Don't let your dog see this story (or he'll want to move to Miami)

Dogs pose for a photo on the grounds of Barkhaus ... no steak required. (Photo: Barkhaus)

You know how you take your __dog for a walk and he gets distracted by a squirrel, another __dog or maybe a leaf? Maybe he pulls on the leash while you yell (or cajole), just hoping the neighbors don't see you.

Now imagine taking 15, 20 or 30 dogs for a stroll — but they all walk politely next to one another, enjoying the exercise and each other's company.

This canine utopia really exists, but you have to go to Miami to find it.

Andres Monasterios and Natalie Sanchez own Barkhaus, a doggy daycare, boarding and training facility, where the pack mentality is very Zen-like because the four-legged charges are very tuned in to their human leaders.

Monasterios and Sanchez take their pack for a walk in Miami. (Photo: Barkhaus)

The day typically starts with breakfast, then an hour or so of relaxation so meals can digest and dogs can have their potty breaks, then Monasterios and Sanchez hook all the leashes to their belts and hit the road. Typically, they have 15-20 dogs a day, but one time they had 42, and they walked them all at once.

"When the dogs are here, they learn they have to fall within the pack," Sanchez tells MNN. "We're always practicing sit, stay. Even though it's a huge group of dogs, it’s a lot calmer than people expect."

And the Barkhaus gang doesn't go for short strolls around the block.

"We do big Miami hikes, depending on the weather," says Monasterios. "If the weather is really nice, we'll walk 10-12 miles. If it's really hot, it's not as long. But it's never less than two miles."

Because most of the dogs had their bathroom breaks earlier in the day, there's fortunately not a lot of poop to be picked up. The scenery rotates to keep the dogs interested, and it also depends on the day's pack.

"If we have a chill pack we might go to the beach. If it's a strong pack, we walk on the train tracks," he says. "It rotates and we like to change it up for the dogs."

Picture perfect

Barkhaus dogs pause for a photo opp during a walk. (Photo: Barkhaus)

Along the route, the dogs often stop and pose for photos, and those displays of good behavior have made the daycare's Instagram and Facebook pages very popular. But contrary to speculation, no one is waving a steak in front of the camera to get the pups to sit still.

"There are always going to be a few that are a little more stubborn," Sanchez says. "It's just a matter of taking a couple different shots until they're all looking."

Before they started their business almost five years ago, Monasterios and Sanchez both had experience with animals. He studied zoology and worked with wild animals at a zoo; she studied animal science and worked as a vet tech and at a horse breeding farm. But the couple often kept friends' and neighbors' dogs and really enjoyed taking their overnight visitors — as well as their own three dogs — on long walks. They liked it so much, they started a business and quickly became booked for daycare, boarding and training.

Leaders of the pack

The Barkhaus dogs are ready to hit the road. (Photo: Barkhaus)

They accept all dogs and don't separate them by size or temperament. The key, Monasterios says, is that the dogs see the humans as pack leaders.

"All the dogs are looking up to us. We're always calling the shots. That's the only way to have that many dogs in a calm state," he says. "It's always us giving the dogs structure and them looking at us to see what they should be doing."

Dogs are called by name to eat or to go for a walk. Every time they respond to a command, they are rewarded with loads of praise.

"They've gotten used to the routine of the structure and following us around, and they really like to work and feel connected," Sanchez says. "It's really easy to get 10-15 dogs to sit and stay." (For you, maybe.)

Watch the Barkhaus crew head out on a walk:

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Mary Jo DiLonardo writes about everything from health to parenting — and anything that helps explain why her dog does what he does.

• Posted 1 day, 7 hours ago:

  Don't let your dog see this story (or he'll want to move to Miami)

• Posted 2 days, 4 hours ago:

  Sorry, sponges. The earliest animals were jellies

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  Why do your shoelaces keep coming untied? These scientists are on the case

• Posted 2 days, 12 hours ago:

  Happy animal parents show off their babies

Source : mnn[dot]com

Happy animal parents show off their babies

When animals have babies, we often ascribe human feelings to what they're likely going through. They must be proud and happy showing off those sweet, little babies, we figure. After all, look how adorable the wee ones are.

