Crackerjack Canines

06/20/2026

06/16/2026

06/16/2026

06/16/2026

Puppy teeth have one mission in life:

"Must. Put. Everything. In. Mouth." 🦈

Shoelaces
Pant legs
Chair legs
Your hands

Chewing is normal. Biting is normal. Exploring the world with their mouth is normal.

Your puppy doesn’t need to learn not to chew or bite.

Your puppy needs to learn what’s ok to chew and put their teeth on.

When those puppy teeth start targeting your shoes, furniture, pant legs, leash, or your body parts (puppies are really fond of hands and feet) redirect them to a toy or chew instead.

Every time your puppy practices chewing an appropriate item, they're building a habit.

Make the right choice easy by keeping toys and chews within reach.

Help your puppy gnaw on the things you actually want them to chew.

Your puppy isn’t trying to be difficult.
They're just being a puppy. 💙🐶

06/14/2026

👶🏼 Did I say ‘toddler’?… I meant puppy. 🐶

🐶 Puppies are a wonderful addition to the family. There’s so much excitement around a new puppy. 🐾✨

👉🏻 The reality with puppies is… they are not easy. They don’t come with instructions. 📝

‼️ People often expect too much of their puppies. They are just babies/toddlers.

🐶 Your puppy is acting appropriate for their stage of development.

🔸Your puppy has needs that need be met.

🔹Your puppy is relying on you to guide them.

🔸Your puppy is just a baby/toddler and needs patience… even when you feel like you are at your wits end. 🐾💖

06/14/2026

"We have no idea why he bit" is something people say all the time, but when you slow the situation down, there's usually a pattern.

The dog is resting, a child approaches, the dog licks, turns away, licks again, tension builds, and space keeps getting invaded. Eventually, the dog runs out of options.
What gets labeled as affection is often something else entirely. Licking can be soothing, appeasement, or a way to create distance. A "kiss" isn't always a kiss.

Sometimes it's a dismissal.

If those signals don't work, escalation happens. Not because the dog wants to escalate, but because nothing else has worked.

The goal isn't to wait for the bite. It's to recognize the earlier communication and change the situation before the dog has to.

Written By: Jennifer Shryock

Want to go deeper on this? Comment "DISMISS" below and we will send you the link to the full blog post.

06/11/2026

⛔️

We know how gross, pesky, and worrisome ticks can be!

Here are some simple, straight-forward facts about them to help put some of those worries away.

Remember, . Ask your veterinarian about tick medications for your pet(s).

06/10/2026

Socialization is not about exposure. It is about positive association.

Dragging your anxious puppy to a busy dog park, or pushing your reactive cat toward a new visitor, does not build confidence. It builds a case file of bad experiences.

True socialization is gradual, voluntary, and paired with something the animal values. When done properly, it expands the number of things a pet finds safe and predictable. When done badly, it does the opposite.

If your pet missed critical socialization windows or had negative early experiences, that is not the end of the story. It is a starting point for a behavior plan built by a specialist.