​It’s Easter this weekend. Are you looking forward to it? Easter egg hunts and family and friends gatherings outside. So many things to do. But what about your dog? Why not set up an Easter egg hunt for your dog? 
It is super easy. All you need are your dog’s favorite treats. Take as many as you want and hide them in easy-to-access spots around the yard, around planters, patio furniture, in tall grass, and such. Before you unleash your dog to go find them, make a little treat trail so your dog understands the idea of using his/her nose to sniff out the treats. Once your dog gets the hang of the game, you can send your dog off to search for treats. If your dog should get confused, help your dog out by standing in the general area where you hid the treat and encourage your dog to sniff there. Once your dog finds the treat, throw a huge praise party for the accomplishment. 
This is a great way to exercise your dog in many ways, physically and mentally; physically because your dog has to use his sniffer to search for the treats and mentally because your dog has to engage the brain to follow the scent cone of the treat smell to get to the yummy reward.
No yard? No problem!
You can also set up an Easter egg hunt for your dog indoors. Just hide the treats around furniture like cabinets and the couch. 
Happy hunting!
Hope y’all have a happy Easter.

​It’s springtime! It’s shedding season!
As the owner of a double-coated dog and other similar breeds, I can totally understand your pain in the spring season fur-pocalypse. SO.MUCH.FUR
It is literally everywhere, dust bunny galore, and when you think you've just got it all vacuumed up, they appear again. It feels like a never-ending battle that you just cannot win. 
But can you?
Before you throw in the towel, read my recommendations from years of living with multiple dogs in the house:

-Invest in good grooming tools, like a slicker brush with a release button on the back and an undercoat rake to get all the loose hair out. A curry brush with long rubber numbs and a de-shedding blade work wonders as well.
-Giving your dog baths with a de-shedding shampoo like the Furminator brand
-Using a special dog hair dryer like grooming salons do to help blow the hair
-Brush your dog daily
-Invest in a shop vac for in-house use ( believe me, a regular vacuum isn’t cutting it) in combination with a robot vacuum
-Fish oil supplements to help improve the coat condition 
-Regular swimming in appropriate bodies of water can help loosen the hair as well

Last but not least, be patient. While the coat blowout is annoying, it is part of dog ownership. 

​A question I get asked frequently, especially by puppy owners. In short, my answer is NO. 
Here is why:
While it is important to socialize puppies and dogs with new environments and distractions, dogs don’t need to be tolerant of being touched by everyone. The only people who really need to be able to touch your dog are the close family members you live with and your vet. That’s it. Just think about those times you go to the grocery store; do you like or even hug everyone you meet there? NO? Then why are you expecting your dog to like everyone they meet and even get touched by strangers? It is a common misconception that this means socialization. 
“But my dog is so cute, and people adore him/her.” That is fine, but you have to allow your dog to have its own personality and its personal space. Maybe your dog is a social butterfly; maybe your dog is more of an introvert. If your dog is more of an introvert and you keep pushing your dog’s limits by letting strangers invade its personal space, you are setting your dog up for failure. At some point, your dog will most likely do what their genetic blueprint tells him to do in order to regain their personal space: growl, bark, show teeth, and even bite. If your dog does not like to be petted by strangers, then stand up for your dog and say so. A simple “No. But thank you for asking” is a great reply to the question “Can I pet your dog?”. You don’t need to make any excuses or even apologize for it; just say No.
In the case that your dog is indeed a social butterfly and likes people, I would still recommend that you say No when someone is asking to pet your dog. The reason for that is that your dog may generalize being petted by one person to every other person they meet. In their mind, everyone they come across is a potential giver of affection and attention. If their expectations aren’t met, the dog might try harder to get attention and affection by jumping on people, which is generally not a desired behavior. Also, do you want your dog to pay attention to you or be occupied with looking at other people when being out and about with your dog? 
It is absolutely okay to say No. Don’t be afraid of saying it and standing up for your dog.