Fun With Fido

09/02/2024

Chipper is learning to feeling comfortable with movement and noise on the seesaw. Agility Rocks!!

This is a game I play with my dogs as one of many steps in their seesaw training. Prior to this, the dog has had a lot of time playing on tippy boards and wo...

06/17/2024

So true!

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06/14/2024

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06/12/2024

How well do you read your dog? It's getting harder especially with brachiocephalic breeds. For example, wrinkling in the skin around the nose and forehead are common ways for dogs to show emotion. But would you be able to read this wrinkly pug? He's certainly showing signs of fear, anxiety, or perhaps just uncertainty. But it's certain hard to tease that out. Drop ears, which so many domestic dogs have, can be harder to read that prick (standing erect) ears. There are many books, websites, and articles on canine body language. Do your best to study up so that you will be able to identify your dog's emotional state. It's important!

Breeding practices have emphasized features like excessive wrinkling and shorter muzzles, which can limit the range of facial expressions in dogs.

05/08/2024

As most know, I am currently raising my next bitesport prospect German shepherd puppy. He is currently almost 13 weeks old! I am also a mom to a 16-month-old little boy. ❣️

We had a common scenario this morning that I wanted to share about, because I feel that this scenario is often mishandled by many pet owners.

Bugatti (my puppy) was eating his breakfast out of his bowl. Ronan (my toddler) is at that stage where he’s into anything and everything! Naturally, he toddles over to Bugatti and sits next to him on the floor, intrigued by what he’s doing. He goes to reach a hand into the bowl. I immediately remove Ronan and attempt to occupy him with a toy away from the puppy. He tries to go back, so I pick up the bowl of food and allow Bugatti to finish his meal in his crate (he loves his crate!).

Bugatti is NOT a resource guarder. I have had him a little over a month and he has never growled, raised lip, or even given a hard stare to anybody over food (or anything else).

A lot of people would say, “make sure you allow your toddler to interact with the dog while he’s eating so he knows he can do that” or “make sure you play with his food so he gets used to it.” Why though? Why should my dog feel like he has so little autonomy that he can’t even eat a meal without being harassed?

Doing that type of stuff CREATES RESOURCE GUARDERS! It does the OPPOSITE of what you think it does!

If I allow my toddler to mess with him while he eats, though he might allow it now at this age, he is most likely going to get fed up eventually. And resource guarding can escalate VERY quickly once it’s present. Imagine someone else having their hands in your plate everyday when you eat. You may be nice and tolerate it at first, but eventually you’re going to get annoyed enough to react.

Let 👏🏻 dogs 👏🏻 eat 👏🏻 in peace 👏🏻 if you want to ✨ keep the peace ✨

04/23/2024

Be careful where you buy your next dog...

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04/13/2024

Replace the word "child" with "dog." It's all the same...

04/05/2024

I don't use pesticides on my dogs. I groom and flea comb regularly and never see an signs of fleas. I've never seen a tick in my yard either although there are many in my area. My dogs used to pick up 1-2 ticks a year but only when we traveled. I always found and removed them within a few hours. Why am I so lucky? I don't know. My theory is that my dogs eat a great diet, including supplements, that make them unappealing to most pests. I could be wrong, of course, but whatever the reason, my dogs and I have been very lucky and for that I am grateful.

As a vet tech, I have a lot of opinions about flea collars for pets. With Elanco Animal Health, manufacturer of the Seresto flea collars, facing a $15 million lawsuit for adverse effects, here's what pet parents should know about flea collars and flea prevention for dogs and cats.

04/04/2024

This is certainly true in dog training!

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04/03/2024

🥹🪽🐾

03/28/2024

Not all dogs are created equal--that's where the Yellow Dog Project comes in.

Do you have a nervous or anxious dog? One who is reactive or not fond of invasions of personal space? Are they recuperating from an illness or surgery?
Then the information the Yellow Dog Project provides is crucial to educate people how to interact with dogs safely.
By placing a yellow ribbon on your dog's collar or leash or using yellow as an identifying marker on your dog may help alleviate unwanted encounters which may make your dog uncomfortable.

If you have a dog with the above mentioned characteristics or you see a dog with yellow, please share this information so that all dog encounters can be a positive experience!

Be sure to visit the websites listed to learn more as well--a safe dog is a happy dog!

https://www.akcpetinsurance.com/blog/the-yellow-dog-project

https://www.dogtagart.com/blog/yellow-dog-project-safety-pets-needing-space #:~:text=About%20The%20Yellow%20Dog%20Project&text=The%20yellow%20ribbon%20indicates%20that,owner%20can%20keep%20them%20safe.

03/17/2024

Lucky for your pets we have this informational template provided by ASPCApro

Save this infographic on the common problems that can arise during St. Paddy's day festivities!

03/07/2024

When a dog is re-homed, he needs time and understanding to make a full adjustment. Allowing him to go at his own pace will help him adjust more quickly in the long run. My own dog Perk has lived in my home for four years and is still adjusting! Respect your dog and honor him by providing as much time and space as needed.

The most important thing to remember when bringing home a shelter or a rescue dog is that they need time to adjust to new surroundings.

03/03/2024

Parents, please take heed.

“They aren’t dangerous if you raise them right.”

Not exactly true. Modoc is 7 years old and has been raised around kids and to not be food or toy aggressive. Harrison is being raised to be respectful to animals.

BUT Modoc is a dog and Harrison is a baby.

Babies need to be at all times around dogs, and not just watched. People need to understand a dog’s stress signals.

Modoc is a great dog but Harrison also isn’t allowed to on or the dogs, he’s not allowed to play with their or , he is not allowed near their ever and not allowed around them when they are .

My dogs are not expected to tolerate being annoyed. I can tell you from experience that EVERY DOG HAS A BREAKING POINT, and every dog WILL bite.

It is up to to to be safe and and to educate themselves on dog behaviour and body language and prevent what is usually 100% preventable." - Olivia Paige

03/02/2024

The importance of encouraging your dog to sniff...

We have often said to let your dog sniff to his heart’s content while on walks because the aim for him isn’t to cover distance but to “read” his world, which he does with his nose. Now there’s proof that allowing a dog time to check things out with his nose during walks will actually […]

03/02/2024

My current foster dog, Rosebud, is now available for adopttion through Australian Cattle Dog Rescue. She is being fostered in Pittsfield, MA but can be adopted to any state in New England as well as New York. You would have to travel to Pittsfield to meet and adopt her.
https://www.petfinder.com/dog/rosebud-70847710/ma/pittsfield/australian-cattle-dog-rescue-association-inc-ny327/?

Rosebud is an adoptable Dog - Australian Cattle Dog / Blue Heeler Mix searching for a forever family near Pittsfield, MA. Use Petfinder to find adoptable pets in your area.

01/20/2024

This 100%!

01/11/2024

Service Dog Games International https://sdgamesintl.org and https://facebook.com/sdgamesintl