Jack

White Siberian Husky

Your dog’s birthday:  Everyday

How did you obtain your dog?:   We got Jack from Husky Rescue 5 years ago.  He was extremely underweight (45 Pounds) and his coat was in terrible condition. 

How old was your dog when you got him/her?  Vet thinks Jack was 2- 3 years old when we rescued him

How would you best describe him/her in 5 words?  Loving, Funny, Extremely Smart… Our Family is his pack 

Your dog’s favorite food:  Cheese, Bacon and Meat

Cutest thing your dog does:  When he swims, he prefers to ride on one of us… Piggy Back Style… Back or Stomach 

Smartest thing your dog does: He can open doors to get to treats or get on cabinets to reach something he wants.

Anything else you would like to share about your dog:  He has to be in the room with my wife or I when we’re home.  Just wants to be touching.  As with most Huskies, he is also very vocal when he greets us or wants something.

ABBY

Your dog’s name Abigail Loraine Mangano and other names she will respond to Abby; Abby-Dabbers, Puk’n & Monkey

Your dog’s birthday   We decided July 15 2013 but she didn’t come to live with us until Nov 12 2013. 

How did you obtain your dog?  From a good friend & colleague active w/ rescue efforts involving the Odessa Animal Shelter. When my husband & I saw her little face we fell in love with her and both agreed we were ready for a new member to join our family. So my friend Becky had her Mother go pick her up from the shelter. Becky’s plan was….for her to go home to Odessa on Thanksgiving for the holiday and get her. Unfortunately complications with having a new puppy in your home were too much, so Becky took off work the next day and met her Mother at the half way point, a two hour drive to Abilene, TX. The main reason Abby is with us today is because of my caring friend and all her efforts. 

How old was your dog when you got him/her?  Paperwork stated 3 months but the Vet stated based on when her “canine teeth” came in she would have been 4 months old. 

How would you best describe him/her in 5 words?  Energetic, Demanding, Playful, Sweet and Loving

Your dog’s favorite food  ;  Anything you feed her

Cutest thing your dog does : For Mommy- she talks to me in the morning when she needs to go out and likes to play soccer w/ a tennis ball….she’s a great goalie; For Daddy- she cuddles up with daddy in bed, yes she sleeps in the bed.  Also, she will stand on her back legs and use her front paws to pull your shoulders in and give you a hug.

Smartest thing your dog does :  For Mommy- She will pick up her “Konkie” and throw it toward me to fill w/ treats. I then tell her to pick it up and bring to the kitchen and she will pick up and following to the kitchen and give it to me to fill w/ treats. For Daddy-  she argues with mommy.  She will, from time to time, gather up all of her toys around the house and put them in her toy box.

Anything else you would like to share about your dog:  Abby has become a good dog. She has had quite a journey to be with us but our lives are forever changed because of her. 

Sampson

Your dog’s birthday      August 28, 2004

How did you obtain your dog?      Adopted him from a rescue organization called Homeward Bound after he was initially rescued off the street and then rescued a second time from a family who adopted him and then abused him.  

How old was your dog when you got him/her?       3 years

Your dog’s favorite food      Whatever I am feeding him and treats

Cutest thing your dog does        Barks at the thunder and rain

Smartest thing your dog does        Barks when someone is at the door.   Hides in closet or under bed when there is a storm        

Anything else you would like to share about your dog:  Loves to take walks, chase squirrels on the fence by running up and down the fenceline, barks at other dogs walking down the street…

Tipper

Your dog’s birthday    November 16, 2000

How did you obtain your dog?       Adopted from an older couple who could no longer take care of him

How old was your dog when you got him/her?      10 years old

Your dog’s favorite food  - right now chicken and rice

Cutest thing your dog does    The white star on the top of his head

Smartest thing your dog does      Barks when outside to get Sampson to come outside and check everything out.

Anything else you would like to share about your dog:    Even though he has difficulty seeing and hearing, he can always find food when it is dinner time.

