Shelter Dog Meal Donation Count:
Though it’s not common, Great Danes can get overweight. They won’t ever get as round as maybe a Dachshund can, but they can definitely have too much fat–especially aging Danes that are not as active as they used to be, but are still fed the same amount. Feeding junk food or human treats, or having health issues such as thyroid disease or hip dysplasia can also lead to your Dane gaining a few extra pounds. Those extra pounds can mean even more … Read more
Walking nicely on a leash can be a real challenge for Huskies. After all, they were bred to pull. But a pulling Husky can be the cause of a lot problems. They may injure your back or neck, get loose and lost, or even injure other people if they pull you into them. All you want is a nice, calm walk, but what you get is frustrating pull down the street. Never fear: while it does takes some patience, your … Read more
Boxers are known for using their paws, especially when greeting someone or when they want something, like the toy in your hand. And when they do, they tend to use those front paws like hands, which can easily cause injury as they grab you with those sharp claws. While it’s nice that your Boxer is friendly, he needs to learn to ask for things, such attention, appropriately–and that means no jumping. Luckily, there are some easy ways to get your … Read more
Chihuahuas are an extremely popular breed. But they are also one of the top breeds found in shelters. While some of this is from over-breeding, a lot of them are older Chihuahuas with behavior problems that owners just couldn’t figure out how to fix. These are often the result of owners forgetting or not knowing they should have done things differently. Knowing the following 5 mistakes Chihuahuas owners make can help keep your Chi a happy and a welcome part of … Read more
Our German Shepherds add so much to our lives, it’s hard to know how to repay them for everything they do – it’s just not possible! If only they could understand all our words so we could express our gratitude to them. But since they can’t, one of the best ways to show your Shepherd how much you love her is by keeping her happy and healthy. Wondering if you are doing all you can to provide excellent care to … Read more
Labrador Retrievers are thought of by many as one of the easiest breeds to own. It’s one of the reasons they are so popular! They don’t take a lot of grooming, they are overall an easy-going breed that likes other people and dogs, and they seem to enjoy training. But that doesn’t mean there are not things that all Lab owners should keep in mind. The following are 5 mistakes Lab owners make that can affect their dog’s health and … Read more
Little Pitty puppies are the sweetest things in the whole world. That is, until they have a potty accident in your house. That’s about when most puppy owners start to wonder why they got a puppy. And we can all agree it’s the major downside to getting one. Worse still, if not trained properly, you will end up with an adult Pit Bull that thinks it’s okay to go in the house. It’s important to start out right from the very … Read more
Whether you own two sibling dogs from the same litter or just have two dogs at your house, you’ve probably experienced some type of sibling rivalry. In dogs, rivalry looks a lot like what human siblings do – they fight over your attention, toys and even food. If your dogs push each other out of the way for attention, if one dog gets upset while you are training the other, they get snappy and grabby with treats, or even fight … Read more
Awhile ago, I wrote about new research that showed hand signals resulted in more correct responses from dogs than verbal cues, in most cases. The exception was the COME cue. This research was done on a small pool of Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers that had been taught both hand and verbal signals as part of their water rescue training. So what should you, a pet parent, teach your dog? Here are the pros and cons to both ways of training. … Read more
When it comes to teaching dogs basic cues such as sit and down, most of us think of them as “easy.” And, for the most part, they are. However, sometimes even these “simple” behaviors can be hard to teach your dog. Small dogs, in particular, are often harder to teach lie down to than bigger dogs. Why Small Dogs Don’t Like To Lie Down When Asked Of course, you want to first make sure it’s not because your dog has … Read more
You’ve watched the police dog demos at the fair. Your friends own one and you love the way he tolerates your kids. Perhaps you’ve even seen a highly trained Shepherd tend his sheep. Maybe it’s as simple as seeing the movie Finding Rin Tin Tin (2007). Whatever it was, you’ve taken that first step – you’re pretty sure you want a German Shepherd to join your family. A German Shepherd can make a wonderful pet, but they can also be … Read more
One of the most easily recognized dog breeds in the world, Great Danes are admired by all dog fanciers, so it’s no wonder you are considering adding one to your home. Maybe you watched Scooby Doo when you were little or enjoyed reading “Marmaduke” each Sunday. It could be that a friend of yours owns one and you just love her. Whatever your reason, you are now contemplating adding a Dane to your household. And while they can be wonderful … Read more
You’ve finally found your Mr. or Mrs. Right. You’ve been on several dates and you are already thinking it might be love. There’s just one thing left to do. Bring them home to meet… your dog. But what happens if your dog doesn’t like your new partner? Is there a way to make sure that this doesn’t happen? The following are some tips and tricks to help that first meeting go smoothly so your love can continue to grow. Before … Read more
Most basic obedience classes teach a hand touch where your dog learns to put their nose on your hand. Some may even learn it in puppy class. At the time, it may seem like just a cute trick, but once your dog knows the basic hand touch, there are many useful behaviors you can teach your dog – including ways to help around the house and things that could save your dog’s life. The following are just a few of … Read more
Exuberant Boxers often cause frustration when their owners try to walk them on-leash. All you want is a nice, calm walk but they want to bounce and pull. Boxers are big enough that leash pulling is not only irritating, it can be dangerous. It takes some patience, but your Boxer can learn to walk nicely. The following easy training tips will help make sure that your Boxer doesn’t pull on the leash. #1 – Start Young As soon as you bring home your Boxer, … Read more
