Stay Home, Stay Bite Free

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 I could go easy on myself and say I looked like a manatee back in 2000, but honestly, I looked more like a slow-moving whale. I was pregnant with my son and ways much larger than any book claimed I would be. 

I remember my dad calling me one morning. While he always spoke with an authoritative tone, this was a much more candid tone than I usually heard from him. He said to me, “I want you to make me a promise.” In my 33 years, my dad had never asked me to make him a promise. I couldn’t imagine what kind of commitment he was asking. It has been said that when my dad spoke, affectionately known as the Captain, people would quiver and quickly say, “Yes, sir.” It was the same for me. “Yes,” I said without even knowing what. “Promise me you will never leave the baby alone with the dogs.” Um ok, I was a little surprised that he asked me that, but obviously, it was important to him. I respected him and his wishes. I kept that vow to him long after my children were babies, and even long after he passed. 

As a dog trainer, I did know better, but you also never think it will happen to you. When my babies were born, I shared my home with a Rottweiler, German Shepherd, Belgian Malinois, an All American dog, four cats, numerous foster dogs along with boarding school students here and there.

If I went to answer a ringing phone, in addition to putting my children in their cribs, behind their baby gate or in their pack and play, I would then put the dogs into their crates. Growing up in a kennel, three doors between dogs and the outside world, also known as loose dog, is something that is drilled into you. One door is never enough. Two is good, three covers you for mistakes and the perfect storm. Incidentally, if you left any of the three kennel doors open, you were fired immediately on the spot. I made sure that there were at least two in between my children and the dogs. “Of course, you did. You had one of those Rottweilers or German Shepherd. They are mean.” I hear you! I have to tell you those were great dogs. I never had a problem with them. Not with my children, not with guests in the home, or even out. They were all CGCs, and my Rottie was a registered therapy dog. The stereotype of certain breeds being vicious is for another post.

As my children grew up, and at the age where I could leave them alone for a little while, the dogs went in their crates. We all teach our children about stranger danger, but what about “Fight Flight.”? What is “Fight flight”? If any dog gets into a fight, go straight into your room. Do not pass go, do not collect $200. Fortunately, my dogs got along very well, and I know how to handle a multidog household. I ingrained it into my children from day one. However, I instilled into them how to manage a multidog home over the years, and “Fight Flight” was one of them. 

 It was only until my youngest was about 13 that I would actually allow ONE fo the dogs out with her when I would leave. That was her very undersized Pug. All of the others had to go in their crates. Maybe I was hypervigilant. But it certainly paid off.

Dog bites are on the rise. Usually, they rise in the summer, but during this quarantine, they are growing, and it is not the mailman or the kid down the street, it is our own children and family members. There are lots of reasons for it. Even Governor Cuomo has said his dog is getting annoyed with everyone being home. I address these reasons in my Stress, and Quarantine article found here. 

How do we keep our children and family members safe?

  1.  Do NOT leave your dog alone with your child!!!!
  2. Go pull the crate out of the basement. Start using it again. This is not a punishment. This is a place to give your dog time to relax. Let your dog spend the time in the crate.
  3. Start playing games with the kids and the dogs. Here are some ideas: Musical chairs. When the music stops, put the dog in a sit-stay, and they can get up when you get up.
  4. The old proverb, “Let sleeping dogs lie” is applicable here quite literally. Leave the dog alone. If the dog is sleeping, let him sleep. If the dog is eating, let him eat
  5. Give your dog time to nap. If your kids are running around for hours on end with the dog, they will become overstimulated and end up acting like an overtired toddler.  
  6. If the dog is chewing a bone or playing with another toy, leave it be.  
  7. Stop overtraining your dog. I was working with someone when the quarantine began. The owner was guilty of overtraining her dog, and she expected her dog to be perfect, not right away, but yesterday. Proper training, like fine wine, takes time. Many people have wanted to take this time to work with their dog, which is excellent; giving your dog two twenty-minute sessions a day is sufficient. Longer and more sessions can create problems. Your dog is a dog, let them grow and blossom at their own rate.
  8. If the dog does something that the shouldn’t DO NOT hit the dog. Your dog perceives that as an attack. Your dog eventually responds by attacking you the next time you strike him with a hand, paper, or whatever it may be. A verbal correction, a shake can, or a Pet Corrector is more effective.