The world’s most animal friendly airports

Frankfurt Airport has The Lufthansa Cargo Animal Lounge, it is a 4,000 square meter facility with stalls, kennels, a quiet room for cats, aviaries, climate controlled chambers and even backlit areas for fish. Though dogs and cats visit most often, they are equipped to care for anything, from fish to rhinos, horses and even polar bears. They have a 24 hour staff of veterinarians and handlers. Amsterdam Airport has KLM’s Animal Hotel with separate areas for dogs and cats, they even offer dog walking services while your pet is there.
New York’s JFK is getting “The Ark” ready. Scheduled to open in 2016,this facility is 178,000 square feet and will include: climate controlled stalls with bedding and natural light, an overnight pet resort and animal lounge. The Ark is designed to take everything from pandas to puppy dogs. They will allow all sorts of pets and zoo animals.

Atlanta International Airport does its part too. They have a 1,000 square foot dog park that is fenced in. It has flowers, grass, rocks, benches and 2 original pieces of art.
Miami Airport has 2 fenced doggy parks next to the terminals.
San Diego Airport has not only an outdoor pet relief area but they also have a very interesting indoor potty station, men’s room, ladies’ room and puproom? 

Roll over

Start with your dog lying down. Hold a treat in your hand and place it in front of the dog’s nose. Slowly move the treat to the dog’s shoulder. As your dog follows the treat he will lie on his side. Keep moving the treat in the same direction towards the floor on the other side of your dog so he is now with all paws in the air. He will then flip over and when he does say “roll over!” and give him a treat once he gets up.

After about 15 repetitions, ask for a down, then ask for the “roll over” in a nice upbeat voice and wait. If he does, tell him he is a great dog and jackpot. If he doesn’t, lure him without a treat in your hand and then treat him.

Remember this is just a trick, if your dog doesn’t seem comfortable doing it just stop and try something else, training should be fun for you both.

Summer is coming and with it the Texas heat. These are a few ways to keep your dog tired and happy even through those hot months where long walks might not be an option.

Having your dog run around with other dogs is great exercise. Day care, boarding or having a sleep over with other dogs will keep your dog socialized and tired. In most cases dogs will tire our other dogs much more effectively than we can as humans.

We love to play the recall game indoors. Not only does it get your pooch moving, it will also polish his response for coming when called. 

Two people are needed for this game. The first person calls the dog “Lola, come!” in a very happy and upbeat voice, as the dog runs to the person he or she gives the pup a treat. Then the second person calls her, as the dog turns to run towards the second person he rewards the pup and so on. As your dog gets better at this game, increase the distance between the people, then move to a different room. Always quit before your dog gets bored or too tired. 

Remember the game is the “call game” so if your dog just starts running back and forth between the two people without being called, that is not the game. You should wait to call her back and then she gets her treat. Your dog will speed from one location to the next and have an awesome time. 

You can also play hide and seek with your dog. begin by pointing to a family member or friend and say his/her name. When your dog looks at your friend say “yes” and you or your friend  can give your pup a treat. Repeat a few times then have your friend move a few feet away. As your dog catches on that he must find this person make it harder and harder. The reward doesn’t always have to be a treat it can also be verbal praise or a toy. In no time you’ll be able to use this game to find family and friends around your home.

If you have a dog that retrieves you might also enjoy having them retrieve objects. Start with a ball or one of his favorite toys. Then have him retrieve other stuff for you like keys or your shoes, this will make the game a little harder for the dog and because we are making him think, he’ll tire out even faster.

Instead of feeding your dog from a boring bowl in the kitchen, try separating her meal into several little tupperware around your home. We like to hide a few in a room and have your pup search for his meal. Now instead of just sitting there and wolfing down her breakfast she needs to run around from one location to the other to find her meal. This works great for dogs who eat too fast and for those who are finicky about what they eat.

Remember that treadmill that is sitting in the garage? Try to see if your pup will go on it. A lot of dogs are very comfortable walking on them. You must start with a very very slow setting at first, get them used to the noise it makes and the movement. Once your pup gets the hang of it you can make it a bit faster. Not all dogs are comfortable with the movement and the noise so be very gentle and if your pup doesn’t like it then try some of our other suggestions for exercise. Make sure you are always watching your dog while he runs.

Crate training your cat

Many cat owners express concerns about traveling with their cats, they are worried that it will be stressful for their kitty. However, cats are smart creatures that can be trained to go in a carrier. After all, don’t we find them climbing into any box or container available?

