Note: This is a guest post from Apryl DeLancey who writes the blog ...
My dog running business is officially launched with a new web site, Run That Mutt. If you are looking into starting a similar business, check out my post on how to start a dog walking business.
I can’t stress enough the importance of exercising your dog. From the day I adopted Ace, I began taking him on daily long runs. His behavior quickly improved because he had less pent-up energy. In a short amount of time, ...
1. Start out by walking with your dog and bike.
To introduce Ace to my bike, I started by walking him on my left with my bike on my right. I was in the middle. This was an easy way to get Ace used to the bike, and to teach him that he still has to heel when the bike is involved. I didn’t want my dog to be scared of the bike or too excited by it.
2. Start out embarrassingly slow.
The first time I biked with Ace, ...
Ace is the first dog I have trained to do agility. He is still learning, but he and I enjoy practicing every week. I recommend you sign your dog up for an agility class. Even if you have no intention of competing, it is still a lot of fun. In dog agility, the dogs run through an obstacle course as fast as they can without missing any of the contact points. (Photo by Dave James, www.bbc.co.uk)
It is worth a try, here ...
Today is day 21 of my challenge to walk my dog every day. I failed my own challenge though, because when I started it I forgot I had planned a week-long trip without Ace. Oh well, we picked up where we left off when I got back Friday. Actually, I think the break helped Ace because he has been heeling better in the last two days. Plus, my parents walked Ace while I was gone, and they said he heeled well while wearing ...
My mutt has done his fair share of traveling in the last year. That means he has spent ...
Today was the second day of my experiment to walk Ace every day. Since it is really wet and muddy out, he did not get a chance to run today. His walk was his only exercise, so we went for two 20-minute walks, and he wore his dog backpack filled with some books.
Ace ...
A dog backpack is worth buying. For around $80, there are several brands and styles. I went with the Ruff Wear dog backpack, but there are plenty of other brands out there to choose from. I like Ruff Wear’s gear because it seems to favor usefulness and durability over style. But I also liked the look of the pack, and my mutt doesn’t mind wearing it. It fits him comfortably and doesn’t slide around. ...
I see pet ownership as a lifelong commitment to the animal. I can’t imagine giving up my mutt, or my cat. I believe it is my responsibility to care for them and make sure they are happy. But, what if I can’t make them happy? Would it really be so terrible to find them new homes? This is a question pet owners face every day.
I’ll use my mutt as an example. ...
