Why to Trim Dog Nails

Trimming dog toenails should be routine and normal basic care for dogs kept as pets. Long toenails (especially those that have started to curl with sharp tips) can be quite dangerous.
Long toenails can grow into a dog’s foot and paw pads, making it painful to walk. Long nails are more likely to rip off and hurt the animal. They are more likely to leave scars and injuries when playing with other animals.
They hurt more when your dog becomes your lap dog sitting on your lap and cuddling. Or when your dog paws you (shakes, etc.). Or paws a child. Or runs into someone or jumps up on someone fetching a Frisbee in the air, etc. Long nails can rip into carpets and your car seats; basically get caught on things easier. They can easily tear materials when digging into their beds or couch to get comfortable. Long nails can actually grow into the paw.

Also, long toenails can start to interfere with regular movement in many breeds. When they are clicking and dragging on concrete and other surfaces, for many dogs that may mean they are too long. Many times dogs can shape toenails with walks, but sometimes they do not get walks that can do that for them, or their feet need more attention than just walks can provide.
Most dog owners can expect to get in the habit of maintaining their dog’s nails as part of their normal care, either themselves or have the dog groomed for nail trimming. Little nubs of nails may not be a desired or decent length for all dogs and not recommended for agility/active dogs, but that doesn't mean a well groomed decent nail length isn't nicer on the dog, for the dog, for other dogs playing with the dog, and the owner too. It is!

I have seen many dogs that won't allow owners to clip/trim/dremel nails, and this is just a shame and can be fixed with training. Especially with a puppy you have a blank slate and need to train the dog to accept touching puppy toes and trimming nails and other normal care grooming so you and also if applicable groomers and vets aren't having to do the dog's toenails with a fight. It shouldn’t be a big deal, and doesn’t take long. Just take a few seconds out of each day to gently mess with your puppy’s paws, check his teeth, check ears, etc.

It is important to be able to groom and go over puppies and dogs to look for problems and get used to handling. This could someday save a dog’s life if the dog has something stuck in their paw or needs to quickly have something removed from their paw and also keep nails a safe length for the dog's sake and those around the dog. Teaching an animal to accept quick and painless grooming is in their best interest and helps prevent unnecessary stress. Trimming a few toenails shouldn't be a big deal, just a normal part of life as a pet dog. Setting a time aside to groom and go over an animal does take a bit of effort and isn't quite as fun as watching a TV show or surfing the Internet, but it is important, prevents accidents, and the best part is that it only takes a few minutes a week or every two weeks to a month depending on your individual dog to keep toenails in proper condition. Happy grooming!
- © Wisedogblog.com

High Energy Puppy Power

Congratulations on your high-energy puppy! High-energy puppies are very rewarding and entertaining. They have a way of bonding deeply with their humans. They can be a joy to own and train. They can inspire us to become more active along with them.

When writing this, I am assuming you take at least one daily walk with your puppy. So in addition to your walks I hope this article can help give you some tips and ideas on managing your new puppy’s seemingly endless energy. This article is applicable for puppies, young adults, and adult dogs alike. Actually, all puppies and dogs will enjoy most the activities listed, regardless of their perceived energy levels. My hope is that not only the dogs have fun, but the owners have a lot of fun with these suggestions too.

Game Time!
Most high-energy canines usually eagerly welcome playing fun games. Get creative with the games and change games frequently to keep their attention. Do not do long sessions with puppies, as your puppy might experience boredom and burnout. You want the games to be fun, so keep the interactive sessions short and always leave them wanting more. Remember with puppies don’t do forced road working, forced long distance running, or jumping until growth plates are closed (around 18 months for many large breeds). And always remember to supervise your puppies during the training stages and set them up for success.

Hide-n-Seek is a fun game to play inside the home or outside in a securely fenced in area. You will hide from the puppy then have them find you. As an extra bonus for extra fun you can play with two people or more. At first, some puppies might need extra help understanding the purpose; you might call out the puppy’s name every once in awhile. But pretty soon, your puppy will catch on to the point of this game. When puppy finds you be sure and praise your puppy. You can even give a small food reward at random.