Begin by purchasing the adequate size carrier for your pet, it can be soft or hard, depending on how you plan to use it. Open up all the flaps and doors and set it in the middle of your living room. This will start tempting your kitty to go investigate it. As your cat approaches the carrier gently praise her. You can also drop some of her favorite treats or toys in there to help encourage her. Leave the carrier out for a few days so she feels comfortable popping in and out of it. Put it away for day or two and then repeat the process so that every time you bring the carrier out, something exciting happens (yummy treats, toys, etc.). Think of a cue that makes sense to you like “go for a ride” or something like that and say it as you bring the carrier out. Just like the sound of the can opening this will get your kitty responding

Now you are ready to close the doors or flaps for a few seconds with your cat inside. Slowly increase the time spent in the carrier to a few minutes, then move carrier with the cat in it from one spot to another. As you feel you kitty getting comfortable you can take her outside, on short car rides, to listen to birds in a quiet park, etc. The idea is to make it a fun experience, so wait a while before doing vet visits or something more stressful. This process is a little long while training but will end up making things much easier if you need to go on a trip or need to get your cat in an emergency.

Be patient and kind with your cat, celebrate every success!

Miniature pigs

There are many varieties of micro pigs that can be lovely pets. It is important to do research on them before you go out and get one. Due to a lack of breed standards many of these pigs can grow quite large; so getting them from a highly reputable breeder is a must if you intend to keep a pet sized pig (under 100lbs) in your home. Looking at the parents and grand parents can give you some idea of size, but since pigs can reproduce way before they reach their full size it may be deceiving.

Just like dogs, pigs will need training, they are very smart and learn quite fast so having a clear set of rules from the beginning is a must. Remember they have hooves! So if you think the nails on a pup can hurt when they jump imagine hooves. Proper training early on will pay off. 

They need limited exercise, but many a pig will enjoy a nice walk around the neighborhood. Speaking of neighborhoods, check your city guidelines in regards to mini pigs. Some cities consider them farm animals and may not allow you to keep them as pets, while others (like Fort Worth) will allow up to two in residential areas. Also important will be to find a vet that can treat pigs, many of our local dog and cat vets are not accustomed to swine.

Pigs are intelligent, curious and playful creatures that can live between 15 and 20 yrs, making them  a true lifetime commitment. They give a lot of love and acknowledgment to their owners. This is a pet that will require your attention, many hours of interaction and mental stimulation to keep them happy. They are friendly towards other pets and children when introduced adequately.

Mini pigs love to eat so it is important to research a healthy diet and stick to it so your pig can enjoy a long life. You will find pig pellets are a good option and you may use fresh veggies and some fruits as treats for training. No chocolate, avocado or salty foods ever since they can be quite harmful to them. They need plenty of water year round and prefer a warm environment. Pigs can’t sweat; if it gets too hot they’ll need to stay indoors or have a wading pool to cool off in the Texas summers.

Piggies also love blankets, they will pull them around the house, lie in them, hide under them and even roll themselves in them, so its important to provide at least one at all times.

These are fun, loving pets that need careful attention and training. Do your research and you’ll have a lifelong friend!

Skillet

Born: 

 April 18^th, 2013

How did you obtain your dog? 

Bought from a local individual

How old was your dog when you got him? 

He was 6 weeks old when we got him

Favorite food:

Anything other than real dog food

Cutest thing your dog does:

Well, it was the cutest before it became the most irritating. He cries out long and hard if someone is in his spot on the couch in our living room. I mean loud and long. And he just looks at you like life is so unfair. 

Smartest thing your dog does:

He can open all the doors in our house. At first, it was just those he could hold, lever down, and push open, but then he figured out how to pull them open. FYI, it is not cute anymore. If the door is not locked, he is busting through and that includes the bathroom.

Fun fact:

Skillet always wants to play. If he looks at you, just feign a move toward him or make a slight growling noise; head down, tail up, and ready to play!

Mattie

Your dog’s name – Mattie, which is short for Matador since our family, consists of three generations of Texas Tech Red Raiders and she came from Lubbock.

Your dog’s birthday - February 15, 2014

How did you obtain your dog? - We adopted her from Saving Grace Pit Bull Rescue in Lubbock.

How old was your dog when you got her? - 9 weeks old

Your dog’s favorite food -apple chunks and anything with peanut butter! 

