Why a Crate for Your Dog?

I cringe whenever I hear a well-intentioned person say, “I would never put my dog in a cage.” That statement comes not from a well-informed perspective, but rather from our having grown up going to zoos and seeing the animals behind bars, primarily to protect US from THEM. A crate is just the opposite… it’s main purpose is to protect the dog from us!
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Doggie Profiling

Looking for a new member for your family, but not sure what breed to choose? A controversial study from the American Veterinary Association shows that breeds can be placed in seven groups based on three general traits:

•   Reactivity (described as showing a need for affection, excessive barking, snapping at children, being excitable, or having a high activity level)
•   Aggressiveness (showing dominance or being territorial)
•   Trainability (easy to train)

You can use this these groups to narrow down your search, based on what you are looking for in a dog.

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Five Easy P’s of Puppy Potty Training

Keep these 5 “P’s” in mind as you approach the job of housetraining your puppy… you’ll wonder why it used to be such a challenge.

1. Prediction: Learn to look for the signs… walking around with nose to the floor, just finished eating, just woke up, just finished playing, any other pattern you might notice.
2. Place: Pick a place where you want puppy to go and always take him/her there
3. Persistence: Do it regularly, without fail. Yes, it might be too hot, too cold, too windy, too wet, too early, too late… these are all LAME EXCUSES!
4. Patience: Wait until puppy has done her/his stuff… it may take a while. Relax, breathe some fresh air… it’ll do you some good.
5. Praise: When puppy has done her/his stuff, let puppy know s/he is the best puppy that ever lived… go a little crazy! Puppy won’t laugh at you for acting foolish, and it’ll really help puppy understand what you want. And remember, puppy’s great goal in life is to make you happy!

That’s it! 5 easy P’s! Prediction, Place, Persistence, Patience and Praise. And you’ll have a happy dog and a clean floor!

Best Friends

Are you really taking good care of your dog? Let’s not forget that they’re totally dependent on us for their food, shelter, health and well-being. We took them away from nature and made pets out of them, and in doing so, we let them forget how to survive on their own. Let’s never forget that a dog is like a little baby, needing us through their entire lives. [Read more]