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Healthy Dog Treats

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Healthy Dog Treat Recipes

Healthy Dog TreatsLet’s think outside of the conventional treat bag, as I’m always searching for the best treats out there. First, understand I’m not a good cook. Actually, I’m terrible. But I still want to provide healthy dog treats that dogs love! If dogs don’t love them, then they will not work for them. It’s that simple. Will you work for a piece of string bean? I won’t.

Hence, my quest for finding the perfect healthy dog treats that require no cooking begins!

Dried Fruits for Dogs

Dogs love dried fruit, but not all dried fruits are the same. 🙂 As a dog trainer, I was pretty shocked at the results of using dried fruit as treats. Think of dog treats as your dog’s currency. The better you pay, the faster your dog will learn. Would I classify dried fruit as a high value reward around major distractions (during a group class)? Probably not, but they will improve behaviors around your home, such as your dog’s recall (coming when called from the backyard), which is pretty darn important to me. 🙂

Dried fruit winners, listed in order of doggie deliciousness, are:

  1. Banana Chips
  2. Pineapple
  3. Apricots (Yes, I was pretty shocked too!)

Why Dried Fruit?

As with teaching or improving any behavior, rewards are pretty important. If you don’t believe me, try teaching your dog to sit using a piece of kibble or chunk of tuna fish! I tried all types of fruit, even a few veggies, such as dried green beans and sweet potato, but my dogs did not respond as fast as I would have liked. Yes, they came when called, responded to cues, but not quickly or enthusiastically until they tasted dried bananas, pineapple and apricots. They were hooked!

If you’re sprinkling additives to your dog’s daily meals, take a peek at the ingredients. Supplements add additional vitamins to your dog’s diet, right? Well, daily dried fruits will do this for you too! Let’s take a deeper look into the dried fruit winners.

Banana Chips

Banana chips are a great example of a low glycemic fruit that provides a unique mix of vitamins and minerals. Bananas are rich in vitamin B6, vitamin C, potassium, manganese, biotin, copper and much needed fiber. Plus, bananas provide plenty of fructooligosaccharides (FOS), which feed friendly bacteria in your dog’s gut.

Pineapple

Pineapple is loaded with vitamin C, vitamin B1, vitamin B6, folate, manganese, copper and lots of fiber. This is a sensitive topic, but does your dog eat poop? Well, pineapple can help! Bromelain, found abundantly in pineapple, produces a bitter taste to stools. This prevents your dog from eating, well, you know. 🙂

Apricots

Even while dried, apricots maintain their chewiness, which dogs love! Apricots are packed with vitamin C, vitamin A, carotenoids (protects eyesight when aging) and polyphenolic antioxidants like flavonoids, which prevent heart disease and many other illnesses. If you’re still not convinced, apricots  contain large amounts of catechins (also found in green tea) and reduce inflammation in the body.

But Dried?

Fresh fruit is best, as a small percent of vitamins are lost during the dehydration process. You still can’t beat the convenience of dried fruit though. Plus, supplements contain dried fruit too so you’re still providing much needed vitamins while rewarding good behavior!

Experiment. Which dried fruits (excluding raisins) drive your dogs crazy?

Golden Retrievers

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Golden Retriever Breed Info

Golden Retriever Information
Find out if a Golden Retriever is the right dog for you!

The golden angel of the sporting group. Let’s chat about the beautiful Golden Retrievers! Find out if a Golden Retriever is the right dog for your family!

Golden Retriever Facts

Golden Retrievers were bred to cover large fields, including through water, at a high rate of speed to retrieve game. To stand out in the field, their coats are gold, which makes them easy to spot from long distances by hunters. Coat color varies from light, almost white gold, to dark brown gold. Beware of breeders specializing in “rare white goldens.” The color is not rare, it’s just a color variation. When I say beware, some breeders will charge a steeper price. This is your first clue this breeder is not for you.

Goldens are a large, heavy boned dog, standing 21-24 inches at the shoulder and weighing 55-70 pounds as an adult. Goldens can live between 10-12 years old. They are a courageous and lively breed with plenty of energy to master an agility course in lightening fast time. Remember, they were bred to retrieve all day long. 🙂

Temperament

Friendly, smart, happy and social with people and other dogs. They should not be anxious, fearful or aggressive. To keep your Golden mentally happy, provide daily walks, food puzzles for daily meals plus lots of opportunities to earn rewards for polite behaviors.