Cutest thing your dog does-grunts like a pig when she is trying to get our cat’s attention

Smartest thing your dog does- She can unscrew the sprinkler from the hose while the hose is on!

Fun Fact: Mattie is such a happy dog! She loves people and going to doggie day camp and seeing all of her friends (human and canine!)  

Bunnies, Ducks and Chicks can make wonderful pets. These cute babies have a life expectancy of 8 to 12 years, so they are quite a commitment, not just an Easter gift.

Potty training

Whether you are training a new puppy or an older dog who didn’t quite grasp potty training the first time around, it is important to set them up for success. A very young puppy shouldn’t have to hold it longer than a few hours at a time, his body is just not ready for it and although an adult can hold it longer you still want to stay ahead of him to avoid any accidents.

When an accident occurs at any point during training just clean it up with an enzyme based solution to get rid of the smell completely. If the smell is not removed completely, your pup will continue to recognize the spot as an okay place to go. It will do no good to reprimand your dog for an accident. Creating anxiety can lead to behavioral problems that you don’t need.

Begin by selecting the appropriate place for your dog to go potty. Keep in mind that out door areas are full of scents and interesting things that may distract a pup from the business at hand so it might take some getting used to.

When using newspaper or wee wee pads to train your dog, choose either a laundry room or bathroom that you can close off and can easily clean. Begin by covering the entire area with newspaper so that wherever your dog goes he will be doing it right. Over a few days reduce the area until you have a small spot.

Give him enough time to sniff around and find a spot, but keep it short so he doesn’t think he is out for entertainment or that the pad is for him to play with. When he does go, say “go potty” in a nice upbeat voice. Allow him to finish and as soon as he’s done give him lots of praise and maybe even a treat. If he doesn’t go potty, go back to your life and try again after an hour or so.

After a successful go, he should be able to wait about 3 or 4 hours. He will most likely need to go if he’s been playing and running around, after waking up and right after eating.

Until your dog is potty trained, don’t leave him loose or unsupervised in your home. It is better to keep him confined as it’s in your dog’s nature to try and keep his sleeping and eating quarters clean. He will try to hold it as long as he can.

As you and your dog start communicating better, you’ll be able to leave him longer and he may even start letting you know when he needs to go. 

Australian Shepherd

Australian Shepherds, commonly known as Aussie’s are not actually Australian. The breed was called after Basque shepherds who came to America from Australia. Aussies were also known as Spanish Shepherds, Bob-tails, Pastor Dogs, New Mexican Shepherds and California Shepherds. This is a very energetic dog that needs lots of daily vigorous exercise. They have strong herding instincts which makes them great working dogs but this may also cause problems around children. Aussies have been a great asset to stockmen because they are quite versatile and trainable. These dogs are very smart and need a job to do. These dogs excel at dog sports like frisbee, flyball and and agility since they are quick and eager to please. 

They are a medium sized dog between 30 and  65 lbs. Lately they have started breeding a smaller Aussie too about (15lbs to 30lbs). They are usually tri colored (black, white and red) black, red, blue merle (marbled black, white and gray) and red merle (marbled red, white and buff). Though double merles can be very pretty dogs they often have excessive white and this may lead to hearing, vision and skin problems. They need to be brushed at least once a week since they have a thick under coat.

Aussies are a great family dog once they have been trained, training should start early to avoid bad behaviors from developing. So if you have a family that’s happy to spend lots of time in the great outdoors this dog is a great option for you.

Home made pup treats.

Pup crisps

Ingredients:

1/4 cup vegetable oil

3/4 lbs ground or minced chicken

1/4 cup minced celery

1 cup chicken broth

4 cups whole wheat flour  

2 cups cooked rice

3 tbsp dried basil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or foil.

1. Lightly cook chicken and celery in vegetable oil (3 to 4 mins.)
2. In a blender, mix chicken, celery and chicken broth until pureed.
3. Mix flour, rice, dried basil and chicken puree in a bowl.
4. Roll out dough on a floured surface to about 1/4 inch thick. Using a cookie cutter or knife, cut into fun shapes like bones, fire hydrants, food bowls, etc.
5. Place cookies on lined baking sheets and bake for 30 min. Turn off oven and let cookies dry for 3 hrs or overnight.