But as proud and as happy as they might look, do animal parents really feel that way?

We checked in with Jonathan Balcombe, the director of Animal Sentience with the Humane Society Institute for Science, who has published more than 50 scientific papers on animal behavior, as well as several books including "Pleasurable Kingdom: Animals and the Nature of Feeling Good."

"Having researched and written two books on animal pleasure, I feel well qualified that say that animals clearly know happiness," Balcombe says. "Bearing and raising young surely brings many forms of satisfaction and joy for animal parents, as we know it does for us."

The idea of whether animals experience pride may not be so clear.

"Whether they feel 'pride' is an interesting question, and a rather anthropomorphic one in that it is an emotion that we egocentric humans know well, but one that might not apply to non-humans," Balcombe says. "I don't think that matters though; what is important to recognize is that other species have lives that matter to them and that is not just because they have an interest in avoiding pain and suffering, but because they also seek pleasures and rewards."

With that in mind, here's a photo roundup of some animal parents with their new offspring. (They certainly seem happy!)

'Yep, I made these.' (Photo: yasmapaz & ace_heart/flickr)

Sweetie looks awfully happy with her new puppy. (Photo: SmileLikeAKat/imgur)

They're just so teeny. (Photo: mjconns/Reddit)

Sophia, an orangutan at Chicago's Brookfield Zoo, holds her new baby. (Photo: Jim Schulz/Chicago Zoological Society)

This bulldog dad hangs out with his son. (Photo: STARER_OF_CAMELTOES/imgur)

This Australian shepherd mom has a little guy who looks just like her. (Photo: Techdestro/Reddit)

• Profile
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Mary Jo DiLonardo writes about everything from health to parenting — and anything that helps explain why her __dog does what he does.

• Posted 3 hours ago:

  Don't let your __dog see this story (or he'll want to move to Miami)

• Posted 1 day, 1 hour ago:

  Sorry, sponges. The earliest animals were jellies

• Posted 1 day, 4 hours ago:

  Why do your shoelaces keep coming untied? These scientists are on the case

• Posted 1 day, 8 hours ago:

  Happy animal parents show off their babies

Source : mnn[dot]com

Proposed Bill Would Ban the Sale of Non-Rescue Dogs & Cats Across Entire State of California

Following in the highly successful footsteps of 31 cities across the state, including Los Angeles, San Diego, and, most recently, San Francisco, California lawmakers are proposing a bill that would ban the sale of non-rescued dogs and cats in retail stores statewide.

Bill 485, commonly known as the Pet Rescue & Adoption Act, seeks to make it unlawful for retail stores to sell dogs, cats, or rabbits unless the animal was obtained from a public animal control agency or shelter, SPCA shelter, Humane Society Shelter, or other 501(c)(3) rescue organization.

The bill, which was designed to target puppy mills and backyard breeders, and also to cut down on the vast number of animals that are euthanized in California shelters every year, promises to deliver a blow to the puppy mill industry based on huge success in Los Angeles.

“L.A.’s 2012 ordinance to prohibit pet stores from selling dogs, cats, and rabbits that do not come from shelters or rescues has struck a blow against the puppy mill industry.  We believe it is also increasing pet adoptions at our local shelters, which means pet shops are becoming a part of the solution, not the problem, in combating pet overpopulation,” said Los Angeles City Council Member Paul Koretz.

Under the new law, individuals could still buy animals from licensed breeders, but retails shops could not sell them – they are only permitted to adopt out animals that come from shelters, Humane Societies and registered rescue groups.

