The Cutest Dog Trick

Trick Training Is FUN Dog Training !

Not long ago I wrote a blog post about how dog training should be a lifelong activity for your dog, because training isn't just for puppies!  I included links to blog posts with tips on how to address some common behavior issues through training, like leash pulling and jumping up on people.

In my opinion, the most fun type of dog training is Tricks Training!  Here's a short video of my favorite dog trick with my Siberian Husky, Icy.  It's called WHERE'S MY DOG?? 

This trick always gets a lot of laughs.  I hope it makes you smile too!

This fun dog trick is taught using 2 treats, one in each hand:

* From a sit/stay and with your back to your dog a couple of feet away from her,

* Lure your dog towards the back of your legs with 1 hand, holding 1 of the treats in your hand behind your legs, (your back remains to the dog)

*As she approaches your legs switch hands to continue the lure with your other hand & treat, luring her all the way through your legs.  Mark the behavior (you continually face forward).  If she tries to go around you instead of going through your legs, do not treat but start again & continue the treat lure all the way through your legs.

* Once she has the entire movement down, add the verbal cue "Where's My Dog?" at the beginning of the trick while she's in the Sit/Stay position.  Phase out the two treat lure, treating only after she completes the entire sequence of the trick.  Have Fun!!

Please visit  My YouTube Channel!

What's YOUR favorite dog or cat trick?  Let us know in the comments, we love hearing from you!

Ten's of Thousands of Puppies From One Dog; Spay Neuter Awareness

February has been a busy month in terms of pet awareness and action.  We've been communicating about several things throughout the month including Dog Training Education, Pet Dental Health, Spay/Neuter Awareness and Responsible Pet Ownership:

Me with just one of the hoards of puppies the shelter takes in every year

These are all important things to remind people about.  As a shelter volunteer, the one I probably communicate about the most is Spay/Neuter Awareness.  February is designated Spay/Neuter Awareness Month by the Humane Society of the Unites States (HSUS).

According to the Humane Society:

> The average female dog produces 2 litters per year, each litter containing 6 – 10 puppies. 

> If that one dog remains UNspayed and breeds for six years, that’s 72 to 120 puppies born! 

> If that dog’s offspring also remain UNspayed they could produce tens of thousands of puppies over a 6 year period! 

It's astounding to me that so many people still refuse to spay and neuter their pets.  Even though most shelters offer low cost, free, and mobile spay/neuter services, many people don't do it.  Is it culture, religion, fear, greed (breeding revenue) or just plain foolishness and disregard for animals that causes this resistance?  I wish I had the answer.

Recently, I was talking to my hairdresser about a camping trip she had been on with relatives.  They each brought their dogs on the trip, 3 dogs in total.  She told me that her dog, the only male, had been misbehaving while playing with the females and they had to lock him in the camper. 

Need Some Inspiration Today? Black & White Sunday and Inspirational Quotes

Today is not only BLACK and WHITE SUNDAY, it's day 2 of my 3 Day Quote Challenge.

Here is a quote that really resonates with me.  If you ever feel discouraged when your efforts seem fruitless, this one's for you:

IF YOU FAIL, NEVER GIVE UP BECAUSE F.A.I.L. MEANS "FIRST ATTEMPT IN LEARNING"

- Attributed to Goh Chin Poh



 

Thank You to Jenna Drady, author of the awesome blog Love Is Being Owned By A Husky for nominating me to join the bloggers 3 Day Quote Challenge making it's way around the Blogosphere.  If you missed it, here's Day 1 of my quote challenge.

The 3 bloggers I would like to nominate today to participate in the 3 Day Quote Challenge are:

>  Leah Mastilock, author of the blog Rascal and Rocco
>  Jeanne Pursell, author of the blog BichonPawz
>  Kristen Avery, author of the blog The Daily Pip

The Rules of the 3 Day Quote Challenge:
1. Post for 3 consecutive days
2. Share 1 or 3 quotes each day for 3 days
3. Challenge 3 other bloggers each day that you participate in the challenge

Can you relate to the F.A.I.L. quote?  Leave us a comment, we always LOVE hearing from you!

Day 1 Blogger's Quote Challenge

I love quotes that inspire me and make me think more about life, so I was happy to participate in the 3 Day Quote Challenge making it's way around the Blogosphere.  A big Thank You to Jenna Drady, author of the awesome blog Love Is Being Owned By A Husky for nominating me to join the challenge!