This game is useful for teaching names of family members. For instance, someone can say, “Where is Sarah?” And puppy searches for Sarah, the only one missing from the scene. When they find Sarah say, “Good find Sarah!” Our dogs know our family members names and can find them by name. So you can turn a fun game into a useful name learning exercise. Also, when family members are right about to come home you can say, “There is Sarah”. And they will know Sarah is coming soon. So they can also learn family member names that way.
You can also play hide and seek with toys and give them names, just the same way you would in the above example. Find your bone, find your ball, find your Kong, find your octopus, and so forth. For extra fun you can hide bully sticks, that way it is quite a reward for them for a while after when they find the special treat! Same with filled Kongs. For ideas on preparing a filled Kong please see our Wise Kongs 101 article in this blog.

The puppy name game is a fun recall game to play, setting the foundation for a solid recall. Be sure do this game in securely fenced in areas. The game can be played indoors or outdoors. The more people involved in this game, the better. You will stand in a large area, a circle if you have a group of people, and have only one person call the puppy’s name. When the puppy reaches the person who called their name have that person praise the puppy a lot and they might want to give a treat if you wish at random, one or a jack pot for a job well done. Remember, you are just having fun and building a come response to their name. This game is good for building a fun and willing recall.

When building reliable recalls that is only one step of many of course. During the puppy name game you don’t have to stand stationary waiting for the puppy to get to you in every case. You can make a small game of chase where they chase you a little bit. With most puppies, movement by you makes them want to come to you even more! So feel free to back and up and move around. Never ever chase your puppy though as that is a bad habit you don’t want to encourage when training your puppy; the chasing game only goes one way, with them chasing you.

In yards and other securely fenced in areas when teaching a recall by myself with the puppy I will sometimes call them and then turn the other way and run like crazy. This encourages a fast response and my dogs always run to chase me and catch up! As they learn, you can phase out the turning away and running more and more each time until you finally have shaped and molded the ideal response. You can add fronts and sits and other steps later, when the puppy is more experienced and mature.
It is also fun during random times while in your home calling your puppy to you as well. It can be a mini-game recall puppy name game too. This is also one step of many to help build solid recalls. Reward quick responses with praise, or a toy game, or food rewards. You are conditioning the dog to have a positive response to your calls, inside or outside, in groups or alone. Never use the same words to call the puppy to come to you for something the puppy does not enjoy or as punishment. Remember, the recall can save your puppy’s life; it is a vital and important command. Make it a fun and positive command.

Toy Time!
Fetch can also be a fun game to burn off some energy. There are all sorts of wonderful fetch toys available on the market from all different types of Kongs, to Flying Squirrels, Frisbees, Orbees, rope toys, training dummies, Jolly balls, rubber sticks, Huck toys, and the favorite old stand-by tennis ball (Kong makes a squeaky tennis ball). Teaching your dog to fetch may or may not be required on your part depending on your dog. Some dogs already have a strong retrieving instinct and catch on to fetch quickly and easily. Others might require some training and time to become reliable at the game. For double the fun you can always use two fetching toys, throwing the other toy immediately when they return with the first toy. Using two toys is particular useful when teaching energetic dogs to play the game.

Tug games can also be fun and a good form of exercise. Many dogs have a lot of genuine enthusiasm for a great game of tug. There are many different thoughts concerning a good game of tug. Some people recommend never playing tug with your dog. Some people recommend that you always win. Some people recommend always letting your dog win up to a certain point. Some people recommend rules when playing tug, for instance, you always start the game, they release every time when asked, you end the game, and so forth. Some people insist rules do not matter. What you want to do with your dog is personal and depends on many factors, your experience, your household, what you are training your dog for, and most importantly, your dog! Different dogs may require different techniques. What works for one, may or may not work for another, even within the same breed or the same litter.

Fun toys to use for tug can be jutes, invincible rings, fabric toys, fleece tugs, rope toys, and other special toys made for tug you can find online and in stores that sale pet supplies. Please remember, some puppies have the tendency to be destructive with their toys. If a puppy consumes inedible objects such as dog toys they are putting themselves at a high risk for impactions, which can require veterinary intervention and can result in the puppy’s death. So please for your puppy’s own safety supervise them while they are playing with any toys they can tear apart and consume.

For a homemade dog toy you can empty out plastic liter bottles of juice or soda and peel off the labels and remove any caps for an interesting puppy toy. To make it more interesting, you can put treats inside that they will have to work a little bit to get the food out of the container. Some puppies might be allergic to plastic so take note of how your puppy reacts. Also, remember to supervise so they do not eat the bottles. The bottles are intended to be a toy only.

