Taking Control

It is a natural instinct to feel insecure or nervous when you enter new situations with an undiciplined animal. Your dog only knows two things, lead or follow. They won't follow insecure nervousness and then will act out as the leader by growling, barking, and even becoming aggressive. It is important that you embrace those insecurities, weaknesses and fears and try to learn and grow from them. Only when we connect with those emotions can we focus on our strengths and truly understand who we are as individuals and gain the courage to become stronger willed than your animal. There are a lot of dominant breeds of dogs, and even the smallest breed can take over if your nervous or insecure. That's usually when I get the call. " help me! my dog is out of control " We all have it in us to take control. And I believe to truly connect with others, and your pet, you need to KNOW yourself first. You can do it for yourself, and your dog. Relax, and KNOW that your in control.
Please remember to have your pet spay or neutered.

JULY'S HOT TIPS

July can be stressful for your dog. July 4th, Monsoon season, or even going on vacation adds all kinds of issues that can arise with your family pet. With the fireworks, or monsoon storms that have loud noises that their not familiar with, I can't stress how important it is to get them out and add a double dose of activities or exercise to help them release their anxieties or fear that comes out before these times. Let's face it, we as humans can get fearful at some things we don't know about either. No less true for our pets, even if we're just going on vacation. Last time we left for vacation we thought that our youngest female knew we were leaving a couple days before we actually left. (We have six of our own now.) We cram everything in at the last minute to get ready to leave for our trip, and forget all about the needs of our pets. The more we do for them before we go the longer it'll carry with them before you return. Do your diligence, and spend a little extra time walking, playing, and spending time with them before you go. And yes, she was just fine with a couple extra spins around the block. It gave her the reassurance and fulfillment she needed. Check out the people or places that you use to care for them thoroughly. Make sure they'll adhere to your schedule. That'll make things a lot easier for when you return. If you still have nervous or stressful issues with your pets, please consult a professional before it gets worse

THE USE OF A TREADMILL

No doubt it get's really hot quick here in Arizona. If I don't get the opportunity to get out early and walk the dogs, I have to use the treadmill to get them the proper exercise they need. I've run into people who would substitute the walk completely with a treadmill only to have issues with their dog down the road. It's a great fill in for those times when we didn't get out there and do it, but there's no substitute for the time and bond that we share on the walk. Please, never risk injury or mental instability with your dog trying to do something your not familiar with. If your not familiar with proper technique using the treadmill with your dog, please consult a professional.

GET OUT AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE

There's no substitute for taking your dog for a nice long walk. Studies have shown that people who get out and walk are 34% more healthy than those who don't. Not only is it beneficial for your dog, you also can have improved health. I've seen countless people try to substitute taking their dog for a walk by going to the dog park, (otherwise known as bark park) using a treadmill, or just playing ball in the back yard. The treadmill or ball can be great exercise for those times when we don't go on walks, however it's still lacking that basic need for dogs to go out and explore. Remember their still animals, and have that need to get out and see what's around their neighborhood. Without that, they can become frustrated, dominant, or even aggressive to new people or experiences that happen around them. The dog park should only be a social place for dogs to gather and have fun AFTER they've had their daily exercise. Without that, you could be taking a frustrated, dominant or even an aggressive dog to a bunch of dogs that might not be so balanced themselves. I've seen it time and time again, even with little dogs, and bad thing can happen. Walking your dog three or four times a week can make a big difference in both you and your pets health. Try it!

WALKING TIPS

Once your outside and on your way for your morning walk, which I too am guilty
of not doing everyday as I should, we encounter issues where our dogs get
excited. Weather it's people, places, or other animals, we still need to
maintain control and be able to enjoy our walk. People have a natural instinct
to just stop and wait for the storm to pass. Usually it ends up raisng the
excitment to a higher level where the dog is harder to control. If you stop,
that tells your dog that your unsure or even a little scared, which could make
them growl, bark, or even aggressive. The best thing you could do is keep moving
forward even at a faster pace if necessary, or if the issue is comming directly
tword you simply change directions and give them more space to pass. This tells
everyone that YOUR in control.

STARTING THE WALK

All week long I've been dealing with excited dogs. It's something when the weather starts warming up and people start getting out more. I love to see that they take their doggy's with them and have a good time. "Come on Baby! You want to go BYE BYE! What they don't realize is that's what starts it all. It starts with the very first words out of the owners mouth, and never stops from there. Weather you speak the words or just the very sound of the leash comming out that causes excitement, please stop, take a minute or two to calm your animal down. You'll see a much more rewarding and fulfilling result with a calmer animal.

Collars & Leashes

People don't realize how important it is to have the right collar and leash, and have a enjoyable walk. The biggest thing I laugh about is seeing someone with a large dog and one of those retractable leashes. They let their dog get way out there and expect them to come back with the retraction. Bad set up. Personally, I don't think those leashes are good for anything but little dog's at the park that want to sniff everything. To me that's not enjoyable! Even being a little dog owner, I want my dog to walk beside me and have fun. Small dog's, once obedience trained, should have a harness. That's the ONLY thing harnesses are good for. As long as you have control of your dog they can be used. Most of your medium to large dogs should have a training collar or a choke chain for maximum control. I use a Martingale type collar on my dogs that gives you a good corrective jerk when needed. A nylon or leather six foot leash works the best. Always ask a professional trainer, not a Petsmart salesman, which set up will give you the best results.