Keeping Wolfie Safe on the 4th of July

I know that the 4th of July is coming up and many dogs just go crazy on that day.  What can I do to make sure that Wolfie has a great time and feels happy and safe with us?

The most important thing is to maintain a safe and consistent environment for Wolfie.  There normally arent loud bangs and vivid flashes in Wolfies environment every day.  Every day is not a pool party or picnic.  These are things that Wolfie might not understand.  In any case, we would like to give you some suggestions regarding what to do on this fun day:

• If you go to a holiday event, never leave Wolfie in the car. A partially opened window does not supply sufficient fresh air, and it creates an opportunity for your dog to be stolen.
• Always keep proper identification securely fastened to your Wolfies collar in case he gets out. Talk to your veterinarian about implanting a universal microchip in him, and make sure that your veterinary clinic and animal shelter have your correct contact information in their database.
• Dont leave Wolfie outside. If you cannot bring him inside, cover his dog house with a blanket to protect him from the bursts of bright lights and loud bangs. A dogs sense of hearing is acute-over 10 times more sensitive than humans.
• Create a special den-like area in your home where Wolfie feels safe. A properly introduced crate or kennel can be a calming refuge for him.
• Some dogs become destructive when frightened. If you dont use a crate, remove any items in the room which Wolfie could destroy or which could hurt him if he chewed them.
• Keep Wolfie away from the front and back doors. He may be under significant stress, which could result in unnecessary injury to others or cause him to dart out the door and become lost.
• Keep windows and curtains closed to reduce noise and bright flashes.
• Turn on a TV or radio at normal volume to distract Wolfie from loud noises and help him to relax.
• If possible, stay with him during the majority of the fireworks. He often reacts more intensely to loud sounds and flashes of lights when you are not with him.
• Consider hiring a pet sitter to stay with your dog while you are away from home.

All we want to do is to make sure that Wolfie understands that it is OK and you are keeping him safe and happy.  Contact The Best Dog Trainers in South Florida.

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My Dog and His Dog House

I just bought a really great dog house for my doggie, but he wants nothing to do with it.  The people at the Pet Store said that all I had to do was put it in the back yard, and like “Field of Dreams”, “he will come”.  It’s not working and I am afraid it will just become filled with spiders and squirrels.  What can I do to get the Welcome Wagon out and have Wolfie happy with his new place?

We always think that just because we get something called a “dog house”, that our dog will naturally want to go there and hang out.  The question that you must ask yourself is “Why should he?”  Did you make it a place that was fun and comforting for him?  Did you make it his special retreat where he could retire and relax?  Did you even tell him that it was his?

The big thing you must do is to socialize your dog with his new abode, letting him know that it is a fun and safe place that you, as the leader of the pack, have provided for him.  Here are some ideas:

• Place the dog house in the family room where everyone convenes and shares happy times.  This allows Wolfie to see that “this new thing” is just another object in his natural play area.
• Put your dogs toys in it.  Put goodies in the dog house and even feed him there.  Play with him around the dog house so that it becomes just another fun place.
• After a week or so, move the dog house out into the back yard. 
• Put it someplace where your dog already naturally likes to hang out.  
• Make sure that you put it where the dog house will not get too hot or be “rained upon” by the lawn sprinklers.  
• Don’t put it near a spot where there is a lot of street or neighbor noise.  
• Also, don’t put it “in the farthest reach” of the yard.  This might be construed by Wolfie as being ostracized by the family.  
• Repeat what you were doing in the family room.  Feed your dog in his new house.  Make sure that his toys are around the house.  If your dog likes to dig, build a digging pit next to it.
• Make sure that the dog house stays clean and “free of vermin”.  Take a broom and sweep for cobwebs on a weekly basis.  Clean it with a non-toxic cleanser and make sure that it stays dry.
• Make the dog house part of your outside “play routine”.  As you are playing fetch, get the ball or Frisbee inside his house.  If you like to play “find it”, hide the goodie in his house.  This helps to include the dog house as part of the bonding between you and your dog.
• If the weather starts to become inclement, bring your dog inside.  Since dog houses are “hard environments”, the noise from thunder can be multiplied and the dog house could even vibrate from the “clapping”.  This could be a terrorizing experience that we don’t want our dogs to deal with. 

Follow these simple steps and we are sure that you can create a great “home away from home” for your dog in the back yard.  It will become a retreat where he can hang out and call his own.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at The Best Dog Trainers in South Florida.

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