Dog News

 Talk about no personal space!! 

I'm sure more than a few people can agree with this!

The summer is heating up!

Many would say we are in the "Dog Days Of Summer", but do you actually know the meaning of that saying?

The "dog days of summer" is actually the dates from July 3-August 11 in which the "dog star" Sirius, in the constellation Canis Major, rises with the sun and is the brightest star in the sky.

Some feel that the combination of the brightest luminary in the day (the sun), and the brightest star in the night (Sirius) is responsible for the extreme heat that we feel during the height of the summer.

AWESOME!

This summer has been throwing us some serious heat waves and everyone’s feeling it.

Your dog is no different, and if anything, is even more susceptible to the effects of the hot sun.

Could you imagine wearing a winter coat all summer?! Dogs also can’t sweat like people do to reduce body temperature. They have sweat pads on their feet, but otherwise, they use panting as a way to let heat evaporate through their tongues.

Here are some tips to help keep your pup cool so you both can have fun in the sun!

• Bring along a collapsible water dish and water so your dog can have a drink wherever you go. It is SO important for dogs to stay hydrated, just like people.
• Offer an ice pack or damp towel for them to lie down on to reduce body temperature.
• Replace some of their kibble with canned food: Canned food contains more water than kibble, so this will help them to stay hydrated.
• Stay close to shade or bring a sun shade so there is a way out of the direct sun.
• Avoid hot pavement. It would burn your bare feet to walk on hot pavement and it’s the same for dog’s sensitive pads. Use booties to prevent any heat burns if you have to be on the roads.
• Limit exercise: Going for walks is fine, but if it’s blistering hot out, don’t go for long runs, agility training, etc.

*If you have a brachycephalic dog (short-faced dog), try and keep them out of the heat altogether. These dogs have an increased risk of breathing issues on a regular day, so a short walk on a hot day can be detrimental. Lying around in the A/C is best for these squishy pups.

The city is a busy place, and if you live in an apartment or condo you likely will be going for a lot of walks with your dog. 🐕🏙️

All that hustle and bustle can be distracting for your pup and can cause your walks to be wrought with leash pulling. Teaching your dog how to properly walk on a leash is something that will benefit you (and your arm), your dog, and the people around you.

Here are some tips to help teach your dog to have good leash manners on those busy streets:

1. Start before it all begins. If you expect your dog to walk controlled on a leash, they need to be in that state beforehand. If your dog is bouncing around, doing circles and jumping at the door, there’s less of a chance that they will be able to calm down when that leash is clipped on. Stand still with your leash at your side until they have all four feet on the floor. Don’t clip the leash until they have calmed down and can stand in front of you. Don’t open the door until this happens either.
2. Choose what method works for you AND your dog: there are many methods of leash training out there: some are reward based and some are more disciplinary. Do your research and find what fits your duo.
3. Utilize head halters. Products such as gentle leaders are a fabulous tool to help your dog learn to walk on a leash. It utilizes pressure points on the head and nose to reduce pulling and is something that your dog can easily get used to and is great for dogs that can’t have pressure on their throats for medical reasons. You DO need to do some training with these products though for them to be effective.
4. DON’T make your leash training your dog’s main source of exercise. These sessions should be short and concise to keep your dogs attention. It doesn’t give your dog enough time to release their energy (which is what we DON’T want on a leash walk), so make sure to set aside a separate time for off-leash play/running/etc. This will also help your dog relax on their leash walks since they don’t have excess built up energy.
5. Walk at a quick pace. Going for a brisk walk with your dog will decrease the chance of them catching a whiff of a delicious smell or getting distracted by something. It also reduces the likelihood of them wanting to stop and eliminate on everything in sight!

Keep training fun!

Your dog thrives on interaction with you and this is a great opportunity to bond and learn something new together. If you get frustrated or things just aren’t going great one day, take a break and try again another time. ❤️



Did you know that dogs have the same type of sleep as us? They have SWS (slow wave sleep) and REM (rapid eye movement) sleep just like us, and dream like us too! When you look at your pup twitching or "running" in their sleep it's true that they are dreaming! 😍🌙⭐

The joy of getting a new puppy is one that we should all experience. How could you NOT love those squishable rolls and puppy breath?! But, puppies really are like babies. They need CONSTANT attention and unfortunately, the downfall with a puppy instead of a baby is that you can’t put a diaper on it (well you could, but you may get more than a few odd looks from others).

Potty training a puppy is something we all dread, and to make matters worse, living in the city means that most people don’t have an accessible yard.

How are you going to do it?! You have to get over the obstacles of having to know when your dog needs to go, race them down the elevator, through the lobby and outside, hopefully to find a minuscule patch of grass.

The trick is TIMING IS EVERYTHING. In the beginning you can start out by training on pee pads, or splurge on a lovely piece of “fake grass” for your balcony. This trick often works for small dogs as we can all imagine, their “business” is just as small as they are and easy to clean.

If you’re a large dog lover though, this isn’t the most practical method. When they are little it is acceptable to pee pad train IN CONJUNCTION with training to go outside. But as they grow, you won’t want those giant messes in your building.

Start tracking your puppies habits. Get a journal and write down when they usually eat, drink, play and need to go out (or have accidents). This will give you a decent timeline of when you should try and take them out.

Most puppies need to go to the bathroom shortly after eating, drinking, and sleeping so those are good times to take them down to the streets. Some dogs will need training to go on concrete, and others grass if you have it nearby. Take them to your ideal spot and give command words such as “Go pee!” or “Do your business!”. When they do go, give LOTS of praise and training treats to reward the positive behavior.

Try and catch them before they start whining when they are indoors. Usually, by the time you pack them up and try and get them out, it’s too late. As your puppy gets older you can start spacing out the time between walks as their bladders will become stronger. An adult dog though will still need a walk to go to the bathroom at least 3-4 times a day. Plenty of exercise for the both of you!

Bullwrinkles Tenderchips or Liver Lovers are a great option to use as training treats. They are easily broken into small pieces which is great for having to give multiple treats throughout the day. They also smell AMAZING (to dogs of course).

As a tip, don’t end your walk right after your pup has done their business. If you do this, they may start to hold their bladders and bowels to get more walk time in. Tricky!