FREE Meet the Dog Trainer Event at Furry Rascals

Is your dog:

redecorating your home while you're away,

jumping at your guests, 

pulling you on walks, 

barking at bikers, skateboards, joggers?

Are your neighbors complaining about your barking dog?

Do people cross the street when they see you coming with Fluffy? 

Come join me on Saturday, June 12th at 7pm for a chance to get your dog training questions answered. You'll be glad you did. Also find out more information about the new upcoming dog training classes be offered for puppies and adult dogs.

Additional Location for Group Dog Training Classes

Hope everyone is enjoying the nice weather. I am happy to announce I will now also be offering group dog training classes at Furry Rascals located at 3915 Broadway (between 164th & 163rd Street). 

Happy Earth Day from The Giz Crew

In the spirit of celebrating our planet here are some tips on how to reduce your dog and cat's carbon paw print. Yes, our pets do contribute too. Just think about all the plastic baggies we use up every week. Multiply that number by 56.

Tip #1 - Switch over to biodegradable dog waste bags. Reality is that although it may seem that you're reusing those plastic bags from your super market, your dog's poop is staying in that plastic bag, forever. Instead, reuse the plastic super market bags next time you go shopping, return them to recycling centers, or better yet purchase a nice tote bag or a fabric reusable bag for your shopping.

Tip #2 - Switch your kitty litter to to something more eco-friendly like Swheat Scoop, which is clay and chemical free. Plus, you can flush it and not worry if kitty inhales or ingest some of it.

Tip #3 - Spay, Neuter, and Adopt. As someone whose volunteered at the city open admission shelter I can tell you we don't need any more homeless pets. Don't purchase from stores that sell pets, you're just keeping them in business.

Tip #4 - Use stainless steel or ceramic bowls instead of plastic. According to author of Natural Diets for Dogs and Cats, Kymythy Schultz, plastic bowls tend to give off harmful fumes. Also, stainless steel bowls are so much easier to clean, disinfect, and your dog won't chew on it so easily.

Tip #5 - Purchase food, toys, and other pet supplies that are made from recycled or organic materials. Such as hemp collars, organic dog food and treats. Organic food and treats are much healthier for your pets and although they may be pricier, in the long term you save money because you get a healthier pet.

Tip #6 - Use natural or organic household cleaners. I know it's helped Gizmo's allergies tremendously, so its really a win-win situation.

Tip #7 - Donate to a rescue group or city shelter. Has your pup outgrown his crate, sweater, bed, or collar? A lot of these organizations have wish lists which includes a need for crates, blankets, beds, etc.

Tip #8 - Make your own dog and cat toys. Nemo loves nothing more than a cardboard box...even if its a shoebox! I always leave the delivery boxes around for him and throw them out once he's worn them out. Harley's favorite rope toy is made out of Bradley's old pair of socks cut up into strips then braided and knotted at both ends. Best of all, I was able to make 2 out of one pair! You can make a bed out of old blankets and pillows. Trust me your pets won't know the difference and will be happy campers.

Tip #9 - Put all those empty plastic water bottles to use. There's a toy called bottle buddies that I purchased for Harley and its basically a sturdy plastic bottle cover. Its made completely out of recycled materials and offers a nice way to reuse your plastic water bottle...don't forget to recycle once its time to place a new one in :). I got mine at www.cleanrun.com

Tip #10 - Respect nature and don't let your dog or cat killing wildlife unnecessarily. 

Remember, everything is connected. We are all connected. Let's take care of this planet during our stay and preserve it for future generations. Take a moment to think on how you're helping preserve our planet. Feel free to share your thoughts.

Happy Earth Day!

Give Your Dog a Kong-a-rita!

One of my favorite dog interactive / treat dispensing toys is the Kong and I think every person with a dog in their lives should own at least two of these. They are a great way to mentally stimulate your dog, keep him busy, reduce his anxiety when left alone, and a nice way to curb his chewing away from your furniture and shoes.

Hold the tequila, heavy on the biscuits and yummy treats please! Let your dogs enjoy a "Kong-a-rita"!

I call them this because when I stick the appetizer on top such as a dog biscuit, carrot, or celery piece it looks, to me, like one of those fun colorful drinks you treat yourself to and sip on for a while while you chat with your friends. Plus its a fun name!