Animal advocate Nathan Winograd explained, “the goal of the bill is not only to increase the number of rescued animals in need of homes who find them, but to strike to the heart of so much animal suffering: their commodification. When there is profit to be made on the backs of animals, history shows that those backs are often strained and broken. Commercial breeding mills fuel inbreeding, provide minimal to no veterinary care, lack of adequate food and shelter, lack of human socialization, overcrowded cages, and cause neglect, abuse, and the killing of animals when they are no longer profitable. If it passes, it will be a major victory everywhere. As California goes, so eventually goes the nation.”

If you live in California, please contact your legislators and urge them to cosponsor and vote Yes on AB 485: http://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov/

You can see a full list of cities with active bans right here.

Would you welcome this same legislation in your own city or state? Please weigh in with a comment below!

Proposed Ordinance Would Ban Non-Rescue Puppy Sales in Tampa

In an effort to put an end to inhumane large-scale commercial breeding operations, more commonly known as puppy mills, Hillsborough County, Florida officials are moving forward with a proposed ordinance that would ban the retail sale of non-rescue dogs and cats in Tampa and all of Hillsborough County.

Under the new law, individuals could still buy animals from licensed breeders, but retails shops cannot sell them – instead, retailers would only be permitted to adopt out animals that come from shelters, Humane Societies and registered rescue groups.

The three existing pet stores in the area would be “granddfathered in” and still be able to operate in the county without restrictions, a concession commissioners made after hearing complaints from the owners and employees of Hillsborough stores. The county would, however, create incentive programs that encourage existing pet retailers to source their animals from rescue organizations instead. The ordinance would prevent future businesses from opening and selling commercially bred puppies and kittens within the county.

Pet retailers, PetSmart and Petco have already implemented in-store adoptions of rescued cats and dogs, proving that the business model both works and continues to draw customers to retail locations when looking to adopt.

If passed, Hillsborough County would be joining 48 other Florida jurisdictions and more than 200 other cities around the country, including Los Angeles, San Diego, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston and Austin by passing the new legislation which hopes to target puppy mills and to cut down on the vast number of animals that are euthanized in area shelters every year. California lawmakers are currently considering a similar proposal that would ban retail puppy and kitten sales across the entire state.

A public hearing and final vote will take place next month.

The 2017 Kosher for Passover Dog Food List

Monday, April 10 begins the observation of Passover, an 8-day Spring  celebration of the freedom of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt. Through certain rituals, modern day Jews have the ability to relive and experience the true freedom their ancestors gained.

From the evening of April 10 through the evening of April 18, in recognition of the unleavened bread that the Israelites ate when they left Egypt, Jews do not eat – or keep in their possession – any chametz, or  grains that can become chametz. This includes any food or drink that contains even a trace of wheat, barley, rye, oats, spelt or their derivatives.

Because dogs are family members, sharing our homes and mealtimes, joining us in celebrations, and because Jews cannot be in possession of these grains during Passover, we’ve compiled this list of Passover-approved __dog foods that are highly recommended for quality, healthfulness, and taste. Remember, recipes sometimes change. Please check your dog’s food labels carefully before feeding.

There are many other __dog foods that do not contain grains in them. This is the only HEALTHY Kosher For Passover list. We have eliminated companies with a history of recalls or products that include corn – which although permitted in dog food on Passover – is not ideal for your dogs.

