A woman had a secret that only her dog knew. My new client cried as she admitted that she no longer walked her one-year-old chocolate Labrador, Didion. “He pulls so much it hurts and I get, well, frustrated,” she said, “this is not what I wanted for my dog but I don’t know what to do”.

Tracy is not alone in her secret. I know other dog owners who do not walk their dogs. Or if they do walk their dogs, it is short and they hate every minute of it. While some people prefer to bring their Energizer bunny of a dog to an off-leash dog park (that’s another article), most say their vision of sharing their life with a dog includes walking together. Nicely, on leash.

“What if we introduced a ......

Many dogs experience fear and anxiety with Halloween fireworks. When dogs are in an anxious state from the startling noise of fireworks, they may attempt to flee to escape the noise or become destructive thru digging, chewing or other negative behaviours. These destructive behaviours may put your dog at risk for injuries. When I was growing up, my dog was so scared of fireworks that she would bury herself in the dark corner of our laundry room, under piles of blankets and comforters. I didn’t know how to help her but luckily she didn’t become destructive to the point of hurting herself but many dogs do.

In regards to firework therapy, think about short-term management techniques as well as longer-term behaviour ......

Common Scenario: an owner has taught her 9 week old yellow lab how to sit for a few seconds in her living room. Well done, smart puppy! However, later on in the afternoon the same owner becomes frustrated when her little star will not hold his sit while greeting a friend outside a busy shopping mall.

Whoa!

Young puppies can easily learn a “sit” and hold for a few seconds (kindergarten level) however, it is a huge jump to expect him to hold this sit outside a busy urban mall (grade 12 level). This is setting them up for failure; no fun for a smart puppy. Your puppy can certainly get there with your help, as long as you increase your training in realistic increments so that your dog is always succeeding; extreme fun for......

Our dogs are with us for only a short time and today, I am filled with gratitude for every day spent with my dog, Monty.  A canine love list is a way to capture what we love about our dogs.  Here's mine...

Always eager for popcorn   Beach romps   Couch cuddles

Dinner-time stare   Eyebrows   Face licks

Gotcha Day (January 4, 2003)   Hiking in the woods

Indoor search games   July 1^st (birthday)   Kind eyes

Looking at you in the rear-view mirror   Monty (as in Python)

Nose prints   Obsession of sticks    Paw prints   Quirky head tilts

Rottweilers (forever smitten)   Stumpy ......

While out walking in the snow and ice today, I was thankful that my rottweiler, Monty, easily allowed me to periodically wipe off the de-icing salts and ice from his paws. Monty has been taught to accept handling of his paws but a relaxing walk can turn into a downright nightmare if you have a dog that hates his paws held. During the freezing temperatures, it is essential that you remove any de-icing salts (to prevent poisoning or chemical burns) and "ice balls" (to prevent frostbite) from your dog's paws. It is also for your dog's comfort. While you can physically restrain your dog to get the job done, it is much more pleasant for you, and your dog, to teach him how to voluntarily accept paw handling.

First, do ......