New Years Resolutions

The real trick to dog training is setting goals. The most common reason that people and their pets fail is because, and here comes the big secret, they didn't make goals! They had a list of things they didn't want but didn't identify what they DO want. They wanted the dog to "not jump", "not mess in the house", "not bark", "not rush through doors", "stop destroying stuff" etc. These are not goals.

A goal would be "understand how to greet people", "tell me when they need to go outside to the bathroom area", "go to the bathroom outside in the designated area", "alert me when something is going on and be quiet when I ask", "wait while doors are being opened and walk through when told", "chew on dog toys only". This is what dog training is about. This is the key to having a great relationship with your pet.

This picture is of Lilly. We could have followed her around the house saying "NO!"  every time she moved away from the camera but instead, we gave her clear and easy instructions to sit and stay. What a good girl.

Anal Glads

I know it's not a pleasant topic but we need to keep our dogs healthy. So if your dog has anal gland problems you probably get the anal glands expressed(emptied) every time you go to the groomer or the Vet. Did you know that that may not be helping?

A healthy dog empties the anal glands naturally when they go to the bathroom. If your dog isn't emptying their anal glands normally, it's important for you and your Vet to discover a cause. Groomers should not be doing medical procedures on your pet.

So how do you keep them healthy? If you see your dog scooting their rear end on the floor, their glands may be full. Make an appointment with your Vet to find out why the glands aren't emptying normally. Ask your Vet to show you how to check to see if the the glands are full.

This is Dr Karen Becker's video about anal glands.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yA9SeHAEyQ4&feature=player_embedded

Your holiday pet list

Here are a few things to add to your already busy holiday season. If you are prepared you will have a safer holiday.

• Take a few pictures of your pets. Your pet could get loose when people open doors, when you stop for a break at a rest area, or when your pet sitter comes to your house. A current picture will help your search. Seriously, pick up your camera or phone and take one now.

• If you're traveling- take a few minutes to do a google search for vets where you are going. Call them and find out what they do for emergencies. Add the phone number and address to your phone or put a copy in your suitcase.

• Make sure that your pet is wearing an ID tag on their collar with a current phone number.

• If your pet has a microchip call to see that your contact information is current. Microchips don't hold the information. The person who scans the microchip gets an account number and then needs to call for contact information.

• Check your pets medication and make sure that you have enough to last through the holidays. Give yourself a few extra days worth. You don't want to run out of medication in a snow storm the day after Christmas.

Have a safe holiday season!

I tried APDT Rally this weekend!

There are a bunch of great sports to play with your dog. This weekend my dog Isa and I tried APDT Rally. Rally is a more casual version of obedience competition. The exercises are challenging. You're allowed to talk to you dog and encourage with petting, treats, and other types of rewards.

We took it slow and steady. This is a Level 1 course. Isa scored a 201 out of a possible 210 points. We had a great time together and met some fun dog people.

If you're considering trying a dog sport go to an event and watch. Dog people are almost always happy to talk about their sport.

Chrissy

Christine Neumyer Smith CPDT
Certified Pet Dog Trainer
Certified Groomer

Healthy Ears

So what's a healthy ear? A dogs ear should look and smell clean. It should look almost like our ears. Now I know that you can't look into your own ear but you would recognize an unhealthy looking ear on another person. If your dog is scratching his/her ears, has any sort of "stuff" in his/her ears, or has any redness swelling or heat in their ears please call your vet. These things are ear problems. If your dog usually has these problems please keep working with your vet to help your dog.

Chrissy

Christine Neumyer Smith CPDT

Certified Pet Dog Trainer

Certified Groomer

Off Leash Play

Is your dog able and ready to play loose in a safe park? Are you confident that you can get your dog's attention when you call their name? Will your dog come when called? Will you dog let you take hold of their collar? Can you call you dog away from other animals, bikes, or something yucky to roll in or eat?

Are you looking for a trainer who can help you get to that point? I'm Chrissy Smith from Happy Critters.net and I can help you. 978-764-5408

Christine Neumyer Smith CPDT

Nail Care

Not a day goes by when I don't have at least one person ask me about the peticure commercials. "Do you have one?" "Do they really work?" "Does nail trimming hurt?" "Are they really safer?" Very good questions and I'm glad that people ask.

The device is a grinder. I have a dremel with a sanding wheel on it for grinding nails. Its the same thing but it doesn't have the extra guard on the end to keep the hair from getting stuck in it. I personally don't want the guard because it keeps you from being able to sculpt around the edges of the nail. A beginner may want the guard while they're learning.

Grinding nails is just another way to keep nails short. When I grind nails I usually clip the nails first then grind them down just a bit further and take off any rough edges. Sometimes the nails are short enough that I don't need to clip first but that is very rare.

Its important to learn how to trim a nail properly before you try it. You need to know the structure of the nail, how to hold the foot to get the correct angle, and how to use the tool. Its easier to learn on a dog that knows about nail trimming. If you don't know what you're doing and your dog doesn't know either you will have a very frustrating experience. The same is true with grinding.

There are some down sides to grinding. Grinding for too long will heat the nail and can be very uncomfortable. You can still grind into the quick and hurt your dog. The sound of the grinder can be scary for most dogs the first time. You will still need to teach your dog how to be good for nail care.