These are some simple ways to decrease the risk of a dog bite. I spoke to someone this morning who read on one of her Facebook groups that someone had just adopted a dog last week. The dog has claimed one of her children as his, guards that child’s room and has snapped at the other child. This is not good. The new owner was soliciting advice from her Facebook mom group. While they may be filled with dog lovers and owners, the information was less than stellar. If you are having trouble such as growling, snapping, guarding, you need to call a trainer IMMEDIATELY! While trainers are not allowed to do lessons during this quarantine, they are undoubtedly available online, and good ones with give you excellent tools for an effective strategy to improve the situation immediately.

Implementing the above tips will help keep you and your family safe during an unsettling time. Your dog will still love you, and it is perfectly normal to feel anxious. Help ease your dog’s anxiety and make his life as peaceful as you want yours to be.

Until next time, Happy Training!

Yours for better dogs always,

Babette

Keep Your Pet Safe this 4th of July

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I love the holidays! Especially the 4th of July!  My dad served in Korea and my uncle served in World War II.  I was raised to love our country and in the words of Jerry Garcia, I was taught to “wave that flag”.  However, just because I or you, may love the smell of barbecue chicken, hot dogs and watching the fireworks, it doesn’t mean that your dog will love it!

Between the fireworks and the chaos of people coming in and going out of your house, dogs can get a little stressed out. Sometimes they can get very stressed out.  Doesn’t your stress level increase when you are preparing your house for a party and guests?  Compound that with fireworks, which your dog doesn’t quite understand, it can be really be unpleasant.

Before I list tips for the big day, drop everything right now and make sure that your dog has a snug fitting buckle collar with an ID tag and phone number attached securely and written clearly.  Also make an appointment with your vet to have your dog microchipped!

Here are some simple tips and considerations to keep your dog safe and relaxed on the 4th!

If you are having a party during the day, keep your dog in his crate.  This accomplishes three things:

  • You do not have to worry about him or her getting into the hamburgers that are sitting on the counter
  • Someone feeding him too many hot dogs making him sick and necessitaing a trip to the emergency clinic
  • You do not have to worry that one of your guests will mistakenly leave the gate open allowing your dog to explore the neighborhood.

If you are going to see the fireworks, leave your dog home.  It will be crowded, noisy and hot why subject him to walking around in the heat, looking for a good spot to watch the fireworks, getting bumped into by other people and then when the fireworks start, it is going to be loud.  Very loud.  Once those fireworks start, the likelihood of your dog startling and trying to run is increased.  If your dog is home safe and sound, you won’t need to worry about him getting away from you.

I recommend that you feed him earlier in the day than usual.  Perhaps at lunch, rather than at dinner.  As the sun starts to go down and it is starting to cool off from, hopefully, a bright and sunny day, take your dog for a good exercise walk.  A brisk pace for about 30 minutes then return home. This will give him a chance to move his bowels from his early dinner.  Give him water.

After giving him water, put two drops Peace and Calm from Young Living essential oils onto his collar and bed while diffusing some StressAway in the room.  You can order both Peace and Calm and StressAway  here.

Put him inside his crate with his bed, a nice fresh fatty soup bone, preferably a Primal one (see photos below) and give him a kiss.  An early bedtime and getting tucked in with a special treat and the essential oils will decrease his stress and help him drift off into dream land.   If he needs one more bathroom walk, before you go to sleep, make sure you have him on leash, even if you have a fenced in yard.  Just the sound of fireworks could send him reeling and into a panic. Knowing that you are right there, even if he does panic, and you are able to control him, will make it easier for him.  However, as much as you can, try to only take him out AFTER the fireworks have died down.

Between some extra exercise, an early meal, a special bone and essential oils, you and your dog should have a stress free 4th of July allowing you to enjoy your family, friends and the true meaning of freedom!

