will make the difference between a well adjusted dog and a dog who is scared of his own shadow. Follow these 5 tips to help your dog bravely face the big world outside the front door.

1. When encountering something scary let your pup go at his own pace. You may know it’s just the trash truck but in his mind it’s a scary urban monster that is about to eat him!
2. If he is scared of a new item (or a person), praise him if he moves towards the item. If he stays where he is or backs up, let him do this but don’t talk to him. Many people want to tell their dog that “its okay, the (blank) won’t hurt you.” This is meant to be reassuring but since dogs don’t understand English they think that you are praising them for being fearful.
3. Do not force him into any situation. It will only confirm to him that the world is not only scary but that you can’t be counted on to protect him.
4. To help him get comfortable with whatever he is nervous about, you should walk up to the item/person and say hi to it and touch it if possible. It sounds funny to talk to a trash can or hat but if your dog sees you calmly interacting with the “scary monster” it will help him realize that there is nothing to be afraid of!
5. If he moves forward, praise him, if he stays where he is cont. to ignore him. If he barks, tell him No and then start to ignore him again. Give him 3-5 mins to become familiar with the situation. If he is still fearful after that time, calmly move away from the situation and try again later.