My all time favorite dog quote has always been:

SAVING JUST ONE DOG WON'T CHANGE THE WORLD, BUT SURELY THE WORLD WILL CHANGE FOR THAT ONE DOG

- Author Unknown

Ma gets all choked up when she reads the stories in this book

Since that quote is so familiar to everyone I decided to choose another wonderful quote I found in one of my favorite books, Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover's Soul:

WHAT DOGS?  THESE ARE MY CHILDREN, LITTLE PEOPLE WITH FUR WHO MAKE MY HEART OPEN A LITTLE WIDER.

-Oprah Winfrey



I know the world changed for Phoebe when we adopted her.  She arrived a terrified little girl and morphed into an extremely social butterfly!

The Rules of the 3 Day Quote Challenge are:
1. Post for 3 consecutive days
2. Share 1 or 3 quotes each day for 3 days
3. Challenge 3 other bloggers each day that you participate in the challenge

The 3 bloggers I would like to nominate today to participate in the 3 Day Quote Challenge are:

> Kimberly Dickerson author of the blog Saving More Than Me
> Suzanne Dean author of the blog The Dog Training Lady
> Faith Ellerman author of the blog Live, Wag, Bark

Can you relate to the two quotes I shared?  Leave us a comment, we LOVE hearing from you!

Wordless Wednesday: Dog Adoption

I took some photos to post online to help these two dogs get adopted but one of the dogs, Scout, got adopted before I could post them - YAY! 

Scout, a sweet English Foxhound mix, got adopted before I could post his photos online!

This photo of Scout Chillaxin' in his bed cracked me up!

I volunteer at a PetSmart Everyday Adoption Center.  As I walked Scout around the store, a wonderful young man stopped to pet him and ended up adopting him!  Congratulations Scout!

This adorable little girl named Spaghetti is unfortunately still waiting for a loving furever home.  

She loves to carry her little stuffed toy around constantly. I think it gives her comfort, she's a bit timid.

They named me Spaghetti, don't ask me why!  I'm 2 years old & looking for a home.

Yes, I can walk and chew a stuffie at the same time!

I need to give my jaw a rest from that stuffie!

Spaghetti didn't find a furever Valentine during the PetSmart Charities National Adoption Weekend.  She's still available for adoption at the PetSmart Everyday Adoption Center in Scottsdale, Arizona.  Her ID# is A3717118.  You can ask about her by calling 480-429-4519 (select option 5 for the adoption center).

JOIN US ON THE BLOGPAWS WORDLESS WEDNESDAY BLOG HOP!!

Dog Training Shouldn't End With Puppyhood

FEBRUARY IS DOG TRAINING EDUCATION MONTH!

Most people know that training a puppy is important, but not everyone realizes that training doesn't end just because your dog is all grown up.  Dog training should continue throughout a dog's life. 

BEYOND Sit/Down/Stay

You diligently attended Puppy Class, teaching your new puppy the basic obedience commands like Sit, Down, and Stay.  You've potty trained her.  She knows how to give her paw.  You've socialized her so she doesn't freak out when people come over.  Great, Now what?  Are you done? 

When it comes to your dog learning new things you should never be "done".  There are so many useful things to teach your dog that will make life better and more enjoyable for both of you.   

>  Dogs love to learn new things and be challenged. 
>  Training is both mentally and physically stimulating for a dog
>  Training is FUN for dogs!  It's like a game for them
>  Dogs can forget, re-enforcing training regularly is important
>  Training is a great way to prevent or stop negative behaviors

I continually train my dogs, we have so much fun training together!  It keeps them mentally stimulated and challenged and prevents negative behaviors from cropping up. 

Beyond basic obedience and tricks training, here are some common issues dogs have that can be curtailed or prevented through training:

A Solid Emergency Recall can save your dog's life one day
How the Leave It command can restore harmony in your home
6 ways to prevent your dog's Inappropriate Chewing
How to prevent your dog from Door Dashing
STOP your dog's leash pulling
How to prevent your dog from jumping on people

I started Icy, my Siberian Husky, in puppy class at the age of 16 weeks.  I continued on through intermediate and advanced obedience training, then introductory rally obedience and agility training.  She ultimately got AKC CGC (American Kennel club Canine Good Citizen) certified and went on to become a certified Pet Partners Therapy Dog.  However, I still work on training with her and I always will. 

I enrolled Icy in a Tricks training class too!  Tricks training class is a blast, there's always something new to learn.  Icy too two Tricks training classes.  My next big goal for her will be a Nose Work class!

Phoebe took an Advanced Obedience training class.  She was always a fast learner and was pretty well trained, but another thing I like about the classes is that they provide a level of socialization for the dogs as well as a great bonding opportunity for dogs and their owners.

Phoebe was very attached to me and I liked giving her opportunities to meet other dogs in a safe environment.  It helps with impulse control and focus as well.  There are other dogs in the room, getting treats and doing training activities all around each other.  Maintaining focus on me and not getting distracted by the other dogs in the room is in itself helpful training. 