Always yours for better dogs,

Babette Haggerty

Summer Safety Tips for You and Your Best Friend

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The Dog Days of Summer is full of barbecues, road trips, and backyard games! Including your dog will keep them happier and better behaved.  However, all of these fun times can lead to trouble if you are not aware of the potential hazards when enjoying the lazy days of summer.

Keep in mind these simple tips this summer to keep you and your pooch happy and carefree.

AT HOME

  • Having a party?  Consider leaving your dog in his happy place with his favorite bone so that no one can bother him.  This decreases the chances of him getting out or someone giving him the wrong food.
  • Swimming?  Don’t leave your dog alone by the pool unattended. Many dogs have fallen in only to drown while being left outside by the pool  

CAR TRAVEL

  • When traveling in the car, keep your dog in a harness or in a crate. This offers protection in the event of an accident.
  • When in the crate, your dog should have a leash on them attached to a flat buckle collar with your name and contact information.  Keeping the leash on allows an extra measure of security in case they try to bolt out of the car when taking them out for a potty break.
  • Would you ride a motorcycle without eye protection? No, so don’t let your dog hang his head out the window. Debris etc can go right into your dog’s eyes and mouth causing injury.
  • Never leave your dog alone in the car.  They can get hot and overheat. They can also be stolen.  Leaving your dog in your car with the car and the a/c running may seem like a good idea but your dog could hit the lock and lock you out.  

IN A HOTEL

You always want to be a good guest, whether it is at Aunt Millie’s or at a five star resort.  The best way to be welcomed again with your dog is to leave no paw prints behind.

  • Bring poop bags.
  • Don’t allow your dog on the furniture. Save that for home.
  • Keep your dog crated so that he doesn’t get out should the housekeeper come in to clean.
  • Make sure your dog tolerates being left alone.  The last thing you want is everyone complaining about your dog barking

EXPLORING THE BIG OUTDOORS

  • Bug repellent.  I use a homemade mixture of 15 drop of lavender oil & 5 drops of eucalyptus.
  • Make sure your dog is current on his heartworm prevention.
  • Short coated and hairless dogs often need sunblock. Discuss this with your veterinarian.

Keep these things in mind so that you can have a healthy, happy summer with your best friend.

 

Babette Haggerty is the owner of Haggerty Dog Training in Midland Park.  She spends her summers on road trips with her family, four dogs and often one or two of her training students. She can be contacted at 201-444-9893.

 

My Apologies & Dogs Peeing in their Crate

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I published a post Thursday night on how to housetrain a puppy who pees and poops in their crate!  The problem was that the article was not complete and it was accidentally published for all to read!!  Worst part was that the solution was not included yet!!!! Sorry about that! Sit tight and I will get that post done and out very shortly!

Until then, yours for better dogs!

Babette

Help! My Dog Pees in her Crate!

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There are tons of articles on housetraining a dog.  But what help is there when you have a dog that urinates and defecates in its crate?  Many pups will have an accident in their crate when they can not hold it any longer but what about the dog that actually goes to the bathroom in the crate even when they can hold it for a longer period of time?  That dog is not offended by peeing or pooping in its area.  That is called Dirty Dog Syndrome!

A term I coined back in the 1990’s, Dirty Dog Syndrome, is relatively rare, yet it is somewhat prevalent among small breed dogs and dogs that come from puppy mills.

Why small dogs and why puppy mill dogs?  It is simple. Small dogs tend to be more difficult to housetrain. Additionally, papertraining also tends to be more widely used when training a small breed of dog.  When you paper train a dog, if the paper is not kept clean, the dog becomes accustomed to its area which is dirty and they do not mind going to the bathroom in their area.

Puppy mill and pet store dogs are often kept in an area that has a grate for flooring so that any elimination drops down to a pad below.  Very effective from a cleaning standpoint when running a pet store or puppy mill, however, it creates a training disaster for the new family who is doing their best to start crate training the correct way.

So you are reading this and thinking, “I don’t really care why my dog does this!  I am just sick and tired of coming home every day and the puppy has peed, pooped and danced all over it!  Either this gets fixed or the dog goes back!”  I completely understand!  I have a foster dog right now that is a Red Tick Coonhound and I am fairly certain that she always lived in a crate where she could pee and poop to her heart’s content. It is gross, difficult and a time consuming mess!

