A final tip to help you with loose-leash training your dog is about helping your dog to walk in a specific spot. Dawn Jecs, dog trainer and owner of Choose To Heel in Puyallup, Washington, teaches dogs to walk in a certain spot in relation to the handler. When they’re in that spot, the leash […]
Canine Hip Dysplasia (Part 2): Treatment & Prevention
One of the most difficult tasks facing a veterinarian is how to manage hip dysplasia. There are several modes of therapy available, but only the most commonly accepted techniques will be discussed. 1. Maintenance: This is non-surgical management and consists of rest and restricted exercise, pain relievers, and anti-inflammatory drugs. Its best use is in […]
Loose-Leash Training: The Most Effective Way To Train Your Dog (Part 4)
When on-leash, your dog needs to learn to walk with you, not against you. To keep the leash loose, the dog needs to stay tuned to your verbal and hand signals, and pace itself to your speed. Michelle Kirk, a local pet sitter in Pacific Beach of San Diego, California, uses a training clicker (a […]
City Dog Housetraining (Part 4): The Threat Of Disease
One of the major concerns about potty training a puppy to use the bathroom outside in the busy city is the possible spread of disease. Deadly distemper and parvo disease, as well as parasites, can be transferred via infected canine feces and bodily fluids. A puppy’s immature immune system leaves him open to all kinds […]
Loose-Leash Training: The Most Effective Way To Train Your Dog (Part 3)
Walking Toward A Goal On any walking route, certain places are especially attractive to dogs. When dogs near those places, their excitement increases and the urge to pull is strong. You can use those places both as walking goals and training rewards. Start toward the attractive goal, such as a bush or clump of grass […]
Commercial Dog Food – Is The Recent Pet Food Recall Finally Smartening People Up?
Commercial pet food is a multi-billion-dollar industry that seems to grow in sales each year that goes by. What is happening here, are more animals being adopted or are more pet owners being sold on the idea that dogs absolutely must eat dog food in order to be healthy? Surprisingly, the answer is the latter […]
Loose-Leash Training: The Most Effective Way To Train Your Dog (Part 2)
When you put a leash on your puppy, can you go for a pleasant walk around the block, or is it more of a drag? Walks do not have to turn into a tug-of-war with your puppy. Train your little friend loose-leash skills by using these expert techniques. Polite Vs. Free Walk The reason loose-leash […]
Are Puppy Kindergarten Classes Necessary? You Be The Judge (Part 1)
It’s time you make the right decision and enroll your pup into puppy school. Take the following example from a friend of mine, Jim Bonza: “Just before my neighbor’s 100-pound, 9-month-old chocolate Labrador Retriever was about the be thrown away to the nearest animal shelter for doing what comes natural – jumping up on everyone, […]
Loose-Leash Training: The Most Effective Way To Train Your Dog (Part 1)
Dogs like to explore scents, sounds and sights, and tend to pursue those interests with enthusiasm – even when that means towing a human behind! While your pup is young and small, leash pulling might not bother you, but the habit will grow as your dog matures. If adults of your pup’s breed are large […]
Canine Hip Dysplasia (Part 1)
The growing popularity of larger breeds of dogs has brought with it a threat of a crippling disease of the hip joints known as hip dysplasia. This disease was first described in the United States back in the 1930s. Research has produced abundant information on hip dysplasia, but many questions still remain unanswered. It is […]
