Recommended Sources of Quality Dog Treats, Snacks, Bisquits, Cookies, and Chews:
Dog.com has a huge selection of quality treats and chews including gourmet/organic and puppy treats.
ActiveK9.com carries a large variety of dog treats including vegetarian treats and pill pockets for dogs who are difficult to medicate.
Animal Behavior College
Have a Happy Halloween with your Hound! It’s that spooky, haunted time of year again, and many proud dog owners desire to show off their pooches by dressing them up in adorable doggie costumes. Doggie Halloween costumes and canine couture have skyrocketed in popularity over the past few years, and numerous dog owners have followed the trend. However, not all costumes are designed for comfort, and perturbed canines may blatantly show their distain for wearing clothing. The key is to ensure that your pooch is comfortable and that his breathing and movement are not impaired by the clothing.
To properly fit and accustom your canine to his costume, follow these steps: Purchase your pooch’s costume early so you can help him become used to wearing it over a period of two to four weeks.
Bring your dog along with you when you purchase the costume (if possible). Stores may not allow you to try the costume on your dog, but you can at least estimate the size by holding it up to his body.
When fitting a costume, check the hemlines around the neck, feet, and tail. If it feels tight, it’s most likely uncomfortable and potentially hazardous to his health.
After purchasing the costume, take it home and begin getting your dog used to it at least several days before Halloween.
Start by simply draping the costume over his back, and treat him lavishly for being a good sport.
Then, you can move on to putting the costume on loosely, and again, treating him generously for compliance.
Have your dog sit, lie down, and stay while wearing his costume to ensure that his movement is not impaired.
Once he seems comfortable with the costume, zip or Velcro it accordingly and allow him to wear it around the house for a short period of time each day. Again, have him sit, lie down, and stay to ensure a proper fit. Treat him abundantly for his obedience.
Make sure your canine is always supervised when wearing his costume.
If your dog attempts to remove the costume, or if he seems unhappy or uncomfortable even after you have followed all advice for getting him used to wearing it, do not force him to wear it. Remove the costume and either attempt a simpler idea (such as adorning him with a festive Halloween bandana) or allow him to avoid a costume altogether. For safety’s sake, it is also a good idea to attach reflective patches to your dog’s costume so he is easy to see on Halloween night. Trick-or-treating with your canine can be fun (as long as he is friendly, non-aggressive to animals or people, and not afraid of costumed kids), but safety is a crucial factor. If you are not 100% sure that your pooch will enjoy being out and about on Halloween, keep him inside and have him help you greet trick-or-treaters. The children will surely be thrilled by your festively dressed canine.
Happy Halloween!
Naming your New Dog or Puppy As a responsible animal lover, when you choose to adopt a puppy or dog, you will probably choose a pooch in need from a shelter or rescue organization. Depending on the circumstances, the dog may come with a name from her previous owner, have been given a name by the shelter attendants, or have no name at all. You may desire to change her name, or you may need to provide her with her very first name. Here are some suggestions for choosing a name for your new canine companion and for helping her become accustomed to her new name.
Choosing a Name The following are a few guidelines for choosing a name for your new dog or puppy, recommended by Drs. Fosters and Smith at www.PetEducation.com:
Teaching your dog obedience cues is essential in having a communicative and understanding relationship. Thus, you should avoid names that sound like obedience cues or commands that you will use with your dog in everyday life. For example, “Tidbit” sounds similar to “sit,” “Kay” can be confused with “stay,” and “Bo” sounds too close to “no.”
Steer clear of names that are the same as people in your household. Your dog will surely be perplexed if he thinks he’s being told to “take out the trash” or “drop off the car at the auto mechanic’s shop.”
Shorter names (one or two syllables) will be easier for your pup to recognize and respond to. A canine’s name should be simple and easily recognizable.
Hard consonants (b, k, d, t) and vowels (y, ā, ē, ī) are easier to hear and distinguish than soft consonants (f, s, m, n) and vowels (ĭ, ĕ, ŭ). Thus, “Tito” or “Buddy” will be much easier for a dog to recognize than a name like “Fern.”
Choose a name that you won’t mind saying out loud in public.
Getting your Pup Accustomed to Her New Name If this is the first time your pup has had a name, you’ll have to help her get used to responding to a name in general. Begin by using her name regularly in her everyday life and encouraging her to focus on you using her new name only. To do this, say her name excitedly, but don’t repeat it excessively. If she focuses on you in response to hearing her name, reward her instantly with a food treat, verbal praise, a favorite toy, or petting (whichever she finds the most rewarding). Repeat this exercise often until she focuses on you consistently after hearing her name.
If your dog had a name given to her by her previous owner or by the kennel attendants that you’d like to change, it will be necessary to help her transition to her new name. Begin by saying her new name followed immediately by her old name. When she focuses on you, reward her (food, praise, toy, petting). Repeat this often until she focuses on you consistently. Then, drop the old name and begin using the new name exclusively. Every time she responds to her new name by focusing on you, reward her. She should soon respond to her new name dependably.
Maintaining your Dog’s Obedience Cues If you’ve taken your pooch to obedience classes (which every owner of a friendly dog should) or have sought out private lessons, he has probably mastered (or at least learned) his sit, sit-stay, down, down-stay, come, and heel cues. However, even after you’ve proudly watched him graduate from his obedience class, there is still much to be done when it comes to maintaining these cues. In order to keep your dog’s compliance to obedience cues sharp and reliable, it’s imperative to practice training in his everyday life. Here are some tips on practicing obedience cues in real-life situations.
