Greg Knows Dogs

11/19/2024

There are plenty of traditional Thanksgiving foods dogs can eat, from apples to pumpkins. But pet parents need to take precautions when preparing their pup's holiday meal.

11/19/2024

With the holidays fast approaching, I thought it would be helpful to spend some time on reducing stress for you and your dog during the season. One way to reduce your stress is to be aware of dangerous holiday decorations and plants.

Most of us have more visitors over the holidays -- so calm and friendly greetings are very important. Make sure your dog has good door manners; start practicing them now if he doesn’t. My clients who are most successful with door manners practice this very, very often. You can also give your dog an extra long walk to tire him out.

Although a tired dog is a good dog, it’s also important to reduce stress by keeping a regular feeding and exercise schedule. My advice is to increase the exercise but try to keep it at the same time of day. Don’t skip his walks because you’re busy.

Does your dog have a crate or bed in a safe, quiet place? Dogs need to have a place to retire when they’re tired of our shenanigans. And instruct young children to stay away from the quiet place when your dog is resting.

During the holidays I used a pheromone collar on Maksim to reduce his anxiety. The collars last 30 days so you can cover the holiday season with one collar. I like the Sentry Calming Collar and the DAP collar by Adaptil.

Dogs pant a lot when stressed; be sure to keep the water bowl full. And that means you will also want to let him have more frequent toileting opportunities.

Your guests may be tempted to feed your dog some of the tasty food they’re enjoying. This could upset your dog’s stomach so be sure to review the canine rules with your guests.

One of your rules may be to close the door each and every trip out or in the door. You may even insist on ringing the bell each time so that you can practice your door manners. And I think it’s really important to have rules for this if you don’t have a storm door.

I hope these tips and ideas will help you and your pack have a more enjoyable holiday season.

gregknowsdogs.com

10/19/2024

Let’s make Halloween less scary for your dog by preparing her. Here are some tips to ready your dog for a safe Halloween.

Before :
Make sure your dog’s id tags and microchip are up to date. I recommend you keep her collar on for this day, even if you don’t typically have a collar on her.

If she is lucky enough to get a costume, try it on before the holiday. Not every dog will tolerate being dressed up; you’ll want to know that before showing her off. You can put a themed bandana on her if she won’t accept the costume.

Trick or Treat night:
Bring all of your pets inside. There are too many pets reported missing after Halloween.

Put her in a separate room or put up a gate to restrict her from running out the door.

Or head the trick or treaters off at the pass. My wife and I usually take turns sitting outside with the candy while the other sits inside with our boy. If it’s a cold, rainy night, I always volunteer to stay with Dewey!

Keep the pumpkin, candles, and candy out of your dog’s reach.

After:
Keep your eye out for dropped candies on your walk the next day. Our beagle, Winkler, was excellent at sniffing out dropped candies and wrappers. You already know the list of toxic food and candies, don’t you?

Thanks for reading these ideas and preparing for this scary night.

09/09/2024

Puppy kindergarten??? What an interesting idea.

Brian Hare and Vanessa Woods are studying how the canine mind develops and what makes a successful service dog.

08/26/2024

08/16/2024

According to this article, we (humans) may be causing our dogs' anxiety and obesity. I think they're right...

Pet owners are treating their animal charges ever more like humans. But that isn’t good for pets, or for us, many experts argue.

08/16/2024

I think we may know this

People have grown more attached to their pets — and more willing to spend money on them — turning animal medicine into a high-tech industry worth billions.

07/22/2024

Answers to three questions I'm frequently asked:
Is my dog sad when left alone?
Can my dog tell time?
Am I "nuts" to talk to my dog?

In her weekly chat, Well+Being editor Tara Parker-Pope answered your questions on the science of our furry friends.

06/30/2024

Arre you taking your dog on vacation with you? Here are soem suggestions to prevent car sickness.

Many people are planning vacations in pet-friendly places reachable by car. But for humans whose pets get carsick, these excursions can become an ordeal.

06/27/2024

With OV's fireworks on Friday, it seems like a good time to review July 4 safety tips for our dogs.

 Do not leave your dogs outside; bring them inside to protect them.

 You may want to stay with your dogs for the majority of the fireworks’ duration. A dog can often react differently to a loud bang when you are not present

 If your dogs must stay outside, cover the dogs’ crates or kennels with a blanket to offer some protection from the bright flashes and loud bangs.

 Create a special “den” where your dogs feel safe.

 Keep windows and curtains closed to reduce noises and bright flashes.

 Turn on the radio, TV or exhaust fan to distract your dog from the loud noises outside and to help him relax. Classical music has been shown to be calming.

 Do not let your dogs answer the front door. Because your dogs may be under significant stress, they may harm your visitor or dart out the door and get lost.

 Have identification securely on your dogs in case they get out. Make sure your phone number is up-to-date so if someone finds your dogs, you can be called. Consider talking with your veterinarian about micro-chipping your dogs with a universal micro-chip.

Finally, be sure to check your yard for debris in the morning after fireworks.

gregknowsdogs.com

06/23/2024

It was great meeting these two at the Norfolk Mermaid Festival yesterday. They have great, fun pet themed merch!

06/07/2024

Take Your Dog to Work Day is only two weeks away! Here are tips to get ready...

June 21 is Take Your Dog To Work Day – ironically, as a Norfolk dog trainer, that is one place I don’t take my dog! That’s because my dog training lessons are all about YOUR dog and take place at your home.

Take Your Dog to Work Day was originally founded by Pet Sitters International to raise awareness for the high volume of dogs that are homeless and encourage people to adopt a dog from a shelter.

