How To Choose a Doggy Daycare Facility

Earlier this month we posted an article, written by Kari Vanick, titled Why Would I Take My Dog To Daycare? Now we have more great tips from Kari regarding How to Choose A Doggy Daycare Facility.

Choosing a doggy daycare facility for your dog is an important decision. Some things to consider:

• Visit the facility. Check for cleanliness. A good facility should be clean and free from odor.

• Do they require you to fill out an application for your dog so they can find out important information about you and your dog and get to know your dog before he comes to play?

• Do they have any type of interview process to screen the dogs who are coming in? Do they allow all dogs or do they weed out dogs who may be a little too aggressive for an open play environment?

• Do they require your dog to be up to date on vaccinations including rabies, distemper, and also bordetella for canine cough?

• What kind of play areas do they have? Do they have indoor and outdoor space for your dog? Do they divide the dogs by size so the little ones don’t get hurt? Is the fencing secure enough (gaps) and high enough to keep everybody in?

• How are the play areas monitored? Is there a staff ratio for a certain number of dogs to make sure there are enough people watching the dogs?

• How do they discipline dogs who may play a little too rough at times? Do they have emergency procedures in place for those times when things start to get a little out of control?

• Do they offer or require a nap/lunch time? Can you bring your own lunch for your dog? What are the resting quarters offered during nap time?

• Has the staff been trained in dog behavior? Have they been trained in Pet First Aid and CPR?

• Do they have webcams so you can watch your dog at play while you are at work and know that he is getting the playtime that he needs?

Most importantly, find a doggy daycare where the staff is friendly and you can see how much they care about the dogs. You want to make sure your dog is getting the exercise that he needs, but but you also want to know that he is playing in a safe environment and that he is getting lots of love when you can’t be there with him. Remember, a tired dog is a happy dog.

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Hank’s Adventures with Unleashed Unlimited (Part 2)

Hank has been working very hard over the past few days, and he is doing great.  Several emails and client requests have come in asking about Hank’s next video!  As requested, here is Hank!

Check back soon for more of Hank’s adventures in dog training with Unleashed Unlimited.

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Hank’s Adventures with Unleashed Unlimited (Part 1)

Hank is a lab puppy that is going to be staying with us while we teach him some obedience and manners.  Hank just started his training with us yesterday, take a look at some of the things he is learning.

Check back soon for more of Hank’s adventures in dog training with Unleashed Unlimited.

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Student of the Month – April 2009

We would like to proudly introduce everyone to our dog training Student of the Month for April 2009.  Enjoy the video!

We chose Bella and her family for many reasons; not only has Bella shown tremendous improvement in her social skills, but also in her obedience.  While Bella’s progress is impressive, it was not the only reason Bella and her family were chosen for April’s Student of the Month.

Primarily we chose Bella and her family because of the consistency, dedication, and patience we saw each and every time we trained with them.  Bella’s family takes our suggestions, follows through with everything, and they are well on their way to getting the well-behaved dog they have always wanted!

If you are looking for some dog obedience classes in Austin, give Unleashed Unlimited a call.  You never know, you and your dog just may be our next student of the month!

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Training Through the Dog’s Mentality

In a lot of ways, raising children and training dogs parallel each other.  Concepts like controlling resources, education, manners, structure and leadership go hand in hand in both cases.  However, dogs are not children and each needs to be approached from different perspectives in order to achieve the desired results.

When dealing with our dogs we need to do so through the dog’s mentality, not our own.  By definition, people are different from dogs and have a completely different set of needs, wants, and agendas.  It is when we attach our own human emotions and feelings that we can get into trouble with our dogs.  People have been known to create some amazingly unique behavior problems by treating their dogs like people and not communicating in a way that dogs understand.  Let me site a couple of examples to demonstrate the points that I am trying to make.

Crate Training – In some people’s minds, a crate is the same as jail!  Jail keeps us separated from our loved ones, it has bars, it is tight, confined, and most people realize that jail is a consequence for certain people who have proven they can not handle living in a society.  But that is us attaching our human mentality to something that a dog views as something completely different.  When introduced correctly, to a dog the crate is his or her safe spot, their den, their sleeping quarters, and they will often go into the crate on their own.  These two perspectives are completely different, but remember – we are not asking YOU to stay in a crate.  We are simply using the crate to manage our dog, ensure his safety when not around, and control resources.

