Tips for Raising a Good Dog

I’ve mentioned that I grew up with pets my whole life.  There were always a few cats and dogs, with a couple goldfish around the house and one year we had around 15 animals in our home.  Yikes right?!  Our Standard Poodle, Heidi, had some puppies so our house was pretty hectic.  But I wouldn’t change any of that chaos as to this day I adore my furry family and really do look at them as part of our family.

But just like raising good kids, we need to make sure we take the time to teach our pets, especially dogs, to be a good family member.  I have studied dog trainer Cesar Milan and really like his philosophy of exercise, discipline and then affection.  In that exact order.  He writes more about it on his website but here are some pointers I wanted to share with you that have worked for us.

Exercise:

Exercise and then some more exercise. Exercise for your dog not only benefits them, but anecdotal and scientific evidence have shown that dog owners tend to be healthier than the average person. This has to do with the fact that having a dog means walks for both of you! And though some days you might not feel like taking a long walk, do try to take them out for at least a 10-15 minute walk.  It will be good for both of you!  I know Max is much better behaved when he has had some exercise.

Discipline:

Part of being a good pet owner is letting our furry family know when certain behaviors are unacceptable.  When Max was just a puppy we use to joke that he should be called Gator (as in alligator) because his way of greeting us was grabbing our forearm in his mouth.  Sort of like a dog handshake.  But knowing that he was going to get really big (at 110+ as of today) we didn’t want him to think it was okay to do this type of greeting.  We would give him treats and praise him when he greeted us in an acceptable manner (not jumping up on us was another big deal for me).

It is important to spend this time on discipline because how else are they going to know?  Just like kids, they need to be taught what is acceptable and what behaviors/actions are not.  Do some research on training methods and see if your local pet store offers inexpensive puppy or dog training.  I did that with all three of my rescues and happy we got some basic training in at the beginning.  We still have work to do  but he is much better than when he was a puppy.

Affection:

Affection could mean bear hugs, playing with their favorite toys, mixing in some new toys now and then, and of course, treats!  Max just got some new toys this past week since he wasn’t really playing with any of his old ones.  When you see this, switch out the toys.  Put them in a cabinet for a few weeks or so and bring in a new one or two.  And then do the process all over again. That way, they feel they are getting some “new” toys.

I also like giving him the VETIQ Hip & Joint treats since they provide an easy way to make sure your dog is getting some good Omega 3’s DHA and EPA that help lubricate joints.  Since our dog is mostly German Shepherd, he especially needs some supplements that will help with his joints as this breed is known for having hip problems later on. Prevention is always key in my book!  They also have 500 mg glucosamine in them and MSM which helps with join flexibility.  The dogs don’t know they are getting healthy treats and Max loved them!  You can read more about this product and where to find it at VETIQ.com.

They also carry Minties for the littlest guy to big dogs like Max.  This is a great way to help keep your dog’s teeth  (and breath) clean.  I have learned the hard way that a pets dental health is closely tied to their overall health.  I lost a sweet cat, Lola, because the dentist (and myself) didn’t catch on to her late night howls had to do with an infected back tooth.  She subsequently passed away too soon due to cancer.  I absolutely feel that taking care of our pets teeth is just as important as taking care of our own!   The Minties are a great way to get some assurance that your dog is getting his/her teeth clean regularly. The ingredients are USA sourced and are wheat, corn, soy and Gluten-free with no added artificial ingredients or preservatives.  Max loved these treats as well and we went through the bag pretty quickly!  You can find a list of retailers and ingredients at mintiestreats.com.

What are ways you like to reward your dog?  Do they like treats and toys?

Note:  Today’s post is sponsored by True Science but all opinions are my own.