Oatmeal cookies

Ingredients:

4 cups whole wheat flour

2 cups old fashioned oatmeal

1 1/4 cups water

1/4 cup minced apple (without seeds)

3 tbsp ground cinnamon

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 tbsp honey

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325F. line baking sheets with parchment or foil.
2. In a large bowl combine all the ingredients until it forms a paste.
3. Roll out dough on a floured surface to about 1/4 inch thick. Using a cookie cutter or a knife cut into fun shapes like bones, paw prints, fire hydrants, etc.
4. Combine dough scraps and continue to roll and cut until gone.
5. Place cookies on lined baking sheets and bake for 30 to 35 minutes.

Sherlock

Sherlock’s birthday is?

5/12/14

How did you obtain your dog?

From Lonestar Doodles

How old was your dog when you got him/her?

8 weeks

Your dog’s favorite food. 

Cheese

Cutest thing your dog does.

When he lays on his back and holds his chew bone, like so...

Smartest thing your dog does.

Rings bell on door to ask to go out, there are so many!! His name is Sherlock after all! :)

Anything else you would like to share about your dog:

He's the sweetest most loving dog ever!!!

Chewing

Chewing is a normal behavior in dogs that is not only fun but also a tool for them to stay healthy. For a lot of dogs chewing is like therapy or a pacifier. Chewing on appropriate things will keep your dog occupied, his teeth and gums healthy and your home in order. As part of preparing for a new dog in our lives it is important to provide several different things to chew on. These should vary from hard chew bones (natural marrow bones or synthetic ones like “nylabones”), to softer ones that a dog may sink his teeth into (a stuffed animal or a rope toy), to interactive toys like a “kong” that you stuff with your dog’s treats. Never give your dog personal items like an old shoe or socks unless you are willing to have the new shoes or new socks chewed on as well. If you have children in your home make sure your children’s toys and your dog’s toys are kept separately and are not too similar. 

In some cases providing the right things to chew on may not be enough to deter our dogs from chewing on other things. We usually divide chewing into 3 different groups.

1. Chewing on large objects like furniture or walls, things you can’t move out of your puppy’s reach. For this behavior we use a combination of behavior modification techniques. First, the dog is not allowed near the object or room in which he is chewing the object without supervision. This means you may need puppy gates to block off certain areas of your home. When you are in these areas accompanied by your pup you must reward the dog for the correct behaviors. I like to keep them on a leash at first so i can see their every move. If the puppy approaches, lets say the couch, and doesn’t try to start chewing on it I say “good dog” and maybe even give him a treat or provide one of those fabulous things we mentioned above to chew on. Like this our pups learn that they can be in the same room and behave appropriately.

As you are able to trust that your dog won’t start to chew on things he can earn a little more freedom, still with supervision until he can just hang out in any room of your home.

2. Chewing on things that can be moved like shoes and socks. The very worst thing you can do with this one is to chase after the dog since this will turn into a super fun game for the dog. Instead of that we can do an exchange, so dog gives you the shoe and you give him a piece of ham. This I only do when the object in the dog’s mouth is either very special to you or harmful to the dog, good examples of this are $500 designer shoes and a box of rat poison.

If whatever is in the dogs mouth is just a dirty sock then try some of these other techniques. a) Ignore the dog completely, a lot of our dogs tend to grab inappropriate objects as a way of getting our attention. When instead of chasing after them we ignore them then the object is not fun anymore. b) Grab one of your dog’s toys and play with it yourself, start throwing it in the air and pretending its a very special and fun game. When your dog comes over thinking “hey, this sock is not that fun, mine is not squealing!!!”, continue to play and ignore the dog a bit until you see them release whatever is in their mouth and then allow them to play with the toy while you pick up the inappropriate object from the floor.

