Tag: Dog Tips

Is your dog’s stuff taking over? If you have 1 dog, why do you have 4 leashes? And wasn’t that hook supposed to be for your keys? Spring cleaning is right around the corner so there’s no better time than now to de-clutter your dog’s stuff. Read BestBullySticks.com’s helpful tips below for Organizing Dog Supplies.

De-clutter & Conquer: Paring Down
Most likely there are a few things you can pare down. The first step is gathering all your dog’s supplies in one area to see exactly what you have. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Donate or Trash:

• Broken or unused dog beds, crates or toys
• Treats your dog doesn’t care for or that are expired
• Any items from a pet that is no longer in your home

Thinking Categorically: Creating Categories
Separate your remaining items by these categories

• Food & Bowls
• Toys
• Medications
• Leashes
• Waste Disposal
• Paperwork

Pet Food Storage Area
Usually you’ll keep your dog’s food, bowls and treats in the area where he’ll eat. Whether that’s in the kitchen or near his kennel, finding the right items for organization could include an airtight dog food container, food scoop, a treat jar, properly sized dog bowls and anti-slip mats.

Pet Toys
Where does your dog play the most? In the living room or your bedroom or even an enclosed patio? Wherever it may be, keep all your dog’s toys here. A simple basket can contain all of your dog’s favorite toys like his durable West Paw dog toys or his long lasting Planet Dog balls. Every time you pick up your dog’s toys and place them back in the basket, put your dog’s favorite item in the very bottom. This creates a fun scavenging game for your dog!

Consider a separate toy basket that is specifically for outdoors play. Tennis balls and flying discs can have a permanent place on your covered porch or deck to be ready for a game of fetch anytime.

For Your Walk
Create a dog-friendly entryway near the door you’ll exit before you take your dog on his daily walk. Hang hooks on the wall for leashes and collars, gather plastic grocery bags or waste bags in a basket and stow a towel near the door to take care of muddy paws or wet fur. Keep a small bag of treats near the door for rewards and brush to keep Fido’s fur in check. A lint brush might be a good idea, too!

Paperwork
Veterinary information, adoption paperwork and certifications are all crucial papers you’ll want to keep not only organized but within reach. Create a binder or file folder for each individual pet divided by topic so information is easily accessible.

Do you need to de-clutter your dog’s stuff? Tell us how your organizing your pet’s supplies. 

If you can’t make it home to let your dog out at lunch or you’re going on vacation, considering a dog sitter is a great idea. BestBullySticks.com knows you want the best caregiver for your dog besides you. That’s why we’re giving you these handy tips on How to Choose a Good Dog Sitter!

Pros of Choosing A Dog Sitter
A few positives of hiring a dog sitter include:

• Keeping your pet comfortable in their own environment
• Keeping your dog’s regular routine
• No social anxiety of a boarding facility
• Attention and care while you’re away and peace of mind you’ll feel knowing this
• Happier friends and family who aren’t begrudgingly caring for your pet
• Checking in on your house so potential burglars won’t know you’re gone
• Miscellaneous services such as plant watering, mail pick up, etc.

What To Look For
Finding a pet sitter is as easy as asking friends and family or even looking to the National Association for Professional Pet Sitters or Pet Sitters International. Online services such as Care.com are helpful, too.

Once you find a few candidates, look into each person’s qualifications and services. You’ll want to check for:

• Related training
• At least three references
• Liability insurance to cover accidents or negligence

You’ll also want to see if the sitter is:

• Comfortable with your dog and your dog seems comfortable with them
• Taking thorough notes
• Offering additional services such as plant watering, mail pickup or grooming
• Providing a written contract including services and fees
• Outlining when and how long they will be at your home (if not a live-in sitter)
• Checking in with you at a specified time interval
• Setting up a replacement if they have an emergency or are sick
• Familiar with First Aid or an Emergency Vet
• The only person coming into your home
• Leaving your house key in a particular place

Your Responsibilities
Now that you know what to look for, prepare for your dog sitters visit. Here are some basic responsibilities to make your dog sitter’s time with your fur-kid easy and pleasant.

• Notify your dog sitter as early as possible
• Be sure you have current id tags and all medical information and vaccinations are up to date
• Make sure your pet is well socialized and comfortable with your sitter
• Take your sitter on a full tour of your house and be sure they’re familiar with your security system and fuse box
• Leave detailed instructions outlining your dog’s complete routine (feeding, exercise, preferences)
• Leave all your contact, emergency contact and veterinarian information
• Put your dog’s food and supplies in one place
• Leave a key with a friend, trusted neighbor or family member as well as exchange phone numbers between them all.

Now that you’re familiar with finding a good dog sitter, you can go out of town without worrying (too much) about Fido.

January is National Train Your Dog Month and one way to have the best-behaved dog on the block is to find a great dog trainer! BestBullySticks.com is here to give you some tips and tricks to find the best trainer out there.  

Referrals
Don’t be overwhelmed by the number of dog trainers you find in the phone book or online. Go to happy customers that you know will give you an honest opinion: your friends and family. Even ask your favorite animal shelter or vet whom they would recommend.

