Dog Care 101

First, some things you need to think about BEFORE bringing your new dog home (like whether you should get a puppy vs. an older dog, which dog breed is best for you, and how to puppyproof your house inside & outside). Then, important things you should do during the very first days home with your new dog that will make potty training and sleeping go a whole lot smoother. Finally, fun ways to get to know your dog better and begin the bonding process. Not sure where to begin with your new dog?

Start here –> Puppy Care 101.

 

We received this question about dog chewing from a dog owner on our Facebook Page. Since others may be dealing with the same, or a similar, situation I thought I'd share my reply here -- along with more details that could be helpful to other dog owners.

Wondering about the difference between purebreed dogs, mixed breed dogs, and hybrid dogs? Here's how to tell which one your dog is...

See why most people ultimately decide to foster dogs, and how to find dog foster opportunities where you live. Plus, see what's required to foster a dog and what you can expect if you become a dog foster parent.

As part of puppy-proofing your house, make sure you never leave loose change lying around... especially pennies! Pennies have zinc in them and zinc is fatal to dogs. As seen in this video, the secret to a dog's survival after swallowing one or more pennies is early removal!

Dog vitamins aren't just for senior dogs. Vitamins should be given throughout your dog's life in order to ensure that his senior years are just as healthy and active as his puppy years were. Here are the vitamins & supplements that are best for dogs.

Have an elderly dog? These are the signs of aging you should be on the lookout for. Each of them requires special attention for senior dogs.

Most people have a disaster plan for their family in case of an emergency. Does your plan of action also include your dog? When planning for an emergency, you need to have your dog's safety in mind in addition to your own.

To aid us in potty training our dog, we decided to try a dog doorbell. Take it from me, by teaching your dog to ring a bell to let you know when she has to go outside, you will definitely have fewer accidents in the house! Here's how we used dog bell training with our 2 dogs.

Do you have a frightened dog only at certain times? If so, should you pet your dog to calm him during storms & other scary situations? The answer is yes, petting your dog, giving him treats, and using other calming behaviors are excellent counter conditioning methods that work!

Do you have a mixed breed dog and want to know which breeds make up your dog's genetic background? Maybe you were told that you have a purebred dog, but you're not 100% sure yourself. The most accurate way to find the breed of your dog is to use a dog DNA testing kit. Here's how it works.

Tired of standing in the rain waiting for your dog to do his business outside? Try training your dog to pee or poop on command. All you need is a 'cue word', some dog treats, and a little bit of patience.

If you need to keep your dog on your property but are unable to put up a fence from some reason or another try an invisible dog fence. When considering an invisible dog fence weigh all of the pros and cons before diving in and putting one in.