My Smart Puppy

Poor dogs! 44 jammed into 3 small crates. :(

Recovery, for each, will be slow.

This footage, sadly, illustrates how such dogs need to be in snug contact with others to sleep. In a huge kennel, they puppy pile no matter what. Here is info from DogBeds-Info.com: 

Dogs with arthritis or hip dysplasia need our help.  There are simple changes we can make to lessen their pain now and in the future. Here are 3 proactive and productive things you can do today:  

1) Prevent Slipping

Dogs shed.

Some dogs shed a lot.

Dogs who shed seasonally will be shedding soon.

The best tool to control dog shedding? The Furminator.

It is one of the best dog products and I don't just say that because the inventor is here in St. Louis, Mo.

Yes, pricey. Yes, worth it.

Pet people tend to think of dog parks like this:

Fun, relaxing puppy playgrounds where their dogs get to play happily and peacefully with others.

Dog pros tend to think of dog parks like this:

Potential canine mosh pits of uncontrolled, out-of-control dogs heading toward disaster.

How can these views be so different? Because dog pros know more about canine body language and interaction than most pet people.

Every dog of every age should know how to be crated calmly and easily.

Why? Because life happens and when it happens that is not the time to train your dog.

Times I have crated by dogs and been happy I could:

 Below is a video that is hard to watch. In it a child is walking down the street then a dog races across the street to attack her. This is, without question, predatory aggression directed at a child.

ANY dog, regardless of breed, that exhibits predatory aggression directed toward a human - of any age - is not a pet, is not safe and cannot be made adequately safe.

You come home. 

I watched people fail with their pups for as long as I could stand it.

You set your alarm early, hurry through your morning coffee, and get to work at your new job a couple of minutes early, where you put in a full day with fe

While walking a 12-week-old Labrador around a local town park this morning, we w

Mac's person had a problem. Mac steals shoes. Her shoes. Well, not exactly "steals" more like coveted. Mac is a sensitive guy who likes to curl up in tight places such behind furniture. In lieu of a framed photo of his favorite human he takes along a shoe or two of hers.

You can see the problem. His human can often only find one of her shoes (or none of them) and they are inevitably lodged in hard to reach places. 

What to do?

This exact toy is still in use 2.5 years later. I feed her from it a few times a week. Big hit in our household!

Score: 4 out of 4

My criteria:

1. Must be easy to load up. This is.

2. Must to easy to clean up. This is.

3. Must last. Heck yes!

Morieka Johnson (www.soulpup.com) and I did a Google+Hangout on 

Great Holiday Gifts for Dogs - For Every Budget

Sarah's Picks

IQ Treatball 

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of the year. A day of friends and family joining together to enjoy each other. And a feast. Our dogs are a part of this day.

I’m chatting with a young woman who has called me because her previously obedient puppy has been getting less and less responsive to her recently. He used to come to her consistently, now he takes his time. His sit is more random and only after he knows a treat is present. This is a familiar story.

Wise words from Guest Blogger, Pro Trainer, Forum Moderator and Good Friend, Melissa Fischer of http://puppyhomeschool.com