Goldens are powerhouses and do best in active homes. If you would prefer to stay home and watch TV, this breed is probably not for you. If you enjoy the outdoors, hiking, traveling and socializing, a Golden will fit right in. They will gregariously entertain guests for you!

It’s always important to meet Sire and Dam before choosing a puppy. Their temperaments provide a sneak peak of your puppy’s future temperament. I say “future,” as it’s so important to socialize puppies, especially before 16 weeks of age. Lack of socialization is detrimental for the end result. Hence, his final adult personality (temperament). If his Sire or Dam is anxious, there is a 50% chance your puppy will be anxious too. It’s important to understand, aggression is a symptom of anxiety. If adopting your puppy or older dog, you’re in luck as many knowledgeable shelter workers can temperament test your future dog for you!

Training

As with all dogs, begin socialization early before 16 weeks of age. Due to his large size and activity level, enroll him in a puppy and basic manners course to learn polite manners. Goldens flourish using positive reinforcement training and clicker training! Read tips on locating a professional dog trainer.

To prevent excessive energy, feed his daily meals using food puzzles and daily walks. Also, as a dog trainer, I feel large dogs should focus on a few different behaviors than smaller dogs so it’s important Goldens learn these polite behaviors. Now, you may notice your Golden puppy loves to pick up and hold things in his mouth, as he was bred to hunt and retrieve game. Sometimes rocks, sticks and your arms become game so it’s important to manage puppy mouthing.

Goldens can pretty much do it all. They can hunt, retrieve, run agility courses, excel in obedience venues, move beautifully during conformation shows and even barn hunt! Goldens are fantastic at service and guide dog duties. They’re large enough to easily pick up items, strong enough to brace a person trying to stand up, powerful enough to pull wheelchairs and smart enough to train for anything. Yup, that’s a Golden in a nutshell!

Health Issues

Goldens are susceptible to hereditary Hip and Elbow Dysplasia, which are painful malformations of bones. Cancer is common in the breed too. Also, a small percent develop hereditary heart issues. To minimize these risks, only purchase dogs from reputable breeders that health test their dogs. Now, many unethical breeders are getting smart and advertise health testing, but don’t really do it, so always ask for health certificates from the Orthopedic Foundation of Animals (OFA).

If adopting a Golden, it’s important to understand health issues plaguing this breed and keep an eye out for any signs or symptoms for these diseases. When in doubt, contact your vet.

Grooming

Goldens have a dense coat, which should repel water. Hence their retrieving background. They should be brushed weekly with a slicker brush and mat rake, which removes undercoat, dead hair and keeps their coat tangle free. Using blunt-nosed scissors, trim hair between pads to prevent sliding on smooth surfaces. Don’t forget weekly nail trims, ear cleanings and tooth brushings. While many Goldens have beautiful flowing furnishings (longer hair on backs of front and back legs), these furnishings don’t require trimming unless they’re tangling. To trim furnishings, locate a professional groomer who can trim back their furnishings without shaving them. Even better yet, keep their flashy furnishings and invest in a great coat detangled. 🙂

Find a Golden Retriever

Before buying or adopting a Golden, please choose adopters and breeders from the Golden Retriever Club of America. These folks are the experts on this breed and will guide you in the right direction. For rescues, view Petfinder to locate a Golden in need near you!

Tell me about your Golden Retriever!

Dog Breed Of The Week: Goldendoodle

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Goldendoodle Breed Information

Goldendoodle Breed Info
Find out if a Goldendoodle is the right dog for you right here!

Are you thinking about adding a Goldendoodle to your home? If so, learn if this dog breed is right for you and your family.

Goldendoodle Facts

A Goldendoodle, mistakenly spelled golden doodle, is a mix breed. They’re a cross between a Golden Retriever and a Standard Poodle. The original purpose of crossing these two breeds were to develop a hypoallergenic dog for guide and service. Plus, they wanted to maintain a large-sized dog with a social (friendly and outgoing) temperament plus a vest for learning.

While there is no such thing as a 100% hypoallergenic dog, Goldendoodles are non-shedding that produce less dander than shedding breeds. Non-shedding breeds need regular grooming, as their undercoat does not shed on its own. To keep dander to a minimum, for allergy-prone owners, it’s best to bath dogs weekly using a gentle oatmeal shampoo.

