Dog Training

Wrapping up the final week of Responsible Pet Owner Month, it’s time to take a look at what Morris K9 Campus believes it one of the most important things any dog owner can do for their pooch, dog training. Whether training your dog in group lessons, or in private sessions, it is important for your dog regardless of age or breed to go through training in order for them to become an outstanding dog. With training it is important that your dog begins training before you encounter an issue. It is very common that people only bring their dogs to training once they start having an issue, but if you bring your dog before you can correct issues before they even happen.

Training can greatly improve your dog’s behavior and can dramatically improve your dog’s quality of life. When you have a dog that is well trained, it allows you to bring your dog out into situations that you couldn’t have before. Dog training is important because it puts the tools that you need in place, and they are there when you need to use them. It’s important to learn how to properly motivate your dog, to make sure that you aren’t giving anything away for free and that you know what properly motives your dog.

Morris K9 Campus offers classes multiple times during the week, where the methods that we used are designed for all breeds and age of dogs.

Being a responsible pet owner means learning the proper skills in order for your dog to have the best quality of life possible. A great life for a dog starts with a good basics of training that allows your dog to do so much more. Morris K9 Campus offers a variety of different training options for you and your pooch including, group classes, private lessons, boot camp and much more. Whatever type of dog you have the perfect program is waiting for you.

Remember that being a responsible pet owner, isn’t just about one thing. It’s a combination of skills and tools that you use in order to make your dogs quality of life as high as possible. It also means not only respecting the needs of your dog, but respecting the needs of other dogs and humans. Hopefully this month gave you tips in order for you to become a more responsible pet owner.

This Sunday, February 24, Morris K9 Campus hosts a Pet Training Orientation from 5:00-6:00pm. Register at http://www.morrisk9campus.com/levels.asp.

Canine Etiquette

Responsible Pet Owner month continues and this week is a look at canine etiquette, with a focus on space etiquette and proper greetings involving your dog and other dogs. Have you ever walked your dog around the neighborhood when you suddenly encounter another dog and were not quite sure what to do?

When encountering another dog on a walk or in public and your dog is excited, usually you want to let the dogs meet. It’s important to remember that just because you have a friendly dog, doesn’t mean that every dog that you encounter will be friendly and want to meet your dog. Part of being a responsible dog owner means handling situations where your dog encounters other dogs appropriately. The biggest chance you are taking by letting your dog meet another dog on leash is assuming that the other dog wants to meet your dog.

DINOS, Dogs in Need of Space, is aimed at teaching people that it is their responsibility to ask permission before their dog approaches another dog. They also stress that just because your dog or another dog may need space, doesn’t make them a bad dog, they just need a little room. There is also the Yellow Dog Project which is an organization trying to get all dog owners to put a yellow ribbon on your dog’s leash to let other people know you have a dog that needs space.

If you do have permission for your dog to meet another dog on a walk, it is important that you take the proper steps in order for the greeting to go smoothly.

1. When meeting on leash, you have to make sure that you have a dog that responds very well to their name, as well as a command like leave it.

2. It is also good to put a command on the action of your dog being allowed to meet another dog, such as “ go say hello,” so the dog knows it’s okay to meet the other dog.

3. It’s also very important to make sure that you only allow your dog to greet another when your dog is calm. An overexcited dog is more likely to react inappropriately to the situation.

When it comes to proper etiquette while walking your dog, not only is your dog’s interaction with other people and dogs important, but also being aware of leash etiquette. It is crucial that you obey local leash laws, if your dog is off leash in an area where leashes are required, it’s not only illegal, but you are also putting the safety of everyone else in jeopardy including your own dog.

It is important that you and your dog exhibit proper etiquette when in public, and as a dog owner it is your responsibility to show them how. Check back next week for another way to become a more responsible pet owner.

Sources:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lilita/6577001349/in/photostream

http://dogsinneedofspace.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/dinos_psa_poster.jpg

http://www.theyellowdogproject.com/The_Yellow_Dog_Project/Home.html

Health and Nutrition of Your Canine

With February being Responsible Pet Owner Month, this week the focus will be the health and nutrition of your four-legged friend.

When a dog is overweight it poses a serious health risk for the pooch. Not only are they more susceptible to seriously health problems, it can vastly cut your dog’s life short. These problems can be greatly reduced if you focus on your dogs health and nutrition. This way you improve their quality of life and possibly increase their life span.

