10 Things You Taught Your Kids That You Should Also Teach Your New Puppy

by Bonnie Sweebe

new puppy

New puppy? Don’t fret. If you can raise a child, you can raise a puppy!

Barring severe aggression, which in both cases should be immediately addressed by a professional, the key to raising terrific kids and dogs is to focus on teaching them the following ten things:

  1. They are loved and safe.
  2. There is an acceptable place to potty.
  3. There is a time to speak and a time to be silent.
  4. Manners still exist and people will love you for it.
  5. Waiting isn’t a bad thing.
  6. Everyone deserves respect.
  7. No biting.
  8. Keep their paws to themselves.
  9. Do not growl or bite person or family pet who removes food, toys or things.
  10. Look at the person who calls their name and listen to their directions.

If you can get your puppy to understand those ten things, with practice, redirection and consistency, that new puppy will turn into a dog that will be a joy to live with.  Happy pet parenting!

 

 

Dog Chews Bed

Who chewed the bed?

dog chews bed

Okay, girls. I don’t even want to hear that this dog bed pillow destruction happened because you were so bored.  Melba, you had training today and a walk and you went to the grocery store with me. Sydney, you went in the car to the vet and you and Skye both had walks. This is the same corner of the pillow that I have already repaired sixteen times. Some dogs are destructive because they’re anxious or bored. You guys planned this just to mess with my head. You are all grounded! Silly pups.

How to Make a Dog First Aid Kit

Make Your Own Dog First Aid Kit

dog first aid

Dog emergencies happen unexpectedly. Be ready, by making your own dog first aid kit!

Reprinted by permission from Dr. Nicholas Dodman of the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine from his book Puppy’s First Steps (Houghton Mifflin Company).

1. Gauze, sterile pads, and vet wrap, a self-clinging elastic wrap–all can be used to wrap a wound prior to transport to the vet.

2. Scissors.

3. Styptic pencil or powder to stop a nail from bleeding if it has been cut too close.

4. Tweezers or forceps to remove splinters, ticks, etc.

5. Triple antibiotic ointment to inhibit bacterial growth and infection, to be applied to wounds upon direction by a vet.

6. Antiseptic to help prevent infection in minor cuts and to disinfect minor wounds.

7. Hydrocortisone cream to reduce itching caused by insect bites and allergies.

8. Diphenhydramine, an antihistamine for allergic reactions.

9. Cold pack to reduce swelling.

10. Eyewash to rinse foreign objects or dust out of the dog’s eye.

11. Hydrogen peroxide (10 percent strength, easily available over the counter) to induce vomiting in case of poisoning. Your vet or poison control center should be able to tell you the correct dose. (Either one should also be able to tell you whether induction is appropriate; sometimes it can worsen the poisoning, depending on the toxin.)

12. Antiseptic wipes, to clean your hands as well as a cut on the dog.

13. Alcohol prep pads to clean scissors and tweezers before use. (They should not be used directly on a wound.)

14. Muzzle (a scared dog in pain may bite even a loved one).

15. Latex gloves.

16. A read list of emergency health-care provider phone numbers.

Gather the above items now and put them into an emergency box or plastic zip bag. Keep these items by your grooming tools or where you keep your dog’s medicine, both natural places to look should an emergency arise.

 

Horsing Around

WelcomePup.com, the dog product and gift store, proudly announces its latest business venture:

WelcomeHorse.com!

welcome-horse

WelcomeHorse is the bravest horse in the world. His mission is to de-spook horses all around the globe by delivering hoof printed gift boxes of carrots dropped by teams of floating plastic deer wearing blue garbage bags traveling overhead through barns by way of helium inflated mylar balloons. Results may vary.

HAPPY APRIL FOOL’S DAY from WelcomePup.com!

Dogs in the Snow

Snow Marches On!

It is March 25th and after a cold, rainy and muddy March we were blessed to wake up to snow. There was snow on Ohio roofs and the world looked brilliantly white again. Peace.

March snow

Snow Dogs!

The pups were ecstatic! They trampled the white blanket as they barreled through the snow, taking time only to catch their breath as they enjoyed their surprise spring present.

snow dog

I am not a fan of spring. It’s wet and muddy and a lot of work when you have twelve paws to wash at least three or four times a day. Mud, standing water, rotted foliage, debris, deer, rabbit and goose droppings can be bacteria laden and cause digestive upsets if the pups refuse to leave them be. So I like to cover them up with snow while I wait for the hot summer sun to dry things up so the pups can romp cleanly and I can take a rest. Looks like the pups are resting already. It will be a quiet morning, now.

snow dogs

 

Easter Dogs

Easter Dogs

by Bonnie Sweebe

Melba poses with her first Easter basket.

puppy

As a puppy raiser for Canine Companions for Independence, I am always looking to introduce new situations and stimuli to my puppy in training, Melba. A trip to the mall on the first day of spring sounded just about right. Here is Melba (the 3rd pup from the left, right by the bunny’s knee) and the Northeastern Ohio gang of CCI pups in training getting their photo taken with the Easter Bunny. We received tons of compliments on their amazing behavior.The secret? CCI’s breeding program produces extremely bright puppies with excellent temperaments. Just add training. They are an Easter blessing indeed.

