Bark City Doggy Daycare

Cute picture of the child hugging the dog, huh? But, it is images like these that compel me to write a blog about teaching children rules for being around dogs. There are certain elements of respect that we would give humans that also should be given to dogs. If we follow these rules, accidental dog bites and injuries should be kept at bay: Do not hug a dog. Yes, humans like hugs, but dogs don't and dogs are not humans! Hugs make dogs nervous. Dogs can be trained to tolerate hugs, but it's not really their cup of tea and they would rather you stay out of their personal bubble.  No Running. Children must be trained not to run up to a dog. This could startle or scare the dog. In addition, children should not run in front of a dog even while playing with the dog. This could trigger the prey instinct in a dog and will often result in a child getting nipped in the butt or getting knocked down and bitten.  Don't touch body parts. Dogs should be pet from head to the base ...

Holidays are right around the corner! If you are traveling with your pet, it is always a good idea to pack a first aid kit. You never know what Fido might get into while away from home. A first aid kit will at least somewhat prepare you for whatever gets thrown your way. So what should you bring? Things I probably wouldn't think of until it's  after the fact...  Pet First Aid book Phone numbers and address of an emergency vet clinic in the area you are visiting. Phone number of your personal vet. Paperwork! All of your pet's vet records and a photograph of your pet. It's helpful to store these kinds of things in a waterproof bag.  Leash and a muzzle. The muzzle is in case your pet is injured and tries to bite you. DO NOT muzzle your dog if he is vomiting or choking.  Extra identification tags    Basic First Aid Supplies: gauze pads (non-stick!! Unless you want to be cutting fur.) adhesive tape antiseptic wipes blanket/ towels ...

Whether you just adopted a puppy or an adult dog, chances are you are going to have to house train your dog to do the business in the appropriate place. For most dogs, it will take 4-6 months to a year of diligence to potty train. But, depending upon your new dog's previous living conditions and already developed habits, it could take longer or they could already be trained! If you have a straight out of the womb puppy, you will need to begin potty training at about 12-16 weeks. Whatever the scenario, you are going to need: consistecy patience positive reinforcement When you first bring your new addition to the house, limit where he/she can roam. This will give you a more controlled environment and give your dog less options to use as a toilet. Then, follow these steps: Dog language for using the bathroom: Whining Circling Sniffing Barking and Scratching at the door  As training progresses, you can offer more freedom for your furry family member to roam aroun...

You just brought home a bundle of fuzziness that slept all day, but now this furball is running around, nipping, jumping and biting. OUCH! As a human, our first reaction is to think that this puppy is naughty and going to become an aggressive dog if we don't do something....and fast! Although, yes, biting needs to be dealt with, it does not necessarily mean you have a "bad apple". It means your puppy is in fact a canine. Puppies bite for a number of reasons: They could be teething and the biting action is relieving the itchiness of their teeth coming in. They are also learning how to play. If you watch puppies at a young age play in a pack, they bite. As they get older and their litter mates teach them that biting hurts through a yelp or cry, a puppy soon learns to be gentle. Puppies will also bite to get your attention, and it works! On the flip side, a puppy may bite if they are sick, hurt or just not socialized correctly. It is extremely important to pay attention t...

 The Holidays are right around the corner: Holiday shopping, meal planning, parties, guests, you name it. It can be a stressful time of year, especially for our furry family members. They don't know about holidays or what the big excitement is about, all they know is that energy is up and their human companions are stressed out. This in turn, causes them to be frantic and stressed out as well. Here are signs of stress in your animal companion: Loss of appetite Lack of energy and interest in things they used to love Lip licking and yawning Boisterous behavior  or excessive whining Hiding and cowering when you call to them Chewing on furniture and things they are not supposed to chew on when they haven't done that in ages. Velcro dog-- basically following you around EVERYWHERE and being right under your feet all the time. They seemed to have forgotten they are potty trained.  These behaviors could also be an underlying health problem. It's a good idea to tak...

