Heather Graddy, DVM

19/10/2023

15ish pound tri- color adult dog found hit-by-car on Wadsworth this morning. Dropped off by a good Samaritan for treatment at Lakewood Veterinary Hospital. We need to find her owner as hospitalization may be required beyond our capability.

Please share.

17/10/2021

Thanks to all the vet techs that make veterinary medicine possible !

14/04/2021

Protect yourself and your dog by understanding how to properly greet an anxious dog

May 15-21st is National Dog Bite Prevention Week so it’s a perfect week for a reminder. Over 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs every year and about 800,000 of those bites are severe enough to warrant a trip to the hospital.

29/12/2020

Ever marvel at a well-behaved dog and wonder where you could find yourself a good dog ?
HINT: they're made, not found.

Only a good dog owner

12/11/2020

Wordering why its harder to get an appointment with your vet? They're likely busier than ever!

Wondering why your veterinarian has been so busy this year? Pets may not need to mask up, but COVID-19 and its effects on human society has caused an unprecedented increase in activity at many veterinary practices.

08/11/2020

Questions about your pets and COVID?

Like many aspects of this virus, scientists don't yet have all the answers, but the AVMA has a great synopsis about what we do know.

CDC provides credible COVID-19 health information to the U.S.

12/08/2020

Such an important reminder that while socialization and training are important, genetics are important, too. We should always remember to meet our dogs where they are and realize we can't change everything.

If you’re a dog owner, I’m sure you’ve heard this refrain. Conventional wisdom says that young puppies come to us as blank slates. Full of promise and limitless potential, ready to be molded into …

13/06/2020

Ever wondered if your dog's behavior quirks may be genetic?
The answer is... maybe.

All dogs can experience separation anxiety, but genetics and breed traits might come into play. Here is a list of dog breeds with separation anxiety.

14/05/2020

Considering adopting a puppy or two this spring? In the case of puppies, two is often not better than one.

What is littermate syndrome? How do you prevent it? Read Great Pet Care's vet-recommended advice and learn the signs and symptoms of littermate syndrome.

13/05/2020

More great ideas for socializing puppies while we're social distancing.

There are so many ways we can socialize puppies while sheltering at home. These are some suggestions! Please honor what feels safe for you with regard to visiting parks and other public areas.

07/05/2020

Humane Society of the South Platte Valley is offering virtual training for dogs and their owners. Thanks HSSPV for all you do!

✳️ ANNOUNCEMENT: HSSPV NOW OFFERING VIRTUAL BEHAVIOR & TRAINING RESOURCES INCLUDING BASIC MANNERS CLASS ✳️

Message from the Trainer:

"The Humane Society of the South Platte Valley and Hot Diggity Dog would like to invite you to participate in Online Basic Manners classes using Zoom meetings, beginning May 15, 2020. We have already run some very successful Zoom training classes for our volunteers, so we are excited to be able to open up this opportunity to the public!

Each class will consist of five one-hour, live, online lessons that meet once a week, with homework in-between. The sessions will be similar to in-person classes, but you will participate from the comfort of your own home. You will learn from me live, watch some prerecorded clips demonstrating the training cues you will be learning, practice your training while I observe you (you will need a laptop, portable we**am or phone camera), and receive coaching and homework assignments from me during the live lessons.

In addition, we will have a private Facebook group set up where you can ask questions during the week, as well as refer back to the pre-recorded training clips, download handouts, and even upload your own videos of your homework sessions for review by me, so that we can fine tune your skills. You will also have the opportunity to ask questions on topics of your choice (e.g. polite greetings, jumping up, counter surfing, potty training, barking, prey drive, etc.).

The Basic Manners class is the first class we are offering in the new online format. This class covers sit, watch, come, down, stay, touch, loose leash walking, leave it, heel, and tricks. Because the format is new, for a limited time you may attend the first online session without any obligation! If you find that the online forum does not work well for you, we would be happy to either refund your enrollment fee, or transfer it to a future in-person class.

The training calendar can be found here: https://hsspv.org/behaviortraining

If you are interested in participating in one of our upcoming Online Basic Manners classes, please send an email to [email protected]

We look forward to working with you and your dog!"

- Lisa Korf, Behavior & Training Manager

01/05/2020

Spending more time at home during this public health crisis? Maintaining a routine now with your dog may ease the transition when life returns to normal.

Dog are more anxious than you would expect. Very receptive to humans, they can mirror their emotions. Is the context of the COVID-19 mass confinement going to cause the animals more stress? According to vets, coming out of isolation might be more of a problem. But understanding the roots of separati...

08/04/2020

For all parents of young children, this video is a great way to teach your kids how to greet a dog.
But everyone should check it out.... the song is really catchy....

DOG SAFETY video for KIDS EVERYWHERE!!! PAT PET PAUSE is a part of our STOP THE 77 campaign www.stopthe77.com. 77% of dog bites come from a friend's dog or t...

03/04/2020

Bored??
Train your cat!!

Seriously, training a cat is easier than you think -plus, it can be fun and practical. 😺🐈

Wondering if your cat can play dead or maybe use a toilet? Get expert advice on how to train your cat from our experts at Great Pet Care.

03/04/2020

Puppy socialization is sooo important, but what does that mean in light of the current social distancing requirements?
My Fantastic Friend has some great ideas!
Makes me wish I had a puppy to "shelter in place" with!!🐶🐾

How can puppies receive proper socialization during this time of almost complete social isolation?

03/04/2020

Welcome!
I created this page to share animal behavior and training resources I find interesting (and/or helpful). Please feel free to comment and share!