So let’s fix it!  We, at Haggerty Dog Training, call it the Reverse Housetraining Process.  Think about this for a moment.  When housetraining a dog, the idea is to take them out frequently, give them an opportunity to go to the bathroom on short walks, give them free time then return them to the crate!  To resolve Dirty Dog Syndrome, we need to reverse what we do!

For a seamless experience, ideally we need the following:

  1.  A fenced in back yard
  2. A crate
  3. A leash
  4. Lots of patience

Keep your dog outside for 30 minutes at a time,  you will want to stay outside with her and wait until she goes to the bathroom.  Once she goes, bring her inside immediately and place her inside the crate.   Keep her there for two hours.  Take her outside again for another 30 minutes and wait for her to go the bathroom. Once she goes, bring her inside and place her in the crate.  You want to continue this routine.  Each time she goes to the bathroom outside, place her inside the crate.  By placing her inside the crate, immediately after going to the bathroom,  you are eliminating the possibility of her going to the bathroom INSIDE the crate!  As time goes on, you will start taking her outside less often while decreasing the length of time she stays outside.  You will be doing this while also keeping her inside the crate for longer periods of time.  Keep in mind, you want to do the OPPOSITE of housetraining. (See my blog post on crate training) How to Crate Train Your Dog

If you do not have access to a fenced in yard, you will want to tether her to you in the house and take her out every hour giving her five to seven minutes to go to the bathroom.  Keeping her tethered gives you the opportunity to stop the elimination in the crate.  Since she is tethered to you, you will also be able to intercept her if she starts sniffing and needs to go to the bathroom and wants to do so next to you in the house.

A caveat of using a fenced in yard is becoming too comfortable with leaving her outside unsupervised for periods of time.  If you have a small dog, be careful of wild life, even hawks that could pick up your dog and take her away.  Dogs that are great diggers, like terriers, can dig their way out of the yard.  In addition to the safety concerns, from a training point, it is important to stay outside with her so that you KNOW when she has gone to the bathroom.  If you are not with her, you are not going to know when it is safe to put her inside the crate.  We want her inside the crate when we know that she does NOT have to go to the bathroom!  Otherwise, we will set her up to continue to go to the bathroom inside the crate!

It is super important that you also track her bathroom schedule.  You want to write down the time of each day she relieves herself and what she does.  This will help you determine her bathroom cycle and know what she has to do and when she has to do it.

Between keeping her outside for extended periods of time, only placing her in the crate when she has very recently relieved herself and tracking her bathroom schedule, you will be able to eventually turn your dog from a Dirty Dog to a Clean Canine!

As always, Yours for Better Dogs,

Babette Haggerty

How to Crate Train Your Dog

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Why use a crate?

There are so many reasons to utiltize a crate.  It makes housetraining so much simpler and it gives dogs their own space.  For example, when you were growing up, did your parents tell you to go find a spot in the house to sleep or did they give you a bed?  Didn’t you retreat to your room when you wanted to be alone? You had your own space, your dog deserves one as well. Probaby, the most important reason is that it maes life less stressful for your dog.  What happens if your dog gets sick and stays overnight at the vet? Rest assured, your dog will be confined for their own safety in a crate. If your dog is not use to a crate, it will make a stressful situation even more stressful.

The list can go on and on.  Dog training is a field where most experts disagree on everything, however,  the one thing that they all agree is that crate training is an integral part of raising a dog.

 

Introducing the Crate

People ask all the time, where should I put the crate?  I tell owners, “Wherever it is most convenient for you.”  Preferably where the family spends most of its time or in your bedroom.  Some owners do not want or can not have the dog in their bedroom and that is a personal preference.  You want it centrally located so that during appropriate crate time, your dog can see you and spend time with you around, while not being able to sneak off and chew a piece of furniture or urinate on the rug.  

Feed your dog in the crate.  I don’t know why, but many owners tell me that they heard to NOT feed their dog in the crate.  I can’t imagine where that started but think of it this way, if your dog is being fed in a crate, think of how quickly they will learn to love it.  They will associate something very positive with it in a very short period of time.

