Recently one of my friends ask if they could teach their dog not to pee every time a stranger comes into the home. Since submissive urination is a fearful behavior, I told my friend he needed to recondition the dog so that the dog would associate strangers coming to his home as a positive experience.

A dog that pees when she gets attention is likely a shy dog, that gets excited and/or intimidated when people come into her space. Most of the time people that love dogs want to pet them immediately and give them lots of verbal attention, like: “Oh, you are so cute. Come over here. You don’t have to be afraid, I like dogs!” They keep going after the dog, trying to pet her. Since the dog is in a submissive state and likely excited for all the attention, she will crouch down and squeeze her body to make herself smaller and in the process might pee a little, or even a lot. Now there will likely be some verbal exclamation from either the dog owner or the guest: “Oh no, she peed on the floor!” and some excited hustle about cleaning it up quickly. The dog senses that she has done something wrong and associates this greeting ritual with a state of anxiety and confusion.

Guest Blog by Jackie Lambert

Hi, we are ‘that couple with four dogs,’ otherwise known as Jackie and Mark. We took early retirement to travel when we were made redundant in our early 50s. Once we were no longer slaves to long hours, we decided to get a dog, but ended up with four; our cuddly Cavapoos Kai, Rosie, Ruby and Lani.Our pooches are our constant companions and since one of our passions is skiing, we take our pups on piste; that is, they accompany us for our snowy seasons in Monte Rosa, a hidden gem in the Italian Alps.

I used to mostly share these tips during the 4th of July Holiday, but since fireworks are now sold in many places during December for the New Years celebration, I thought, I share these tips for keeping your pet calm and safe during fireworks now.

For many pets the loud noises and the smell of fireworks are very frightening and statistically there is a 30% increase in lost pets during this time of year. Even pets that usually won't run from your home or yard can get so panicked that they may run away.

Image credit: Flickr

We love our dogs and take them with us wherever we go, whenever possible. I am always looking for more dog-friendly adventures, so you can imagine my excitement, when I saw some pictures of Melissa  rock-climbing with her dog, Hero. I just had to find out more about them!

Melissa embodies the term "if I can't bring my dog, I'm not going." She has found dog-friendly activities that are not only unique but also challenging. Melissa horseback rides, paddle boards and rock-climbs with her dog and both participate in dog events like dog survivals and canicross.

Read more about these unique activities........

We just got some snow in the high country of Arizona and many valley residents are eager to take a day trip to go for a winter hike in the snow. If you like us, this will mean bringing your dogs.

I thought this may be a good time to offer up a few winter travel tips for dog owners. These are mostly related to taking your dogs out during cold winter weather and are meant to help those who will travel into areas with snow and ice.

Apollo is super excited to get these "Chocolate" covered dog biscuits I just made. Of course, they are not dipped in real chocolate, because dogs can't have chocolate. It's one of those forbitten foods for dogs. These homemade dog biscuits are made with carob, a naturally sweet chocolate substitute that is safe for dogs to eat.

Want to make some special treats for your dogs this Thanksgiving? Here is my Thanksgiving treat recipe.

With winter approaching, it is critical that the shelters have an ample supply of blankets and bedding to keep the dogs warm. Mike Casten, owner of Poodini Pet Waste Removal, is organizing his Poodini Pals Toy Drive in November to focus on getting winter supplies for homeless Valley Shelter Dogs.

When we first got our new puppy Apollo he did not like car rides. He would sit there scared, whining and drooling, and after a few minutes he would start chucking up his food. Does your dog love the car? Or is he restless like Apollo? Is he unsettled and whines or drools? Does he get car sick? If your dog does not do well during car rides, the underlying issue is fear. This article will give you a few ways to help your dog get comfortable with the car, help you eliminate his fears, and get him to love traveling by car.
 

I already wrote an article on Pit Bull Awareness this month, as October is officially Pit Bull Awareness month. But I cannot resist sharing the beautiful pictures of Pit Bulls that were sent to me in response to my recent blog post.  You can read the article here.
So in honor of Pit Bull Awareness day, please enjoy these lovely faces and darling pets.

Take your dog with you on bicycle rides, it's a lot of fun and can be a great way to provide exercise for both of you.

When people ask me about skills that I deem important for traveling dogs, I always start with “Potty on Command.” Many people look at me in disbelieve. Really? Why would teaching your dog to do his business on command be such a big deal? But I insist, teaching your dog to potty on command is one of the most needed skills if you like to take your dog with you on day-trips or vacations. Here are my 3 reasons why you should teach your dog to potty on command.

These healthy dog treats are made with organic blueberries, yogurt, oats and fax seed.
Prep Time: 10 Min
Cook Time: 30 Min

While out shopping today, I noticed that the stores are already selling Halloween costumes everywhere. This reminded me to write a post on dressing up your dogs.
There are lots of people who want to make their pets part of the Halloween festivities. I remember as a child I had a small dog that I would dress up in my doll's clothes. The dog didn't mind too much. However, not every dog is as good-natured with playing dress-up as that little dog of my youth.
Here are some things you might want to consider, before you buy that Halloween costume for your dog:

You leave your house and your dog is barking and howling and won’t stop all day. You come home after work and your dog has destroyed the blinds on your living room windows or chewed up your furniture. You put your dog in his crate and he digs at the gate, frantically trying to get out. These are some canine behaviors signaling your dog may suffer from stress and behavior problems when left alone.
Sadly, such behavior problems are one of the most common reasons why owners get rid of their dogs. This is unfortunate because these kind of behavior problems can be treated by implementing a few simple strategies.

Does your dog misbehave on-leash? Is he lunging and frantically barking at other dogs, people, or even cars?

Many dog owners struggle with reactive behavior in their dogs. They are frustrated and anxious because their dog misbehaves on-leash. They walk their dogs at odd hours of the day to ensure they won't meet anyone or they may even avoid taking their dogs out for a walk.

What many dog owners don't realize is that reactive behavior in dogs is not always aggressive.  In many cases, reactive behavior comes out of insecurity or can be caused by hyper-excitement.

I love making my own dog treats and my dogs love to eat them!

Here is a recipe from my canine recipe book "Chew On This - Homemade Dog Treat Recipes" using spinach and rice as the main ingredients.