Home »
Articles posted by Vince (Page 11)
Nearly every dog owner has been through it. It can be difficult to train out of a dog without professional help, and it is an embarrassing thing for your neighbors and friends to witness. Leash chewing on a walk is a bad habit many canine companions develop as they’re taken outdoors on their daily walk with their favorite human. It’s often seen from an energetic young dog or puppy, as he bounces by his owner’s side, and grabs the leash. The sheer joy of tugging and chewing is enough to reinforce this unwanted behavior, and the dog views it as a playful outlet for his excess energy. However, the destruction of a leash is dangerous as it leads to the dog’s ability to break free from his owner’s control, and ingests harmful nylon, rope or leather. Owners have complained of this behavior, and pet product manufacturers have listened as they...
Continue reading » Dog Products, Planning2 Comments Picture this; you’re walking your favorite canine companion. It’s a nice, crisp fall day with blue skies and fresh air until you and your dog come across another dog owner’s pet waste that you must avoid before it ends up on the sole of your shoe. No one should have to deal with another person’s dog poop. The pet industry knows this, and has made it easier for owners to scoop their dog’s poop with handy pick up plastic bags, holders and other gadgets to make this dirty job less gross for even the most squeamish of stomachs. Easier Than You Think Just as much as you don’t want to see, smell or pull your dog away from a strange dog’s feces lying on or by a side walk, you also may not feel the need or want to pick up your own dog’s poop. You’re outside after all, right?...
Continue reading » Dog Health, Dog ProductsNo Comment Whether you are a dog trainer or simply owned by your pooch, target training is probably one of the very first things you would teach your canine. Nearly every professional animal trainer, whether they are teaching dolphins or Yorkies, understands the importance and convenience of targets. A target is simply an item that you ask your dog to touch with his nose. It typically only takes minutes for any dog to learn this behavior, and it can turn into teaching a service dog to turn on a light for his disabled handler or in teaching a dog to heel for an upcoming obedience competition. Target training is typically done with a stick, or your hand. The downside to both is that you are fumbling with your clicker, treat back, leash, and target all at once. This can cause a delay in rewarding your dog for performing the behavior you have...
Continue reading » Dog Product Reviews, Dog Products, TrainingNo Comment If you have or have had a dog, you have probably been through the dreaded pulling stage (or maybe you are one of those unlucky ones whose dog never actually left the pulling stage). You know what I’m talking about- dog is super-duper excitable, can’t control said excitement, and practically pulls your arm out of its socket when on the leash. You may have tried every type of collar from chain/choker style to pronged collars, harnesses and everything in between with no luck. Or you may THINK you have tried every type of collar- have you heard of the Gentle Leader? No? Then if you want your pups pulling to end, read on! The Gentle Leader is an adjustable head collar that works similarly to horse reigns- while a regular neck collar or body harness is used on the most powerful parts of the dog’s body (the neck and the...
Continue reading » Dog Product Reviews, Dog Products, TrainingNo Comment If it’s time to travel by air flying with your dog may be the only choice, or perhaps your perferred choice to get from point A to point B. Preparation will help you to fly safely and mindfully with your best canine friend. If you take the right steps you can have an easy transition from one location to another with minimal problems. Traveling is already stressful for both you and your dog, so make sure you can minimize that as much as possible with these 6 easy steps. Step 1: Within 10 days prior to traveling, take your dog to your local veterinarian for a wellness check and an update on his rabies vaccination if you are flying within the US. If you are flying outside of the country, further vaccinations may be required depending on where you are headed. Make sure you know all the health requires for...
Continue reading » Planning, Randon StuffNo Comment Dog trainers hate them, pet lovers can’t imagine life without them. The retractable leash has been a hot topic of debate among dog owners for quite some time. When this product was first released into the market, the idea was to provide a way for dogs to gain a little more freedom and exercise while on a typical walk with their human family. The top brand names in the pet industry were releasing their own versions of the item, and while many owners love giving their dog that ability to walk off the trail to get a sniff that they would not have been able to on a normal flat leash, some people and pets have been greatly injured by these items. The Pros The original idea of the retractable leash still provides the benefits it was meant to give owners and their dogs. An easy to hold plastic, or...
Continue reading » Dog Products, Dog Safety, PlanningNo Comment Does your dog chew on everything including his dog bed? Welcome to the party! Our puppy does the same thing along with a lot of other peoples. Before we talk about chew proof dog beds, you might want to take a look at my article called “So Your Dog Chews Everything, Ways to Stop it“. But make sure to come back and read this. Some dogs are big chewers, they will chew on anything, including their bed. Besides being very annoying, it can get expensive buying new dog beds all the time. Believe it or not, chew proof dog beds are actually made for people just like us! They come in different styles to match just about any room. Here we are going to go over some of our options. I hope you find one that works for your situation. If you’re reading this, you probably love your dog like...
Continue reading » Dog Product ReviewsNo Comment Is your dog constantly itching, scratching, and digging into his ears with his paws? Or shaking his head? If so, your dog may have an ear infection. Ear infections are one of the most common ailments that pet owners will see. Some breeds are more prone to them than others such as Golden/Labrador Retrievers, Bassett Hounds, and English Bulldogs, but any dog can get them. The most common type of ear infection is called otitis externa, which is inflammation of the external ear canal. Most dogs with this type of infection experience itchiness, brown/yellow/ bloody discharge, redness, swelling, and you may notice an odor that could be describe as moldy bread if you get too close to your dogs head (this type of smell is most commonly caused by a yeast infection, which is the most common type of infection found in the ear). Your dog’s behavior might be off...
Continue reading » Dog HealthNo Comment Imagine this scenario- you let your dog get into the front seat of your car unrestrained, and head on out. On your way to your destination, you get into an accident. This is where things start to get tricky- depending on the severity of your accident, any number of things could happen. In the best case scenario, nothing happens, and you and your pet are totally fine. Worst case scenario, your pet could become loose on a major highway, become severely injured, or worse be killed. When driving your dog anywhere, you need to be prepared for any scenario as you never know what could happen, and having an unrestrained dog is not safe for you and your pet. First and foremost, your pet should always be in the back seat. Just like with small children, the front seat is the most dangerous place for your dog to be. There...
Continue reading » Dog SafetyNo Comment Although you can catch a cold or the flu at any time of the year, we see it so much more during the cold winter months. This is because while it is cold outside, we like to keep ourselves nice and warm inside. But being inside so much means we are breathing the same air constantly, and are not able to get away from the germs that are going to make us sick. While you expect that members of your human family would get sick, did you know that it could also be your dog that comes down with either of these illnesses? The short answer is yes- your dog can catch a cold or the flu (also known as canine influenza virus, or CIV). Although some viruses, parasites, and bacteria can cross from one species to the next, when it comes to cold and flu viruses you do not...
Continue reading » Dog HealthNo Comment Page 11 of 17« Prev 1 … 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 … 17 Next » 
