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.

Every day I see Facebook posts on lost pets - and it breaks my heart. Thank goodness many dog owners now have their pets micro-chipped and most pets wear a collar with their owner's cellphone number on it. These two things can make sure that someone can contact the owner when a pet is lost, found and hopefully gets back home safely.

Few people know that you can teach your dog two very important lessons that most likely will prevent the dog from getting lost in the first place. The first lesson is: “Open doors don't mean run through it”, the second: “the safest place is with your owner”. In this blog article, I want to cover the first lesson in more depth with you. 

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.
 

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.

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.

Dogs need to chew – it’s how they clean their teeth and  release stored up energy.
Just like little babies, young puppies like to explore/experience the world around them with their teeth.

You can give your dog stuff to chew on or your dog will find it for himself. If you leave it up to your pooch, he may choose your carpet or your shoes.

Having your dog chew up things in your home is frustrating and can get expensive, so it is better to go to the pet-store and find some chew toys and chew foods for him. Read on to find out about chew toys and chew foods and why having both is important.

Training your dog to see the crate as a safe and comfortable place is very important. Follow these 5 easy exercises  and your dog will learn to love his crate/carrier.