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National Puppy Day

Monday, March 19, 2012 No Comments by Pooch Pals LLC

1 150x150 National Puppy DayThis Friday, March 23 is the sixth annual National Puppy Day. If you are thinking about getting a puppy, we encourage you to consider adopting one at your local shelter or a pure breed rescue.

Welcoming a puppy into your home can be one of the most fulfilling, happy and heart warming experiences for you and your family. There is a huge assortment of various products you can buy for your puppy. Here are a couple tips to save you money and time when it comes to basic obedience and house breaking training your puppy.

1. Crate training your puppy is one of the most effective tools in your trainers kit for house breaking training. When selecting a crate for your puppy it’s important to take into account the size of the crate. Too big and your puppy’s house breaking training may progress slower since accidents are more likely to occur in one corner of the crate. A crate just larger than the size of your puppy is recommended.

2. When starting your on-leash basic obedience training we suggest a body harness like the one manufactured by Easy Walk. The snug fit around the puppy’s body sends a gentle signal when you are working on positive reinforcement training. It also allows you to get greater control of your puppy without the discomfort of tugging on her neck.

3. In high traffic areas play it safe and pick up a standard 4 to 6 foot standard training leash. Standard leashes that do NOT retract are the gold standard when it comes to teaching your dog on-leash obedience. Set your puppy up for success early on by using a standard training leash.

4. Positive reinforcement training is just as it sounds; reinforcing your puppy with something of high value when she performs a requested behavior. One of the highest value ‘things’ you can give your puppy is food or treats.  It might take a couple tries before finding what your dog likes so start by purchasing small serving sizes at first. In our 12 years of experience, we’ve found Wellness Treats or Natural Balance to be two great high value products we use during our reinforcement training puppy walks. More information about high value training treats can be found in our previous post.

5. A urine elimination product is essential to completely removing the scent of urine in your home. Your puppy is bound to have an accident as she gets adjusted to her new surroundings. Vinegar, detergent, soap and water aren’t going to do the job. While you or I may not smell the scent of urine, your dog will. When it comes to house breaking training we strongly recommend Nature’s Miracle. This product breaks down the urine on a molecular level and completely wipes out the scent which is imperative for your puppy’s house breaking training success.

For more information on puppy house breaking training or to setup a dog walking routine that includes house breaking training please contact us to setup a consultation. Happy National Puppy Day!

High Value Dog Treats

Tuesday, January 24, 2012 No Comments by Pooch Pals LLC

076344890546c 150x150 High Value Dog TreatsWellness Pure Rewards Dog Treats are one of the simplest and tastiest ways to treat the dog in your life. Our goal was to create a tender, all-natural jerky treat using the fewest ingredients possible. These high value dog treats are the ideal reward for training, and treating dogs of all ages, sizes and palates.

 

 

 

freeze dried liver treats gimborn e1327765974402 144x150 High Value Dog TreatsGimborn Freeze Dried Treats maintain the aroma, full flavor, and nutritional value of raw beef liver and chicken. Conveniently cubed into reward size treats, Pro-Treat is an excellent obedience and training tool.

 

 

 

0150 150x150 High Value Dog TreatsNatural Balance Treat Rolls are used and respected worldwide by top trainers, breeders, veterinarians, kennels, and caring pet owners who want the best for their animals. Natural Balance® products provide complete and balanced nutrition in a variety of foods, from dry, canned, dog food rolls and treats. Click to view the Natural Balance commercial on YouTube.

 

 

093766747074C 150x150 High Value Dog TreatsSolid Gold Tiny Tots  use only the natural ingredients that dogs love. They have formulated these treats with your dog’s health in mind and have ensured that ingredients, such as wheat, corn and soy are not added because they are among the most common cause of allergies in pets.

Paw Protection Against Sidewalk Salt

Wednesday, January 4, 2012 No Comments by Pooch Pals LLC

mushers secret lg 150x150 Paw Protection Against Sidewalk SaltDid you know that salt or other chemical ice/snow melters used on sidewalks can cause a low grade burn, or irritation to your dogs paws?

Avoid the irritation and potential visit to the vet and pick yourself up Musher’s Secret, otherwise known as Musher’s Wax.  Musher’s is non-toxic wax that’s used for sledding dogs to keep their paws coated, and it provides good paw protection against the salted sidewalks.

When you get home, it’s also a good idea to wipe your dogs paws off with baby wipes. If you notice your dog’s pads (underside of paws) are irritated, the best thing to do is go to your veterinarian for treatment.

House Breaking Training Made Simple

Tuesday, December 20, 2011 1 Comment by Pooch Pals LLC

dog in crate 150x150 House Breaking Training Made SimpleWhen it comes to house breaking training the single most effective tool in your trainers kit is…… a crate.

Developing a house breaking schedule is another important part of creating your Treatment Plan. In short, the crate should be made into a safe/cozy place where your dog get’s it’s favorite toys and treats. The placement of the crate is also a contributing factor to whether your dog ‘feels safe’ inside the crate. Drape a blanket over it, push it up into a corner of your room creating a cave of sorts.

As a general rule when housebreaking puppies, your dog can stay inside a closed crate for approximately the same number of hours the puppy is in months. 3 months old = 3 hours. Don’t forget that the act of consuming water or food stimulates elimination so when devising your Treatment Plan you have to take this into account with your schedule.

There is no set time it will take to house break your dog. However, in our experience, the more diligent you are as an owner keeping a consistent schedule the more likely you will be in achieving your house breaking training goals. Contact us if your interested in receiving a copy of our puppy house breaking training chart.

Curb Motion Sickness

Saturday, December 10, 2011 No Comments by Pooch Pals LLC

thundershirt gray large 150x150 Curb Motion SicknessFor some dogs car trips produce anxiety and even temporary illness. Our in house Goldendoodle Riley for instance used to get sick riding in the Pooch Pals car. Gas, drooling, burping, vomiting – the works. Not fun! Learn how to curb motion sickness and help make traveling easier for you and your pet.

Enter our saving grace, the Thundershirt. This product applies a constant and gentle pressure around the dog which produces a dramatic calming effect. Like swaddling an infant, or pressure shirts used by thousands of people with autism. Thundershirt has already helped tens of thousands of dogs around the world.

Avoid the vomiting, drooling or nausea. The Thundershirt is a great low cost, non invasive option to consider. Just remember drive safely – and – no texting!