Some dogs love their crates without any training. Yea, they do exist! Both my dogs took to the crate no problem! But some dogs may need some help and some dogs may downright have severe anxieties about being confined. Here are my steps to creating a crate-loving pup. Every pup starts...
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Are you pro-crate or anti-crate? Well, I’m pro-crate and I’m here to tell you why. The most common argument I hear against the crate is all about the pet parent: “I feel bad for confining him all day.” I get it, but there are so many other safety reasons and arguments for...
With the calendar rolling over into August, it’s time to get the human children ready for school- get those school supplies, shop for that new wardrobe, and schedule the carpool! But what about our furry children? Surprisingly, back to school time can be a time of stress for our...
With these Texas temperatures, we have to get creative with how to stimulate our Sidekicks . A long walk outdoors may not be a safe option, so here are a few new ideas to try out! Bobbing for treats/fruit- If your dog is new to this activity, start off first with...
I know, the title is heavy. But this issue is important because a harmless midday walk can easily turn into a life or death situation in a matter of minutes. And it can all be prevented. As if getting our Sidekicks exercise wasn’t hard enough due to our hectic schedules, mother...
Now that we got the wolf talk out of the way (read the previous blog post), let’s talk about why dominance theory is a detrimental way of teaching our Canine Sidekicks. If we still were thinking in terms of wolves and considering their evolutionary past, shouldn’t we also consider what...
I talk to lots of people all day long about dogs and training methods. Thanks to popular dog training shows such as The Dog Whisperer, one term I hear often is “Dominance”. I am so happy that people have shown an interest in learning about training methods and techniques,...
Having a furry creature who doesn’t speak English living in your home can be confusing at times. Even more confusing is having TWO furry creatures of a different species who also don’t speak the same language as each other. As a pet sitter and dog trainer, I get lots of questions...
The weather is cooling down and the holiday decorations are making their annual appearances. For some of you, this is the first time your dog is experiencing these new, huge inflatable yard fixtures, or the spooky ghouls hanging from trees. To you and I, these decorations are all fun...
A question I get asked a lot: When can I start training my puppy? The answer: Right away! People often think that puppies can’t learn until they reach a certain age or that a newly adopted dog needs time to settle in. And while you should be patient with...