Happy Pet Blog

I am going to give this a try in the “old folks home” where I take my Nikki visiting. They will get a kick out of this one,

Many people are under the mistaken assumption that commands need to be one syllable.

“Sit.”

“Down”

“Up” (in the car).

“Kennel up”

This is not an accurate understanding (or observation) of how dogs learn.

In my experience, dogs recognize sound patterns, rhythms and tonality. Have you ever noticed how your dog’s ears perk up when you ask, “Do you want a cookie?” just as much as they do if you just say, “Cookie”?

Now, when you’re out in the field, sometimes it’s best to have commands that are only one syllable. However, for non-essential commands, I like to incorporate a bit of humor into my training.

For example, “Shake,” becomes, “Slap me some skin, brotha,” or”What’s shakin’, Mama?”

And, “Hup” (short for “Get in the truck,”) become, “Get your tookis in the truck.”

“Kennel up,” humorously becomes, “Get in the mansion.”

“Bark” transforms into, “Who’s your daddy?”

The command I use for “attack,” becomes, “Easy.” Short for “Take it easy.” (This tends to fool the bag guy into thinking
you’ve got an uncontrollably vicious animal. And tactically, it’s not always beneficial to let a potential assailant know
you’re giving your dog the attack command).

When I put the food bowl down and make the dog wait for the release command, the normal “Free” or “Take a break,” becomes “Chow time!” (The release command in this context is situational).

Anyway–the point is: Have fun with your training. Your dog doesn’t inherently understand one word from another–he only gets the associations you create with each word. This is why you can train your dog in a variety of different languages, and your friends will think your dog is multi-lingual.

I once had a dog that spoke three languages. (Or understood three languages at least!)

And I’m not above lowering myself and my dog training for cheap laughs amongst my friends.

Meanwhile, they all think that the dog must be a genius. And trust me–your dog will have a big smile on her face as she
soaks up all the attention, too.

Tips And Secrets To Use In Your Everyday Dog Training, That Can Cut Training Time By Up To 67%

That’s all for now, folks! The Author: Adam G. Katz

Heartworms wreak havoc in our pets’ hearts, literally. And as we all know, prevention is easier and less heart breaking than cure. So read on and see how you can protect and give them a heartworm-free life.
It’s scientific name is, Dirofilaria immitis. These are parasites of the same category as roundworms but more deadly. It’s larvae develop in mosquitoes at temperatures above 25 degrees Celcius and usually occurs where these conditions are: 1) untreated dogs in the area, 2) in a climate wherein the parasites’ life cycle is supported, and 3) where its host (mosquitoes) thrive.

It is transmitted when a mosquito bites an infected dog and gets the heartworm larvae (microfilariae). The larvae will then grow in the host mosquito for 2-3 weeks and gather in its mouth. So when the mosquito bites an uninfected pet, it then releases the microfilariae and spreads the disease. Bad news is, there are 60 types of mosquitoes that can host and transmit it, and dogs, cat, ferrets, horses and some other animals are in danger of getting it. Read the whole story here!

Senior Visiting with Dogs and Young People.

I have had the privilege to visit with the seniors now for many years with my Dogs. I have two therapy dogs, Nikki and Benny. I take them both visiting in separate senior homes. I belong to Therapeutic Paws of Canada. What a wonderful organization it is.

How did I get started into this wonderful work? I was visiting a dear young friend in the palliative care unit in our local hospital. My friend was dying. On this day, she was totally exhausted and sleeping. I was watching her, in turmoil with what was happening when very softly in walked Linda and Tasha, the resident visiting golden retriever. My friend could not benefit from this visit, but boy, I sure did. This dog helped me get a grip on my emotions. Such a beautiful dog she is. Tasha and Linda the owner became my mentors. I knew this is what I wanted to do. Tasha’s owner, Linda, wrote a “Tribute to Tasha”. I have it published on my site, with her permission.

One of our church members has moved to the same home I take Nikki visiting. Because of this, I have had an unexpected pleasure; one of our young people, Cassandra, has volunteered to come with me. She observes Nikki visiting, and she talks with the seniors, holds their hands. She makes them smile, big-time!
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