Have your canine perform sit-stays before you give him his meals. Do not allow him to dig into his dinner until you release him.
Ask your dog to perform a sit-stay or down-stay before you let him inside the house from the backyard and vice versa.
Cue your dog to lie down and stay while you put on his leash before taking him out for a walk. He should stay in the down position until his leash is secured and you have opened the door and released him from the down-stay.
Bring treats with you on your walk. Stop and practice different obedience cues intermittently throughout your walk. Don’t forget to treat and/or praise him for compliance.
During your walk, practice the heel cue. However, remember to take breaks from training and allow your dog to walk leisurely (without pulling on the leash).
Practice the come cue as a family – have each family member pick a room in the house and stay in there. Each person should take turns calling the dog’s name and saying “come” right before he reaches them. Not only will this reinforce the come cue, but it will also help the dog learn to obey every member of the household.
Remember to make training motivational and rewarding for your canine. He should always be praised, treated, and/or petted whenever he does the right thing. With consistency, effort, and an understanding relationship between you and your canine, he will be an obedient and enjoyable member of the family.
Capture the Behavior – The “Down” Cue Most dog owners will agree that a calm, obedient dog lying quietly next to you as you watch TV, read a book, or have dinner with the family is far preferable to an in-your-face dog who just won’t relax. Getting your dog to lie down is usually a simple obedience cue to master; ABC’s method of teaching a dog the “down” cue is to food-lure the dog into position using yummy, strong-smelling treats and praising her when she gets in position accurately and in a timely manner. However, what if your dog will not allow you to lure her into the down position? What if she just does not seem to be catching on?
The best way to go about mending this training issue is to capture the dog’s behavior on a regular basis, whenever you “catch” her lying down quietly. ABC deems this the “opportunistic” or “natural” down. Capturing the behavior involves praising and treating the dog whenever you observe her lying in the down position. Some owners will find that treats, toys, or praise – whatever the dog finds most rewarding – are sufficient for capturing the behavior. Some owners may choose to also use a clicker to capture the natural down.
To capture the down behavior, place a handful of food treats between your dog’s front paws whenever she is calmly resting in the down position. If she does not find food treats rewarding, try giving her a favorite chew toy or verbal praise (“Good!”). Remember to do this every time you find her in the down position. She will soon learn that lying in the down position is beneficial to her and will offer the behavior more often. After repeated captures and rewards for her good down behavior, you will be able to associate a cue, i.e. the word “down,” with the behavior. Your dog will soon become much easier to coax into the down position.
For more assistance with training your dog, contact an ABC Certified Dog Trainer in your area by visiting ABC’s Online Trainer Directory. See ABC’s homepage for more information.
Caring for your Dog while on Vacation Summertime is a popular season for getting away on vacation, and many airlines and hotels will not allow owners to bring their dogs along for the trip, especially those of larger breeds. True relaxation will prove difficult if you are constantly worrying if Fido is being well taken care of. So, how do you ensure that your beloved canine is properly cared for while you and your family enjoy your trip? Here are a couple of reliable options for leaving your pet behind and keeping him or her happy and comfortable until you return.
Boarding kennels – Boarding kennels are brick-and-mortar businesses that have been established for the sole purpose of housing and caring for pets while their owners are away. According to the American Boarding Kennel Association (ABKA), there are approximately 9,000 boarding kennels in the U.S. and Canada offering services to more than 30,000,000 pet owners annually. To find a boarding kennel in your area, you may try an internet search, phone book, or better yet, personal recommendations from experienced friends or your veterinarian. Some veterinary facilities also offer boarding services. Make sure to book your pet’s stay as early as possible as boarding facilities can become booked up, especially during popular vacationing seasons. Also, check out the facility personally in advance to make sure that supervision, sanitation, and security are up to par. All boarding kennels should require that your dog is up-to-date on his or her immunizations. For canines, required immunizations are the DHLPP (distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, parainfluenza and parvovirus) and bordatella vaccines. Inform the kennel staff of any special instructions upon booking your canine’s spot – for instance, if your canine is dog-aggressive and must be kept away from other dogs, this is essential for the kennel to be aware of in advance.
Pet Sitters – For some dog owners, hiring a pet sitter may be preferable to boarding their dog in a kennel. A pet sitter is a person who comes to your home to feed, water, exercise, and watch over your pet while you are away. Some pet sitters offer the option of staying at your home for 24-hour supervision, though you can also choose to have them stop by once or twice daily instead, depending on your preference. One of the benefits of hiring a pet sitter is that your pooch or pooches can stay in the comfort of their own home during your absence. This can be especially comforting for the dog. You can also give more specialized instructions for care of your pet. It is recommended that you meet with pet sitters before choosing one to confirm their qualifications. Some pet sitters are certified through Pet Sitters International (PSI)or the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters (NAPPS), meaning they are pre-screened by the association. These and other sitters can achieve certification in pet CPR as well, which can be an added comfort to an owner away from home.
No matter which option you choose, make sure to personally check out the facility or sitter before leaving on vacation. Also, ensure that your pet is essentially healthy, and if he or she has special medical needs, inform the kennel operator or pet sitter of required medications prior to your departure. ABC wishes you and your pets a happy summer!
