I’m a professional dog trainer and I’m also a writer. I blog a lot. But I don’t really know many other dog bloggers. This effort of “Meet the Blogger” was dreamed up by a fabulous blogger named AJ who runs a great blog called I Still Want More Puppies. The standing joke among dog people is […]
Attention! Get Your Dog to Pay Attention [Video]
Getting your dog to pay attention can be a challenge. There are so many interesting things out there! Squirrels! Birds! The wind! Joggers! Dogs! Pee! It hurts to know that pee ranks higher on your dog’s list of interesting things than you do, doesn’t it? The good news is that it doesn’t have to stay […]
Great Lengths
Pay no attention to the ominous angle of that ladder. In the snow. Against a prickly evergreen. Where Tango’s ball is lodged. At the very tip top, of course, the tippiest of tops. I know you’re wondering, so here it is… Today, finally, the sun shone. Brightly, oh so brightly. And finally the wind stopped […]
Depressed Dogs – Vacation’s Over
Yes, it happens to dogs, too. My guys are sad it's Monday. Specifically, they're sad they're not on vacation anymore. Here's some of the fun we had last week: Lily enjoying her "fishing time." Our view most days…. It's nice to just get away and leave your worries in the dust. Or in the wake. […]
Beat the Heat: K9 Nose Work for Your Dogs
Most of the U.S. is battling a heat wave as I write this. My dogs go out early in the morning for a romp, then we head back out after the sun has gone down for another play session. At 100 degrees and 85% humidity, it’s simply too miserable to spend any time outside. Even […]
Caysun’s Next Journey to Becoming A Service Dog
The Dreaded Day: Turn-In Day. It vexes all puppy raisers, but I’m especially traumatized by turn-ins. You’d think that with enough experience, I’d get better at it. Have fewer tears. Hurt a little less. Nah. It’s always the same: the day is filled with dread, I wish that time would stop (and I could run […]
The Perfect Age to Start Puppy Training?
Puppies don’t come with instructions. There isn’t an Owner’s Manual. From the minute you bring your puppy home, he’s learning. Your pup will develop habits whether you teach him or not. It’s much easier to instill good habits from the beginning, than to try to undo bad habits later. Confused about when to start your […]
Cause for Celebration
Today's a celebratory day here in our family. It's Tango's birthday! We celebrate every birthday in this house, dogs included. We also celebrate anniversaries — the date the dogs came to us. Eight years ago today, Tango was born. He was slated to be a hunting dog, but by nine weeks, the kennel knew he […]
What Puppies Need
Puppies. Irresistible. Absolutely wonderful. And oh so needy! Did you know that… …puppies need to be pleasantly introduced to as many different: people locations noises surfaces other dogs vehicles situations the list goes on and on… And the real shocker: this needs to be done between the age of 8 and 16 weeks! Which means […]
Grilled Pork + Feta = Easy Subway Trip for Ike
Part of becoming a service dog involves getting used to a lot of different sights and sounds. Ike had a field trip today to our local commuter train station. It's highly likely that in his lifetime as a service dog, Ike and his partner will need to take public transportation. It's crucial to make these […]