Temperament

As a dog trainer, I usually have 2-4 Doodles in each class, so I’ve had plenty of experience with the Goldendoodle temperament and teaching this dog breed polite manners. 🙂 Goldendoodles are usually exuberant and social dogs. However, I’ve noticed a few Doodles with anxiety. Make sure to meet the puppy’s Sire and Dam before choosing him. It’ll provide you insight into your puppy’s adult Goldendoodle temperament.

It’s also important to socialize puppies before 16 weeks of age, as that will help shape your puppy’s temperament. Many shelter workers offer temperament testing if you’re adopting a puppy or older dog.

Grooming

Since Goldendoodles are non-shedding, they need daily brushing to remove their dense undercoat plus scheduled grooming appointments every 6-8 weeks. Interestingly, due to genetics, their coats can vary in length and color. Some will have a flatter (straight hair) or dense (curly hair) coat. Genetics are so interesting!

When brushing, it’s important to brush skin deep to prevent matting. Start in small sections, such as a back leg. Using your finger, divide  small sections of his coat (width of your finger), brush from root to tip with a slicker brush. By brushing in small sections, you’re removing tangles and undercoat,  which prevents matting later. Slicker brushes contain firm steel bristles, which are close together, and capture undercoat and dead hair. Due to the steel bristles, make sure not to touch your dog’s skin with the bristles, just his hair. To make sure all tangles are thoroughly brushed out, follow each section with a comb.

Every 6-8 weeks, schedule a professional grooming, which will shorten your Goldendoodle’s coat length. At home, continue daily brushing and weekly baths, with an oatmeal-based shampoo to keep mats away. After weekly baths, follow up with nail trimmings and ear cleaning.

Dog Training

Goldendoodles are easily trained. They gleefully respond to positive reinforcement dog training. 🙂 Some Goldendoodles can have excessive energy so it’s important to remember Golden Retrievers and Poodles were designed for hunting. They need extra energy to work all day. Due to the Goldendoodle’s larger size, he can pull you around on leash or easily knock you down so enrolling in a group class is a must.

Use food puzzles to feed your dog’s daily meals and take him on daily walks to burn off excess energy. Teach your dog polite behaviors and be aware he may hold rocks, sticks and even your arm in his mouth.

Health

Goldendoodles are predisposed to Gastric Torsion and Hip and/or Elbow Dysplasia. Since they have floppy ears, which block air from entering their ear canals, they can develop ear infections so wipe with a gentle ear cleaner and cotton balls.

Where to Find a Goldendoodle

If you’re considering adding a Goldendoodle in your home, view the experts for Standard Poodles and Golden Retrievers. These folks health test their adult dogs, can put you in touch with recuses in your area, and lead you in the right direction.Also, do a search at Petfinders for local rescues in your area.

Before you bring a Doodle home:

  • Be prepared for a larger adult dog about 25-28 inches (measured from his shoulders) and weighing 50-100 pounds.
  • Enroll in a puppy and basic manners class soon, as Doodles have high energy, are easily excited and are strong enough to pull you on leash.
  • Locate a gentle and patient groomer who accepts Goldendoodles
  • Enjoy his smile, as he inherited this from his Standard Poodle side of the family. 🙂
  • If you purchase a puppy, ask for health testings for both parents.

Yorkshire Terriers

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Yorkshire Terrier Breed Info

Yorkshire Terrier
Learn if a Yorkie is the right breed for you.

Hello love. The diva toy Terrier, lovingly nicknamed Yorkie! Is a Yorkshire Terrier the right breed for you? Find out!

Yorkie Facts

Yorkshire Terriers are named after Yorkshire, a city in England. They were bred to hunt vermin, capture and kill vermin, mostly rats, in clothing mills. While Yorkies are tiny and adorable, their small size fits perfectly into rodent holes. Later, Yorkies became companion dogs for European high society where, again, their small size continued to be an asset. Now sprinkle in long flowing hair and beautiful brown eyes, and they became the perfect “high society” accessory. But trust me, Yorkies still possess Terrier genes even if they’re wearing bows and nail polish. Try walking them next to a small rodent hole in the park. They will carry on like a Terrier. 🙂

Yorkshire Terrier puppies are born with darker coats, which lighten up as they grow. Usually their tails are docked at 2-3 days old in the U.S. Yorkies are under 7 pounds and usually live up to 12+ years.

Temperament

Yorkies are Terriers, which explains their courage. They have a small body with a large dog personality, and will not think twice to bark at a Great Dane. It’s important to socialize them as puppies, especially before 16 weeks of age. I know, they are so tiny then, but after 16 weeks of age, their socialization window closes.