The Dogington Post 2017 Kosher For Passover dog Food List

Acana Regionals Grain Free (dry): All grain-free varieties
Addiction (dry): All grain-free varieties
Annamaet (dry): Grain Free varieties
CANIDAE (dry): Grain Free pureSKY, Grain Free pureLAND, Grain Free pureELEMENTS, Grain Free pureSEA, Single Grain Protein Plus
CANIDAE (canned): Grain Free Pure
Canine Caviar (dry or canned): Only grain-free varieties
Castor & Pollux ORGANIX (dry): Grain Free Chicken & Potato, Grain Free Lamb & Peas, Grain Free Salmon & Peas
Castor & Pollux ORGANIX (wet): Grain Free Butcher & Bushel Organic Carved Turkey Dinner with Carrots & Sweet Potatoes, Grain Free Butcher & Bushel Organic Chicken Wing & Thigh Dinner with Sweet Potatoes, Grain Free Butcher & Bushel Organic Chopped Turkey & Chicken Dinner with Chicken Liver & Peas, Grain Free Butcher & Bushel Organic Shredded Chicken Dinner with Potatoes, Grain Free Butcher & Bushel Organic Tender Chicken Dinner with White Potatoes & Apples, Grain Free Organic Chicken & Vegetable, Grain Free Organic Chicken and Potato, Grain Free Organic Turkey & Vegetable, Grain Free Organic Turkey, Carrot & Potato
Earthborn Holistic (dry): Grain Free and Primitive Natural
Earthborn Holistic (dry): Primitive Natural, Coastal Catch, Great Plains Feast, Meadow Feast
Earthborn Holistic (canned): Chip’s Chicken Casserole, Duke’s Din Din, Lily’s Gourmet Buffet, Pepper’s Pot Roast, Toby’s Turkey Dinner
Farmina N & D (dry): all grain-free varieties
Fromm (dry): Grain-Free Salmon Tunalini, Grain Free Game Bird Recipe, Grain Free Surf & Turf
Fromm (canned): Shredded Beef Entrée, Shredded Chicken Entrée, Chicken Pate, Duck & Chicken Pate, Salmon & Chicken Pate
Grandma Lucy’s (dry): Artisan and Pureformance grain-free varieties
Go!: FIT + FREE (dry): Grain Free Puppy, Grain Free Adult, Grain Free Senior
Go! (wet): Grain Free Chicken, Turkey + Duck Canned Dog Food Recipe, Grain Free Freshwater Trout Wet Dog Food Recipe, Salmon + Vegetables Recipe
Halo (dry): Spot’s Stew Dry Dog Grain Free Surf & Turf
Halo (dry): Spot’s Choice Chicken & Chickpea, Spot’s Choice Turkey & Chickpea
Instinct (dry): Chicken Meal Formula, Beef Meal & Lamb Meal Formula, Duck Meal & Turkey Meal Formula, Limited Ingredient Diet Duck Meal Formula, Limited Ingredient Diet Lamb Meal Formula, Limited Ingredient Diet Turkey Meal Formula
Instinct (canned): Chicken Formula, Beef Formula, Lamb Formula, Duck Formula, Limited Ingredient Lamb Formula, Limited Ingredient Duck Formula, Limited Ingredient Turkey Formula
Lotus Dog Food (dry and canned) Grain Free
Merrick Backcountry Grain Free (wet): 96% Real Beef, 96% Real Chicken, Hearty Beef Stew, Hearty Salmon Stew
Merrick Grain Free (wet): 96% Real Chicken, 96% Real Texas Beef, 96% Real Duck, Lil’ Plates Dainty Duck Medley, Lil’ Plates Little Lamb Chop Stew, Lil’ Plates Petite Pot Pie, Lil’ Plates Teensy Turducken, Lil’ Plates Pint-Sized Puppy Plate
Merrick Limited Ingredient Diet (dry): Real Duck + Sweet Potato, Real Lamb + Sweet Potato, Real Salmon + Sweet Potato, Real Turkey + Sweet Potato, Real Chicken
