The Dog Spot

Picnic For Pup!

2009-08-06T08:58:00.003-05:00

Plan a puppy friendly Picnic in your own backyard to spend more time with your dog!
Summer can be a really busy time for families. Don't forget to spend some quality time with your dog. Planning a backyard picnic including pet friendly treats will make your dog feel like part of the family!

Grab a card table, utilize the family picnic table or make do with plywood and sawhorses! Keeping your food separate from puppy and making it clear as always they are not to jump up and make off with your meal! Including your dog in a picnic will train him/her on how to behave during mealtime with the family. If you have an inside dog, they are already accustomed to this daily ritual. Outside dogs may lack proper etiquette in dining protocol.

This will make having friends over for cookouts much more enjoyable if your dog can easily interact with guests and exhibit restraint around food and show off well behaved manners!
I always loved to go to a home where the dog was very much a part of the family. Very little jumping up, unnecessary barking, whining, begging, etc. was shown. Dogs that are included in family gatherings and trained to behave properly are truly an asset and a joy to be around.

Properly training your dog will save you and your guests a lot of headache later on! Putting puppy in a kennel or fencing him off from guests is appropriate for short periods of time and is necessary at times. Training him properly to be around guests is a much more appropriate action. Even if you kennel or fence off a dog to keep ill mannered puppy away from guests the usual whining pawing and barking may still ruin a gathering or at least become really annoying to family and friends. This is really unfair to the dog as well. We must train them correctly, to be fair to us and them. They can be such a valuable member of the family.

Include your dog in as many family activities as possible. They will grow up happier and healthier included in your daily family life! Many grocery stores and even Walmart now carry organic dog treats and cookies. This would be such a treat for your pet!

Enjoy these summer days and remember to include your family friend!
The Dog Spot

Summertime Blues

2009-06-23T10:14:00.006-05:00

Does your dog have the summertime blues?
I have made it a point this summer to go outside and pay special attention to our dogs in this very hot, very humid weather. We have plenty of shade, lots of water, and give them special dog treats now and again but I realized the other day that when the temperature spikes over 90 degrees I don't like to go outside!!!!

Our dogs are most content when they are getting a regular input from us! So these next few months of blazing Arkansas summer I am going to make a point to visit them more, get a new Frisbee, or play a new game with these special family members!

Toby, our Labrador retriever, is the Alpha male in our yard...Well actually the whole neighborhood! He is the most loving and loyal dog you could ever ask for. In any situation he has ever been in I have always been amazed at how well he handles himself and guides others (people and dogs) in the right direction!

Patch, a Collie/Lab mix, is the younger of the two . he is a beautiful mix of black and white with eyes that want to please at all times. He has overcome the challenges of puppy hood and grown into a healthy adult willing to protect his family at all costs and be a faithful best friend to Toby.

We love these guys with all our hearts. Take a little extra time this summer to make sure your pets have plenty of water, shade, and family interaction! Dogs will make your memories all the more special to all they encounter!

Take care
The Dog Spot!

How To Train your Dog To Stop Barking

2009-04-07T22:30:00.009-05:00

Why do dogs bark and how to stop a dog barking!

Are you frustrated by your dog's nonstop barking? Annoyed, frazzled, at the end of your rope? Here are a few tips to help sooth your barking dog.

First and foremost patience, patience, and more patience! Consistency is the most important step to stop a barking dog or any problem you may be having. Let your dog know you are not paying attention to him or her when they bark nonstop.

Try to access the situation, Ask yourself why the dog is barking? There are many reasons why a dog will continue to bark. Here are a few reasons a dog should normally bark:

When the dog is bored
When the dog is hungry
When your dog wants to play
When you dog sees another animal
When your dog needs to go outside to potty

These are normal reasons for your dog to bark. When barking is excessive or seems to be out of control it is time to take consistent steps to train your dog to stop barking. This will be beneficial to you and your dog...( and probably your neighbors!)

Get The Ultimate Guide To Stopping Dog Barking Today!

A dogs barking can be out of control however, to the point where it becomes extremely annoying ...training your dog to stop barking would be invaluable at this point!

One common situation that you may encounter is one where your dog comes to you and simply won’t stop barking. Wanting to play or wanting attention. Your dog must respect you and must understand that He/she is not on equal terms with you. Your dog must understand you are the master and he/she is the dog!

What can you do in this situation when your dog is not showing you respect and is demanding attention?

The best thing you can do is to ignore your dogs barking. Don't simply ignore your dog, make sure your dog understands you are intentionally not paying them attention. The way you do this is to turn your back on your dog the very moment that the barking starts.

This consistent training wont even require you to say the word "no" to your dog. Turning your back abruptly and not making eye contact will be sufficient.

This will take a few times for your dog to take the hint. They may even bark more for the first few times! It will probably get worse before it gets better!

The key to training your dog to stop barking using this approach is to stay consistent. Don’t give in after a few minutes of non-stop barking .

Praise your dog for good behavior! When he/she is calm and cooperating let them know they are doing a good job.

Your dog will learn that barking is not going to be tolerated and that you are the leader og this household.

Make sure your dog gets plenty of exercise. If you work full time and just can't take your dog out to walk or play for 30 minutes in the evening you may want to hire a dog walker.

Another reason your dog may bark excessively is from being alone too much. Try to spend even a few minutes with your dog several times a day to keep him/her from feeling neglected.

If you have tried these simple steps without prevail check out the link below to see how to train your dog to stop barking now!

How to train your dog to stop barking