If your puppy loves high-pitched noises I highly recommend you consider getting your puppy a few Cuz Balls. They are loud and obnoxious and many puppies are entertained with them for hours. You can find Cuz balls online or at most pet retail spots. There are also many fun squeaker toys on the market to entertain dogs that love the squeaky sounds; they come in both plush and rubber material.

As far as chewing goes, Orbee products (Planet Dog) are a favorite in this household. Orbee makes different types of dog toys from the same durable material, from bones, balls, and even vegetables. Make sure and pay attention to the chew-a-meter when picking out Orbee toys for your particular dog. Rope toys can also provide a good outlet for chewing in your dog provided your dog does not eat the rope. You do not want to allow your puppy or dog to eat the toy.

There is a toy called a Canine Genius, which can provide a lot of mental stimulation for a dog toy. Also, you can pair food with toys for your dog’s pleasure by using a Buster Cube or a filled Kong. A Buster Cube is a toy in the shape of a cube that you can fill with treats or kibble. Then you adjust the setting and when the dog touches and rolls the Buster Cube, the Buster Cube will reward them with food. Many puppies really delight in the Buster Cube. Always supervise use of the Buster Cube, since some puppies might accidently crack the cube. I have not had this happen to me in my years of using the Buster Cube, but have heard of it happening before.

A filled Kong is a Kong toy filled with special treats. These can take minutes to hours for your dog to hallow out and eat their special treat. For ideas and recipes on how to make the perfect Kong for your dog, please see Wise Kongs 101, provided to you by Wise Dog Blog.
Another yummy way to keep your puppy entertained is to give your dog a bone or dog chew. There are different types of bones and chews and each come with risks and rewards based on many factors, including your particular dog’s behavior and dog size and breed. Do your research and decide what bones and chews are safe to give your dog. Ideas include raw knucklebones, Merrick bones, cow hooves, pressed USA rawhide, bully sticks (a personal favorite here!), and different types of Nylabones.

Laser light toys can also be good fun for some dogs. They can really help wear puppies out and can be made into a fun game. You should make commands for the start and end of the game, so they know when it begins and when it ends. For many dogs it can be dangerous and mentally unhealthy game however. I must caution please know your dog before you use such a toy and never point the toy in the dog’s eyes. With some particular dogs a laser light can cause and aggravate obsessive-compulsive behaviors and chasing of shadows and light reflections and other very unhealthy and mentally unstable behaviors. So if you are going to use a laser light, please do so with caution and know your dog well. Discontinue use immediately should your puppy become obsessed with playing and obsessive about light reflections and shadows. You do not want to encourage such behavior.

Play Time!
Your dog will thrive on human interaction and classes with you, but also many puppies greatly will enjoy playing with other well-adjusted dogs. I do not recommend dog parks, as I am not a fan of throwing a puppy in with a bunch of strange random dogs I know nothing about owned by owners I do know either. Too many unknowns for me, I don’t know what health the dogs are in, if they have been vaccinated or if they are carrying diseases, their history with other dogs, their temperaments, personalities, or their socialization levels.

Rather than a dog park I suggest you set up play dates with dogs and puppies that you know well, they can be dogs of friends and family. Many times puppy kindergarten classes will offer a short play time and you can get a small group together before and after classes for a good safe romp. I have always had great success finding suitable playmates for my dogs regardless of my dog’s age.

Another good idea to wear out your high-energy puppy is doggie daycare. Many doggie daycares offer half days and full days. You can pick which is suitable for you and for your puppy. Even as little as one half day once a week can really be beneficial to both puppy and owner. Make sure the doggie daycare is reputable and that you feel comfortable with them and make sure they do temperament evaluations before accepting dogs into the daycare. Some doggie daycares offer cameras so you can watch your puppy have all the fun in real time. Most puppies really love their time socializing at doggie daycare and have an absolutely wonderful time. Finding a great doggie daycare can be immensely helpful for many high-energy puppy owners as the daycare will help drain their energy in a positive way.

Class Time!
Puppies need to be worked both mentally and physically. Taking classes with your high-energy puppy will enhance your bond and make your puppy much easier to live with and will pay off for years to come. Don’t send your puppy out with others for training; take classes WITH your dog for the best results. Puppy classes are a must for most breeds. Puppy kindergarten, puppy agility, beginner’s obedience, and beginners tracking are a few classes that are suitable for your puppy. You can go on to other classes from there, like rally, fly ball, tracking, competitive obedience, herding, and so much more.
Here is a locater so you can find a reputable dog club for your classes: http://www.akc.org/events/obedience/training_clubs/

From play dead, shake, give me a kiss, spin, and sit pretty, and so many more; there are a lot of fun tricks to teach your dog. Remember you can also work at home on obedience and teaching of fun tricks. Keep the sessions short and happy. Always start and end on a good note.
With one of my very high energy dogs I made sure to exercise the puppy before class so the dog could better focus during the class, after having ran off some steam. It worked really well for him.

