One of the quickest and most fun ways for dogs to burn physical energy is through their prey drive! You should definitely get one! Though there are many ways to use this type of toy, a Flirt Pole makes for an easy and on-the-go tool that your dog will love. It's typically a toy more closely related to cats, but dogs can have just as much prey drive, if not more. Just make sure that you're using it with your dog moderately, as it can be a very stimulating activity, and one that your dog can very easily get hooked on. So keep it short and sweet, but fun!

The groomer needs to be a regular staple of their routine! So, to the best you can, try bringing your pup for visits to the doggie grooming salon every day, if possible. If not, break down the steps your groomer would take and practice those at home! Such as touching your dog's paws here and there, touching him with towels, hair & nail trimmers as well as a blow dryer. Do all the above occasionally but daily, and more importantly between fun games and tasty snacks to make it something your dog looks forward to!

The best thing you can do is move on from it! Chances are it could have either been prevented (by us) in some way and/or your puppy just couldn't hold it in anymore. Whether it was because they were waiting too long, or we forgot to take them out, or they've been drinking too much water, or even purely out of excitement. Much like with a baby, toddler or child who has an accident, the best thing you can do is not get frustrated, accept that it happens and move on from it. Don't let that be something that gets in the way of your relationship with your pup! Plus, chances are that your pup won't understand why you're not happy with them to begin with. So instead focus all your attention on when your pup DOES pee outside or on their designated pee pad. If you're finding there's an abnormal amount of accidents, begin by better monitoring your pup's water intake and reaching out to your vet to rule out a UTI.

Not at all! Dogs are very social animals however they are also individuals. Not all dogs want to/need to meet on walks and there can be many reasons why. Shy dogs will benefit a lot from being able to maintain distance and be allowed to slowly approach, at their own comfort. Reactive dogs need more training support but not being allowed to meet if the setup isn't ideal will prevent an unwanted scenario from taking place. Overly excited dogs may benefit more from an open (safe & controlled) environment where they can let their energy out first, before being expected to meet or not meet other dogs on walks calmly.

If your vet has found no health issues, grass eating can be attributed to the taste of grass as well as boredom. if you suspect that your dog is eating grass out of boredom, there's a lot you can do to help him/her out! Just like with any unwanted behaviour in dogs, it's important to know that if it's being practiced it's because it's a behaviour that works for them. Dogs don't do and repeat things without a purpose. With that said, your best bet at ensuring your dog is less likely to want to eat grass, you want to make sure that you are providing your dog with regular outlets for their physical and mental stimulation needs. Physical enrichment can consist of going for runs, playing fetch, tug and pull games, using a flirt pole and mental enrichment encompasses training classes, nosework and scent detection games, puzzles, snuffle mats, and new/different activities you and your dog experience together. Got some of these outlets down pat? Next, it's time to focus on the actual behaviour you want to tackle. Practice addressing the issue at hand when your dog is feeling relaxed and mellow from the above activities. A mellow and tired brain is more likely to 1. Not practice the unwanted behaviour (in which case you can then mostly focus on rewarding the desired behaviour) 2. Provide you with a dog that is more likely to follow your guidance, and this is key. Providing guidance is your main and best training tool, as you practice going through the scenario which normally leads to unwanted behaviour, but in a way where you are keeping a close eye on the patterns and indicators that it's about to happen, instead of just letting it happen, you can there and then interrupt the habit by guiding your dog's body and mind into something else (like a game, your attention, and affection, or even a stuffed Kong.). The idea with practicing this is that it makes it so your dog doesn't get to repeat the unwanted behaviour with no hesitation because you are providing a new habit/behaviour that feels even better for them, that will with time replace the old habit. Try this on your next walk or park visit and see how successful you can be at guiding your dog away from its grass-eating habit!