Put their treats, toys etc in the crate.  This is an area where the children in the house have to respect the dogs belongings and not take anything out.  Children have their area for their toys and games, and so does the dog.

If you have multiple dogs, this is an absolute necessity.  Any time you are giving the dogs bones or treats, they should be separated and given their treats and bones to chew on in peace and without another dog hovering.  Yes, some will brag and say, “My dogs all have their bones together and there is no problem”. That is lovely, but what happens when one dog decides to fight over it and let’s face it, if you are like me, you have a career, a family and a home to manage, who has time to watch the dogs and make sure that they play nicely alongside one another?  Dinner needs to be made, homework done, garbage out. It is difficult enough making sure the teenagers play nicely with one another. I personally, don’t have time to micromanage the dogs while they chew their favorite bone. Do you?

Teach the Dog the Crate command

This is super important skill to teach your dog. You want them to go there on command.  If you are in our day school or private lesson program, you and your dog will be taught this skill.  If you are not one of our students, check out our youtube.com channel for that lesson.

Sleeping in the Crate

The safest place for your puppy and even adult dog to sleep when you are not home or at night, is in the crate.  This way, you don’t have to worry about the puppy chewing on some cords, your adult dog getting into the chocolate your children left out.  I tell all of our owners, another important time for this is during holidays like the 4th of July, keeping your dog inside the crate during fireworks will help soothe them and decrease the chances of them panicking and bolting out the door or gate.

During parties, put your dog in the crate.  This way you don’t have to worry about Senile Aunt Sally, letting the dog out the front door when no one is looking or your bratty nephew Billy pulling on Babe’s ears when she is chewing on a bone.  Your dog will be safest and happiest here.

My Dog Hates the Crate

Maybe you just brought home your new dog, either a puppy or an older dog and each time you put them in the crate they scream, bark and howl incessantly.   What should you do? Do not let them out,each time they cry. You become their doorman. Each time you place them in there, give them treats and feed them in there.

If it continues, do not hesitate to teach them the word no and tell them no.  You can also use a spray bottle to spray them in the face when they are barking. Generally, they will cry themselves out and it will stop in time. Covering it up with a sheet can be helpful as well.

Remember one, thing, you have to be more stubborn than your dog.  They will test you and as long as there is a payoff for them, they will do whatever it is you don’t want them doing.  Consistency and persistence is key.

If you are having more difficult issues that those outlined above, with training your dog to like the crate, emails or call us and we will be glad to give you additional help.

 

As always, for better dogs,

 

Babette Haggerty

 

7 Tips to Successfully Train Your Dog

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Every week we have dogs that start training in our Midland Park, New Jersey training center.  We encounter the same questions and concerns each week with most owners.  I would like to share some tips with you to make your dog’s training the most successful.

It is important to understand a few things about the training process first:

  1. It is a process and your dog will progress at its own pace. Just like some people pick up certain skills sooner while others take longer, so will your dog.
  2. Skills are built upon other skills.  We lay a foundation initially and build on that.  If you are having your dog trained in a day school environment, you are not going to see a difference until the second week of training.  Just like if you were to take tennis lessons, you are not going to show much progress until you have practiced day after day for a period of time, the same goes for your dog.
  3. Obedience training helps other problems such as jumping, lunging, chewing, digging magically disappear.  We are giving your dog a positive outlet for the energy that they are now channeling into something negative, such as relandscape your yard.  If your dog suffers from anxiety or nervousness, the obedience will give your dog the tools he/she needs to become more relaxed, confident and  happier.
  4. Practice and follow through at home is instrumental to optimizing your results.  For example, we will teach your dog to lay down and stay while we are eating lunch.  At home, perhaps you have been feeding your dog from the table, when your dog goes home we are going to show you how to send her to her bed and stay there while eating dinner which she will do but most likely, will get up once you sit down to eat.  This behavior in the past has earned her a piece of chicken so it is logical she will believe that it will happen again, so you have two options: throw your hands up in the air and say, ‘she is not trained’ OR you can tell her ‘no’ and send her back to her bed as we will show you.  If you are consistent in your new habits, she will learn that she now has to do the same for you, as she does for us in school.

