by Lindsay Stordahl on August 28th, 2010
14 Comments »
Can dogs understand the labels we give to certain objects such as “ball” or “water”? My mutt Ace seems to interpret everything I say as action. To him, “ball” does not seem to represent the round toy on the floor, but it is a signal for “get the ball” or “find the ball.” “Water” does not represent the liquid in Ace’s dish, but to him it mea ...
by Lindsay Stordahl on August 21st, 2010
4 Comments »
Note: This is a guest post by Heather Green. Heather is a freelance writer, pet lover and the resident blogger for a free informational website offering tips and advice on online nursing schools. I recently had a baby and realized weeks before I gave birth that it wasn’t just going to change my life, but my two dogs’ lives as well! In a panic, I started researching websites and calling vets to find out wh ...
by Lindsay Stordahl on August 12th, 2010
18 Comments »
Dogs are getting crazier. People just don’t understand them. I’ve never gone to a dog adoption event without some idiot allowing his stressed-out dog to charge right up to the dog I’m handling. Last week I was handling a sweet, laid-back American pit bull terrier named Jada who is a bit dog aggressive. Even after I told other handlers that “my” dog doesn’t do well with other dogs, ...
by Lindsay Stordahl on August 5th, 2010
21 Comments »
Volunteers involved in dog rescue are some of the most passionate, caring people when it comes to animals. But we can also be fiercely uncaring when it comes to the owners who surrender dogs. You can’t afford your dog? Here’s news for you: dogs cost a lot of money! You should’ve thought about that when you picked out your puppy. He’s too big and untrainable? Guess what? All German shepherds ar ...
by Lindsay Stordahl on July 28th, 2010
5 Comments »
Note: This is a guest post by Ty Brown who offers dog training in Salt Lake City and beyond. I asked Ty to contribute to my blog after he read my post on teaching a dog to stay and said he does not use a stay command. A dog told to sit should automatically stay, he said. Good advice! I used to be the training manager for one of the largest protection dog companies on earth. As a company we would import some of the f ...
by Lindsay Stordahl on July 23rd, 2010
21 Comments »
People know me as a dog lover, but few know me as a writer. If you’ve met me in “real life,” then you know I can be incredibly quiet. I’m actually great at making normal situations pretty awkward. That may be where my desire to write comes from. I suck at telling stories – at making conversation – so instead I write. I have loved dogs as long as I can remember, the same is true abo ...
by Lindsay Stordahl on July 16th, 2010
10 Comments »
Note: This is a guest post from TheDogTrainingSecret.com. We love to teach our dogs tricks, as they are fun for the owner and the dog alike if taught properly. Most dogs learn tricks faster than they learn “obedience behaviors,” because our attitude is relaxed and fun. A trick that every dog should know is how to “bow.” Using a high valued dog treat will ensure more cooperation from your pup. Give yo ...
by Lindsay Stordahl on July 13th, 2010
26 Comments »
Dog owners miss out on opportunities to share experiences with their dogs beyond the backyard. To me, the ability to take my mutt almost anywhere is the whole point of having a dog. I specifically adopted Ace because of his calm manner and athleticism – perfect for all kinds of adventures. Training and socializing him is an ongoing process and one of the most rewarding pieces to my life. Every walk and every s ...
by Lindsay Stordahl on July 12th, 2010
3 Comments »
Note: This is a guest post written by Victoria from Bling Bling Puppy where you can find everything from discount dog beds, dog carriers, toys, collars and more. My mutt Ace lives with allergies, and the majority of his symptoms went away when I switched him to an all-natural, grain-free dog food. Allergies can be a real pain to deal with when your dog is being afflicted with them. Usually the first sign is your dog ...
by Lindsay Stordahl on July 3rd, 2010
19 Comments »
Loud noises are a part of life, and it’s up to us to desensitize our dogs to random noises like motorcycles, train whistles, horns and fireworks. We can’t shelter our dogs from noise. The rescue I work with said over Facebook that the Fourth of July is one of the busiest times for pounds and shelters because so many dogs get scared and bolt from their owners. This is a good example of why we should be des ...