More and more companies are allowing their employees to take their dog to work, because studies have found that dogs in the workplace bring many benefits. For many people, work can be very stressful and intense, and what better way to chill out than to look into the adorable eyes of a dog? What a great way to take a break – petting a dog or taking him for a walk. It’s a great way to boost employee morale and motivation and to lower absenteeism. Plus, dogs often provide some much-needed comic relief.

However, not every dog has the right temperament to go to work.

First, it’s important he responds to basic commands like Sit, Stay, and Come. Otherwise, when you get an office full of dogs that don’t know the basics of obedience training, chaos can ensue!

Here are some other tips to make sure that you and your dog are well prepared for the day. Planning ahead is key:
• Well exercised. Take your dog for a long walk or run before you go into the office. This will make him calmer and less hyper when entering a new environment. When walking through the building, keep your dog on a leash.
• Pet proof. You know those cords hanging from your computer? Or the rest of the apple you just threw in your garbage can? Make sure your office space is pet proof.
• Familiarity. Bring along his favorite blanket, cage, toys, water bowl and food. When you first get to the office, give him time to sniff around and become familiar with his surroundings. Need to attend a meeting that day? Bring a baby gate or playpen to cordon off the area.
• Be respectful. There may be employees that are allergic to dogs or heaven forbid, don’t like dogs. Make sure your dog is not intruding on people who may not be as happy as you that he is there. Know the pet-free areas of the office such as the bathroom, food preparation areas, day care areas, meeting spaces, etc.
• Clean up. Because your dog is in an unfamiliar place there may be some accidents or marking. Come equipped with rug shampoo, p**p bags, paper towels and pet odor remover.
• Up-to-date. Make sure all his vaccinations are up-to-date or you could be putting other pooches at risk.
Most of all, have fun! This could be a great opportunity for your dog to socialize with a bigger pack!

06/05/2024

Some good reminders as our heat and humidity increase.

Here’s how to prioritize their safety without ruining the fun.

05/27/2024

Are you moving? My wife, our dog Dewey and I recently moved to the Ocean View neighborhood.. So, I thought I’d share some tips on how to help your dog settle into your new home.

Before you move
Be sure to pick a new veterinarian and get new tags if you’re moving to a new city. Also, update your address with your dog’s microchip registry.
You may want to clean the carpets with an enzymatic cleaner before moving day, if the previous owner had pets. If you are removing the carpet, you may want to clean the subfloor with vinegar and water and Kilz before installing the new carpet. These steps may help reduce the likelihood of your dog soiling or marking in the house.
Reinforce your rules and training so that she can better focus on you rather than her new surroundings.
Pet proof the house by tucking away electrical cords, making sure that doors and windows close securely, and checking the fence for escape opportunities.
You may want to purchase a pheromone collar to stave off any anxiety.
Take your dog on a leashed tour of the house and yard.
Place a “Pets Inside” decal in your window for emergency personnel.

Moving day
Consider boarding your dog at a kennel or a friend’s house. I had a client whose dog ran away because the movers weren’t careful. You don’t want more stress on this hectic day.
Maintain your rules and routines.
Watch for signs of anxiety like pacing, panting and loss of appetite.
Soiling in a new home happens frequently. Be patient while she adjusts; and clean any accidents with an enzymatic cleaner.
She might feel more settled if you bring her bed from your former home rather than getting her a new one.
Reintroduce your dog to the house and yard on a leash. Let her have access to one part of the house at a time; she shouldn’t get full run of the house until she’s accident-free for at least 10 days. Keep doors closed to rooms she hasn’t been approved to be in.

I hope these tips help your pack adjust to the new den!

05/19/2024

Do You Have a Plan For Emergencies?🐾
With May being National Preparedness Month, it’s important to have a plan in place for natural disasters such as tornadoes, hurricanes, etc. that can hit the Norfolk area without warning. Bad weather can hit before you know it. It’s important for both you and your pet to have a plan in place to keep everyone safe.
BEFORE A STORM
• Place “Pets Inside” decal or sign on your front window to alert emergency responders.
• Make sure your dog comes on command.
• Train your dog to come to the basement with you or a room without windows.
• Check with out-of-town friends, family or pet-friendly lodging for shelter.
• Ensure your dog’s license/micro-chip registration has your current address and phone number.
• Have a recent photo of you and your pets, in case you become separated.
• Put together a pet emergency kit. Items to include:
· Collar and back up collar
· Medications, food and water (include a two-week supply) and bowls
· Photocopies of health records
· First aid supplies
· Secure, unbreakable carrier
· Favorite toys
· Trash bags or newspaper for clean-up
DURING A STORM
• Your pets can sense if you are stressed. Keep your pets calm by being calm. If they show signs of anxiety, avoid “comforting them.” Try to use a normal tone of voice and keep to their normal routine as much as possible.
• Use their “den” to help them feel like they have a safe haven.
• Turn on a TV or radio to normal volume to distract them from loud noises. Rap music is definitely not the choice – choose something like classical music to calm them.
• Close the curtains to reduce noises and bright flashes.
AFTER THE STORM
• Walk your dogs on a leash until they become reoriented to the area and your home.


The key is to be prepared. If it’s not safe for you, it’s not safe for them. If you have any problems training your dog with anxiety or other issues, call me at 757-215-4468. I can help you overcome destructive or annoying dog behaviors. And check out gregknowsdogs.com for dog training, care and other safety suggestions .

Send a message to learn more

05/16/2024

Are you prepared to potty train your pup? Whether you’re a seasoned dog owner or new to canine care, Greg Knows Dogs’ Four Cs of Toilet Training will make the process smooth sailing.

Greg Knows Dogs' effective method for toilet training your dog or puppy relies on my ‘four C’s’ approach. These tips for potty training will help bring success for both you and your dog, whether you’re a seasoned pet parent or new to canine care.