The Pittie personality is loving, comedic, and full of energy. That energy can often be hard to harness while on-leash, making them a difficult dog to walk if not properly trained. Coupled with their solid and strong bodies, you may find yourself being walked where your dog wants to go. The following training tips will help make sure that your Pit Bull doesn’t pull on the leash, putting you back in control of your walks. A video posted by Fight Abuse … Read more
Feeding a dog who guards his food can be dangerous. You can get bitten and you can even (accidentally) make the guarding behavior worse. There is a safe way to do it so that both you and your dog have a positive experience, which can actually help diminish the behavior over time. Why Dogs Guard Food Dogs guard food (and other things like toys, people, etc.) because their instinct is telling them they need to protect their resources. Wild … Read more
A formal heel is an amazing thing to behold: dog right at your leg, staring attentively up at you while you walk. It’s something even non-dog people can appreciate. You may feel it’s something you and your dog can never accomplish, but it’s actually easier than you think and can even be fun with the following tips. What Is “Heel,” Anyway? First, let’s define what we are looking for. Knowing what you want the behavior to look like before you … Read more
Do you have a pushy dog? You know the type – jumps all over you, invades your space while you are trying to eat, barks for attention or toy throwing. They may even knock your kids over by being too friendly. These are not bad dogs. These are dogs that do not understand the concept of manners. It’s a frustrating way to live for the owner, and sadly, these are often the dogs that end up in the shelter. A … Read more
Why did you chose the leash you did? Maybe based on color or because a friend or trainer recommended it? Many of us don’t take a lot of time thinking about the leash. We just fasten the nearest one to our dog’s collar and go. But the leash is very important. It keeps your dog under control and affects the safety of you, your dog and other animals or people nearby. So next time you reach for the leash, stop … Read more
German Shepherd Dogs are intelligent, sweet and loyal to their families. If you have one, you know this is true. You also know many of them suffer from stress. As a trainer, I see a lot of nervous German Shepherd Dogs that have a hard time focusing or relaxing in new places or around new people. The first step to helping your German Shepherd Dog is recognizing when he is feeling this way so you can help him. The following … Read more
A litter of puppies may seem like they don’t do much – eat, sleep, play a bit, repeat. But you may be surprised at just how much those puppies are learning and how what they learn will affect the dog they become. In fact, behavioral problems you are dealing with now may likely have stemmed from what happened (or didn’t happen!) before you bring your puppy home. Those First Several Weeks While those puppies are certainly eating and sleeping a … Read more
We’ve all wondered about what our dog is feeling or thinking. Obviously, we know dogs can feel pain, fear and hunger. But what about other more “complex” emotions? In the last decade, scientists and canine behaviorists have used technology to find out more about our dogs’ emotions than we ever thought was possible. Thanks to them, we now have a deeper understanding of our best friends and what they feel. How Exactly Did They Study It? You may be wondering … Read more
If your dog whines when it needs to go outside, chances are you figured that out pretty quick. But what about the other times? Why do some dogs seem to whine all the time or at odd times of day when they clearly don’t have to “go”? If you live with a dog that whines, you know how frustrating it can be to hear it. But also how frustrating it is to not be able to understand what your dog … Read more
Do you have a dog that barks at every little noise? Whether it’s another dog barking, the doorbell, or simply you opening a cupboard, your dog feels the need to bark. Dogs who are overly sensitive to sound – sometimes called “alert barkers,” can make daily life extremely unpleasant and even require you to post signs on your door! Luckily, there are ways you can help your dog stop the incessant barking. Why Some Dogs Bark At Noise So why are … Read more
My last several dogs had all been adults when I got them and had come with names, so when I finally got a puppy, I agonized over just the “right” name. I think it took me three weeks to finally settle on the call name “Merlin.” Why did I have such a hard time? Because your dog’s name is something you are going to use more than you could ever possibly imagine, and choosing the wrong name can cause trouble … Read more
Your puppy just ate your shoes, bit your ankles or had an accident on the rug. Your adolescent dog won’t respond when you call him, barks at everything in sight, or won’t stop jumping up. Whatever it is, chances are someone close to you has said, “He’ll grow out of it.” But is this really true? The short answer is no. Dogs don’t grow out of behaviors like they grow out of collars. A puppy that bites and is never … Read more
Hitting the open road this summer with your four-legged best friend can be one of the best ways to spend the summer. It can also be one of the worst if your canine companion is not ready for a road trip. There is so much to think about when planning a trip with your canine buddy that oftentimes people forget about the most important thing – the dog himself! Your dog needs to be “prepared” for the trip maybe even … Read more
All you wanted was a nice family pet. What you got was a dog that turns into Kujo whenever food is involved. A dog that acts this way can be dangerous, especially in a house with kids. Unfortunately all too often dogs exhibiting this behavior end up at the shelter because the owners just couldn’t figure out how to fix the situation. Why Your Dog Gowls When You Approach His Food This is a type of resource guarding. The behavior … Read more
Puppies are wonderful bundles of fur and joy, until they sink those razor-sharp baby teeth into your skin. That’s about that time that many dog owners start question why they got a puppy (that, and potty training!). It can even get so bad that the puppy, now an adolescent, gets relinquished to the shelter. So why does that adorable puppy that you just want to cuddle bite you? There are several reasons and knowing why can help you curb the … Read more
Few things are more frustrating to a dog owner than when a dog doesn’t respond to a known cue. You went to basic obedience class and your dog learned every cue perfectly. Not only did he graduate, but you swear he was the star student – the teacher’s pet if you will. And chances are, your dog was. So why isn’t he responding? Top Reasons Dogs Don’t Listen To Their Owners There are many reasons why a dog may not be … Read more
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