When the days get warmer, cats sometimes go cuckoo! Here's how to manage some seasonal behavior change.
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Archives for Pet training
Winter’s a great time to flirt with your dog
Wondering how to exercise your dog in winter? Try flirting! A flirt pole, that is! Flirt poles are like oversized cat wand toys with a fleece or plush toy at the end. And dogs go bonkers for them!
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Should you rub that doggie belly?
It is a story that trainers often hear: “My dog rolled over asking for a belly rub from the neighbor, and then out of the blue bit her when she touched him.”
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How to keep kids’ toys from becoming dog chews
In homes with children and dogs, it sometimes can be challenging to keep kid’s toys from becoming dog chew things, especially during the holidays or birthdays when toys are all over the place. Here are a few tips for keeping your kids’ (or your own) things safe from your dog’s jaws!
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8 Ways to Keep Your Christmas Tree Safe from Your Cat (And vice-versa!)
Every year cat owners debate how to best keep their Christmas tree safe from their cats. Here are some tips that can help to make things a little easier!
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Should you let a new dog sniff your hand?
How many of us were taught to extend our hand when meeting a new dog to allow them to smell it? The “sniff test” is common advice that we have probably all done, but is no longer the advisable way to introduce yourself to a new dog. Extending your hand towards a dog you don’t know could be seen as a potential threat, and trigger a defensive bite. Instead, turn sideways, avoid direct eye contact, and possibly toss (don’t hand) the dog some treats. Dogs have amazing senses of smell – they can gather information just fine from where
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How to get your dog to trim his own nails (Part 1)
Do you and your dog both dread toe-nail trims? Then why not give your dog the opportunity to give themselves a pedicure on their own by making it into a simple trick? By taping some sandpaper to a plywood board or something similar, you can create a canine nail file! It is easy to train a dog to swipe their paw on the sandpaper, and as they do so, they will end up filing their own nails. Doing a few swipes a day a couple times a week can keep nails from getting unmanageable, and reduce how frequently you need
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How to get your dog to file his own nails (part 2)
(Did you miss Part 1?) We show you how to train your dog to file their own nails by swiping at a sandpaper board… and while it is often relatively easy to teach the dog to file their front paws, teaching them to swipe with their rear feet can be a little more challenging. So we like to introduce a little environmental help! Sit on a chair, couch, footstool, etc. and prop your nail file board up at an angle in front of you. Have your dog in front of you and the board. Use a food lure to have
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4 things everyone should consider before adopting a second (or third…) cat
Thinking of adding a cat or kitten to your feline crew at home? Here are some things to consider: Energy Level! – Adopting a kitten or cat with a similar energy level to the resident cat(s) is generally the best fit. Have a cat who lived with cats previously but it’s been a long time? Pick a cat with a positive known history with other cats. Cats don’t automatically like other cats just because they liked another cat at one time; the introductions still need to be slow and managed. Adopting a kitten for an older cat who’s lost a companion or to liven
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Why we use the training method we do
HSHV has long been an advocate for positive reinforcement-based training methods, and new research continues to support that this is the most effective approach. A new study has found that dogs trained from a variety of cues – including coming when called when off-leash – responded more reliably and faster when trained using positive reinforcement than when dogs were trained the same behaviors using aversive devices, such as shock collars. Read more about the study here.
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