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 […]
Leash Training 101: Try Using Food Instead Of A Clicker
Though clicker training garners results with leash training, not everyone is comfortable with it. Personally, I do not use a clicker when training my dogs. I prefer to keep the rewards mixed. A rub, praise, toy or food can be intermixed as rewards when you get the response you want. Food is great for luring […]
City Dog Housetraining (Part 3): Choosing The Appropriate Outside Potty Area
The key to training your dog to go from using the bathroom on a pile of papers in your apartment, to holding it in and using an outdoor spot, takes a little common sense and some outdoor etiquette. Going from the papers to the outside means you need to carry your puppy to the right […]
Leash Training 101: The Golden Rule
The majority of dog owners address the issue of leash training only once it becomes a problem. In the beginning, when walking their dog, they initially think it’s “cute” that a puppy pulls away the entire walk to the park because, they think, that the dog “just can’t wait to play with its ball”. But […]
Aggression – What is Territorial Aggression & Why Does It Make A Dog So Angry?
All dogs have one form of aggression or another and to some degree, it is perfectly natural. However, since our pets are domesticated then there is a certain level of calmness that we should expect from them. The most common aggression behavioral problem that dogs display is called “territorial aggression”. To sum up the definition […]
Leash Training 101: Start With The Correct Collar
One of the best leash training methods created today does so that encourages the dog to develop awareness of its owner. To begin, you should use a sturdy, flat or rolled buckle collar made of leather or nylon. Although popular among obedience trainers, slip collars – which tighten and release in response to tension – […]
Canine Cardiac Disease – How Common Heart Murmurs In Dogs Could Be The Result Of CCD
If your dog gets diagnosed with a common heart murmur problem, it may be a sign of canine cardiac disease. According to the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, a heart murmur results from blood flow running through the heart that is abnormal. Some heart murmurs are perfectly normal while others, similar to those heard […]