While it’s disheartening to some to witness the pluckiness of a Terrier, I say embrace it. Not only are Yorkies breathtakingly beautiful, they are smart and maintain a strong work ethic. Yorkies excel in agility, obedience, Earth Dog trails and the newest terrier adventure, barn hunting.

Yorkies are tiny and some are teacup size (2-4 pounds as an adult) so keep them away from small children. Yorkies can easily be stepped on or dropped, which can cause serious injuries from these types of accidents. While many pet owners are fascinated with teacup Yorkies, they are even more fragile so keep them safe.

Training

Due to their Terrier tendencies, it’s best to enroll them in puppy and basic manners group class.  Plus, Yorkies excel at learning new behaviors, especially when paired with positive reinforcement and clicker training! Not only will they learn polite manners, but they will also build confidence around larger dogs and meet different people. While we smile when Yorkies growl at larger dogs, this is usually due to lack of confidence. Read tips on locating the best professional dog trainer here.

Digging is very common with Terriers, as it’s what they were bred for. As most Yorkies live in apartments or homes with minimal yards, it’s important to provide plenty of digging opportunities or they will dig in your leather sofa. 🙂 Find a large box, then cut a side hole so your Yorkie can easily enter the box. Now fill the box with old towels and newspaper, then scatter treats within the layers. Turn your Yorkie loose, show him the hole and now he has a digging pit! If he’s not sure about entering the hole, scatter a few treats next to the outside and inside entrance.

I’ve heard potty training can be troublesome with Yorkies, or basically small dogs in general. I don’t think it’s breed specific, but size specific if that makes sense. Smaller dogs have smaller bladders plus it’s pretty darn hard to tell if a Yorkie puppy is urinating or sitting, right? So, it’s easy for mistakes to go unnoticed, which makes potty training even tougher. Read more potty training tips, and for apartment dwellers, read paper training tips.

Barking can be an issue, as with all dogs. I’m hesitant to label any breed as an excessive barker, as dogs are individuals, but some are more vocal than others. It’s important to find the trigger for your Yorkie’s barking and problem solve from there.  If your Yorkie is barking at everything, partner with a professional dog trainer who can zero in on the trigger. There is always a trigger, even if it’s a lack of confidence. Lack of confidence can easily be solved with participation in a positive reinforcement group class. 🙂

Grooming

While Yorkies need professional grooming every 6-8 weeks, they really don’t have a dense undercoat. Instead, they have silky long hair that can easily tangle. If your Yorkie tangles easily, ask your professional groomer for product recommendations. Every week, you should completely brush out your Yorkie using a pin brush (brush with bristles further apart than most brushes), which untangles his coat without breaking or splitting his hair.

Don’t forget weekly nail trims and ear cleanings. Due to their smaller size (big teeth in a smaller mouth), Yorkies are predisposed to gum disease so brush his teeth several times a week with dog toothpaste and a tiny soft bristled toothbrush (child size).

Health Issues

Yorkies are pretty healthy, but they are predisposed to eye disease. Also, they can develop patellar luxation, meaning their knee caps can move or pop out of place, which is pretty painful.

Locate a Yorkshire Terrier

If a Yorkie sounds like the right dog for you, locate responsible breeders and rescues at Yorkshire Terrier Club of America. These folks are the experts in this breed and health test their dogs to prevent painful health issues in the future.

Road Trips With Your Dog: What to Pack?

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What to Pack for a Road Trip with Your Dog

Traveling With Your Dog
serrnovik/Deposit Photos

The holiday season is approaching fast. Learn several quick tips to make road trips with your dog easy as pie! If your dog is traveling with the family, let’s discuss essential items needed during road trips. Promise you’ll not be packing the kitchen sink!

 Tip: Pack all dog items in a carry-on size suitcase.

 This eliminates trying to locate multiple small items in the car when traveling and ensures all your dog’s items are unloaded upon arrival at your final destination.

Food

Calculate how many days you will be traveling, then multiple by daily food intake by cups. If you’re traveling 7 days and your dog eats 4 cups of kibble per day, you’ll need to pack 28 cups of food. As a general rule, I always add an extra 10% of kibble in case of emergency, such as when kibble is accidentally spilled or weather has forced you to travel longer.