Marking a State of Mind – If your child started crying and ran to your side when hearing the loud noise made by the fireworks on the Fourth of July, you would console them. You might tell them, “It’s OK.  It’s only noise, stay by me and you will be fine.”  The child of course hears these words and is consoled by what the parent is telling them.  Now, if you were to do the same when your dog is showing signs of nervousness when meeting strangers or hearing loud noises, you are creating a completely different association.  What your dog hears you saying is, “Good job being afraid of this new person, in fact I would like you to be more afraid next time and act more nervous.  This is how I want you to act when meeting new people!”  Human mentality is delivering a message of comfort and care, but dog mentality hears something completely different because in reality you are marking and rewarding a nervous state of mind.

If you love your dog, do them and yourself a favor – take the human emotions out of the correct situations.  Yes, you can still love on them and have a blast with your dog, but do it at a time and in a way that makes sense to your dog.  If you are not sure what to mark or how to deal with your dog in the absence of human emotions, contact an Austin Dog Trainer today!

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Dog Pause Bowl

I know that we have discussed Gastric Torsion & Your Dog before, and with the warmer weather quickly approaching some of us I wanted to elaborate on a simple preventative measure we can all take.

Coming directly from someone who has lost a dog to torsion in the past, preventative measures are so important.  One of the easiest ways to prevent your dog encountering GDV is to slow the dog down while eating.  I know what many people are thinking, but yes, you sure can slow down your dog’s food intake.

The Dog Pause Bowl is a fantastic product that can be used to help prevent the amount of gas built up during food consumption.  Check out the short video below of Boomer eating his food to get a better understanding of what I am talking about.

As you can see in the video, Boomer had to work extra hard for all of that food, which slowed him down dramatically.  I am not one to push all dog products onto everyone, but this is one I definitely believe in, use everyday, and would recommend to anyone.  Check out our online store for more details and ordering information on the Dog Pause Bowls.

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Dogs and Pick Up Trucks

Yes, we live in Texas, and there is nothing better then a good ole’ boy, his truck, and his dog.  It seems natural, I am sure the dog enjoys it, but it is definitely not the safest option for your dog.

With the slightest bump, sudden stop, or sharp corner, your dog can easily be thrown out of the bed of the truck.  Even with some sort of restraint like this, if the dog falls out of the bed, the risks of choking to death are great.  No matter how you want to spin or twist it, dogs in the bed of pick up trucks are just not a good idea.

A more ideal option would be to have your dog ride in the cab with you.  It is quieter, climate controlled, and much less stressful for your dog.  Be happy knowing that your dog is safe, comfortable, and secure.

If you must put your dog in the bed of your truck, place the dog in a securely tied down dog kennel.  Also be aware of temperature extremes in both the summer and winter, and take the time to properly expose the dog to riding in the crate.

This entry seems like a no-brainer, and I hope it is; it’s our job as responsible pet owners to keep our dogs out of dangerous situations.  However, I cannot tell you how many times I’ve seen untied dogs in pick up trucks on the highway.  It makes me so nervous, both as a dog owner and motorist.

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Austin’s Fittest Dog Contest Winners

Earlier this year we made a post about Austin’s Fittest Dog contest, sponsored by Austin Fit Magazine. After receiving a ton of entries, including a few from Unleashed Unlimited clients, Austin Fit Magazine recently announced the winners.

We are glad to say that one of the 14 dogs featured in the article is June Bug; clearly one of Austin’s Fittest Dogs, but also an Unleashed Unlimited client!  Click here for June Bug’s full story and a few really good pictures of June Bug and her owners.

Make sure you pick up a copy of Austin Fit Magazine to see all of the great dogs, photographs, and stories about the Fittest Dogs in Austin.

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Lots O’ Luck Dublin Dog Collars

Here is a short video highlighting some of the St. Patrick’s Day inspired Dublin Dog Collars.

For a link to all of the on sale Dublin Dog Collars, please click here.

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