dogIDs "How-To" Dog Blog

You’ve heard it before, dogs are expensive. There is the initial adoption fee which helps keep your local rescue running, all the food, toys, tags, treats and of course regular vet check-ups. Sure, it all seems pretty manageable. As with any other lifestyle change, you check your budget, put some money in a separate savings account and stay on top of being the best Dog Mom or Dad you can be.However, unexpected or emergency vet bills can throw off your whole plan.What is Pet Insurance?Pet insuran …

The Fourth of July is a stressful time for a lot of dogs, and their owners. While there is no quick fix for helping a dog overcome his fear of fireworks, these tips are designed as starting blocks for helping a dog deal with fireworks and other stressful noises. Please share any additional tips in the comments section for How to help a dog that is afraid of fireworks.1. Give your dog plenty of exercise. If you are anticipating fireworks and you know your dog is fearful, i …

There are plenty of good articles out there about how to stop a dog from barking in her kennel (crate). Most dog owners know they should ignore their dogs for barking, return to them when they're quiet and provide them with food and other goodies in their kennels. The following are some extra tips to expand on these ideas toStop a dog from barking in a kennel.1. Ignore the dog for as long as it takes. A dog trainer might tell you to ignore the dog for barking in her kennel, but what i …

So your summer travel plans are in place. But who will take care of your dog? Is it best to hire a pet sitter? Should you leave him with "Grandma"? How about taking him to a boarding facility? These are all great options, but this post will focus onHow to prepare for leaving your dog at a boarding facility.1. Tour the facility in advance.It's a good idea to tour the boarding facility before you actually drop off your dog. You don't want to find out it's a sketchy place on the day you're trying t …

Sept. 8 is National Pet Memorial Day, and pet lovers around the country will be taking part in events to remember their pets. I am not a grief expert by any means, but if you have recently lost a pet, I'm so sorry. The following tips are written from one pet lover to another onhow to emotionally cope with the death of a pet. 1. Realize everyone grieves differently. People deal with loss in different ways. There is no right or wrong way to grieve. We all do so i …

If you're adopting a new dog, it's so important to set the dog up for good behavior in your home. This post will help you learn how to prevent unwanted behavior like accidents and fights by controlling the dog's options. These tips can also be applied if you plan to foster or pet sit a dog in your home. Prevention goes such a long way! Tips for Good Behavior1. Keep the dog on a leash for the first few hours. A leash allows you to directly supervise the dog at all times. I prefer t …

                                       We’ve all been there, right?Maybe you’re ready to leave the dog park, so you call your dog to go home ... only he doesn’t come when you call him. So frustrating! It seems your dog won't listen to you when you want him to.Or maybe you ask him to sit during a walk when another dog is passing, and he absolutely refuses to sit.Your dog probably knows commands lik …

Luckily for us dog lovers, more and more places are becoming pet-friendly. You can go shopping, on vacation, or out to eat without having to leave your dog behind! Check out these dog friendly public places. Here are some pet-friendly places to bring your best friend:Dog Friendly BusinessesAce HardwareAutoZoneBass Pro ShopsBed, Bath & BeyondHome DepotMichael’sThe Container StoreTJ Maxx & MarshallsTips & EtiquetteLet your dog do his business before entering any business. You’d hate for your pup t …

Dog agility is a sport where a handler and dog work together as a team. The handler directs the off-leash dog through an obstacle course. During an actual competition, each dog is judged on time and accuracy. Some people and dogs participate in agility for fun without actually competing. Others travel across the country to test their skills against other teams. Here are someReasons to give agility a try with your dog:1. No experience necessary.If dog agility is a new concept to you and your dog, …

Dogs bark. They bark at the door. They bark in the yard. They bark when they see other dogs. They bark when they're scared or excited or frustrated. It's one of the many ways they communicate. It's not really "bad" like we have been conditioned to believe but it does get annoying at times.Not surprisingly, one of the most common behavioral questions dog owners have is how do I stop my dog from barking?Of course, it all depends on the exact situation and the exact dog. For this post, I'm focusing …