Tips and Notes from Laura...

Tip of the week: 1/21/08: Eating too fast can be a real problem for dogs and owners alike.  It not only causes stress for the owner, it can also lead to choking for the dog.  To prevent your dog from inhaling it's food, there are a few tricks you can try.

A: Spread dogs food out in a cake pan - this forces them to scrounge around in the pan for it and takes them longer.      B: Spread food out over a towel or blanket - same idea as the pan - forces them to slow down and search for it.        C:  Put tennis balls in the dog dish with the food - this makes them have to push the balls around to find the food.       D:  Add WATER!  This forces dogs to slow down and lap it up.  You can add water to their regular dish or to the cake pan, just enough so it's almost floating.

Tip of the week: 6/24/07:  Retractable leashes are not really the solution to more exercise.  Most dogs really don't get "more" exercise with leashes that extend out.  They actually can lead to many more behavior issues because of how far in front of the owner the dog really is. 

For more ideas on stimulating your dog, try biking or roller-blading with them.  They really enjoy the fast pace.  Otherwise a dog backpack with some full water bottles in it for weight can really tire out even the most energetic dog. 

Tip of the week: 4/8/07:  Teaching new tricks.  When teaching a new trick - be sure to start really slow and basic.  Reward that.  Once that is repeated 10 times - then move on.  Trying to teach things too quick is a major frustration on both ends of the leash. 

Some fun things to teach your dog to do:  "Spin" around in a circle.  "Touch" the ball before you throw it.  "Speak" on command and then "Hush" to quiet them down!

Tip of the week: 2/11/07:  Prevent boredom.  During the long winter - keep your dog stimulated with some plastic water/soda bottles.  Fill them a little with dry dog  food and have your dog  roll them around to get the food out.  There are lots of variations of this - be creative!

Tip of the week: 1/14/07:  Be aware of the salt!  Walking your dog in winter is still necessary, but be catious of the salt they can pick up from the roadways and sidewalks. 

When you get home, wipe off or soak your pup's pads in warm water (no soap is required) to wash the salt off and prevent drying and craking of the pads.

Tip of the week: 8/6/06:  Nails - be sure to keep your pup's nails nice and trim throughout the year.  When they are long and curved over, it puts up-ward pressure on their paws which leads to painful walking. 

If you do not feel comfortable doing it yourself, call your local/favorite groomer - they would be happy to do it!  And the price is pretty cheap too! 

Tip of the week 7/23/06:    Dogs need walks and exercise all the time - even during hot summer months. 

But - the pavement gets very hot during a sunny day - be sure to walk dogs in the morning or late evening to keep their pads from burning. 

If you must walk them during the day, try to keep to shaded areas or on grass and bring lots of water. 

Have a fun walk!