That Time of Year!

As I close out this year, I want to say Thank you to all who have stopped in to read my blog. As I have stated in the past, I am a non-writing dog trainer, so I hope you found my blog interesting, funny at times and helpful.

I am starting to learn more about dog nutrition and how important what goes into our dogs affects them behaviorally. With the Holiday quickly approaching, we don't want to load our dogs up with Grains, Sugar and Starch and I am sure you will want to give your dog a Special treat. So here is a Holiday recipe you can whip up for your favorite pup!

Ginger Snap Dog Cookies

• 1 cup Sunflower seed meal (use food processor)
• 1 tbsp flaxseed meal
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup canned pumpkin puree (not the spiced kind used for pies)
• 1/2 tsp ginger powder
• 2 tbsp chopped carrots optional (use food processor) 

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine Sunflower Seed meal, flax meal, ginger and carrots (optional) in a large bowl. Mix egg and pumpkin together in a separate bowl until smooth. Add half of the pumpkin mixture to the Sunflower seed mixture, stir, then add the rest and stir again with a wooden spoon or spatula.

Drop dough onto parchment paper and spread to desired thickness (about 1/8" - 1/4" thick).

Bake for 20 minutes until the top of the cookie has dried out completely. Let cookies cool on wire racks, then store in an airtight container.

(Makes 12 dog cookies.)

Signing off until January 2015!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all!

My Best,

Dru Therrian and Daisy

Out of the DogHouse LLC website www.ohiodogtrainer.net

Contact Dru Therrian 440.286.9070

Boys will be Boys

It seems lately, that I have had several dogs come to training that have all their "Parts n Pieces" meaning that the dogs have not been spayed or neutered.

All in all, I believe waiting to have your dog altered is a good thing. Keeping their hormones for as long as possible is critical for growth and well being. As you make this important decision to spay or neuter, remember this may best be done when a dog is a dog and not a puppy; hitting at least the 1 year old stage of life or older.

That being said, having an intact dog will present challenges in regards to management of your puppy as he or she grows into being an adolescent.

In regards to boys, one major challenge is peeing. If given the chance, your young male will want to leave his "Mark on the World".....literally! I recommend curbing this behavior. Allowing your young puppy the freedom to pee on every object he comes across can build a terrible habit. Not much will be safe if your pup decides to leave his calling card wherever he may choose. At this time of year, be sure to guard your Christmas tree!  Keep a leash on your puppy.

Other challenges will be because of Testosterone; Roaming, Mounting and possible Dominance/Aggression. But really, I don't think of this as a dominance problem but rather an energy problem. Hormones will be surging through your pup just like a teenage boy. Sometimes your adolescent pup will want to prove or protect himself when facing new situations. Standing up for himself or retreating will be choices he'll face and you will need to be there to guide him through successfully.

Acting aggressively towards other dogs or people may be from hormones or frustration may be the cause but also immaturity will play its role. Keep a good watch on your boy puppy; don't let him stray from home and no matter what, there will be "No Humping Allowed" on dogs, human legs or pillows!

Lastly, young male dogs will play rough and just like "Boys Wrestling", you may need to stop it before someone gets hurt. There is nothing wrong with keeping your dog's "Parts n Pieces" just be sure you are prepared to manage the Terrible Teenage Period and then you can enjoy their Adulthood.


Out of the DogHouse LLC websitewww.ohiodogtrainer.net
Contact Dru Therrian 440.286.9070

Watch Out the Boogie-Man's gonna get You!

It is said that dogs have better eyesight than people at night. So you wouldn't think a dog would be afraid of the dark, right? Well maybe it isn't that it is dark but the objects you find in the dark. What we take for granted, like an ordinary garbage can may just look like a monster to a dog.

Things just look different at night. The lighting changes everything. To help your dog feel safe and comfortable, be sure to walk them at night as well as during the day. Keep in mind, that this isn't just exercise to burn off dinner or get tired before bedtime but to experience the different sights, sounds and smells that occur at night time.

If you have a particularly skittish dog be prepared for your dog to jump away as you pass something that looks strange to them. Have a good grip on the leash but try not to hold your dog too tight or too close to you because that may send the wrong message down the leash.

You can talk to your dog as you pass the "Scary" object telling them what they are seeing; like "Daisy, that's a garbage can or that's a fire hydrant". Telling your dog What they are seeing is better than just telling them "It's OK. it's Ok". Be a cheerleader not a coddler. Your confidence will help your dog be braver and then your dog won't think the Boogie-Man's gonna jump out and get them.

Out of the DogHouse LLC website www.ohiodogtrainer.net
Contact Dru Therrian 440.286.9070