Playing Tug with Your Dog
For dogs who are hard to tire out and love toys, playing tug is an excellent way to burn both physical and mental energy. This game is not so much about discipline and control, as a legal outlet for good plain fun. Just as it’s a basic need for humans to carouse from time to time, your dog also deserves to kick up their heels and paint the town from time to time!
Like all games, this one comes with a few simple rules that everyone agrees to and understands. A nice side effect of teaching your dog how this works is that your dog will learn the valuable skill of being able to cool their jets on a dime.
Bringing Home a New Friend
Twelve years ago, I fell in love with a quiet, meek yellow fraidy-dog who had, ironically, been named by his previous owner, “Argonaut” after the bold sailor Jason. I was a volunteer groomer at an animal shelter, and every week when I saw his name was on the bath list, I eagerly sought him out. At first, he had to be carried into the room, because he was too scared to walk….
Training in the Winter Time
“A tired dog is a good dog.”
This age-old saying is a well-known adage for good reason. As winter approaches and daylight time decreases, many young, healthy dogs may find their outdoor time constrained. This in turn can lead to excess energy which translates into a slew of common behavior complaints such as barking, jumping and chewing. Training and exercising your dog can be a tremendous challenge when it’s bitterly cold outside….
Top 10 Things Dogs Love
Looking for ideas how to put a smile on your dog’s face? Dogs are often easy to please, but sometimes one of life’s simplest and most satisfying pleasures comes from thoughtfully adding an activity to your dog’s life. Even if it’s only taking that extra golden moment to snuggle with them on the couch and give them smooches... Below is a list of things many dogs love (keeping in mind, of course, that not all dogs will be into every single thing on this list!)….
Socializing Your Puppy
If you’ve just brought a puppy home, chances are you’re being bombarded with advice on socialization, housetraining, and other important must-know’s about puppies. Bringing home a puppy can be downright overwhelming, between trying to make sure your new best friend doesn’t leave little unwanted surprises everywhere, or chew everything in sight. In the chaos to rearrange your life and keep up with your puppy’s shenanigans, carving out the time to provide your puppy with socialization experiences might fall by the wayside….