Top Dog Blog!

A few more wintertime tips

2009-01-16T07:46:00.000-08:00

Hello everybody. Sorry I haven't done a good job getting into the habit of blogging yet, I'll try and do better. I wanted to take a moment and jot down a few more tips for keeping your dog happy in the wintertime. Last time I wrote about wintertime I talked a little more about keeping your dog well exercised and happy through the cold months. I just wanted to remind everyone that it is also very important to keep some health issues in mind. When speaking to a local veterinarian I was given a few pointers that I'd like to share.
First off when playing outside with your dog in below freezing temperatures you want to keep an eye on their paws. Our dogs will usually tell us when their paws are bothering them so if they look like they are starting to dance around funny, lift their paws a lot, or even look almost like they are limping then it is a sure sign to get inside ASAP. Some dogs will not give us any signal though so you may have to pay close attention on your own. Many pet stores offer booties for your dogs paws and I definitely recommend them if your dog seems to be especially sensitive. The other paw consideration to keep in mind is very important for those of you who walk your dogs on streets or sidewalks. The salts and chemicals used to de-ice our walkways can be very damaging to our dogs paw pads if not cleaned properly. Be sure to keep an old towel handy after every walk so that you can wipe your dogs feet thoroughly.
If the ground isn't an issue and your sure your dogs feet are fine than feel free to get in as much playtime as possible. The veterinarian told me that your dogs body temperature is usually fine as long as the ears still feel warm. If the ears start feeling a bit chilly than its time to head inside.
Another helpful tip that I'm sure your dog will appreciate is to shovel a little pathway for them along their favorite potty spot in the yard. I've noticed several dogs lately which do not like to venture off into the deep snow so they have started using sidewalks and driveways to relieve themselves. This can obviously be a pretty disgusting burden on you later on.
Well good luck in keeping your dog happy, healthy, and well balanced this winter. As always if you have any questions or needs than feel free to get in touch with us.

Benefits Of No Free Lunch!

2008-12-03T13:02:00.000-08:00

Many of you have heard of the "No Free Lunch" program. It's something we've encouraged a lot of our clients and friends to implement in their lives. For those of you haven't heard of it I'm going to give you the basic layout of what the program entails as well as what some of the benefits are.
This program, also referred to as, “Nothing in Life is Free”, was designed by Dr. Victoria Voith. It's very helpful in curing many unwanted behaviors in both puppies and adult dogs alike. It's never too late or too early to introduce it to your dog so don't be afraid to start implementing it today. From the name you can gather that this philosophy is based on the dog having to work for rewards. The rewards that the dog works for are different than you might expect though. Using this program a dog is required to perform a behavior when asked for nearly anything in life including but not limited to; going outside, coming inside, affection, food, treats, toys, praise, being picked up, being allowed into a room, and even eye contact. Believe it or not this is very similar to the way things work in a pack. A dog is rarely given much freedom to eat or socialize with pack leaders until the pack leader initiates contact.
It's best to start with basic things. For a dog which is new to the program a short sit before being allowed outside or to eat a meal is all that's really required. It's important to start ignoring contact with your dog until you have initiated it as well. Things such as your dog nuzzling your hand to receive petting must be channeled in a different direction so that the dog feels he has to earn it as opposed to feeling like he can turn affection on and off like a light switch. If your dog solicits attention from you by barking, pawing, whining, nipping, mouthing, or any other nuisance behavior than simply count to five in your head and then ask your dog to perform a simple task for you. As your dog progresses with the program you can start to increase the challenge. Require your dog to do harder commands such as a long down stay, or perhaps add some higher distractions. Another important step is to implement timed feedings 2-3 times per day. This means that when you set your dogs food down you only leave it down for ten minutes and then come back by and pick it up.
A lot of people view this philosophy as being mean or just plain rude to your dog. The opposite is true. We could not be speaking a more clear language to our dogs than what this program outlines. It triggers some of the most primal and deeply rooted instincts that our dogs carry. Not only will the program eliminate a lot of nuisance behaviors but it will also establish you as the pack leader in your home. This is huge from a training perspective. Without the dog feeling you are a leader than training becomes nearly impossible. Even humans have a hard time listening and obeying someone they don't respect. Imagine how hard it is for an animal with even stronger pack instincts than us!
The benefits from a trainers perspective are not the only benefits you can receive from this program. I've recently heard from three veterinarians who all agree that there can be health benefits to this program as well. A dog who is well balanced is less likely to be destructive around the home which means less chances for dangerous situations. However I was very suprised when all three really supported the 2-3 timed feedings per day as well. They said this can eliminate problems with bloating, gas, vomitting, stool eating, and other unhealthy reactions. With 2-3 feedings daily the food is allowed to digest properly as opposed to one big bowl being plopped down all day everyday.
The "No Free Lunch" program is an extremely healthy, safe, and effective way for you to get one step closer in having a balanced dog. Implement it into your life today and you will see some great results. Just like any training method consistency is the name of the game though so make sure your following through every step of the way.

Winter Time Challenges

2008-11-19T10:55:00.000-08:00

Well the real cold weather has made it's mark on Northern Indiana the last couple weeks. It's also been the reason for numerous calls flooding our phones. With the onset of cold weather many of us have decreased our level of outdoor time with our four legged family members. This can lead very quickly to a lot of unburned energy that needs to be channeled. Try as much as possible to continue outdoor exercise, if you have to put on a couple layers than do it. It's worth it! Extra energy in our dogs can cause them to become very destructive, anxious, and just plain overbearing. Your other option is to increase their mental exercise. Teach your dog a new game around the house, do some obedience work in the living room, or give them something challenging to do.
Monitoring your dogs weight through the winter is also very important. If the physical exercise goes down too much and your dogs body is conditioned to burning a lot of calories you may want to speak with your vet about lowering his/her food intake.
Well that's all for now, if you want any pointers about teaching your dog some new mentally challenging games around the house feel free to contact us.

Our First Top Dog Talk!

2008-11-19T07:02:00.000-08:00

Hello. This is the first effort that we've made here at Top Dog to start a blog and we are very excited. We'll be posting tips on dog ownership and training, fun stuff that's going on, and whatever else that get's us going. Feel free to let us know if you have something specific you want to hear about.