Lifestyle Obedience

09/03/2024

RECLAIMED

HAD MICROCHIP—-Owner will pick up soon!

This male Doberman was found stray in parking lot at Blue Ridge Cafe September 1. Please share to help find owner!

09/02/2024

08/29/2024

All about Keeping Fun, FUN! Safety first. Get your dog's mind settled then be aware of your surroundings.

08/28/2024

So more with, Asher, the dog my son adopted. But hasn't met yet...I get to have some fun with him.

08/28/2024

08/25/2024

Simple way to exercise your dog and build relationship.

08/22/2024

More relationship building with "Asher." It comes to no surprise that the hearding dog likes to chase the toy.😃

08/21/2024

3rd day working on his new name, from Carlos to Asher. 😀

08/20/2024

What else to do to build relationship with your new dog. PART 2

08/20/2024

Adopting an adult dog, 1st thing I recommend. PART 1

08/20/2024

https://youtu.be/soZvemo-JiQ?si=TY3bQUZLkVjU6e_-

08/06/2024

Mia, In to have her training maintained and a play date with her buddy, Mulligan. 🐶

08/06/2024

It may not be that you are not practicing enough. It maybe WHAT you are Practicing.
"Training from the Dog's Point of View "

06/30/2024

Communicate from the Dog's Point of View

06/30/2024

I wonder if C'iobair will put up with me for this one🤣🤣

06/20/2024

2 QUESTIONs for the book : Why do you put a leash on your dog? and How does your dog act when you get the leash or maybe you say "Do you want to go for a walk?" While get the leash.
What is your sofa response? More for the book. Thank you for participating.

06/17/2024

The value of teaching Sit or Down...
Photo op time 😄

06/17/2024

Yesterday we had two wonderful Golden Retrievers, ages 6 and 2, come in for elective surgical procedures. Both dogs had a history of eating a well-known and popular grain free diet for several years. In one dog, an arrhythmia (irregular heart beat) was detected so an x-ray of his chest was taken. His heart was enlarged, so an echocardiogram was scheduled for that afternoon. An x-ray was also taken of the other dog's chest as a precaution, and his heart was also enlarged. He was able to get an echocardiogram same day, as well.

The reports on both dogs just came back, and both of these gorgeous, otherwise perfectly healthy dogs have Dilated Cardiomyopathy. The cardiologist suspects that in both cases it is related to their diet. Thankfully, this condition was caught early, and when fed a traditional diet, their condition should hopefully reverse. Their cases are being reported to the FDA, along with the thousands of others from across the country.

There is no evidence to support feeding grain-free. Most pet allergies are related to environment (pollens, etc) or protein sources. Grain allergies account for a tiny fraction of all food allergies in dogs. Unfortunately, many dogs are becoming very ill or even dying from eating so-called "BEG" diets (boutique, exotic, grain-free), and the terrible thing is nutritionally mediated dilated cardiomyopathy is 100% preventable. There have been zero reported cases of NMDCM in dogs eating foods that meet WSAVA guidelines, currently made by Purina, Hill's, Iams/Eukanuba, or Royal Canin. We strongly suggest if you are feeding a "BEG" diet that you change your dog over to one of the brands listed above. If you have any questions specifically related to your pet, please call us.

We are so hopeful we caught this disease in time for our two beautiful patients to reverse their disease. Their very caring and dedicated owners have already changed their diet to one that meets WSAVA criteria. The articles below will help explain this disease, WSAVA guidelines, and why grain-free was more marketing than science.

http://vetnutrition.tufts.edu/2018/11/dcm-update/

https://www.wsava.org/WSAVA/media/Arpita-and-Emma-editorial/Selecting-the-Best-Food-for-your-Pet.pdf

http://vetnutrition.tufts.edu/2016/06/grain-free-diets-big-on-marketing-small-on-truth/

https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/dogs-fed-some-popular-diets-could-be-risk-heart-disease/

06/07/2024

Updated information from the University of California study on the effects of spay/neutering.

https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/when-should-you-neuter-or-spay-your-dog

05/22/2024

Training for the Real World

It's important to get puppies out early, while they are young. 12-21 weeks of age is ideal.I'm not talking about taking them to dog parks. I would avoid tha...

05/16/2024

What do you do with your free time??

05/16/2024

“Man’s best friend.” Do you know the genesis of this famous phrase?

“Old Drum” was a black and tan hound (probably a Black and Tan Coonhound) who was known in his neck of the woods for being an exceptional hound. One night in 1869, he wandered onto the property of a neighbor who fatally shot the dog. Old Drum’s owner sued the neighbor, and the case eventually found its way into the Supreme Court. It was an emotionally charged trial famous, and it became famous for what the lawyer representing Old Drum’s master said. It’s long, but it’s worth sharing:

“Gentlemen of the jury, the best friend a man has in this world may turn against him and become his enemy. His son or daughter whom he has reared with loving care may prove ungrateful. Those who are nearest and dearest to us—those whom we trust with our happiness and good name—may become traitors in their faith. The money that a man has he may lose. It flies away from him, perhaps when he needs it most. A man’s reputation may be sacrificed in a moment of ill-considered action. The people who are prone to fall on their knees to do us honor when success is with us may be the first to throw the stone of malice when failure settles its cloud upon our heads. The one absolute, unselfish friend that man can have in this selfish world—the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous—is his dog.

“Gentlemen of the jury, a man’s dog stands by him in prosperity and poverty, in health and sickness. He will sleep on the cold ground, where the wintry winds blow, and the snow drives fiercely, if only he can be near his master’s side. He will kiss the hand that has no food to offer; he will lick the wounds and sores that come in encounter with the roughness of the world. He guards the sleep of his pauper master as if he were a prince. When all other friends desert, he remains. When riches take wings and reputation falls to pieces, he is as constant in his love as the sun in its journey through the heavens.

“If fortune drives the master forth an outcast in the world, friendless and homeless, the faithful dog asks no higher privilege than that of accompanying him to guard against danger, to fight against his enemies. And when the last scene of all comes, and death takes the master in its embrace, and his body is laid away in the cold ground, no matter if all other friends pursue their way, there by his graveside will the noble dog be found, his head between his paws, his eyes sad but open in alert watchfulness, faithful and true even to death

05/16/2024

I call myself Lifestyle Obedience, because while your dog stays here and trains with me. They hang out to be integrated into a family lifestyle.

I give them freedom and check on them from time to time to see what they are doing with their newly earned freedom.

I was working at my computer for a bit. I got up to look for one of the trainees that I have in for training. Little, Ms. Bella.

And this is what I found, very important to keep a leash on your puppies as you allow them to explore the house.🤣🤣