Tag Archives: pet training

How to Keep Pets Off Furniture

I decided I liked everyone on the sofa more than off We might love our pets but that doesn’t mean we want to let them go anywhere they want in the house. For example, both my cat and my dog aren’t allowed upstairs because I’m a light sleeper and they tend to keep me up by making a lot of noise in my bedroom. Far more common, however, is the practice of keeping your pets off of your furniture. Unless you’re willing to spend either the time or money to properly groom your pet or have a professional do it … Continue reading →

Irresponsible Pet Owners

In my last article I mentioned that I can’t watch several shows on Animal Planet because they upset me. Next to Animal Cops, the other shows that I find disturbing are those where dog trainers go to people’s homes to help with their dogs’ behavioral problems. For my second “Be Kind to Animals Week” article, I want to focus on irresponsible pet owners. Irresponsible pet owners are one of my biggest peeves, and the reason why I don’t like dog training shows. Watching those shows it seems like most of the time, the dogs have problems because their owners don’t … Continue reading →

The Dogs at the Party

Posted on by

If you caught yesterday’s blog about fireworks, you may remember that Moose and Lally were invited to attend a barbeque with me. I wasn’t sure if I should bring them, but in the end, since I was going to be out of the house for more than eight hours, I let the pups tag along. They’re good car riders. Moose flopped out on the back seat of my station wagon; Lally rode half the time in the passenger seat next to me and half the time in the way-back of the wagon. I was the one who had trouble — … Continue reading →

Buying a Grill: Questions to Answer

In the good old summer time, there is nothing better for dinner than something cooked on the grill. Here in my home, we are lamenting a lack of BBQ, since our old grill has broken, and we haven’t gotten around to investigating the cause. If the diagnosis is fatal, then we just might be looking for a new grill. If you are thinking about buying a grill, a great way to get ready for this purchase is to ask yourself the following basic questions. Once you have them answered, then you can look into the different features that are available. … Continue reading →

Travel Tidbits: New York’s Public Toilets, BBQ U and Holidays at the Hilton

New York City seemingly has it all—–bright lights, world-class attractions, and luxury accommodations. But if you have ever strolled around the Big Apple for an extended amount of time you might have noticed something major was missing—public toilets. A Spanish advertising company is coming to the rescue of every tourist and resident of the booming metropolis who has undoubtedly noticed this missing convenience and has had to adjust accordingly. The landmarks toilets—–20 to be exact—will be installed throughout the city over a five-year period. The first of the self-washing, wheelchair-accessible toilets is expected to open sometime this month in Madison … Continue reading →

Retraining

Posted on by

Now that Moose, Lally, and I are (sort of) settled in our new home, I’ve noticed a bit of a regression in my little girl dog’s training. When I first brought Lally home from the shelter in September 2003, the first thing she did was hop onto my bed and piddle. She also used to piddle in excitement when I came home from work, or if someone new came to the house. She hasn’t slipped that much in her housebreaking this time around, but we’ve had a few accidents in the new apartment. On Saturday, I came home from the … Continue reading →

What is Positive Reinforcement?

If you’ve been following my Tabby tales, you know I’m questioning what to do about her and the way she’s behaving towards Mr. Meow. If you haven’t, here’s a quick lowdown: At first the adjustment period was going well. For the first three weeks. Then she got very aggressive towards Mr. Meow. A vet visit confirmed she wasn’t spayed (as we’d first been led to believe) and she might be pregnant. So we got her spayed, but things haven’t gotten better. Now I’m trying to intervene and teach her new behaviors when it comes to Mr. Meow. I’m trying to … Continue reading →

Entertaining: Seven Tips for Barbeques

Throwing a barbeque is a great way to enjoy the company of family and friends while also enjoying beautiful summer weather. Even if you don’t have a fancy patio, you can still make it a festive, enjoyable occasion. Try these tips: 1. Keep food cold and fresh. Bacteria grows quickly in warm weather and it can cause food poisoning. Here’s a great trick: Place a large pan or bowl with a shallow layer of ice beneath a bowl of food to keep it chilled. 2. Make sure you have plenty of seating. All of your outdoor furniture doesn’t have to … Continue reading →

Crate Training Tips

Posted on by

Not everybody is for crate training. But crate training doesn’t have to be cruel, or a punishment. Ideally, a dog’s crate is a safe place for them to go when they want to be alone or when you can’t be home for a few hours. A crate is a training tool, not a way of life; hopefully, as your dog learns the rules of the house, he won’t need the crate at all — except as a quiet retreat. Introduce your dog to the crate slowly. Let him explore the crate for a few days before you leave him alone … Continue reading →

Simple Family Reunions

The simplest type of family reunion is a barbeque or picnic. But even this type of family reunion takes some planning in order to be successful. You will probably want to start between 10 and 11am, this gives people time to drive to the location. Expect some people to be late, so let people know what time lunch will be served. Keep the food simple, you can ask people to bring dishes or buy the salads and desserts at a deli. The main course could be bread and sandwich toppings, fried chicken, sloppy joes, or hamburgers and hotdogs. Make sure … Continue reading →