Qualifications & References
It’s obviously important that your dog trainer be experienced and competent. Most likely a trainer will have multiple sets of initials after their name. But what do they even mean? A quick check on Association of Pet Dog Trainers can tell you the trainer’s qualifications by the initials after their name. Since there is no required certification or licensing for a dog trainer, it’s even more important to know what formal knowledge a dog trainer possesses. Also directly ask the trainer how long they’ve been training and ask for references. Any legitimate dog trainer will have no issue putting you in touch with their past clients. You can also double check if a trainer is truly a part of a professional organization by checking the entity’s website.

Methods
Not all trainers will use the same methods to train your four-legged best friend. Research Dominance, Positive, Balanced and Specialized training methods and know which method your trainer could use. If you’re ever uncomfortable with a trainer’s method, find another trainer. Every trainer is different and so is every dog. Read more

It’s a sunny day and you want to get outside. Why not take Fido? BestBullySticks.com knows a walk with your dog not only clears your head but is great exercise for both of you! However, if your dog isn’t leash trained, walking your dog can be a pain more than a pleasure. Best Bully Sticks can help! January is not only National Train Your Dog Month, but also National Walk Your Pet Month!

Before You Walk
Before venturing out in your neighborhood, to the dog park or on an outdoors adventure, make sure your dog is:

Comfortable with the Equipment
Your dog’s collar and leash are obviously very important, but you must make sure your dog isn’t nervous or scared around them. If your dog seems skittish around these objects begin by simply placing them in the same room and letting your dog become comfortable with the objects themselves. Once your dog seems relaxed and can approach the collar, lead or harness without fear, move on to putting them on your dog. Let your dog wear the collar, harness and leash around the house with a loose leash. As your dog becomes more comfortable, start picking up the lead while your dog is eating or playing. Then take short walks around your house, but never pull or restrain. The point is to get your dog to understand the feel of the equipment.

Relaxed
When you’re ready to walk, your dog might be really excited! That’s great! However, make sure your dog is relaxed and still when you “suit up” for your adventure. When Fido realizes a walk is coming, train him to have all four paws on the ground before you attach his harness and lead. This sets a precedence of you being in charge before the walk even begins. Read more

Does Your Canine Display Signs Of Phobias?

A lot of dogs display fears without seeming to have a reason. Similar to the way in which some people react when they observe a spider, many canines react suddenly to a host of stimuli. The reasons vary and can range from a negative episode experienced early in life to a lack of proper training and socialization. Whatever the cause, canines can - and do - suffer from phobias that influence their behaviors.

For owners, these phobias can become deeply frustrating since they may prevent them from enjoying their canines' company. In severe cases, many owners give up, abandoning their pets to shelters. This article will briefly describe several phobias that affect millions of dogs.

Fear Of Being Separated From You

Separation anxiety is a heartbreaking disorder to observe in canines. When left alone, they become distraught, barking, whining, drooling, and pacing the ground, waiting for their owners to return. Sometimes, the fear motivates them to escape in an attempt to rejoin their owners.

This is one of the most difficult fears to address. It involves desensitizing the dog to his owner's absence, a process that requires substantial time and patience.

Anxiety Over Thunder

A lot of dogs are easily frightened by sudden, loud noises, such as gun shots and car backfires. Distress over thunder is slightly different. Experts believe that canines can sense a change in atmospheric pressure, causing them to be more on edge than normal. When claps of thunder occur, the animals become frightened. In response, they might hide or display destructive behavior.

Distress About Car Rides

Many pets become anxious when riding in vehicles. Some will refuse to even enter a car, backing away from it or barking when their owners attempt to force them in. This might stem from an early experience during which the animal was taken to a place he disliked. Or, the rumble of the engine and sensation beneath his paws while on the road may have seemed unpleasant to him.

Apprehension Around Kids

Young kids can scare dogs, creating a phobia in them that lasts for years. This can happen for a variety of reasons. For example, a child may pull on a dog's tail or ears, causing him pain. Or, a child may not realize that approaching a canine suddenly may be misinterpreted by the animal as an act of aggression. Or, the pet may have had little to no exposure to young people early in his life, and is thus unfamiliar with them.

It is important to always supervise the interaction between a dog and child. Otherwise, the animal's fear could prompt a reaction that results in the child's injury.

Anxiety About Visiting The Vet

For dogs, a veterinary clinic is rarely a pleasant place to visit for the first time. Not only is everything unfamiliar, but the animals are usually subjected to poking, prodding, and on occasion, vaccination shots. It's common for canines to develop an aversion, often to the point of recognizing the roads taken to the vet's office. With time, however, this phobia tends to dissipate as dogs become more familiar with their veterinarians.

Fear Of Unfamiliar People

A lot of canines become tense whenever strangers are nearby. Sometimes, their stress is mild, causing them to remain alert. Other times, the stress is severe, prompting the animal to bark and growl at the person.

This problem often develops in dogs that receive little to no exposure to new people. It may also develop as the result of mistreatment by strangers in the past.

Most canine phobias can be treated successfully with desensitization training. Although the process is long and sometimes exasperating, owners are rewarded with less anxious companions.