My goal is for Phoebe to become a Therapy Dog as well, just like her sister.  Wish Phoebe luck!  I'll be blogging about her progress on that goal over the next few months.

I train both on my own and in formal classes.  I enjoy the classes because I get to meet other dog parents and hang out with my favorite trainers.  I've learned so much from my dogs' trainers over the years and have made some good friends!
Now is a great time to enroll in a new dog training class, find some YouTube training videos, get a new puzzle toy or a book on how to train dogs.  Have fun together and make training an ongoing part of your dog's life! 

Only positive training methods should be used!  Never yell, hit, or punish your dog in any way during training.  It's cruel and will only teach your dog to fear you and hate training sessions!

What are your thoughts on lifelong training for dogs?   What type of training are you doing with your dog now?  Leave us a comment, we love to hear your thoughts!

Clean Dogs' Ears Naturally With BVH Pet Care Dog Ear Cleaner

Your dog isn't truly clean unless you've cleaned her ears too!  I must confess, I never cleaned my dogs' ears myself until I found BVH Pet Care's all natural PREMIUM DOG EAR CLEANER.  I always left ear cleaning to the groomer. 




BVH Pet Care's Premium Dog Ear Cleaner is gentle, all natural, and easy to use

I've learned that cleaning a dog's ears at least once a month can help prevent ear infections and other ear problems.  Since I don't go to the groomer's every month, I need to take it upon myself to keep my dogs' ears clean!

Keep your dog's ears clean to prevent infection and discomfort

Unlike many dog ear cleaners, BVH Pet Care Premium Dog Ear Cleaner is an all natural, chemical free product that gently cleans your dog's ears.  It's important to me that their Premium Dog Ear Cleaner:

>  Doesn't contain alcohol or antibiotics that can burn or irritate dogs' sensitive ears.
 
>  Contains No tea tree oil, sulfate, phosphate or parabens (compounds used as preservatives).

>  Soothes to provide immediate relief of itching and scratching.

>  Stops ear odor by removing dirt, ear wax and debris.

>  Is made in the USA, & formulated in a certified laboratory.

>  Is Cruelty free.  No animal testing is done.

Why is it so important to keep your dog's ears clean? 

Bacteria, yeast, ear mites, debris, and waxy buildup inside your dog's ear can cause a lot of discomfort for your dog.  It can even end up causing ear infections or other ear issues! 

The everyday activities your dog loves can cause build up of dirt, wax, and possibly bacteria or yeast in her ears: 

Swimming in lakes, rivers, pools, or the ocean can cause bacteria or yeast to form in your dog's wet ears.

While walking through dense grass or brush your dog can pick up spores, mold, mites, bugs and debris in her ears.

Keeping your dog's ears clean can reduce the chance of ear infection, and reduce the buildup of wax and dirt that can cause discomfort. 

Ingredients in BVH Pet Care's Premium Dog Ear Cleaner:

* Purified Water based formula
* Coconut extracts
* Palm extracts
* Citrus extracts
* Vegetable-based ingredients to condition and moisturize skin

How To Clean A Dog's Ears

I thought it would be hard to clean my dogs' ears and I was sure they'd hate it but I couldn't be more wrong!  It was easy to do myself in about 10 minutes, and Phoebe and Icy didn't mind at all!  It only takes a few minutes to clean your dog's ears! 

Cleaning Phoebe's ears with BVH Premium Dog Ear Cleaner was as easy as:

1.  After Shaking the bottle well, I applied the ear cleaner into Phoebe's ear canal.

2. Then I gently massaged the base of her ear.  Afterwards, I let her shake her head to dislodge any wax build-up.

3. I moistened a cotton ball with more of the ear cleaner and wiped the inside of her ear flap.  Yuk!  Look at all that dirt.


THAT'S IT!  EASY PEASY.

Thanks for cleaning all the gunk out of my little ears Mama!

Cleaning my dog's ears naturally, with no harsh chemicals is what I expect from a dog ear cleaner. 
 
I also expect to bathe my dogs with an all natural chemical free dog shampoo like BVH Pet Care's Premium Dog Shampoo and Conditioner too, both available on Amazon.com.  Products that are free of harsh chemicals is important for my dogs' well being!

BVH Pet Care Premium Dog Ear Cleaner is appropriate for all dog breeds over 12 weeks old.

This post is sponsored by BVH Pet Care. I am being compensated to help spread the word about their Premium Dog Ear Cleaner, but Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. 


Do you think it's important to keep your dog's ears clean?  Do you clean your dog's ears yourself, or do you leave it to the Groomer?  Leave us a comment!  We always love to hear your thoughts!