Merrick Limited Ingredient Diet (wet): Real Duck, Real Lamb, Real Salmon, Real Turkey, Real Chicken Stew
Natural Balance (dry): Alpha Chicken Turkey Meal & Duck, Alpha Lamb, Chicken Meal & Rabbit, Alpha Trout, Salmon Meal & Whitefish, L.I.D. Lamb Meal & Brown Rice, L.I.D. Legume & Duck Meal, L.I.D. Potato & Duck, L.I.D. Potato & Rabbit, L.I.D. Sweet Potato & Bison, L.I.D. Sweet Potato & Chicken, L.I.D. Sweet Potato & Fish, L.I.D. Sweet Potato & Venison
Natural Balance Wild Pursuits (dry or canned): all grain-free varieties
Natural Balance (canned): L.I.D. Bison & Sweet Potato, L.I.D.Chicken & Sweet Potato, L.I.D. Duck & Potato, L.I.D. Fish & Sweet Potato, L.I.D. Lamb & Brown Rice, L.I.D. Rabbit & Brown Rice, L.I.D. Venison & Sweet Potato
Nutri-Source Grain-Free (dry): Chicken & Pea Formula, Lamb Meal Formula
Nutri-Source Grain-Free (canned): All grain-free varieties
Nutrisca Grain & Potato Free (dry): Chicken & Chickpea
Orijen (dry): Puppy, Puppy Large, Adult Dog, 6 Fish Dog, Senior
Party Animal Dog Food (canned)
Pinnacle (dry): Grain-Free varieties
Pure-Vita (dry): Grain-Free varieties
Primal (raw): Beef, Chicken, Duck, Lamb, Pheasant, Rabbit, Turkey & Sardine, Venison
Rachael Ray Nutrish Zero Grain (dry): grain-free varieties
Solid Gold (dry): Sun Dancer Grain and Gluten Free Adult, Barking at the Moon
Stella & Chewy’s (raw): Stella’s Super Beef, Chewy’s Chicken, Duck Duck Goose, Dandy Lamb, Surf & Turf, Phenomenal Pheasant, Absolutely Rabbit, Simply Venison, Tantalizing Turkey
Taste of the Wild (dry): High Prairie Puppy, Pacific Stream Puppy, High Prairie Canine, Pacific Stream Canine, Wetlands Canine, Sierra Mountain Canine
Taste of the Wild (canned): High Prairie Puppy, Pacific Stream Puppy, High Prairie Canine, Pacific Stream Canine, Wetlands Canine, Sierra Mountain Canine
The Real Meat Company (dry): Beef, Chicken, or Lamb
Victor (dry): Grain-free varieties
Wellness Complete Health Grain-Free (dry): Chicken, Lamb, or Whitefish varieties
Wellness Core Grain Free (dry): Original, Reduced Fat, Ocean, Puppy, Wild Game, Small Breed, Large Breed
Wellness Core Hearty Cuts (canned): Beef & Venison, Chicken & Turkey, Whitefish & Salmon, Turkey & Duck
Wellness Core Chunky Centers (canned): Any grain-free variety
Wellness Core 95% Meat (canned): Chicken with Broccoli, Turkey with Spinach, Chicken, Whitefish & Salmon with Sweet Potatoes, Beef with Carrots
Wellness Core Grain-Free (canned): All varieties
Wellness Petite Entrees (canned): Any grain-free variety
Wellness Simple Limited Ingredient Diet (dry or canned): Any grain-free variety
Whole Earth Farms (dry): Grain Free Healthy Puppy, Grain Free Recipe with Chicken & Turkey, Grain Free Recipe with Salmon & Whitefish, Grain Free Recipe with Turkey & Duck, Grain Free Small Breed Recipe with Salmon & Whitefish, Grain Free Recipe Healthy Weight, Grain Free Recipe Small Breed (Chicken)
Wild Calling! (dry): Western Plains Stampede
Wysong (dry): Starch-Free varieties
Zignature (dry or canned): All limited ingredient grain-free formulas.

