For those of us who live and breathe the pet industry, August means SuperZoo, the weeklong extravaganza when Las Vegas becomes the epicenter of pet products and services. My dogs and I go every year – this was Maggie’s eighth SuperZoo and Rossi’s second. SuperZoo showcases animal products for every sector of the industry: food, toys, beds, habitats, wearables, holistic… Read more →
Recently, we’ve had some earthquakes in Southern California which have put lots of people on edge wondering if the Big One will strike soon. During the serious Northridge quake of 1994, I was 8 years old and the world was a very different place. We didn’t have cell phones to call and check on everyone or facebook to update our… Read more →
If you know anything about me, you know my dogs are a huge part of my life. All of the activities I love to do, I try to find a way to take my dogs along. Living in LA, we have great weather and can spend a lot of our time outside, even in the winter months. The downside to… Read more →
If your dog is a natural retriever, fetching might seem like the easiest thing in the world. Your dog does it without prompting and he’ll play fetch for hours (or days!) with you (or anyone). But fetching isn’t just a ‘natural’ game – it’s a skill that any dog can learn. To train this skill, I like to use toys… Read more →
How do I get my dog to stop nipping and biting me! It starts as play. It’s what puppies do with each other. It’s what puppies do with just about everything they encounter. And some adult dogs still do it when they want you to play with them. Nipping and biting might seem cute and playful at first. But puppies… Read more →
This is a skill that doesn’t sound much like a ‘skill’ at first but teaching your dog to go to his special place to lie down for quiet time will contribute to greater social opportunities and quality of life for both you and your dog. For example, if your dog is the type to exuberantly greet every visitor to your… Read more →
Itching, red paws, tear stains and a dog with allergies Why are my dog’s paws red and your dogs aren’t? Where are Maggie’s tear stains? Why is my dog’s beard discolored? Why does my dog constantly lick his paws? Why are my dog’s paws not red like a lot of poodles (and other breeds)? Believe it or not, I get… Read more →
Hiking with my dogs is one of my favorite pastimes. I know it’s one of theirs too. From local parks to wilderness areas to big-name national parks, the three of us (and often our human and canine friends) hit the trails whenever our schedules – and the skies – are clear. Now that we’re into the prime hiking seasons of… Read more →
There are few things in life more exciting than bringing a new dog into your home. No matter where your dog comes from – breeder, shelter, rescue, stray, friend-of-a-friend – you’re always going to be over the moon about adding a new family member who’s going to join in your life and adventures. A lifetime of experiences and memories awaits… Read more →
When it all comes home to you… If you’d asked me a few weeks ago to explain my life in dog training, I’m not sure how I would have done that. Where I’d start or how I’d explain the whys and stages of a dog-centric life in which your work and play have merged into one. But recently, something happened… Read more →