dogIDs "How-to" Dog Blog

How to Get a Puppy Used to Walking on a Leash
How to Get a Puppy Used to Walking on a Leash
Oct. 1 to 7 is National Walk Your Dog Week, so this week is a great opportunity to encourage other dog lovers to get out and walk more with their dogs. For this post, I thought I’d focus on puppies and when to start teaching them appropriate leash manners. If you've recently adopted a puppy, you're probably already teaching her the basics such as “sit.” But at what point should you start…
How to Teach a Dog to Take Treats Gently
How to Teach a Dog to Take Treats Gently
Some dogs will naturally take treats gently from a person’s hand, while others can be quite careless! If you have a dog that snaps at your hand in a frantic attempt to get a treat, the following are some tips you can use to teach him to be more patient and gentle. These are also good tips to try if you recently adopted a puppy. It's much easier to start out by teaching good m…
Five Ways to Prepare for a Puppy
Five Ways to Prepare for a Puppy
Most new dog owners know what basic supplies they’ll need for a puppy. They know to purchase a leash, toys and food, for example. But what are some of the less obvious necessities new puppy owners may not think about?The following are a few of my ideas, and I’d love to hear yours in the comments. Five tips to prepare for your puppyHave a training plan in place. Think about how you will te…
Common Puppy Potty Training Mistakes
Common Puppy Potty Training Mistakes
Have you ever heard a puppy owner say something like, "She just doesn't get it! I take her outside and she still pees in the house"? Some puppies are harder to potty train than others, but a big factor is actually how consistent the owner is with the training. It's about rewarding the good behavior, but it's also about preventing the unwanted behavior. Even with all the information out ther…
How to Stop a Puppy from Biting
How to Stop a Puppy from Biting
If you've ever been nipped by a playful puppy, you know how bad those little teeth can hurt. It's also important that we teach our puppies not to bite so they don't continue to do so as they grow up. The following are some tips to teach your puppy appropriate manners.Stop a Puppy from Biting1. Rotate which toys are available.One way to prevent your puppy from biting you is to keep lots of interest…
Teach Big Dogs to Play Nicely With Small Dogs
Teach Big Dogs to Play Nicely With Small Dogs
We all want our dogs of all sizes to get along, but sometimes the owners of small dogs can get (understandably) a little nervous about inviting bigger dogs to play. Here in Fargo, the dog parks are even divided up with an area for "big dogs" and an area for "small dogs." The following are some ideas to Help your dog (no matter her size) get along with larger and smaller…
How to Stop a Dog or Puppy from Chewing
How to Stop a Dog or Puppy from Chewing
Dogs chew for all kinds of reasons. Their jaws are built for some serious gnawing, but they also seem to chew because it's fun and probably relaxing. While it may be unfair to expect your dog to stop chewing completely, you should be able to teach herWhich items are appropriate for chewing. Here are some ideas to prevent your dog or puppy from chewing inappropriate items:1. Prevention goes a…
How-to Name a Dog
How-to Name a Dog
Choosing a name is an important part of getting a new dog, and is one that helps give your dog an identity. To your dog, the name will mean “I’m talking to you so pay attention,” but to the world your dog’s name will be a reflection on you and your relationship with your dog.The key aspects you need to consider before naming your dog...Some owners choose to go with descriptive names based on their…