The following are some tips that you can use to create new habits for yourself which will indirectly help you make the transition to a brand new well behaved as seamless as possible.

  1.  Keep a positive outlook.  Henry Ford said, “If you think you can or if you think you can’t, you are right”.  The same holds true for training your dog.  Dogs pick up on our energy- positive and negative energy very easily, it will frustrate them and it will show itself in their behavior.  Dogs are a lot smarter than you think and if you think that your dog is dumb or won’t or can’t be trained, I can tell you that you are absolutely WRONG!  You need to have faith in your dog and in your trainer, if you don’t, then don’t waste your money or time.  When people will tell my dad that their dog was dumb, he would ask them, “Really?  When you went to work today where was your dog, at day care?  When it comes time for dinner, who is serving your dog dinner? You!  When it comes time to pay the bills where is your dog? Laying on the sofa without a care in the world?  Sounds like your dog is smarter than you!”
  2. Practice with your dog every day, just for a few minutes. This is so that you can learn to be a better handler and your dog learns that they have to listen to you, not just the trainer.
  3. Take all of your trainer’s suggestions from the leash, the collar and how often to practice.  Your trainer doesn’t tell you things just for the sake of saying things, they are telling you things because they want you to succeed.  Your trainer wants you to succeed with your dog. The fewer suggestions you take, the more you compromise your training.
  4. Only work with your dog when you are focused, in good spirits and have a positive outlook.  Texting or checking your phone will not allow you to focus on the task at hand and your dog will take advantage of that.  You want to be in a good mood, working your dog when angry or upset, your dog will pick up on that and not respond as well.
  5.  Wear appropriate shoes, no flip flops or heels. Wear flat comfortable shoes.
  6. Save the alcohol and zanax for another time.  If you are mentally compromised, you can’t focus on your dog.
  7. Have faith in your trainer, if you don’t, then you need to find one you have faith and trust.

While the above list is not all encompassing, it does highlight some of the more important ideas to make training a success.  Remember one thing, you are teaching your dog behaviors they never learned in the past.  They don’t learn overnight, like good wine, good training takes time.  Be patient and consistent and I leave you with one last thought, “Treat your dog like a person, your dog will treat you like a dog”.

Until next time, happy wags to you!

 

 

 

Happy New Year Doggie Resolutions 2014

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It is that time again where we resolve to lose weight, quit smoking, stop cursing and the list goes on.  How about making a resolution with your dog? Here are a few ideas:

1.  Commit to a 15-30 minute brisk walk each day. You can both reach your exercise goals.
2.  Commit to spending five minutes a day teaching your dog a trick. Roll over and play dead are easy to teach and fun for your dog.
3. Help support a local rescue group. You can offer to foster a dog, walk a dog or even fundraise for a group. 
4. Be a good neighbor.  Spend a morning at the local park and clean up the poop others left behind.
5. Be a conscious consumer.  When traveling choose pet friendly hotels, whether you have your dog with you or not.  Let the management know too.  They will appreciate it.

These few things can easily become habits which can be incorporated into your life and help make the world better for you and your dog. Read More

Cold Weather Tips for You and Your Pooch

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Well judging from the storm I drove in this past Sunday for 12 hours, which included sleet, rain and snow from Virginia to New Jersey, Old Man Winter is upon us.  So we must keep our dogs, and cats safe.

I love walking my dogs in all kinds of weather and especially enjoyed it this morning on our walk as it began to snow.  However, it is important to watch your dog for signs of cold such as shivering and  lethargy. This morning, as I watched my student and my own dogs eat the snow, it looked awfully cute but while it looks cute  stuck on their nose, it can also quickly bring down their internal temperature and I don’t know what is in that snow, which can become dangerous.

As I sit and write this, my Frenchie curled up on my lap and the fireplace is giving me much needed warmth but when you are a dog and you are walking in the snow, the snow can become firmly packed within the pads of the feet and create a painful walk as well as help the body begin cool down too quickly. This is especially true if you have a dog with Cushings, diabetes or arthritis, keep this in mind as you walk. They can not regulate their temperature as well as younger, healthier dogs.

