Dog Life Pro

04/11/2024

Happy National Pet Day! Please add a pic of your dog - cats, fish, whatever are welcome too!

02/29/2024

Happy Leap Year Day! Is there such a thing? We like to think of it as an extra day to spend with your dog. So call in sick and take your dog to a park!😁

02/28/2024

Vader - then and now - 2017 and 2024

02/22/2024

Blink cameras are pretty tough - still works! The suction cup dropped this camera on the ground and one of my dogs picked it up for me. Thanks Arthur 😂

02/21/2024

Not typical February weather in Illinois, but we'll enjoy it while it's here!

02/17/2024

Watson showing off his hand target skill. The hand target is one of my favorite skills because it has so many applications. Were using it here as a recall.

02/14/2024

Happy Valentine's Day from Dog Life Pro and Javy❤️

02/07/2024

Please consider helping Lisa save her dog, Gigi. They're off to England on March 5th for an operation Gigi can only have there. Best wishes for Gigi from all of us at Dog Life Pro.

Help Save Gigi's Heart! 100% of donations go to Gigi's Heart surgery! Hi my nam… Lisa Renee needs your support for SAVE Gigi's Big ❤️Heart

07/26/2023

I had a good chuckle at this cartoon and had to share

04/11/2023

Happy National Pet Day from Dog Life Pro! From left to right, top to bottom: Milo, Dolly, Peanut, Bailey, Luna, Wynnie, Libby, Moose, Caesar and Vader!

03/23/2023

Happy International Puppy Day from Dog Life Pro and one of our newest happy puppies, Cheese!

01/01/2023

Happy New Year to you all. I'm lying next to two dogs and thinking about all the dogs in my life because of my business and feeling so grateful. Here are some of my favorite pics from the last 7 years.

12/27/2022

Adopted!! Congrats Richard!

NOTE: You're welcome to comment and share, but if you have questions and are interested in adopting, please reach out directly to Deb Crotty Thompson. She posted the video of Maverick in the comments.

Maverick is a 1 year old happy and playful German Shepherd/Husky mix, currently living in Joliet, IL. Unfortunately, one of his family members has become allergic to his coat and so they're looking for a new happy home for him.

He's micro-chipped and crate trained, good with kids and larger dogs, not just those he lives with but other kids and dogs in the neighborhood as well. We don't know about cats or smaller dogs.

He loves playing with his pittie brother and his ball, and thinks he is a lap dog.

He knows basic commands, but could benefit from additional training for junping. He shows some anxiety towards passing cars as well and could use some help there. That said, his ideal home would not be in a high traffic area.

He was adopted from the Humane Society and has had all of his shots and he's neutered. The shelter said they believe Maverick was hit by a car as he came in with injuries to his back legs. The wounds are healed (just some scars) and no permanent damage.

I'm offering an hour of free training to his new owners.

09/28/2022

This sweet pup needs a new home. Please send an email to Sue at [email protected] if interested.

Rickie is a handsome 7 mos old Beagle/Aussie mix. He's been neutered and completed all vaccinations. Rickie gets along well with his sister and their 10 year old cat. He's food motivated and would benefit from living in a home with another dog or an active family. He is crate trained, housetrained and knows all the basic commands. He loves playing with other dogs, is concerned at the sound of a baby's cry, and loves playing with children, although he forgets his size and gets excited and jumps on them, so he could still use some additional training.

I'm offering an hour of free training to anyone that adopts him.

07/03/2022

If your new pup hasn't heard fireworks yet, or your dog doesn't seem bothered, consider yourself fortunate!

I saw my 4 yr old shepherd's behavior go from not concerned about the sound of fireworks to trembling. It happened in an instant when a particularly loud firework went off near our home.

Here's a great way to prevent the 4th from becoming a traumatizing event for your dog.

1) Cook up your dog's favorite meat

2) Chop into bite size pieces

3) When fireworks start, watch your dog and say, good boy each time you see them turn their head to the sound of a firecracker, then pop a treat in your pups mouth.

You're using Classical or Pavlovian conditioning (learning through association) to teach your dog that fireworks mean best treats ever.

Happy 4th of July from Dog Life Pro! 🇺🇸

05/28/2022

Thinking of Miss Brown this morning. She stole the hearts of three of my dog walkers, a bus load of school children, their driver, and me too of course. We'll miss you girl.❤

04/11/2022

Happy National Pet Day from Dog Life Pro! I'm fortunate to have Ranger with me, so we've got a full day of activities planned, starting with a ride/run with the OneWheel.

03/17/2022

Happy St. Patrick's day from Dolly, Boris and Guzzi

02/28/2022

Took Shaggy and Barrin for a romp in the snow at Miller Meadow yesterday and they loved it.

12/01/2021

My good friend and nature lover, Kim, has published three children's books meant to help kids revere nature. She did all the illustrations herself too. Please consider buying for your kids or to donate to your local library.

It's A Cactus To Me

11/25/2021

On Thanksgiving day I like to take a few minutes to think about all that I am thankful for. Since starting my business in 2015 it has never escaped me of how fortunate I am that there are so many dog lovers like you out there. Thank you for caring so much for our beloved four-legged friends and realizing the importance of giving back to them by enriching their lives and training them. By now you know that most of the effort in dog training is on you. We have to understand how they think and learn differently from us and we’re the ones that have to carry smelly treats in our pockets and practice hundreds of repetitions for each new skill. Then there are those of you that come to me for daycare, boarding and walking – thanks to you as well! It warms my heart to know there are so many committed dog owners out there, and I am thankful for your love of dogs and choosing Dog Life Pro to look after them. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family. Oh, and don't forget to give them something special today🙂

10/30/2021

Happy Halloween from Dog Life Pro🎃

10/07/2021

I'll tell you all a little secret, most dog trainers are not Cesar Millan fans. Clearly, he has a way with dogs, but much of the dominance theory is just made for reality TV. Any certified trainer will tell you dominance moves like alpha rollovers don't need to be a part of dog training. There's no science supporting it and you may just teach your dog to fear or avoid your touch.

But Cesar has one thing very right, a well exercised dog is less likely to develop unwanted behaviors like digging, chewing, barking, pulling on leash and of course keep-away and a poor recall.

I observed this in practice on a recent trip out west with many dogs that were heavily exercised and socialized. They were often off leash and just patiently waiting for their owners. So if you're dealing with "bad" behaviors, your first step should be to reduce your dog's energy level.

Reach out to Dog Life Pro if you need some help finding solutions that work for you and your dog.

Check out these happy pups on the bank of the Snake River. 😍

08/04/2021

05/26/2021

Revisiting this old post as we approach the hottest days of summer.

05/25/2021

Dogs are amazing!

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/24/faster-than-pcr-test-dogs-detect-covid-coronavirus-london-bmj?utm_term=9bf5f3343944b65d99785cad32512629&utm_campaign=GuardianTodayUS&utm_source=esp&utm_medium=Email&CMP=GTUS_email

Study in London used six enthusiastic dogs in a double-blind trial

05/12/2021

Are you ready to return to work? You may be, but your dog might need a little help.

Don't wait until you have to go back, now is the time to start training your dog to be comfortable on their own.

https://www.pawschicago.org/about-us/media-center/paws-in-the-media/news-item/showarticle/returning-to-work-a-guide-for-you-and-your-dog/

As COVID-19 vaccinations continue to roll out and Chicago residents slowly but surely return to the office, there’s one furry family member who might be more affected than you’d think: your anxious pup.