The Kong comes in different sizes and materials to cater to all size dogs with different chewing habits and ages, but they're all shaped like a hollow beehive. Now, although I've met dogs that are thrilled by just chasing, fetching, and chewing on an empty Kong, most dogs enjoy the stuffed version much better.

What size do you get? Which color do you buy? So how do you stuff a Kong? What do you put inside of it? How do you get your dog to love his Kong?

Sizing (according to the Kong Company's size chart):
            
Dog's Weight        Size
1-20lbs                 Small
15-35lbs               Medium
30-65lbs               Large
60-90lbs               X Large
85lbs+                  XX Large

Colors:
           
Classic Red is for your average chewer
Pink or Blue Swirl is the Puppy Kong and caters to a puppy's chewing needs
Black is the Extreme Kong with powerful rubber to cater "power chewers"
Purple Swirl is the Senior Kong for "aging teeth and jaws"

Stuffing a Kong:

Browsing the web I found this great image on several sites with a stuffed Kong diagram. I am not sure of the main source for the image, but I did get off the web. It was either this image or me scribbling a diagram and scanning it in. :) Just note when you're actually filling the Kong you're holding it with the larger hole on top. You could place the Kong in a cup to help you hold it in place as you're stuffing. The diagram below does an excellent job at showing you the main idea of how to stuff a Kong. However, I've included some Kong stuffing tips. Look out for some recipes in the near future.

Tips:

Tip #1
Introduce the Kong to your dog by stuffing loosely with small treats or just smearing some fat free cream cheese or peanut butter inside the the grooves of the Kong so your dog can lick it. Praise him as he's licking it and interactiing with the Kong. Once your dog has taken a liking to it you can begin stuffing it with yummy treats.

Tip #2
Use Cheez Whiz or a little bit of peanut butter or cream cheese as the tantalizer.

Tip #3
You can use a little bit of honey as a primer. Pour in a little amount and spread around inside the walls of the Kong with your finger. It helps keep everything together. Its also a great way to introduce the Kong to your dog.

Tip #4
Is your dog a Kong pro? Try adding a little sodium free chicken broth to the mix and freezing the contents. It'll take him longer to unstuff the kong.

Tip #5
Here are some ideas on what to use as an appetizer: raw baby carrot, thin slice of celery, a dog biscuit or cookie, a piece of apple or cap off with some mashed banana.

Tip #6
Does your dog have sensitive stomach? Or allergies? Please check with your vet first for a list of things your dog can eat. Here's a list of ingredients most dog's with sensitive stomach or food allergies are okay with: your dog's special diet, carrots, apples, sweet potatoes, and hypo allergenic dog treats.






     

A New Addition

Last Thursday Bradley, my fiancee, and I visited Animal Haven Shelter just to look at the dogs. A black and white pit mix puppy caught my eye and brought to mind an array of great memories I've had with some adorable pits...Sam, Sailor, Ramona, Brooklyn, Ampersand, Lola...

I've been wanting a pit ever since I started my dog training career over 5 years ago. I first familiarized myself with these dogs at the animal shelter where I got most of my hands on experience. Lovely, smart, strong, active dogs. In the back of my mind, I guess I've always been on the look out for a good match and waiting for the right moment.

I asked to see him and spent some time interacting with him. I liked the behaviors I saw and he felt right, but I needed to discuss this decision with Bradley. Raising a puppy is serious business not to be taken lightly or to do on a whim. This 15lb high energy type puppy will grow up, he'll live a good 10 years plus. I'm getting married in the fall, in the next few years there may be kids, and I already have 3 cats and two dogs. If I was going to adopt this puppy I wanted to be sure we were both on the same page.

Bradley and I talked about it and decided the right moment was now and he would integrate well with Giz and the crew.

We went home, puppy proofed the apartment and stocked up on some supplies. We picked him up on Friday afternoon and named him Harley Wagalot.

On Sunday night I was beat. Raising a puppy requires time, patience, and lots of work. Don't take me wrong, I knew this going in, but on Sunday I took it all in and then smiled. Yes, its a lot of work, but I have my "tools". The extra time I invest in teaching Harley everything I want him to learn will payoff tenfold in the future. I know if I follow my same advice I give my clients we'll be okay.