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No You Can’t Pet My Dog

No, You Can’t Pet My Dog

Terie Hansen 

Question… Do you let random strangers come up to you or your child, get into your personal space and touch you, your child? No, of course you don’t. Why? Because you don’t know them, becauseno you can't pet my dog it would be uncomfortable, because it would make you feel nervous, anxious or even scared. Because it’s just plain weird.

Well, it’s no different for your dog. Having someone they don’t know approach them and come into their personal space, make direct eye contact, touch them, talk to them etc… makes most dogs uncomfortable. You just don’t realize it because you don’t recognize subtle cues your dog exhibits to show their discomfort. Cues such as turning their head away, looking away, yawning, exposing their belly or licking their lips are just a few of the cues they display. Furthermore, just because a dog is wagging its tail doesn’t mean it’s happy. Dogs wag their tails for many reasons, even right before they attack.

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Dog Training Tips for Teaching Thresholds

Dog Training Tips for Teaching Thresholds. Do not pass unless invited to do so!Dog Training Tips Teaching Thresholds

Do you own a “Door Dasher”?

 

Thresholds at it pertains to dogs is an important but oftentimes overlooked area of training with many owners and dog trainers. Teaching a dog NOT to move through a threshold unless invited  to do so can be lifesaving. A threshold is a door to the house, car door, crate door etc. So many times, I hear of dogs escaping through a door only to get lost, or worse, hit by a car or engage in dog fights. [Read more…]

Dog Training Follow Through is Important

Dog Training Follow Through, the importance of Consistency.

When consulting with a prospective training client, I am often asked dog training follow through“How much training will my dog need?”. My answer, “That depends on many variables. Your dog of course, but mostly on your consistency and follow through in applying the techniques you will be learning.”.  [Read more…]

6 Potty Training Tips for Puppies and Adult Dogs

6 Potty Training Tips for Puppies and Adult Dogspotty training tips for puppies and dogs

I receive many calls regarding potty training both for puppies and adult dogs. With the holiday season there will be many more calls as puppies and dogs are high on the Christmas wish list.

Most people know that a puppy must be potty trained. When adopting an adult dog, you may think that they should already be potty trained. However, if the dog is being adopted from a shelter

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Pet Suffocation, Snack Bag Dangers

Suffocation by Snack Bags, Is Your Pet at Risk?

Recently a pet sitter of ours arrived at a client’s home for their daily dog walk only to find that sadly the dog had passed away. She found the dog at the base of the stairs with a potato chip bag stuck firmly on his head. She started Cpr immediately but it was too late. Cause of death, suffocation by the snack bag.

When a pet sticks their head in a bag or box to get the food, their pet suffocationbreathing creates a vacuum and the bag tightens until they can’t get it off and they suffocate.

Imagine the horror. Imagine how the sitter felt, as she has known this dog for years. This however, is nothing compared to what the owner felt when our pet sitter called to inform her of what had happened. Utter devastation are the only words to describe this situation. [Read more…]

Training Your Puppy or Dog to Accept Handling By You and Others

How to Train Your Puppy or Dog to Accept Handling.

Can You Touch Your Dog? Anywhere?

One of the most important things you can teach your puppy or dog training dog to accept handling by groomeris to allow handling and touch to any and all of his body parts. Teaching him that being touched either by you, a pet professional or accidently in an inappropriate way such as a pull on the ear by a child is no big deal or better yet is good. Training can help keep him calm and prevent aggression. Aggression can result in your dog having to be muzzled and/or sedated at the vet or groomer. This is no fun for your dog or the professionals that have to interact with your dog.

Using treats and a marker word (yes!) or clicker you can speed up the learning process.

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Don’t Bake Your Dog (Dogs In Hot Cars)

Yes, you heard me! As the days begin to warm, the temperatures in your car become hot. Hot enough to kill your dogs in hot cars. It only takes 10 minutes for the inside don't cook your dog, dogs in hot carsof your car to reach a temperature that can cause heatstroke in your dog. According to Jules Benson DVM “Heat stroke can permanently damage a pet’s health very rapidly. The change of only a few degrees to a dog’s normal body temperature can quickly result in coma, organ dysfunction, permanent brain damage, even death”.

Your dog’s body temperature of 101°- 102.5° is already naturally higher than a human’s. Coupled with the fact that in minutes the temperature inside your car can soar to deadly levels even on a relatively cool spring or summer day. [Read more…]