You’re walking your dog back home, after they’ve finished their business, leash in one hand, poop bag in the other. You toss the bag in the nearest trash can you can find. But is that really an eco-friendly dog poop disposal approach? This very question led me to the surprising discovery that dog poop isn’t…
Every morning, sharp at 6, my cuddly GSD comes to nudge me out of bed with his nose, as if to say, “Wake up, mommy, it’s time for my walk.” His dinner time is 8 pm, and if his dinner is delayed by a few minutes, he’s there by my side, making those puppy eyes,…
It’s a scene many dog owners know too well—an ambulance or fire truck passes by, sirens blaring, and suddenly your dog throws back his head and howls in response. As a mom to a very vocal German Shepherd, I’ve experienced this too many times to count. So, why do dogs howl at sirens? Is it…
Watching a dog discover a mirror is always a laugh riot. When my first German Shepherd saw himself in the mirror for the first time, he spent ten minutes barking at his twin in the glass and trying to attack the “intruder.” As I have learned over the years, this behavior is not uncommon. Dogs…
When you get started with dog training, there are usually a few basic things on your checklist. House training, teaching your pet basic commands like sit and stay, perfecting recall, walking on a leash without pulling, and then throwing in some basic yet fun trick like fetch and training your dog to give paw. The…
Do dog training clickers work? This was exactly the question I wrestled with as a first-time pet parent, frustrated by the fact that the clicker seemed to do nothing to aid the training process for my pet. I had all but given up on using clickers as part of the training process because at the…
The first time I noticed my dog, Adolf, eating his own poop I was appalled, disgusted, and worried sick. As a novice pet parent at the time, this seemed like a curveball I didn’t know how to handle. I mean I was prepared to deal with potty training, puppy chewing on everything in their sight,…
Early on in my pet parenting journey I came across a quote that really stuck with me. “They’re not dangerous if you raise them right.” Over the years, this adage has rung true for my experience with our canine companions. No matter what a dog’s breed, lineage, history, or personality, if you prioritize training from…
Older dogs training puppies can be quite a fascinating experience to behold. I first witnessed it as a child, at my aunt’s house that was always abuzz with dogs—German Shepherds, primarily, but also Pomeranians, Labradors, Cocker Spaniels in the mix. Given that they had a hearing impaired daughter, they trained their pets to be guard…
A reactive dog can be a huge burden for even the most seasoned pet parents. Having suffered the consequences first hand, I can tell you there is no upside to letting your pet’s reactivity stand no matter how challenging it seems to break that pattern and desensitize them to triggers. Based on my experience of…