Socialization is also vital when raising puppies and helps wear them out since they are working mentally and learning about their world. Socialization should continue during the dog’s entire lifespan. Remember to keep your puppy on a properly fitted comfortable collar with a light soft leash when leaving your home.
Some ideas for socialization are kids sport games, pet stores, getting your oil changed, running on errands with you where you stay in the car such as drive thru’s to pick up food, medicine, or to go to the bank, walks in the park and neighborhoods, fairs, parades, festivals, family and friends homes, cook-outs, dog shows, feed stores, the vet (take them just to be weighed and get treats, for fun!), walking around campuses, the post office, kid’s playgrounds, outside of shopping malls, the fire station, maybe to work with you on certain days, dog classes, vacations, wooded areas with streams and ponds, video stores, book stores, community pools, oceans and beaches, some restaurants with large patios will allow well behaved dogs to sit or down politely beside you while you are eating so be sure to give them your business, and the list goes on and on about possible places to socialize, be creative and have fun with your dog.

Many dogs thrive in great outdoor trips alongside their owners. High-energy puppies and dogs love hiking and camping with their owners. They also have an enjoyable action packed time swimming in the lake, river, or ocean with their owners. If you puppy isn’t quite an expert on swimming, you can buy a lifejacket for dogs of all sizes for the safety of your canine. If you are an active family, please bring your dog along with you on your activities, depending on breed, age, and condition. Also, keep in mind you must keep your dog well hydrated and if you bring a backpack for your dog, work your dog’s way up to wearing the pack first, then add weight slowly. If you own a dog breed with a deep chest, please read up on bloat. It is more common than you might think and with early medical intervention survival rates are high.

In conclusion, I hope these suggestions will help you and your dog or puppy of any energy level. I hope you have a lot of fun together trying some of these suggestions. High-energy puppies are very entertaining and can be a joy to share our lives with. Make sure and stay up on the obedience training, make it fun, keep sessions short, and find new things that interest your puppy. Take extra walks in various stimulating places that will work puppy’s minds and socialize them. Have fun with the puppy stage and remember, with dogs you will get out what you put in. The more you work with your dog, the more time you invest into them, the more you will both be rewarded for a long time to come. Good luck and have fun!
- © Wisedogblog.com

Leaving Dogs Outside

Thanks for reading Wise Dog Blog. Dogs are pack animals and have a need to be with their humans, living as valued family members. Besides dogs being pack animals, needing frequent human interaction, and above adequate shelter, I think leaving a dog in the backyard is not a very safe decision for the welfare of your dog. The last story I personally experienced about a dog left in a backyard resulted in lost dog signs posted in our neighborhood. The dog has not been recovered.

I do understand some well meaning people believe in leaving their dogs in the yard all day while they are gone to work. I do not in any circumstances agree with that philosophy. After hearing all the stories over the years of the bad things that can and do happen I do not believe in leaving a dog in your yard when you are home to supervise. Here are a few reasons why I came to that conclusion.

If you are leaving your dog in your yard during the day while you are gone be aware that the dog could easily get stolen, many dogs are stolen each day. If you think, “Oh, no one would dare get close to my breed of dog”, know that means they are only more valuable to the wrong sort of people and those people will find a way. So-called tough breed dogs are stolen all of the time for reasons of dog fighting or other inhumane events. And if your dog breed is really cute, chances are you aren’t the only one that thinks they are adorable, and they could be stolen for that reason.

Aside from dog stealers who mainly do crimes of opportunity there are people that steal dog for a living and get money from stealing from others, they consider it their job and go to considerable lengths to study the best ways to get their monthly quota. Some stolen dogs are used in research; some stolen dogs go to auction. Some people use the dogs for bait when dog fighting or try to fight the dog. And then some just see the opportunity and take your dog because your dog is quite cute and they want the dog for themselves or to give to someone else in their life as a special gift. Who knows all the reasons dogs get stolen but it happens more than I have the heart to even begin to understand for a variety of reasons. It is important to be aware that if you leave your dog in your yard you are taking a big risk that your dog might not be there when you come back.

