Is All Dog Food Created Equally?

Zoe was just a puppy when she began to develop large bumps around her neck. She scratched and scratched at them until they became infected. Our veterinarian put her on antibiotics and steroids which took care of the problem temporarily. It wasn’t long before we noticed a pattern. We began questioning the ingredients of the dog food we were feeding her. We discovered the food we were feeding her had corn in it. Zoe was allergic to corn based dog food. We started using a holistic dog food that has no corn or fillers in it called Canidae. It made a big difference. The out of pocket price is a little more, but it meant less visits to the vet. All dog foods are not created equally. To find out more, Click Here!

Stop Dog Biting

If you have a dog that bites, this can be a very serious liability. A dog that is in pain, hungry or very stressed can end up biting someone. It is important to get this behavior under control immediately. You can start by earning his trust. Start spending time working with your dog and letting him take a treat out of your hand. It is crucial that you display confidence around your dog, so that he does not sense that you are afraid. While he is taking a treat from your hand, gently pet his face. Do this a couple of times a day, but only a few minutes at a time. You can eventually begin to increase the amount of time you are petting him while you give him a treat. If your dog tries to bite you, give him a firm “no” and leave him in the room alone for a minute to let him know that this is unacceptable behavior.
You also want your dog comfortable with other people. Put up a gate in another room and let your dog stay in that room while guests enter the house. Have your guests ignore him at first. One by one, have each guest get up and walk by the gate and acknowledge your dog as they toss him a treat. Do not let them linger near the gate. Using dog training to change behaviors takes baby steps. If you are persistent, he will warm up to you and your guests and be less likely to bite. To learn more Click Here!

Therapy Dog

Dogs are wonderful therapy and great stress relievers. They can make you laugh when your sad. They show you affection when you need it most without any expectations from you. My faithful friend waits for me to come home from work everyday. She waits right by the door. As soon as I acknowledge her, she begins to wag her stubby tail. It is not long before the stress of my day is a faint memory and I have turned my focus to my loyal sidekick.

There have been studies done about the calming affect of petting a dog. Dogs can be trained to visit convalescent homes and sick children. Dogs trained as therapy dogs are known as comfort animals. Comfort animals improve physical and emotional function in many patients while reducing loneliness. Petting and stroking an animal allows the patient physical touch and companionship. Therapy dogs frequently come in contact with people in wheelchairs or hospital related equipment. These dogs must be comfortable being around equipment especially if it makes unusual sounds. A therapy dog is trained to offer comfort to hospital patients and those in nursing homes and mental facilities. Therapy dogs change tears to smiles. Dogs offer unconditional love and a level of patience that no human could ever possibly give. Therapy dogs can give a great deal of comfort and companionship to the hurt and lonely. For more information, go here!

Training Your Timid Dog

Many dogs are fearful of certain objects, people or loud noises. Smaller dogs are proned to being timid and shy. This behavior can cause them to have an overly aggressive nature they use to compensate for their small stature. A timid or shy dog can only learn inside their comfort zone. So, training must begin where they feel safe and must be taught in small increments.


Dogs by nature are social animals that thrive in a pack. So, it is very possible that something happened in your dog's life to make him distrustful, even fearful. With a lot of patience, consistency and commitment your dog training will go a long way.

If your new dog is fearful of you when you walk in the room, try tossing small treats to the side of him as you walk in the room being careful not to toss them directly at him. Make your arrival calm, relaxed and pleasant. As you continue to do this, he will begin to associate you with good things.

If your dog runs away from you, try using some treats or a special toy to motivate him to walk up to you and take it out of your hand. Talk to him in a calm voice and encourage him to come get the treat. Eventually, you can pet him when he walks up to you before you release the treat out of your hand. Your persistent dog training will pay off and you will eventually be able to pick him up and hold him.

Socializing Your Dog

Does your dog go ballistic whenever he sees another dog? Does he try to chase bicyclists or joggers? Dogs need to be socialized as puppies. If your dog is not exposed to other dogs or other environments, he may act aggressive when another dog walks by. He may also try to chase joggers or people on bicycles.

In order to desensitize your dog, walk your dog on a leash regularly. Try to enlist the cooperation of a friend with another dog. Have your friend pass by in the opposite direction when you are walking your dog. If your dog reacts badly by barking, lunging, or whining; immediately turn your dog away and walk in the opposite direction. Keep doing this over and over until your dog can remain calm. Gradually introduce your dog to the other dog and allow them to sniff each other. For more information click here!