Easter dogs

Dog Eats Toys

Dog Eats Toys – Does This Sound Familiar?

“My dog eats toys. It makes me so mad. They have the cutest dog toys out there, but every time I buy my dog a toy, it pulls out the stuffing to kill the squeaker. Why do they even put squeakers in dog toys? It only tempts dogs to rip the toy open! The toy is destroyed in 10 minutes. My dog eats the polyfill and that’s not good and if it swallows a squeaker, I don’t know what I’m going to do. So I’m not buying any more dog toys. For me, dog toys are a total waste of money.”

I totally disagree. Dogs need toys to relieve frustration and to play. Frustrated dogs can become destructive dogs and can chew woodwork, eat carpet and pull stuffing out of couch cushions. Yikes!

bad-dog

Before that happens, buy the right toys for your dog. The cute plush toys that are perfect for a laid back dog are not perfect for a dog that is rough on their toys. Soft mouthed breeds like retrievers are notoriously hard on their toys, but the size of a dog does not matter. Small dogs can be dog toy destroyers, too.

Expensive plush dog toys don’t last 10 seconds in the jaws of my three retrievers. My dogs chew open doggy tennis balls. They crack the knobs off Nylabones. One ate a wad of string from a rope toy that nearly killed her.

That’s why there is only one brand that I can absolutely trust: West Paw Design toys made with Zogoflex.

These toys are as indestructible as it gets. The company is so sure that their Zogoflex toys are tough enough for the strongest jaws that the Hurley, Jive, Tizzi, Zisc and Bumi come with a one-time replacement guarantee from West Paw.

golden-tug

I sell these toys individually on my site at WelcomePup.com, or in the Tough Pup Extreme Dog Toy Gift Box. This is a great gift for a new puppy. It comes in two sizes: Regular for medium to large breed dogs and junior for new puppies and small breeds.

Buy these toys and you may never have to buy any others. That’s the best deal out there!

 

 

 

Shedding

shedding

Dog Hair

It’s Everywhere!

Dogs shed. All dogs shed. Don’t let anyone fool you.

I don’t know about you, but I have three retrievers, two long hair and one short and there is hair everywhere. (Relax. On a regular basis, it is not as much as in the above photo.)

“I don’t see much hair,” you say? That’s because I’ve vacuumed like crazy just before you came. Otherwise, you wouldn’t come over because:

  1. You are not a dog person. (So sad.)
  2. You are allergic. (Then please, NEVER come over here.)
  3. You are afraid it will get on your clothes. (Oh, it will!)
  4. And secretly you ask yourself, “Will it be in my food?” Duh da daaaaaa! (Perhaps.)

Before you call the health department, I do everything I can to safeguard your visit. When I am cooking for company, I vacuum and clean all countertops. I wipe down the stove and cover every mixing bowl exposed to air with a paper towel that isn’t removed until the masterpiece goes into the oven. I also cover the masterpiece when it comes out, unless I burn it, wherein any dog hair that lands on it is blissful vengeance.

It is probably safer to eat here than it is in the restaurants that I saw yesterday on the Katie Show. But what can I say? I do my best. Hair is in the air.

It is also on the seats of my new Jeep Liberty. Why did I get black? It is in Chicago with my son who has no pets. It lines the filter of my furnace and has caused me to replace my Vacu-Flow turbocat powerheads twice. It floats into my eyes and clings to my contact lenses, whipping me into a wild frenzy.

But here’s the flip side. I find a piece of hair in my wallet and think of my golden retrievers. I look at their fluffy coats and think, “Gosh, you’re gorgeous!” And when I see it lining my backyard bird nests, I can’t help but smile.

Then I go to Target and buy multiple pet rollers, brush the dogs, clean the car and the furnace filter and the dryer vent, pick up hair dust balls that float across every surface and cling to the fibers of the dreaded carpets that I have not yet replaced with tile or hardwood. (Hardwood scratches. Hmm…that’s out.) It’s a full-time job, I tell you. But each time, I return to wagging tails and doggy smiles and love. Lots of love.

It’s worth it!

But it’s still tough to deal with. I’m opening up the comment section of this post so that readers can offer suggestions on how they deal with shedding. Let’s stick together like dog hair on slacks. Okay? Deal!