Ditch the Laser Toys!

Cats love playing with laser pointers, so why not try it with your dog? While that activity can be a fun source of exercise and entertainment for certain dogs, for others, it can be dangerous and can potentially lead to behavioral problems.

Dogs with hunting, tracking, or herding tendencies are especially susceptible to light obsession. Playing with the laser pointer stimulates those natural traits that come from years of breeding. Lasers stimulate your dog’s innate prey drive, just like playing with a ball or a squeaky toy does. However, unlike a ball, your dog can never catch the beam of light, so they never receive a reward. This can lead to unhealthy behaviors. Dogs that exhibit behavioral issues are frustrated, confused, and anxious. Some dogs will begin to obsess over any light source- like the reflection of your phone screen on the wall, or even shadows. They will stand still for hours waiting to see a reflection or shadow to chase. A great alternative is a flirt pole. Its essentially a fishing pole with a string attached to a toy. Dogs love chasing it and you can drag the toy around and let your dog stalk, chase and catch it.

Another reason to not use a laser as a toy is the light can actually damage your dogs vision. Flashing the light back and forth quickly makes it really easy to accidentally point in into your dogs eyes.

There are several toys you can get your dog to play with that will satisfy its hunting and herding instincts. The Orbee Raspberry dispenses treat and bounces in all different directions, the Wobble Wag Giggle Ball- which Poppet LOVES -makes wacky noises as it rolls around on the ground, and the Chuck it Flying Squirrel actually "floats" a bit when you throw it so its a bit more unpredictable than a normal fetch toy.

No matter what toy you are using when you play with your dog always let your dog attack and catch its "prey". This is a very important part of your dogs mental well being!

A few website for more information!

https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/lifestyle/laser-pointers-more-frustration-than-fun/

https://dogpsychology101.com/laser-pointer-syndrome-dogs/

https://www.whole-dog-journal.com/behavior/help-for-ocd-dogs/

Early Puppy Socialization is Important!

The socialization period for a puppy is over by 12 weeks of age. This critical period is when the puppy develops social relationships with other dogs and with other species, including humans. After that stage, they become cautious about new things they haven’t encountered before. We have a puppy socialization protocol we start with the puppies at 16 days old but it is very important to continue this when you bring your puppy home so your puppy stays confident and doesn't get anxious or fearful when meeting new people, pets or being in a new environment.

This can pose many safety concerns for your puppy as he will not be fully vaccinated yet. You want to avoid letting your puppy play at dog parks or any place that has high traffic for pets and never let your puppy on the ground unless you are sure its safe. There are several ways you can still safely socialize your puppy and keep him safe.

Friends and Family- You can take your pup to new houses with new people, pets and environments. As long as the pets in the house are up to date on their vaccinations and do not frequent places where there are a lot of dogs your puppy will be fine to visit there.

Pet friendly stores- There are tons you can take your pup to ( links below). Always keep him in the cart and never let him touch the ground or let other dogs lick him. It would also be a good idea to put a blanket down as well.

Dog parks-But keep your puppy in the car and just let him observe! This is another great way to introduce your puppy to a new environment with dogs, people and lots of sounds! He is safe from illness and will also feel also safe and secure next to you. \

Go for a drive. Dogs love new smells- its a great way for mental stimulation and to safely introduce them to new smells, sights, and sounds. This provides great mental stimulation as well.

Dog Friendly stores in the US

Dog Friendly stores in Phoenix

Dog Friendly stores in Tucson

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DIY Homemade Training Treats!

We go through a TON of training treats in our home. Repetition is key to training! We only use the best treats we can find so it got expensive real quick. I was always breaking them up because they were too big as well- you want a tiny morsel for each treat. So I decided to make my own! It saves a lot of money and I know EXACTLY what is in the treats I am feeding them.

You can get a silicone candy baking mat from any store or you can order a "dog specific" baking pad from Amazon. They will all work just fine. The mat I have here makes 468 training treats! We alternate between several recipes- but all contain something like tuna, cheese, anchovies- something stinky that gets their 'smelling' attention. The higher the value- the easier it is to keep their attention and train. Some dogs aren't very food motivated so you may have to play around with ingredients and find what your dog LOVES. These are also great for scent games!

You just choose a recipe (there are hundreds on the internet) make your batter, smear it onto the mold and bake. Easy Peezy! We store them in a glass jar and the are the perfect size for my clip on treat holder.