Dogs aren’t able to control what they are eating themselves, so it is the responsibility of the pet owner to make those decisions for them. It is crucial that they are eating something that is nutritious, healthy and beneficial to them. Just remember that spending an extra few dollars on a high quality dog food can save you hundreds of dollars in medical bills. According to PetMd.com, a recent survey indicates over 50 percent of America's pet population is overweight or obese. Just like people, overweight dogs can face a litany of health issues. The potentially devastating consequences of obesity include:

• Trouble breathing

• Greater risk for heat stroke

• Pancreatitis

• Diabetes

• Orthopedic concerns

• Compromised immune system

• Reduction in life span

• Mammary tumors (particularly in un-spayed females)

• Skin conditions

• Heart problems

• High blood pressure

If you are feeding your dog dry food, The Whole Dog Journal recently published a list of their “approved dry dog foods of 2013.” Their list this year of dry food has expanded to what you can find at your local pet store, instead of having to only go to a pet specialty store. The Whole Dog Journal sites the reason for the change is due to consumer demand. Dog owners want better dog food and the pet food industry listened. Visit our lobby to ask for your copy of the approved list of food.

Treats can be a great reward for your dog, but remember that,” treat” implies that a dog doesn’t get it regularly. Treats should be used in great moderation, and if you are rewarding your dog every day, make sure that the treats that you are giving your dog are healthy and falls appropriately in their diet.

Just like humans, it is important for your dog to get the appropriate amount of exercise, in order to maintain a well balanced and healthy lifestyle. Whether you take your dog on a brisk walk, or taking a specialty class with your dog, exercise can be extremely beneficial to your dog.

Keep your dog on a well balanced diet and having a good exercise plan. It is up to you to keep them on the right track. Once again, if you would like to see the Whole Dog Journal’s approved Dog Food List for 2013, please visit our Lobby so we can give you a copy! Check back next week as we continue to look at how you can be a responsible pet owner.


Sources:
- http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/16_2/features/Top-Quality-Dry-Dog-Food-Review-2013_20688-1.html

- http://pets.webmd.com/dogs/guide/overweight-dogs-and-canine-weight-loss-diets?page=3

February is Responsible Pet Owner Month

February is responsible pet owner month, and to kick it off we are starting with your young four-legged friends.

So you just brought your new puppy home. The question is what makes a responsible pet owner and what can you do to allow your canine friend to live their best life? It is important to realize owning a dog is a long term commitment and should not be taken lightly. It’s also important to choose the right type of dog that is conducive your life style. Consider the time you have and the space available as well. Make sure you are prepared at home before bringing a new dog home.

Socialization is a key because as a puppy your dog will gain experiences that will determine what type temperament your dog will have as an adult. Morris K9 Campus offers a free puppy class on Saturdays, which is aimed at providing your dog a place where they will be introduced to anything that they may encounter in their adult life. It’s not only important to socialize your dog, but it’s extremely important to socialize your dog properly. The free puppy class provides the opportunity, to social your pooch in a controlled setting.

Puppy Dos and Don’ts:

Do:

• Do Train: Begin training your dog when they are a puppy, it’s better to train so you don’t have problems, rather than beginning once the problem occurs.

• Do Take your Puppy Everywhere: Introduce your dog to as many social situations as possible, keep in mind that a well socialized dog doesn’t just mean a dog that plays well with other dogs, it includes interactions with different people and social situations.

• Do Puppy Proof your House: It’s important to puppy proof your house, sure that anything eye level and below if your dog is standing on its hind legs.

Don’t:

• Don’t Scold your Puppy: It’s important not to frighten your puppy, instead of scolding them for bad behaviors, teach them proper behaviors.

• Don’t Leave your Puppy at Home: An under socialized puppy, can create a fearful adult dog.

• Don’t Leave your Puppy Alone Unsupervised: It’s important that if you puppy is unsupervised they are kept in a crate. It makes sure that your puppy stays out of trouble, so you can breathe easy when you leave them home alone.
Remember that being a responsible dog owner is the key to having a good pooch. It’s important to find the right dog for your life style and it’s your responsibility to help your puppy become a great dog. All Febuary long we will be looking at ways to help people become more responsible pet owner, so check back next week for more advice.