Dog Training 101

Clover, Ember, and I wish you a happy and safe 4th of July!

The 4th of July is almost upon us and I’m sure there will be lots of celebrations over several days (there is a good chance people may already be celebrating near you). Start planning now. More dogs end up lost during this time than any another time. Does your dog have VISIBLE ID tags? It is much easier for someone to give you a call if they find your lost dog than to try to get them somewhere that can read a microchip. Do you have an updated picture of your dog, just in case? Have you made a plan to keep your dog comfortable during all the noise, such as a long lasting chew or toy stuffed with food and frozen or a great game of fetch in a basement room? Have you talked to your vet to see if they may be able to offer your dog additional support? Maybe a star watching party out on a country road or just a long car ride if your dog likes them for the noisiest hours? Start thinking and planning now so you and your dog can have an enjoyable 4th of July!

Can you teach an old dog new tricks? YES! I had the opportunity to work with Barney and his mom recently and the people at the pet store who met Barney thought he was about two or three years old based on his enthusiasm. Barney is a ten year old lab/ German short hair pointer mix. Barney and his mom learned ways to give Barney an appropriate outlet for his exuberant energy as well as ways to occupy his time constructively when there are visitors at his house or his mom and dad just need some peaceful times in Barney’s home. (Yes, the dogs are the home owners who graciously share their homes with us humans! 🤣)

A very happy Xena (who is making awesome progress in her lessons!) has a message for you!