Posts tagged “Water Fountain”

Sure, you know your new dog will love you—or already does!—but will you be able to build strong bond with one another? While love is the reason a pup snuggles up to their pet parent at the end of the day, their bond is what keeps them from taking off out the front door without a second glance. The bond you share with a dog is a big part of why they trust you. And because bonding with your dog is built on trust, bonded dog-pet parent pairs experience less mutual frustration (yes, your dog can be justifiably frustrated with you!), get better training results, and are a joy to be around. A strong bond is your ticket to stress-free adventures together. So, if you want a better relationship with your new dog, try these dog bonding tips to get going.

Sharing doesn’t always come easily to dogs, but it’s an important skill for them to master in order to maintain household harmony. Whether it’s ensuring that your dog will gladly drop that stolen shoe when you ask, or keeping the peace in a “two dogs, one bed” scenario, learning to share ensures a safe and happy home. Keep in mind that a little resource possessiveness between appropriate dogs (meaning, both parties understand dog-speak) is usually okay. For example, if one dog has a bone and another approaches it with intent to steal, it’s fine for the dog with the bone to signal with a freeze or hard stare that he intends to keep it. An equally-appropriate dog will heed the warning and back off. Escalation is unnecessary, and everyone is safe. The following sharing tips are a great start for dogs who aren’t already guarding from other dogs in an over-the-top fashion or guarding from people. If your dog already exhibits guarding behaviors, like freezing over the resource, increasing the rate of consumption of it, growling, snapping or chasing others away when they get too close, seek help from a qualified positive reinforcement trainer.

Miami and the greater South Florida areas are home to some of the best beaches in the United States—including several where dog parents can enjoy a breezy beach day with their pups. Read on to discover the best dog beaches in Miami. 

5. They Simply Want Attention Context means so much when you’re trying to discern why your dog is barking, but Spaulding says it can sometimes be entirely unclear to you what your dog wants, assuming they want anything at all. “Often, a dog’s bark means they’re bored or frustrated, and they want us to fix it,” she says. “In situations where you’re not sure what the cause of the barking is, it’s fair to assume your dog would like to interact with you.”,How To Correct Barking Behavior To stop a dog from barking excessively, try one of two approaches. Train a Replacement Behavior Teach your dog a behavior to replace barking, such as running to a mat and lying down. This works best for demand-style barking. Note when your dog is likely to bark at you and what kind of attention they’re looking for (for example: access to the backyard, a game of tug, or dinner). About 10 to 15 minutes before you expect them to start barking, ask them to go to their mat and lie down. Once there, deliver the item or event your dog wants. Train Your Dog to Bark a Little  The second method is to train your dog to bark a specific number of times. This is a good approach to alarm barking. Once the dog reaches the target number of barks, mark it with a word or a clicker and feed them a treat. If your dog begins to bark again, repeat this process. Once they bark the target number of times and look at you, start to move farther away from them so they must leave the window or door they’re barking at to collect their cookie.,All dogs bark, and they bark for many different reasons. But what if your dog just won’t stop barking? They’re likely trying to tell you something, and it’s up to you to figure out what that is. “Barking is driven by a whole bunch of things,” says Dr. Kristina Spaulding, PhD, CAAB. “And while some dogs don’t bark much, they’ll sometimes find other ways to show their emotions or signal that they want something—like pawing at you, jumping, mouthing, stealing things, or finding other ways to get into trouble.” If your dog is being overly vocal or barking excessively, here are some of the common reasons for the behavior.

Our canine companions use their sense of taste in combination with their other senses to explore the world around them. Sometimes it seems like dogs will eat anything, from garbage and fecal matter to undigestible items like toys and fabric. And other times dogs may be very picky about their food. So how do they determine what tastes good to them? Do dogs have taste buds like we do? Why do dogs want to eat things that we would never eat? Do Dogs Have Taste Buds? Yes, dogs have taste buds that give them the ability to taste things. Taste buds are found on papillae—small, visible bumps on the tongue. Dogs have about 1700 taste buds, while human mouths have approximately 9000. Puppies develop their ability to taste after a few weeks of life. This is one of the earlier senses that develops, even before hearing and vision. As dogs mature in age, their number of taste buds decreases, along with a decreased sense of smell, which may play a role in picky eating or decreased appetite. Each taste bud has an ability to sense all tastes if the flavor is strong enough. Taste buds in different areas on the tongue are slightly more sensitive to certain flavors in comparison to others. Bitter and sour taste buds are located toward the back of the tongue. Salty and sweet taste buds are found toward the front of the tongue.       Dogs have specific taste receptors that are fine-tuned to meats, fats, and meat-related chemicals due to their ancestral diet being primarily comprised of meat. The reduced number of taste buds in dogs as compared to humans may explain their decreased ability to distinguish between subtle flavors, like the differences between types of meat (chicken, pork, or beef) or different berries (strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries). Dogs also have taste buds that are fine-tuned to water. This ability is also seen in cats and other carnivores, but not in humans. Special taste buds on the tip of a dog’s tongue react to water as they drink and become more sensitive when thirsty or after eating a meal, which encourages them to drink more water.

Let’s start with the basics. If your dog looks or smells like they need a bath, it’s probably time to give them a bath. Just like with a person, hygiene is important for your dog, says Katie Billmaier, DVM, a shelter veterinarian at Furry Friends Adoption, Clinic & Ranch in Jupiter, Florida. Not only do regular baths for dogs get rid of dirt in a dog’s coat and make them smell great, but washing them with a mild dog shampoo also helps keep their skin healthy.,Jump to section Why Regular Baths Are Important for Your Dog’s Health How Often Should You Bathe Your Dog? Can You Bathe a Dog Too Much? Brush Your Dog’s Coat in Between Baths FAQs

WRITTEN BYTiffany Tupler, DVM, CBCC-KA Veterinarian Dr. Tiffany Tupler is a graduate from the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine with a certificate in shelter medicine and…,Regardless of their dog’s size, every pet parent should understand the importance of behavioral well-being, yearly vet exams, and preventative medicine to ensure their dog’s quality of life. In addition, giant dog breeds have some specific health risks that you should know about and certain needs when it comes to nutrition and care. This article outlines some of these differences and how you can make sure that your giant dog stays healthy. Jump to Section: List of Giant Dog Breeds and Weight Range Health Issues in Giant Dog Breeds Life Span of Giant Dog Breeds Puppy: 0-18 Months Adult: 18 Months – 7 Years Senior: 7-16 Years What’s the Weight Range for Giant Dog Breeds? On average, giant dog breeds can range in weight from 80 to 200 pounds! Here are some common giant-breed dogs: Anatolian Shepherd Dog Bullmastiff Giant Schnauzer Great Dane Great Pyrenees Irish Wolfhound Mastiff Neapolitan Mastiff Newfoundland Saint Bernard

With a fresh breeze and so many delightful smells, the backyard might just be your dog’s favorite place—outside of your lap, of course. To make sure your yard is beautiful and dog-friendly, you’ll need to choose safe outdoor plants.