Prison Dogs

From the Hamilton, Ohio Journal News:  Project Free Inmate Dog Obedience (FIDO) is matching dogs from the humane society to prisoners at the Butler County Jail for obedience training.  The prisoners are screened to make sure they have not abused animals, then they are matched to a dog from the shelter.

[Read more]

Applause for Working Dogs

  For the 7th year in a row, Goodwill Industries of Greater Cleveland and East Central Ohio will sponsor an Applause for Working Paws Dog Walk on June 21st from 11:00 - 2:00 pm.  Although we won’t be able to attend this year, it has been a lot of fun in years past. 

[Read more]

Behavior Management

Australian company BarkBusters promises a lifetime of peace from your dog’s annoying behaviors:  aggression, excessive barking, jumping, etc.

[Read more]

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!
[Read more]

Dog Bite Prevention Week

May 18 - 23 is National Dog Bite Prevention Week. The Center for Disease Control estimates that 4.7 million people are bitten each year. In about half of the cases serious enough to warrant medical attention, the victim is a child.

What can you do to prevent dog bites?

• Never approach an unfamiliar dog.
• Don’t pet a dog without permission.
• Report loose dogs to the proper authorities.
• Stand still if an unfamiliar dog approaches you. If you run, the dog will chase you and may knock you down. If the dog does knock you down, roll into a tight ball & put your hands over your ears.
• Avoid direct eye contact with dogs - they see it as an attempt to dominate them.
• If a dog tries to attack you, “feed” it something else - a book, an umbrella, or your jacket.
• Don’t disturb a dog who is sleeping, eating, or caring for puppies.

If you are bitten, wash the wound with soap and water immediately. If the bite breaks the skin, seek medical attention. Report all dog bites to the health department or animal control office so the dog can be quarantined until the danger of your catching rabies has passed.

If you own a dog, have him/her neutered or spayed - hard to believe, but this actually reduces aggression. Take your dog to obedience classes and make sure he obeys your basic commands. Don’t chain your dog, if possible - this increases aggression.  If your dog has bitten before or is aggressive, don’t let him be around people without a muzzle!

Working together, we can all reduce the risk of another child having to face life permanently scarred.

Until next time,
Good day, and good dog!

Baby Blues

Afraid of how your dog will react to the new baby you are carrying?  The American Pregnancy Association offers several tips to help you prepare.

[Read more]

Life with Jake III

Those of you who are faithful readers will remember my friend Wendy’s dog Jake, who is taking her through the trials and tribulations of puppyhood. This time, Jake actually embarrased himself!
[Read more]

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!