What’s the deal with dogs that greet you with a toy when you walk in the door? I don’t mean to sound like Jerry Seinfeld here, but I’ve always wondered why Haley does this. Sometimes she does a little panic routine as she frantically searches for something to put in her mouth. Usually it’s a toy laying nearby or an … Read More
Dog Vision – How Dogs See the World
Have you ever thought about how dogs see the world? I’ve often wondered why Haley doesn’t seem to notice our resident chipmunk sitting on the edge of the porch during the day, even when I try to point him out to her. Yet, she’ll let me know that she sees something up ahead while we’re walking through our wooded neighborhood … Read More
What Should You Do When Your Dog Growls at Someone?
I admit, that’s a pretty broad question to answer because dogs growl for a lot of different reasons. There are good growls, like when a dog’s having fun playing tug-of-war and there are bad growls like when a dog growls at a young child. Nobody wants their dog to growl at an innocent child and our first instinct is usually … Read More
Do You Have a Dog That Doesn’t Like to Play?
I recently read an interesting article by Jen from Puppy Leaks called A Game of Tug is the Best Training Reward I’ve Found where Jen talks about how she uses a tug toy as a training tool for her dog, Laika. Training often involves using treats for motivation but Laika loves tug-of-war so much that Jen discovered using a tug … Read More
6 Simple Ways to Build Trust With Your Dog
Does your dog trust you? Maybe you never really thought about ways to build trust with your dog before, but this past weekend something happened with Haley that made me realize how important it is. I gave Haley a soft, chewable bone, you know the kind that are similar to dental bones and get a little gummy when chewed. Well, … Read More
Adopting a Dog When You Have a Cat
If you’re thinking about adopting a dog when you have a cat, do you visualize one of those cute photos of a dog and cat lovingly curled up in the same bed or does the expression “fighting like cats and dogs” come to mind and make you a little apprehensive? Yep, it could go either way but if your cat … Read More
15 Helpful Dog Park Tips – Keeping Dog Park Visits Positive
After getting some great feedback from last week’s post “Are Dog Parks Good or Bad for Your Dog?”, I wanted to follow up with some dog park tips and additional information I think you’ll find useful. If you feel the dog park environment is a good fit for exercising and socializing your dog, check out the helpful tips below. All … Read More
Are Dog Parks Good or Bad for Your Dog?
Are you thinking about visiting your local dog park? You’ve probably heard some dog owners rave about how wonderful dog parks are for exercising and socializing dogs and how they go on a regular basis and enjoy hanging out with their doggie and human friends. You’ve probably also heard other dog owners describe how these parks are full of diseases … Read More
Finding the Best Names for Dogs
Congratulations! You just brought home an adorable puppy or adopted your new best friend from a shelter or rescue and are ready to start thinking about names. Maybe your adopted dog had a shelter-assigned name that she’s not that familiar with and you would like to change it. Are you the type of person that can instantly come up with … Read More
The Male vs. Female Dog Debate
Do you have a preference between male and female dogs? In this battle of the sexes, the male vs. female dog (or better stated, dog vs. bitch) debate tries to uncover whether behavioral and temperament differences exist between male and female dogs that have been spayed or neutered at the appropriate ages. I’ve always had female dogs and do have … Read More