  As pet parents, we are busy. Our typical day not only involves work & maybe two-legged family member responsibilities, but also feeding our four-legged members and making sure they receive proper mental & physical exercise. It's a lot! In the midst of it all, many pet parents forget to groom, brush & bathe their dogs on a consistent basis or at all. Grooming helps keep your dog's coat, skin, ears, paws, claws and sanitary areas clean. Without proper grooming, dead skin & dirt can easily pile up causing infections.  According to the American Kennel Club, most breeds should be groomed once a month. Some breeds need more. Let's break down the needs based on coat length: Short-haired dogs: Short-haired dogs should receive baths about once every 4-6 weeks & brushing should be minimal. Double coated dogs: These are the breeds of dogs that shed their undercoat seasonally. Brushing should be done 1-3 times a week and with a brush that goes through the undercoa...

 We have all heard the age old advice not to change your pet's food and that they should stay on their chosen pet food for the rest of their lives. Not True. Like humans, dogs change physiologically over time and their food needs to be adjusted every now and then to ensure proper nutrition. So, how can you tell if your dog is not getting enough nutrients (or too much) from their current dog food? Here are seven signs that it's time to change your dog's food: Changing your dog's current food can sometimes be a tricky task. It's hard to wade through all the different varieties out there. As an owner, sometimes it feels like you need a PhD in dog food just to figure out what works and doesn't work for your pet. Transitioning your dog's food must be done over a 7-10 day period. Starting with about a 20-25% "new" food mixed with the old. Gradually increase the percentage of new over the time span until the old food is phased out. Sometime...

The holidays are starting folks, and it starts with Halloween. Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. Whether you are trick-or-treating this year or just staying home, you can still celebrate! I have already bought candy for all the two-legged children walking the neighborhood. Candy is delicious, but it is not the best for our health. It's definitely not healthy for your dog. Below, I have gathered a few recipes for your beloved canine in lieu of store bought candy. But before you get cooking, please read these safety tips for animals on Halloween: Keep human candy away from pets. A lot of the candy given to humans can be toxic to your pet, only give your furry family member treats that are made for dogs. Don't keep lit pumpkins around your pets unsupervised. Keep wires and electrical cords out of reach from chewing mouths. Don't dress your pet up in a costume unless they are comfortable being in a costume. Don't leave your dog out in the yard on Halloween. ...

Stress... Ughh. We all get stressed. As humans, we know that familiar feeling of strain or pressure that slowly creeps up on us. And, we have figured out ways to reduce our own stress (hopefully!). Prolonged stress can wreak havoc on our health and well -being. Our canine companions can also feel stress. Just like us, they need ways to reduce their stress or the body will respond through illness and disease. Unfortunately, we humans don't speak dog and dogs don't speak human. It's up the the canine owner to recognize the signs your dog is exhibiting through "dog language" that they are stressed. To recognize the signs of stress in your dog, you must first know your dog's baseline behavior and body posture. Often, stress cues in your dog are very subtle and can mimic normal behaviors. It's up to you as the human to know your dog's normal communication behaviors and then differentiate when something is off a bit: Pacing and Shaking : Dog's wil...

In a past post, I wrote about how to deal with food aggression . Today, I will talk about TOY aggression. Both are types of resource guarding in which your dog is exhibiting signs of aggression towards humans or other pets that approach your dog when it's in possession of something highly desirable. At first, this can seem somewhat tame and a little bit annoying, but if not dealt with, it can lead to a dangerous situation for all humans and pets involved. Signs That Your Dog May be Resource Guarding : When you (or another pet) approaches your dog when in possession of a prized object, do they: Refuse to give it up when asked? Snap? Hoard all toys and treats sometimes hiding them? Growl? Exhibit jealous behavior like butting another dog out of the way when you are petting the other dog (Congratulations! You are the prized object!)? If you answered "Yes" to any of these, your dog is exhibiting signs of resource guarding. At first, some of these may seem cut...