Please note that only Evanger’s Dog and Cat Food Company offers products under Rabbinic Supervision. However, due to recent recalls involving the presence of the euthanasia drug Pentobarbital and horse DNA, we do not recommend Evanger’s products to our readers.

There are other Passover-friendly dog foods available in addition to this list. Look for grain-free options or those with rice as the only grain. While corn is an acceptable grain to feed during Passover, it is proven to be an unhealthy ingredient for dogs and should be avoided. The Passover-approved dog foods on this list would all make excellent choices for feeding your dog year round, too.

Questions & Answers About Feeding Your Dog During Passover:

Still not sure if your dog’s food is acceptable during Passover? Star-K provided answers to commonly asked questions.

Q. Are “grain-free” pet foods acceptable?
A. There has been a proliferation of “grain-free” dog and cat foods on the market. While we still recommend checking the ingredient panel on those foods, they are a good place to start your search for an appropriate food.
Q. Is it necessary to buy a new food bowl for your pet for Pesach?
A. No. However, the bowl used year-round should be thoroughly cleaned before Pesach.
Q. If I am going away for Pesach, what should I do with my fish?
A. Vacation blocks often have chometz. One can purchase a block without chometz or use an automatic fish feeder and fill it with non-chometz food.
Q. During a Pesach visit to the zoo, may one purchase the animal feed?
A. No. This feed is often chometz and should not be purchased or fed to the animals during Pesach.
Q. Must pet food with chometz be put away and sold before Pesach?
A. Yes.
Q. Can kitniyos, such as rice and beans, be fed to animals on Pesach?
A. Yes.
Q. What are some common chometz ingredients in pet food?
A. Wheat (cracked, flour, germ, gluten, ground, groats, middlings, starch), barley (cracked, flour), oats (flour, groats, hulled), pasta, rye, and brewer’s dried yeast. Any questionable ingredient should be reviewed by a competent rabbinic authority.
Q. What are some common ingredients which may be kitniyos but are permitted in pet food?
A. Beans, buckwheat, brewer’s rice, corn, grain sorghum (milo), millet, peanuts, peas, rice, sesame, soybeans, soy flour, and sunflower.
Q. Is pet food “with gravy” permitted?
A. Most often gravy contains chometz. Read the ingredient panel carefully.
Q. Are the vitamins or minerals in pet food chometz?
A. They may be chometz, but are batel (nullified) due to the small amount added.

We wish all of our Jewish friends a Happy (and Kosher) Passover.

Week in Review: Patrick Stewart & Ginger #GetTough for Pitbulls, Expert Training Tips, Dog Day Care Shocker, Passover Pups, Proposed Laws, & More!

From inspiring stories, breaking news, advice for __dog moms and dads, and tips for training your furriest family members, a lot happens in a week! Here are the top __dog stories from this past week, all in one easy-to-read article!

After Missing for 4 Years, Beloved dog Just Shows Up on Her Doorstep

When a North Carolina man opened his front door on Tuesday morning, he got the surprise of a lifetime! A dog, who looked a lot like his German Shepherd, Molly, who’d disappeared 4 years earlier, was sitting on the doorstep.…Continue reading

7 Superfoods You Can (And Should!) Add to Your Dog’s Diet

Superfoods have long been known to be beneficial to humans, packed with nutrients, vitamins, and antioxidants for optimal health. But, did you know that some superfoods are an excellent addition to a dog’s diet, too?…Continue reading

Patrick Stewart & Foster Dog Ginger #GetTough Against Dog Fighting & BSL

For the first time in more than 50 years, legendary actor Sir Patrick Stewart opened his heart and home to foster a dog. Less than a month ago, the world watched as Ginger and Patrick met for the first time. Their bond was instant.…Continue reading

How to Teach Your Dog to Shake, High Five, & Crawl (With Video!)

