Be My Guest: Things to Know about Pet-Friendly Hotels If you’re like 85% of the dog owner population, you think of your...
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Things to Know about Pet-Friendly Hotels
Teaching Your Dog to Swim
Every Puppy in the Pool! – Teaching Your Dog to Swim A nice swim is a great way to cool your dog...
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Preparing for Your Dog’s Annual Vet Visit
Dogs may live a simple life, but they need routine healthcare just like people. Once you get past the multiple visits necessary...
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Summertime Fun Activities
Summertime Fun Activities Summer is finally here, Chicago. Roll down the windows, let our tongues hang out, and tails wag while the...
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Understanding the Buzz About CBD for Dogs
Recreational marijuana is legal in Illinois, effective Jan. 1, 2020, according to the Chicago Tribune. This is big news for people, but...
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How Often Should I Groom My Dog?
Grooming is an absolute cornerstone of pet health, but figuring out a schedule for your dog's specific coat type can be confusing....
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Changing Your New Dog’s Name
Yay! Today is the day you bring home your newly adopted dog. So exciting. You simply can’t wait to get Puck home!...
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How to Walk Your Dog in Wet Weather
When the heavens open up but your pup is standing anxiously at the door with a leash in their mouth, a rainy...
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Five Steps to Make a Trip With Your Pet Go Without a Hitch
Five Steps to Make a Trip With Your Pet Go Without a Hitch Travel is all about the experience, seeing new places,...
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Different Ways to Integrate Your Dog into Your Exercise Routine
Different Ways to Integrate Your Dog into Your Exercise Routine Physical exercise is an important part of living a healthy lifestyle, whether...
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Choosing a GPS Tracker for Your Trusty Canine Companion
We all fear the moment our dog slips out the front door or wanders off the trail. Fortunately, modern technology has made...
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Never Too Old: How to Exercise a Senior Dog
When your pup’s muzzle turns into a sweet "sugar face," their exercise routine needs to change, but it shouldn't stop entirely! Regular...
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Decoding Your Dog’s Personality
We take tests like the Myers-Briggs to understand how we interact with the world, but decoding our dogs' individual personalities can be...
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Pet Security Cameras 101: Handy Shopping Guidelines
Ever wonder what your furry best friend is up to the second you shut the front door? Are they sleeping soundly, or...
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What Dog Walkers Wished You Knew
What Dog Walkers Wished You Knew In a perfect world, you don’t have to leave your dog go to work every day....
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How to Exercise Your Dog Mentally, Not Just Physically
While daily games of fetch and long neighborhood jogs are fantastic for your dog's physical fitness, physical exercise is only half the...
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5 Strategies to Help Overweight Dogs Slim Down
We all love treating our dogs, but those extra daily indulgences can lead to serious health issues over time. If your pup...
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4 Things to Know About Dog Intelligence
We all love to think our dogs are geniuses, but science actually has objective ways to measure canine cognition. From surprising problem-solving...
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Dog vs. Nature: How to Keep Your Pup Safe From Other Animals
Dog vs. Nature: How to Keep Your Pup Safe From Other Animals In Nature there are lions and tigers and bears, oh...
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5 Tips For Fostering Shelter Dogs
Every year, 1.6 million shelter dogs are adopted, according to the ASPCA. Some of those dogs go straight from the shelter to...
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How to Secure Your Dog in the Car
If your dog is like many, this question to go for a ride will spark top-level exuberance. You probably have a hard...
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5 Reasons to Adopt an Older Dog
Puppies get adopted in the blink of an eye, but older shelter dogs are often left waiting. From skipping the exhausting potty-training...
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How To Keep Your Dog Safe During The Holidays
With all the magical hustle and bustle of the holiday season, it’s remarkably easy to let your guard down. But between toxic...
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Are You Feeding Your Dog the Correct Amount of Food?
Take a walk down any pet food aisle, and it's easy to get overwhelmed. But once you pick a brand, figuring out...
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Howliday Dog Gift Ideas
Ready to give the fur-babies in your life a winter holiday season they will never fur-get? Whether your family celebrates Christmas, Hanukkah,...
