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Dogs in General

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So You Think You’d Like an Australian Shepherd?

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Black Tri Australian Shepherd Australian Shepherds, affectionately know as “Aussies,” are becoming more and more popular as more and more people discover the breed. Understandably, many people are attracted by their looks and intelligence.

They absolutely do make great dogs for the right people. And, like Border Collies, they definitely aren’t for everyone.

If you’re considering an Aussie, please take to heart the following information I’ve posted with permission from ARPH. Too many good Aussies wind up in Rescue because their owners don’t … Read More

4th of July Fireworks Remedies for Dogs

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fireworks dog hidingA Dog’s Perspective on Fireworks

Fireworks—classic component of the July 4th holiday weekend.  Large crowds gather to watch the night sky turn technicolor. Often spectacular. Always noisy.

Almost always anxiety-producing for dogs.

If Wink could climb inside my skin to hide, he would. Graidy, who never used to be that bothered by fireworks, now turns into a quivering mess, courtesy of chronic Lyme disease. (Lyme can affect neurological functioning in all kinds of weird ways, this being one of them.)… Read More

Lyme Bulls-Eye on Dogs

/ Dogs in General, My Dogs and Me / By / 2 Comments

Tick Bullseye Some vets will tell you that dogs don’t get the common bulls-eye rash that humans do when infected with Lyme disease. I’m here to tell you that dogs absolutely do.

Right now, Graidy’s got a beaut of a rash on his inner thigh. His fur is white and very fine, so it’s easy to see down to his skin. (That’s a photo of his bite. Sorry, I couldn’t get a better shot, Graidy wasn’t interested in staying still, but it … Read More

Housetraining Your Dog and Putting It on Cue

/ Dog Training, Dogs in General, My Dogs and Me / By / 1 Comment

Border CollieThere are times in life when I just don’t feel like standing around while my dogs find the perfect spot on which to relieve themselves. Like when the temperature outside is in the minus digits. Or, when I’m in a hurry to go somewhere and I don’t have hours for them to decide to do the deed. Or, when it’s late and I’m so tired that I’m not sure what’s holding me upright any longer. I’m sure you could think … Read More

Why I Don’t Use a Flexi-Leash

/ Dog Training, Dogs in General, My Dogs and Me / By / 6 Comments

What’s the matter with using a Flexi-leash?

Flexi-leashes require tension on the leash in order to keep the line pulled out and thus teach dogs to pull.

And if you already have a dog who pulls (because maybe you haven’t had the time to properly train him how to walk on a leash?) then a flexi-leash will ensure that you will always have a problem walking your dog. I know. Harsh, but true.

Here’s just one of the all-too-frequent occurrences … Read More

Is It Fear or Aggression or Both or Neither?

/ Dog Training, Dogs in General, The Mail Bag / By / Leave a Comment

I have an adolescent male Aussie who, when on the leash, gets extremely worked up when he senses (hears, sees) another dog. All his attention goes straight to “I gotta get to that dog! I gotta get to that dog!”.

There are a lot of dogs in the neighborhood and thankfully most of them are leashed when their moms and dads walk them. However, Remy (my aussie) has a meltdown even if the dog is several blocks away.

We’ve tried

… Read More

How Many Dogs Old are You?

/ Dog Training, Dogs in General, My Dogs and Me / By / 13 Comments

4dogsOver the years, many people have asked for help on how to pick the perfect dog. I’m always happy to assist when I can. I usually start by asking: How many dogs old are you?

Huh? you say.  Are you asking me how old in dog years I am?

No, it’s not a sneaky way to calculate your age. Rather, it’s a very important question in a list of questions that need to be asked to ascertain what kind of … Read More

Here’s to a Happy and SAFE Holiday Season

/ Dogs in General / By / 5 Comments

twasTheNight1

Twas the Night Before Christmas

and all through the house

All the creatures were stirring

One might even say conferring

On where all the goodies were hidden

Not realizing they were forbidden…

 

With the flurry of holiday preparations and all the comings and goings, it’s a time when we may be more distracted than normal. And therefore a time when our dogs may find their way into any number of things that could poison or kill them.

poisonAt this … Read More

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