One of the best ways to have a great relationship with your dog is to make sure they are well trained.  And training your dog can seem a little overwhelming sometimes but I have an entire series of super short videos that you can check out for training tips.  Then, when you’re feeling confident that you have some of the basic commands, like sit, stay and come mastered, it’s a good idea to continue to teach new behaviors so that your dog is in the habit of learning new commands.…Continue reading

Dog Day Care Puts Shock Collar on Dog Without Permission

When Luke Mullaney picked up his dog from her Chicago-area dog day care, he discovered she was wearing a second collar beneath her regular collar. Upon closer inspection, he realized that German shepherd mix, Mya, was wearing a shock collar, a device that he does not personally use, and did not authorize the day care center to use.…Continue reading

The 2017 Kosher for Passover Dog Food List

Monday, April 10 begins the observation of Passover, an 8-day Spring  celebration of the freedom of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt. Through certain rituals, modern day Jews have the ability to relive and experience the true freedom their ancestors gained.…Continue reading

Proposed Bill Would Ban the Sale of Non-Rescue Dogs & Cats Across Entire State of California

Following in the highly successful footsteps of 31 cities across the state, including Los Angeles, San Diego, and, most recently, San Francisco, California lawmakers are proposing a bill that would ban the sale of non-rescued dogs and cats in retail stores statewide.…Continue reading

Proposed Ordinance Would Ban Non-Rescue Puppy Sales in Tampa

In an effort to put an end to inhumane large-scale commercial breeding operations, more commonly known as puppy mills, Hillsborough County, Florida officials are moving forward with a proposed ordinance that would ban the retail sale of non-rescue dogs and cats in Tampa and all of Hillsborough County.…Continue reading

Bridal Party Swaps Out Bouquets for Adoptable Puppies on Wedding Day

Credit: Discover Love Studios; Photographer Brittany Boland

When a couple of Charlotte, North Carolina animal lovers decided to tie the knot, they were determined to find a way to include puppies in their big day as well as promote animal rescue and adoption. So, they swapped out the traditional floral bouquets in favor of a pack of adorable, adoptable puppies!…Continue reading

The Three Most Dangerous Types of Dogs

By now, most people should know that “dangerous breed” laws have been proven ineffective and banning dogs based on physical appearance does not help prevent problems, it just tears families with loving dogs apart.  So what are the three Most Dangerous Types of Dogs…?

The Undersocialized Dog

This is by far, one of the most overlooked aspects of raising a dog.  Proper socialization is ESSENTIAL.  I preach the importance of early socialization for puppies between 8-16 weeks old.  The vast majority of aggression cases I see, stem from fear based aggression.  NOT the territorial or dominance aggression that most people think of.

A __dog that is unsure or scared, is likely to react (barking, growling, lunging, biting, etc.) in order to protect themselves or their owner.  Learn more about socialization with the Socialization Checklist.

The Tired and Overstressed Dog

Patience and energy are finite resources, they do NOT last forever.  Just like humans, if you have a long and stressful day at work, your “fuse” is much shorter and your tolerance with your family when you get home is much less.  As a result, you are quick to argue or say something you would not normally say.  This is no different with your dog.

Stress and fatigue builds.  Your __dog may be able to tolerate certain stressors for a little while, but if they are tired from a busy day, interacting too much with strange people/dogs, being pet or held too much, etc., they may be more apt to react with a bite.  Even the most well-mannered dog can react when tired and stressed.  So don’t put your dog in compromising situations that overly stress them.  Instead, advocate for your dog by controlling and limiting certain interactions, which will help to keep your dog and the public safe.

The Untrained Dog

A poorly trained dog, will not only ignore your commands when it’s most important, but they also lack the vital self confidence that they gain through proper training.  Good obedience training develops a language, a system of communication between dog and owner.  This builds the dog’s confidence in their family, but also the dog’s confidence in themselves and the world around them.   Use these Tips for Beginner Obedience Training to help you get started.

Keep these things in mind and share them with your friends and family…that’s the way we can ALL help to keep our dogs happy, healthy, and safe.

Putnam NY dog Trainer Steve Reid, of S.R. Dog Training in Putnam County NY.  Learn more about Steve at www.srdogtraining.com and www.Facebook.com/SRDogTraining.