Are you planning to take your dog with you and the kiddos for trick or treating? Planning on handing out candy with your dog? You know that can be pretty awesome as long as your dog minds his/her manners. How can we make sure that your best pal is on his/her best behavior? You guessed it! Obedience training.
Obedience training can make events like Halloween gatherings with your dog so much more enjoyable. For example, when walking down the streets for trick or treating having your dog walk in a Heel next to you will not only make everyone’s head turn for his/her cute costume but also it will also make it rain compliments for his/her awesome manners.
When handing out candy at your home, you can make your dog be part of it by putting your dog on the place bed and tell him/her to stay. You could also impress the kids with a cool little trick like making your dog sit pretty whenever the little ghouls are kindly asking for candy.
Before doing any of this though, make sure that your dog is comfortable with people in their Halloween costumes as well as Halloween decorations so that this won’t add any stress to the festivities.
And please refrain from giving your dog any human candy, since that could make him/her terribly sick.

Boy, am I excited about this cooler weather here in south Texas!!! Especially since I love hiking and would like to enjoy the outdoors with one of my dogs. If you feel the same way and are ready to hit the trails with your furry friend, you should definitely read through these tips and tricks I have gathered over the years:

1) Always bring at least 2 quarts of water just for your dog
2) Don’t forget the poo bags
3) Have a first aid kit in your backpack for your dog
4) Consider getting your dog a rattlesnake vaccination or even attend a rattlesnake avoidance training
5) Mind trail etiquette when encountering other people and dogs on your hike
6) Have doggy boots with you in case the trail has sharp rocks but don’t leave the boots on for more than 20 minutes since your dog could overheat
7) When letting your dog off leash, make sure your dog has a good solid recall command and maybe even use an electric collar with a wide range of service
8) Make sure that your dog is on flea and tick prevention
9) Keep your dog’s nails trimmed to prevent them from splitting when hiking on rocky trails
10) Pick a trail that suits your dog’s stamina and energy level
11) Carry wet cat food with you in case you need to entice your dog to drink water by mixing the wet food with the water
12) Know where the closest veterinarian is located in case of emergency

Do you dread vet trips with your dog? Does your dog have a strong dislike for going to the vet?

What, if I told you that it doesn’t have to this way? What, if I told you that you can actually make trips to the vet more enjoyable for your dog?
Here’s how:
First off, obedience training can make vet trips much easier. Teaching your dog how to calmly stay in a down or sit around other people and dogs can help a lot with situations like sitting in the waiting area and getting your dog checked out by the vet and techs. Proofing your dog’s stay commands off various distractions will pay off in those situations. You can even do a little training session while sitting in the waiting area. Instead of chatting with the person across from you or thumbing through your phone and leaving your dog bored or even anxious, make the wait time fun and entertaining.
Most dogs are not very fond of getting their temperature taken and try to avoid this, you can make this a more positive experience for your dog by feeding extremely high value treats during that. These treats are reserved for vet trips or trips to the groomer only, so they won’t lose their value. What kind of treats you use, is up to you and your dog’s taste buds. You could use boiled chicken, cooked bacon, cooked meats, peanut butter, wet dog food, cheese ….and so on. When using peanut butter or wet dog food, you could fill a dog toy like a Kong or similar or apply it to a lick mat and freeze it prior to the appointment, that way it will be less messy and it will keep your dog occupied longer. If you have established this ritual since puppyhood, your dog may even look forward to and gets excited about trips to the vet. While the vet is examining and treating your dog, you are feeding and rewarding your dog with the tasty treats for good behavior. If your dog is extremely anxious about going to the vet, it would be beneficial to frequently practice with your dog in the waiting area to give him/her the best possible experience at the vet even, if you don’t have an appointment. Most vet offices won’t mind as long as there’s enough space.

All 50 states, except for NH, require by law that a seat belt restrains passengers in a motor vehicle and children seven and under are in a crash test-rated children’s seat. WHY IS YOUR DOG RIDING FREELY IN YOUR VEHICLE?????

In an accident, your unrestrained dog can quickly become a flying projectile inside your vehicle, injure you or others when it gets thrown out of the vehicle, and possibly not survive. Is it worth it having your dog loose in your car so he/she can look out the window or, even worse, sit in your lap? By leaving your dog unrestrained in your vehicle while driving, you are also at a greater risk of getting distracted by your dog or your dog even interfering with your driving. For the well-being of your dog and everyone else’s safety, please consider transporting your dog in a crate when using a car. Look at it as a children’s seat for your dog. It does not have to be a huge crate like the one you use at home, but it is big enough to cradle your dog and keep him/her from sliding around.
You don’t want to use a wire crate to transport your dog in your car. In case of an accident, a wire crate provides absolutely no protection for your dog and can even cause injury to your dog when the wires bend and turn into spears. You also don’t want to use any fabric crate since these give no protection. Better solutions are plastic airline-rated crates, though because they come in two pieces held together by bolts, they have a weak point and could break on heavy impact. The two pieces make it easier to clean out the kennel if your dog makes a mess inside, and they are more budget-friendly. Some of the safest crates are Gunner Kennels, Dakota Kennels, Ruffland Kennels, Lucky Duck crates, Impact crates, TNC crates, and Zinger. Sizes and pricing can be viewed on each of their websites. Even in a little sedan car, you should be able to fit a Dakota or Ruffland Kennel. There is nothing wrong with transporting your dog in the bed of a pickup truck as long as your dog is protected with a highly sturdy and crash-test-rated crate like a Gunner Kennel or Lucky Duck crate. ABSOLUTELY DO NOT TRANSPORT YOUR DOG LOOSE IN THE BED OF PICKUP TRUCK!!!! Your dog could jump out and possibly get run over by either you or another vehicle. Also, if your dog causes another driver to have an accident, you can be liable for any damages and/or injuries.
If you really cannot fit a crate in your vehicle, at least invest in a seatbelt harness system that keeps your dog strapped in tightly, but be aware that your dog is still able to slip out of it in case of a crash or could simply chew on the seatbelt which will cause you having to replace the entire seatbelt $$$ .
For the love of your dog, please ensure you always transport your dog safely in your car.