Emergencies are a type of event that you don't know you are going to have until you are having it. Some emergencies require a brief absence from your home, other emergencies require permanent evacuation. Your four-legged companion is part of your family. If you have family evacuation plans in place for your two-legged family members, shouldn't you also have them for your four-legged? It's always a good idea to have plans in place well before you actually have an emergency. Here are a few things you should think about while you a planning out your emergency protocol: Rescue Alert Sticker : These are those little stickers on your front door that tell emergency workers how many pets you have, what they look like, their names and your veterinarian's phone number. You can get a FREE sticker here .  Evacuation Plan : If you are not safe in your house, your pets aren't either! Please make sure you don't just leave them behind to fend for themselves. Develop a p...

Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD) is also known as Osteoarthritis. It is the progressive and permanent long-term deterioration of the cartilage surrounding the joints.  DJD is the #1 cause of chronic pain affecting one in five adult dogs.   For more information on DJD, please see these links: Canine Arthritis Treatment , The Whole Dog Journal, http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/10_3/features/Canine-Arthritis_15910-1.html   Vet Advice: Relieving Your Dog's Arthritis, The Bark, http://thebark.com/content/vet-advice-relieving-your-dogs-arthritis 10 Ways to Help an Arthritic Dog, Vet Street, http://www.vetstreet.com/care/10-ways-to-help-an-arthritic-dog    How to Treat Arthritis in Dogs: Glucosamine, Chondroitin Sulfate, Steroids and NSAIDS , PetMD, http://www.petmd.com/dog/general-health/evr_dg_remedies_for_arthritis_in_dogs#

Because we have a great Enrichment Program , I thought it would be fun to post some enrichment games you can make for your dog at home:  Image: Yes Missy The Muffin Tin Game is somewhat like Hide-and-Go-Seek, but with treats instead of humans. It's pretty simple and easy to put together. You just grab a muffin pan, and place a few treats in random indentations in the pan. Then, place tennis balls over all the indentations. You dog needs to A) figure out how to get the balls out and B) figure out which indentations hold the treats. A full tutorial can be found here: Yes Missy . Image: The Nerd's Wife This enrichment game was found on The Nerd's Wife and will keep your dog entertained for hours. I do want to write a little disclaimer: The Nerd's Wife tutorial on how to make this enrichment toy also endorses Purina Beyond Pet Food. Though Bark City thinks this is an awesome idea for an enrichment toy, we are not endorsing Purina Beyond.... Because, well... ...

Recently, I have been thinking about the first dog I owned and all the things that I did wrong that caused behavioral problems. I wish I would have had a short list of do's and don't s when I adopted that dog so long ago. It's always easier to think back on these things in hindsight. This week I have decided to compile a list of common mistakes and maybe it will help some other dog owner out there: 1. Treating Your Dog Like a Human : Dogs are not humans (Thank goodness!) They speak a completely different language. Things that humans find appealing may not necessarily mean dogs like them. Take for instance hugs. Most humans like hugs, but often a hug for a dog makes them feel stressed and claustrophobic. Hugs mean something completely different in dog language. As a dog owner, it is really important to learn your dog's language and how they communicate their different emotions. AND, it is equally important to teach your children. For more information on how to tra...

Often as dog owners, we do everything in our power to make sure our furry family member is healthy and happy. We feed them top-notch food, we exercise them physically and mentally, but in our busy lives, we often forget one important element: Letting our dog play with other dogs. In my blog posts I have often talked about the issues owners have with treating their dog like a human. Dogs are not humans, they are dogs! And the more we humanize our dogs, the more neurotic our dog becomes. Dogs crave other dog interactions and when these needs are not met, we often get a depressed, stressed out canine companion. In turn, this leads to health problems, because stress and depression break down the immune system. As a human, imagine going your whole life living with an alien species that does not speak your language. I suspect you would eventually forget your native language or even how to be a human. You would eventually take on the behaviors of your alien family all the while fighting ...