Be certain to continually check your dog’s coat on longer walks as the snow can also become little ice balls and get stuck in the furnishings on his coat.

The salt on the road and on the sidewalks can also irritate your dog’s skin. When you return, use a dry, warm towel to dry his feet. I use a wet, warm washcloth to clean the feet.  Watch that they are not licking their paws. You do not want them ingesting any of the chemicals found in deicers.

Always keep enough food and water in the house, should you become stuck.  Canned pumpkin is always a good emergency food as it is nutritious and if you are short on dog food, mixing that with rice short term will help prevent any diarrhea when you return to their regular diet or if you have to change foods.

If you exercise your dog a lot in the cold, be sure to increase his food intake as he will burn more calories in the cold. Also don’t leave him outside but if you must, remember the water bowl will freeze so you need to check it frequently or better yet, get an electric heater for the bowl.

I keep a towel by the door and like to put rain coats on my dogs. It keeps them drier and my floor cleaner.  I lived in South Florida for 18 years and if my dogs got wet from going outside to relieve themselves it wasn’t cold out and it would be a just a sprinkling of rain on their coat. Now that I am back up north, when it rains, it is usually cold and heavy so toweling them off after the walk is good but a rain coat makes it easier and less time consuming.

Not only do you need to be careful for your dog’s safety when walking, but yours as well.  Remember in the snow, cars slide, so be watchful of the cars around you.  Also be certain that you have voice control over your dog. If you should take a spill, please make sure your dog will not become frightened and run, if you drop the leash.  And please, make sure you are not using a retractable leash with your dog. That is even more dangerous in the ice and snow.  Teach your dog the simple commands of come and stay, as well as, leave it and heel.  This will stop them from picking up something they shouldn’t and not allow them to pull you down. Also be watchful of icy waters, just as people can fall through, so can your dog.

When you leave in your car, you may not have a cat, but your neighbor’s cat may have decided to crawl up into your car to keep warm. Before turning on the car, give it a good tap on the hood so that cat can jump out before starting it.

If you follow these steps and your own common sense, there is no reason why you and your dog can not enjoy winter’s snow and all the peace it brings safely.  ImageImageImage

Thanksgiving Safety for You and Your Pet

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Dear Friends,
 
I hope you are staying warm as the cold sets in for the winter.  I would like to give you a few tips for keeping your pooch safe for this Thanksgiving Season.
 
1.  Before leaving for the festivities or having guests, give your dog a brisk walk to allow him to calm down and burn off some energy.  
 
2.  The safest place for him while you have guests coming in and out is the crate or a quiet bedroom. You don’t want him to slip out the door unnoticed, only to be looking for him after the party ends.
 
3.  Keep the trash secure so that he can’t access the garbage and eat something that will get him sick.
 
4. All retailers look forward to Black Friday but the busiest day for a vet’s office tends to be that same day.  Don’t allow your guests to give your dog any food from the table. This is another good reason to keep your dog away from the holiday feast either in a bedroom or in his crate.
 
5.  Make sure that your dog’s tags are secure. They often can break off without notice.  
 
6.  Keep the emergency veterinarian information handy. Especially, if you are traveling, know in advance how to contact the emergency clinic and where they are located.
 
7.  If you are traveling by car, make certain your dog is secured in a bag or crate in the care or wearing a seat belt harness.
 
8.  When traveling, make sure you bring your dog’s regular food and water. You may not find the same food in another region and you do not want to switch diets quickly, otherwise you will run the risk of diarrhea.
 
I have a lot to be thankful for this fall. Not just my awesome students but my new book just came out, The Best Dog Tricks on the Planet. It has received rave reviews in the LA Times, Chicago Tribune, Washington Post, Charlotte Observer, The Atlanta Journal, Animal Fair Magazine and even the Christian Science Monitor.  There are more reviews coming in every single week and I have a lot of radio and tv appearance coming up as well.  
 
If you would like to have a fun night with your dog, we will be having a Trick Contest and Puppy Hour, Tuesday, December 10 from 5:00 – 8:00 pm at the Woof Gang Bakery, Allendale, NJ.  
 
Most of all, stay warm and have an abundant Thanksgiving.
 
I look forward to seeing you soon!