Chasing one’s own tail is a natural behaviour for dogs, especially pups, as a common form of play for predator animals and if they're feeling bored. Constant repetition of this could be enough reason to contact your vet. Worried that your dog is doing it too often? Here's what you can do: - Contact a trainer in your area that can provide you with a private training session at your home. Before you hire them, please make sure that they take the time to look into the potential reasons why your dog may feel the need to exhibit this behaviour (your dog is not doing it for nothing) and provide you with potential ways to guide your dog to adopt a different, better behaviour instead which can then replace it. During the session, they can hone in on what they think is the actual motive and advise further. Please avoid any recommendations that require harmful tools that provide any kind of correction, such as prong/shock/spray collars, tugging or physically addressing your dog or recommendations that make you feel like you're not taking into account your dog's feelings. Guiding your dog towards solutions that feel good and work for you both, instead of confronting them with corrections and frustration will help avoid a scenario where your dog feels the need to adopt another, different unwanted behaviour to meet an unaddressed need/issue. - Ensure your dog has regular access to both physical and mental enrichment, as well as socialization outlets. The main reason for most common behavioural issues stems from a lack of the above. - Look for the signs that the behaviour is about to take place. Prevention is always best, instead of only managing the undesired behaviour and it will lead to your dog eventually not having the opportunity to practice that behaviour, with the goal that they will then forget it altogether. - Upon spotting the signs and patterns that lead to your dog chasing his tail often, you want to then provide them with a different action to practice. This can vary from dog to dog but some options are to ask your dog to fetch, go for a walk, do some agility exercises, tricks, or perhaps simply lay down on their bed, or even solve a dog food puzzle. All better alternatives, and can be tailored to how your dog is feeling there and then. - Either as you're doing the alternative exercise and/or afterwards when your dog has gone back to relaxing, be sure to let them know that you are happy when they are not chasing their tail. This will help further let your dog know and feel like they don't need to do it, and that there are other and better ways of being, that feel much greater.

There's a lot of misconception about when we should or shouldn't pickup our dogs. When your dog is feeling overwhelmed, tired, or unsure about something you can certainly pick them up and comfort them! However, it's important to note that what will ensure your dog feels calm and relaxed again in the future, is to actually help them learn that they can take on their own as well, by walking away. The reason why most of us feel the need to pickup our dogs (at least the small ones) while on walks is to remove them from a particular environment, or from being close to someone. This can be helpful in making sure we prevent an unwanted scenario. That said each case is different and if picking up your dog doesn't provide them with comfort fast enough it's best and perhaps easier to simply guide and walk your dog away. Especially when working with a reactive or a dog that easily feels frustrated while on walks, there is always a potential that they can redirect their feelings towards you in the heat of the moment when making physical contact. More often than picking up your dog, practice walking away. Practice walking away from things that aren't so interesting to them, and eventually from things they enjoy and get excited about like toys, other dogs, and people, but in a way where they feel like walking away with you is always more rewarding. But definitely don't hesitate to pickup your dog if you feel the need to, you know them best!

Not at all! Treats are a very effective and an amazing way of letting your dog know that he has done something you are happy with. Treats can be used to 'lure' or help a dog do a specific task but they will be even more useful to you if provided only when or immediately after your dog has performed the task, before the treat is provided. With this approach, you can with time use other types of treats to reward good behaviour, such as your voice, your touch, your affection, their kibble and water.

It depends. If you would like to provide human food (please double check with your veterinarian) to your dog, this can be a great rare treat. More importantly however, providing human food or any kind of high value treat can and should be used in scenarios where your dog has a more difficult time making good decisions. For example, when you're walking past a dog park if your dog feels very excited and distracted you can use a high value treat as a reward when they're able to give you more of their attention.

This is a big decision! We like to think of having a dog just like any other relationship in your life. The main difference, however, is that once you choose your pup, you're making a lifetime commitment to them, just as much as they are making a lifetime commitment to you! Once you've made the choice to adopt a puppy, what's next is to pick the right one for yourself/your family. Consider your lifestyle (among other things) and compare it to the breed you're going for, and what they're bred to do. You can even find Facebook groups for that particular breed, where you can learn from other pet parents familiar with the dog you'll be bringing home! Once you're set on a breed and you've found a litter, see if you can meet the puppy's mom and dad and/or learn as much as you can about their demeanour before selecting from one of their pups. As you learn about them and get to meet the pups, from your first impressions you can often get a good idea of their energy level, demeanour, and even personality to see if you think it will be an ideal fit for you, your personality, and your day-to-day life!