Posts tagged “Ball Launchers”

Follow these tips to calm your life once you are smitten with your new puppy:,Jump to section 5 Ways to Calm a Puppy Puppy Energy Vs. Hyperactivity: What’s Normal? High-Energy Dog Breeds Does My Puppy Have Separation Anxiety?

Dogs love to keep you on your toes—and usually in the best of ways. Sometimes, though, they can get themselves into trouble, like when they accidentally swallow an object.  Veterinarians help us navigate exactly what to do if a dog swallows an object, be it a balloon, sock, part of a bone, or anything else they come across with a curious mouth.   If you think your dog swallowed something dangerous—like antifreeze, chocolate, medication, supplements, or rat poisons—call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control at 888-426-4435 right away. And if your dog is struggling to breathe or showing serious symptoms, don’t wait—get to your vet immediately. 

By Kellie B. Gormly Barking can be a noisy nuisance to dog parents (and their neighbors!), and is often tops the behavioral problem list. However, canine vocals aren’t all bad. Sometimes, a barking dog can provide a safety warning and other times, teaching a dog to bark on command can make for a fun party trick. “A lot of people would absolutely want their dog to bark when there are strangers around, or something is out of order in the neighborhood,” said Los Angeles-based certified dog trainer and behavior consultant Jonathan P. Klein. “When we teach a dog to do something on cue, the key is to get them to reliably do the behavior one way or another.” How, then, do you teach your dog to bark on command without confusing him or encouraging annoying barking? By teaching a trick and not a bad habit, said Beth McGonigal, certified dog trainer and owner of North Pittsburgh Animal Behavior. “We don’t want to create a little yappy monster.” She compares teaching dogs to bark to a sweet arrangement she has with one of her dogs, Jefferson. When she says the magic words, “give mommy some romance!” Jefferson gives her a kiss on the lips, which is fun on command but not something a pet parent would want done all the time. How to Make a Dog Bark Capture the behavior you want and reward it by enticing your dog with a trigger that excites him, like holding a ball or ringing the doorbell. Right before the dog barks, say the command you want to teach (he will then associate the command with vocalizing) then give your dog a treat for barking on command. If he barks but you haven’t said the command, don’t reward him. After a few repetitions, he will begin to realize that if he barks, he will get a treat, said McGonigal, who also uses clickers to train. You can also trigger the bark by doing something that frustrates the dog, like bouncing a ball out of his reach behind a baby gate. After you say the command, you can then reward the dog by giving him the treat of playing with the ball. Repeat the process by rewarding your dog for barking on command then, once he learns the command, reduce the treats and make them more intermittent, Klein said. A common command to teach is “speak,” but dogs have no inherent knowledge of that English word; they only know it if people teach them to associate it with barking, McGonigal said. Therefore, you can invent a word or phrase of your own to get your dog to bark on command, or just use the simple, “speak.”

Contributed by Dr. Alison Birken, owner and DVM of Victoria Park Animal Hospital. Nothing is cuter or sweeter than a litter of puppies. When a client comes in with a litter of puppies for me to evaluate, suddenly the entire animal hospital is taking tons of pictures and squeezing and hugging them. To be totally honest, puppies and kittens are a big reason why I pursued a career in veterinary medicine. I just love their adorable, innocent little faces. As much as it is fun to play with a litter of puppies, caring for a litter of puppies is a major endeavor. As a pet parent, you can create the ideal environment for a new litter of puppies to ensure their proper growth and development. Follow these tips for keeping your new puppies healthy, and learn how to pick up on signs of sickness, as well as what should be done if certain symptoms are visible.