3. Chewing on humans is what we call nipping. There are many reasons for dogs to nip at humans.  A lot of our dogs nip as a way to interact with us like they would with other dogs.  Some dogs have also realized that nipping on you will get you up and noticing them. Then you have the ones who utilize nipping as a way to control your movements this is herding and while very useful out in a field with sheep it may be quite annoying if you are just trying to get around your home. One of the reasons we tend to forget is when they nip as their means to tell you that what you are doing is not ok with them. This last one is very important to consider, is my dog nipping because something hurts (like a nail trim or a certain painful part in their bodies), is my dog teething and therefore finds it hard to resist someone touching his face?  a) Depending on the dog this first technique may be very useful or not at all, you will know the very first time you try it. When the dog grabs a hold of your hand or any other body part, let out a loud scream. If the dog backs up immediately and looks worried, then this will probably work very well for this dog. If however, when you scream the dog backs up and then pounces ready for play, don’t try this again and just move on to one of our other suggestions. b) Exchanging your arm for an appropriate thing to chew on is a great technique but make sure you continue to hold on to the toy so it’s still interesting for a bit longer. c) For dogs that are herding you, sometimes just stopping can teach them that they won’t be able to control your movement. d) When nipping just won’t stop using the above methods then it is time for a time out. Time Out is in a place where our dog is safe, it can be a small bathroom or their crate. Somewhere where they can’t get into trouble but are away from you or whoever they were nipping on. The dog is not being punished, we are merely giving them a chance to settle down. The dog will go in for 5 minutes, at the end of those 5 minutes you let the dog back out and give them a chance to hang out, if they go back to the same behavior then they go back in for 10 minutes and the 15 if necessary. If after 15 minutes of time out your dog is still trying to chew on you then this dog has too much pent up energy and they need to move to get it out. At this point you will put a leash on the dog and go for a very brisk walk. No sniffing around the block or a chatting with the neighbor kind of stroll, but a short leash, moving fast to get all the energy out kind of walk.

Keep in mind that all dogs are different and that we are trying to help them through what may be a difficult time for them. If these techniques are not working for you then please contact us to get a more personalized analysis of the situation. 

Crate Training

Start by choosing the appropriate crate size for your dog. If it is a puppy then buy the size for the dog she will be when full grown and block off an area if needed. 

We need to show our pups that being in the crate is a great thing, this is their space.

Start by taking off the door to the crate or securing it open with a bungee cord. If the crate has more than one door open them all. This will allow for access at all times, letting your dog sniff around comfortably. 

Begin with a baggy of your dog’s favorite treats broken up into tiny pieces. Drop some in the crate. If your pup goes in, praise her and drop some more treats in there. Allow your dog to come out if she wants to. 

If she doesn’t go in, praise and feed any movement towards the crate; it can be the head turning towards the crate, a step in that direction or even just the eyes looking that way. Slowly encourage a little more by luring her with treats on the ground getting closer and closer to the crate until she puts her nose in. Praise and toss treats further away from the crate, this will allow your dog the confidence she needs to do this on her own. Repeat the luring process and this time end with one paw inside the crate, then two paws, then all four.

Once your pup goes in voluntarily you can start adding a cue like “crate”, “kennel” or “to bed”. Say the cue and wait, see if she moves towards the crate, if she does encourage with your voice and as she gets in, praise handsomely with treats. If she doesn’t go in on her own, then lure and still reward her effort with a few treats. Continue until every time you say the cue, she goes in voluntarily.

You are ready to attach the door back on or remove the bungee cords. Lure your dog into the crate, praise her and while she is eating the treats inside the crate close the door momentarily. Open it up again and let her come out. 

Slowly increase the time she is inside the crate, feeding treats through the door. Once she can stay in the crate comfortably for a few minutes, begin to go out of site. At this point you can leave a chew toy or bone inside the crate as entertainment for her. Eventually she will be so comfortable in her crate it will be one of her favorite places.

10 amazing benefits of doggie day camp

1. Exercise your dog - a tired dog tends not to get in so much trouble.
2. Socialize your dog with other dogs - your dog will learn to interact and play with others.
3. Socialize your dog with other humans - your pup will be accustomed to being handled by several different humans.
4. Entertain your dog - time away from home, breaks up the monotony of daily life for your pup.
5. Comfort your dog - when you need to leave town, your dog will be used to a boarding facility.
6. Teach your dog - your pup will learn how to share toys.
7. Give yourself peace of mind- your puppy won’t miss a meal or destroy the couch because you are stuck at work. 
8. Give yourself a clean house - no potty training accidents throughout the day.
9. Give yourself free time - run errands without worrying about your pup.
10. Give yourself a smooth transition - a great way to introduce a new dog into your family.