The pet food industry is a multi million dollars business and we all know how many choices are out there of things to feed our furry family members. Lately there have been so many recalls, 3 so far from Proctor & Gamble this year! A recent study showed that children are more likely to pick up Salmonella from touching pet food dishes, then from actually eating contaminated foods.

Working at the Animal Hospital, we get the latest news about these things directly from the FDA and it's terrifying!

So....how do you know whats best for your pet?

Beautiful day off today and the CFH family enjoyed it by hiking and back packing with the dogs at Minnewaska state park. It was hot, but we found a shady trail and enjoyed the wild blueberries at their peak. The dogs had a little swim and everything was right in the world, for a moment.

 Working in a veterinary clinic, I see tons of dogs ( and cats) that really don't like coming in to see the Doctor. Who can blame them, it's scary! The place smells funny and sometimes not so pleasant things happen there. The staff and Doctors at our clinic are very kind to the animals and we try to make every visit as comfortable as possible for all of our patients. Delicious, meaty treats are always offered and we even have special hypoallergenic cookies for dogs with allergies.

A few days back, on another site, I commented how dogs are so good at reading us silly humans.

Dogs lick us and we understand that as the dogs version of a "kiss"

Dogs put their heads in our lap and we understand that as a dogs version of a "hug"

Dogs understand a frown and a smile.

Dogs 'read' us all the time. They watch our faces, our posture, our hands and they know what we are feeling. I asked my readers if they had hugged their dog today. Most had. Sweet right?

WRONG!

When our dogs are doing things that we don't like, it can be very frustrating. Jumping up on people is one of these common problems, especially with puppies and smaller dogs! Chewing on hands & feet is another puppy behavior that drives owners crazy. Eliminating in the house, The list goes on & on.

There is a common misunderstanding about using rewards to train dogs. Yes, some trainers use food to lure the dog into a specific position. I am one of those trainers. Luring is only one aspect of it though.
Using food to get a dog into position can help a dog understand what your asking them to do and many dogs will easily work for food. Once the dog learns what they need to do to get the food, they usually will repeat the behavior over and over again. At this point you can add in a verbal cue

Many people contact me regarding group classes because they want their dogs to be more socialized.
Social skills are of the utmost importance for well mannered dogs.
There are some things to consider however, before enrolling your dog into a group class.