  Do you have a new puppy, or planning on getting a new puppy soon? Set them up for success by getting them used to the grooming and bath process at a young age. The most critical learning period of a dog's life is in the first 6 months. By positively introducing the process of grooming to your puppy, you will help your puppy have a nice association with brushes, combs, nail clippers and handling. At all times, this process should be done gently, with positive reward. This is a process of gentle guidance with no resistance.  Handling your puppy-- In this first step, you will be helping your puppy get used to being touched in areas that a dog is naturally uncomfortable with being handled-- the face, top of the head, feet, bottom and tail. When the puppy is cuddling and sleeping next to you, start with belly rubs in a slow, gentle circular movement. If the puppy is ok with this, you can slowly start to pet other parts of the body starting with the legs in slow, downward strokes ...

Teaching your dog to "stay" is a handy skill when you are doing something and you don't want your four-legged friend all up in your business (or if you want to take cute photos of your dogs sitting politely on a tree stump). Safety wise, it's also one of the primary commands your dog should know. Before we begin on the actual steps, there are a few things you need to decide: Are you going to have your dog sitting or laying down when they "stay"? The more comfortable your dogs is, the longer they will actually stay. Example: sitting position will require more effort, but laying down may make your dog feel vulnerable. You need to assess the situation and your dog's temperament to decide what will be the best.  You need to decide on a "release" cue. This will be a word or action that tells your dog they no longer need to stay. When choosing a word, try to choose one that you do not use in everyday conversation. Otherwise, you may end up conf...

REST! It's underrated. Over the years we have changed our nap schedule numerous times and have learned this is a very important part of the program. All of our daycare options have a nap program. We understand owners want a tired dog after a day of play with their buddies. BUT, it's important that exhaustion is not the only measure of success when you bring your dog for a play session. Our approach to your dog's day in off-leash play is to balance physical exercise, mental activities, and rest periods. All three are equally important components to keeping your dog safe and healthy when socializing with other dogs. Physical exercise is the most obvious benefit of off-leash play. It's what most pet parents think about when they drop their dog off. But for your dog's health, we also consider it important to provide mental stimulation, which allows your dog to think and use the brain during the day. Mental work builds confidence and self-control in your dog. ...

Last week, I discussed the pros and cons of choosing a pure bred dog vs. a shelter dog . There are benefits and drawbacks to each choice. If you have already decided against adopting a shelter dog, and have your heart set on a pure bred, it's REALLY important to research your breeder and choose a reputable one. This will help ensure that your puppy has minimal health problems, is properly socialized and is not coming from a puppy mill. Below is a list you should go through while researching dog breeders: First and foremost, make sure you have chosen a dog that fits your lifestyle. Remember, each breed has it's inherent traits, but that does not mean there are not pure bred dogs that stray from that norm. Nothing is set in stone. Choosing the right breed just helps point you in the right direction. Do not buy a puppy from a pet store or website. Reputable Dog breeders will not sell their puppies through a pet store. Most likely, these puppies come from a puppy mill which ...

 Let's talk about anal gland health. A dog's anal glands aren't actually glands. They are sacs, positioned on each side of the anus, that contain oil & sweat glands. There is also small receptacles that produce a fluid with a strong odor that is unique to each dog and helps dogs identify each other and mark their territory.  Normally, most dogs involuntarily express their glands when they poop or are highly stressed, but there is a population of dogs that need their glands manually expressed by a groomer or a veterinarian. For these dogs, the liquid is not the right consistency and creates a blockage that can become infected. Symptoms that your dog may need manual expression:  Dragging their butt on the ground Licking or biting their butt Sitting uncomfortably Having a different standing or sitting position Tail chasing Underlying Causes That May Cause Blockage: Chronic skin dermatitis Obesity Insufficient dietary fiber Chronic soft stool Food and/ or environmental al...