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Curbing Enthusiasm: Get Your Dog to Stop Jumping on Your Guests “Down!” This is a command, like “Sit” or “Stay”, that many people like to train their dogs to do. It involves having the dog go from a sitting position to a down position and is used to keep the dog relaxed and to keep him/ her in one place. Is the Down command suitable when it comes to jumping up on guests? Not so much…mainly because by then, the activity has already happened. It’s best to learn how to stop the behavior entirely, before those front paws even leave...

How to Socialize Dogs and Children Dogs and kids can be a really big part of life, but if the two don’t know how to get along the fur can really fly. Whether you are bringing home a newborn baby to a household with a dog or introducing a puppy to a household full of kids, it is important to prepare everyone. Socializing your dog and teaching your kids how to behave around dogs will help them interact safely and build a lasting bond. Introducing a New Puppy at Home Bringing home a new puppy is an exciting experience, but...

Becoming Man’s Best Friend: The Story of Dog Evolution It is hard to imagine life without dogs. Pet owners know just how integrated they become in daily experience. But, thousands of years ago, the dog and human relationship wasn’t what it is today. How did dogs evolve to become the pets we know and love?   Wolfish Beginnings It is commonly accepted that modern, domesticated dogs are the descendants of wolves, but nailing down the exact timeline gets a little hairy. Estimates of domestication can range from 10,000 to 30,000 years ago, according to The Atlantic. Other sources say 20,000...

Be My Guest: Things to Know about Pet-Friendly Hotels If you’re like 85% of the dog owner population, you think of your pup as family (as reported by the American Veterinary Medical Association in 2018). So that means Buster gets birthday and Christmas presents, sleeps on the bed with you, and goes with you when you go on vacation, right? Of course! In 2016, a survey conducted by the American Pet Products Association showed that 37% of pet owners take their dogs, cats, birds, and other furry or feathered family members with them on vacation. But unless you own a...

Every Puppy in the Pool! – Teaching Your Dog to Swim A nice swim is a great way to cool your dog off during the hot summer months. Being in water will help to maintain their body temperature while they’re outside in the heat. Remember, our pups don’t sweat the way we do; they don’t sweat to cool off their skin the way their owners do. Dogs rely on panting and sweating from their paw pads to expel the heat from their bodies. If Sasha has been pretty active out on a hot day, cooling down her body with a...