The dog could be accidently let out by workers that need into that area or because a gate was left ajar by a well meaning family member or neighbor, or a child, or because a tree fell on it, or because the handle came loose by a gust of wind, or because your dog figured out how to open it or for any other number of reasons by “accident”. With the opportunity provided, your dog will probably take the chance to explore. Unfortunately, it is a dangerous world without us. We are suppose to protect them, but without us around they could run into other dogs or dog packs that might want to fight, with highways, with roads, with livestock, with ranchers or neighbors that might shoot stray dogs and other dangers.

The loose dog could get hit by a car and possibly die. Or your dog could be taken by someone else that decides they like your dog and they will keep your dog or sell your dog and they might not treat your dog as your dog needs to be treated. Or, as touched on above your dog may get in a dogfight and get badly injured. Even if your dog doesn’t leave your yard possibly other dogs could come into your yard that do not have good intentions. If your dog is intact, that will increase the tendency to roam and will increase the chances for unwanted pregnancies and increase the chances that someone will take them and use them as a breeder dog and nothing else. Please guard and protect your intact dogs from harm.

And say your dog does not get out of your yard just yet. Your dog will probably develop bad habits from sheer boredom. One of the most popular outlets for boredom will probably be barking all day at everything and anything. Not a mentally healthy way for the dog to live and your neighbors do not appreciate it either. Depending on your neighbors, this might become a very big problem. And without you there to supervise, anyone can throw poison over the fence for your dog to eat. Sound too far-fetched for you? This has happened before to some very nice people that I know. It isn’t out of the realm of possibilities. Their neighbors complained all the time about their dog barking, and they replied that is what dogs do, then the neighbors filed noise complaints, and finally the neighbors poisoned the dog while the owners were not home one day.

Other bad habits besides barking that can be formed are fence climbing, fence fighting, digging holes, destroying your landscaping, eating siding or other parts of your home, and other troublesome behaviors. Fence climbing can put the dog at risk for getting hit by a car and stolen. Digging holes can also provide an escape route, or at the very least will leave large numerous unsightly craters in your yard.
Some of the things, like eating your home and destroying landscaping if they consume parts can cause impactions. Some impactions can be deadly if veterinary intervention is not sought. Many common plants and mushrooms in the backyard are toxic and very poisonous, which also leads to trips to the vet or in some cases death.

Sometimes neighbors and neighborhood children are not nice when they see or know a dog is behind a fence and will tease the dog, which isn’t good for your dog mentally to be teased. And if your dog bites, even if in self defense after abuse from the strangers, you will be held 100 percent responsible and your dog, depending on where you live, will become a dangerous dog and you could be subject to fine and the death of your dog in certain conditions.

Also, your dog could be at risk for allergic reactions from bugs. Bees and fire ants are common in many states and can really harm some dogs quite badly. And chances for fleas and ticks infestations of your home and yard go up higher. Also, hawks can pick up smaller breeds of dog as a tasty meal.

There are also other risks, for instance, a dog’s collar could get accidently caught in between your deck. It can and does happen. The dog can die from this if the dog struggles. Or their collar can get stuck on the fence. Or even worse can happen. When I was a child, we had a young Beagle puppy that played with our young adult Labrador in the backyard. Both were wearing nylon web type collars. Tragically, the Beagle puppy died. The Lab’s tooth got snagged on the little Beagle’s collar, which resulted in the death of the Beagle by strangulation. It was a horrible sight and I would like to believe it was a freak accident. My point is all kinds of things can and do happen. Accidents are just that, accidents, but it still doesn’t make the experience any less real or mean that the dog won’t get hurt.

All of this is not to mention the dogs that are left outside are at the mercy of the weather if left outdoors even with the limited protection of a doghouse. Weather extremes are very common, such as bad storms with strong wind (which can knock over fences) and storms that bring lighting and thunder, unusual amounts of rain resulting in flash floods, and possible tornados. Not the mention cold fronts that can come quickly and push temperatures to freezing, bringing with them snow, sleet, and ice. Furthermore, the dangers of extreme heat pose a significant health risk for many breeds. For these reasons and many more not listed please keep your dog indoors where he or she will be safer in your absence.

If you need tips on potty training or crate training, please refer to Crate Training 101; 102 and Fast Potty Training 101; 102 on this site.
Best wishes to you and your dogs!
- ©Wisedogblog.com