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7 Ways to Keep Your Dog Calm and Happy Through the Stress of the Holidays
7 Ways to Keep Your Dog Calm and Happy Through the Stress of the Holidays The holiday season is just around the...
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Best Local Holiday Gifts For Your Dog
Best Local Holiday Gifts For Your Dog In the last couple of years, there has been a huge push to shop local...
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Best Gifts for Your Cat This Holiday Season
We know that cats are family, and around this time of year, it is customary for many people to get gifts for...
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How to Approach a Service Dog Safely
How to Approach a Service Dog Safely Here at Sparky Steps, we provide all kinds of caring pet services – and dog...
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Is Your Dog a Candidate for Chiropractic Care?
Is Your Dog a Candidate for Chiropractic Care? Lower back tightness? Neck stiffness? Back pain? You might seek the attention of a...
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What You Should Know About Pet Insurance for Dogs
What You Should Know About Pet Insurance for Dogs Pets are an important part of our lives. We plan our days around...
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10 Dog Instagrams To Help You Get You Through Your Day
Nothing can brighten up a busy workday like seeing a video or photo of an adorable puppy. This is even more possible...
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How to Be Pet Prepared for a Natural Disaster
How to Be Pet Prepared for a Natural Disaster When a natural disaster strikes, the first priority is always the safety and...
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Happy Howloween
Frightfully Festive Pups Happy Howl’oween! Time is ticking to lock in your pet's spooky attire. Get inspired by some...
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5 Fun Activities for your Dog in the Fall
5 Fun Activities for your Dog in the Fall Who doesn’t love fall? The leaves are changing colors, spooky programs are coming...
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Approaching Dogs Properly: Insights to Help Keep You Safe
Approaching Dogs Properly: Insights to Help Keep You Safe It’s a statistic that really makes you stop and think about what's safe...
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Is it Safe for my Dog to Be Off-Leash in my Yard without a fence?
We often think our dogs "know their boundaries," but instinct can override training in a heartbeat. From the heartbreak of wandering senior...
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Ten Pup-Friendly Places Worth Visiting
Ten Pup-Friendly Places Worth Visiting Dogs are more than pets, they’re family. Oftentimes, though, unless you’re going to the park or for...
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Why You Must Microchip Your Pet
Why You Must Microchip Your Pet We love our pets. In fact, most of us consider them family members. They provide companionship,...
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Trimming Nails and Handling Cracked Pads: Taking Care of Your Dogs Paws
Trimming Nails and Handling Cracked Pads: Taking Care of Your Dogs Paws Chicago weather can be rough on your dog’s feet. During...
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The Science Behind Why Our Dogs Love Us So Darn Much
Looking down into those warm, expressive eyes and wondering how they could love you so unconditionally? It turns out your intuition is...
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Do's and Don'ts of Hiking the Trails with Your Dog
Do's and Don'ts of Hiking the Trails with Your Dog When someone tells you to take a hike...do you jump at the...
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Bark To School
As kids head back to the classroom, it begs the question: should you "homeschool" your dog or enroll them in professional puppy...
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The Value of Vaccinations
The Value of Vaccinations We love our pets for so many reasons. They provide unconditional love, companionship, and stress release. They entertain...
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Storm Stress? Five Hints to Soothe an Anxious Hound
Storm Stress? Five Hints to Soothe an Anxious Hound The Midwest can truly be a mixed bag of weather-related spectacles. Here at...
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Safe Fresh Fruit and Veggie Treats
Safe Fresh Fruit and Veggie Treats August means fresh fruit and veggies abound in gardens and local farmer’s markets. While we may...
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How to Introduce a Second Dog into Your Home
How to Introduce a Second Dog into Your Home Sometimes it is just impossible to say no to a second pair of...
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How to Keep Your Dog Active on Blazing Hot Summer Days
Too Hot For a Walk? How to Keep Your Dog Active on Blazing Hot Summer Days There's a reason we refer to...
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Chicago Loves Mutts: The City’s Top Dog Breeds
Chicago Loves Mutts: The City’s Top Dog Breeds Chicago is a city of dog lovers. Dog owners crowd Montrose Dog Beach to...
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Help Your Dog Avoid These Outdoor Garden Dangers
Help Your Dog Avoid These Outdoor Garden Dangers Our experienced Sparky Steps team is committed to helping your dog enjoy the great...
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