For storing food while traveling, you can purchase an extra bag of kibble or store kibble in a container. Bringing an extra bag of food is probably the easiest, but can be the messiest, as luggage and crates can puncture the bag or your dog can chew a hole when no one is looking. 🙂 Personally, I use a container. It’s durable, easier to keep kibble dry and fresh, but it can take up valuable space in your car. Now that I feed a raw diet, I pack each dog’s daily meals into  plastic bags, freeze and pack in a larger cooler.

Don’t forget treats! Usually, I purchase several bags of dried fruit (pineapple, mango and apricots) to reward my dogs for not loading up in the car, not jumping on strangers at the rest area, not pottying on the leash and so forth.

Water

Pack several bottles of water, either purchased or refilled jugs, and a bowl.  When packing, place the water bowl and jug of water next to your dog’s crate, so it’s easy to locate during rest stops. Everyone becomes dehydrated while traveling, same goes for your dog. When you stop to potty your dog, offer him 2 to 8 ounces (amount depends on size of dog) of water in a small bowl. If he drinks all the water, offer him more. When leaving your destination, fill up your water bottles again for the ride home.

You can also leave a filled water bowl in his crate, but I’ve yet to find one that will not spill or easily be chewed. For seat belted dogs, I’ve heard the To Go Bowl works great, but I’ve not tried it yet. Basically, this is a small dog bowl that fits in a cup holder — pretty neat idea. I like giving water every 2 to 3 hours during “human” potty breaks, as I’m sure our pooches have to go too!

Vaccination Records

Print a copy of your dog’s vaccination records, especially his Rabies Certificate, as all states require up-to-date rabies vaccinations. Before a trip, I print each dog’s vaccination records, pet insurance forms, a current picture (in case something terrible happens) and medical history for dog’s with special needs, then place all this information in a pocket folder. This folder is kept on the outside zippered pocket of their suitcase.

Sound Machines (Yes, Really!)

A sound machine plugs into an outlet and plays soothing music, which drowns out unfamiliar noises and prevents dogs from barking. At night and when dogs are left alone, always confine your dog in a crate with soothing sounds from a sound machine and a food-stuffed toy. I recommend HoMedics Sound Machines and, if you choose one with an iPod dock, I HIGHLY recommend downloading Through a Dog’s Ear music, which is clinically demonstrated to calm most dogs. Personally, it’s very calming for me too, which is a nice advantage when traveling. 🙂 Don’t believe me. Try out their free music sample download!

Waterless Shampoo (You Just Never Know!)

Every time I forget waterless shampoo, I’ve regretted it! Waterless shampoo is easily sprayed and wiped off with a towel to spot clean a dog. Traveling with a pooch wet from rain is not fun so you and your car’s interior will thank me. 🙂 My fav is Nature’s Specialty Speedy Groom Waterless Shampoo.

Preventing Motion Sickness

Dogs can feel sick to their stomach while traveling in a car too! While vomiting is a tell-tale sign, dogs can drool, whine and pace back and forth and, yes, have dreaded diarrhea. To prevent this from happening, start bringing your dogs along on small trips around the city. This conditions them to car rides. If you notice any signs of motion sickness, you can prevent it with Dramamine or Bonine. You can purchase both at a pharmacy. However, ask your vet for correct dosage, as all dogs are different. I’ve had excellent luck with Bonine, not only does it prevent motion sickness, it’s also not as sedating as Dramamine. Provide a dose 20 minutes or so before everyone loads up and takes off for the trip.

While many recommend not feeding your dog before a trip, I disagree. You know how lousy you feel on an empty stomach, I usually feed them a couple of hours before a trip. Also, play soft music and keep the car cool. This will reduce nausea and anxiety, which are huge pluses to preventing motion sickness. 🙂

Toys/Chews

Bring lots of chews and a food-stuffed toy along on your trip. Just as children play with puzzles and watch DVDs while traveling, give your dog something to do also. I highly recommend food-stuffed puzzles. They’re easy to stuff, dogs can’t destroy the toy and you can stuff them a billion times! Pack a small jar of peanut butter, a food stuff-able toy and a few chews in your doggie suitcase. Not only are these awesome during car rides, they are wonderful to leave with your dog, while confined at your final destination and when left alone.

Collar/Leash with Tags (Poop Bags)

Your dog should wear a collar with updated ID tags at all times, even when riding in the car. Click here to learn the importance of ID tags and microchipping your dog. It could save his life! Bring a sturdy 6-foot leash and plenty of poop bags to pick up waste.

Crate/Seatbelt Harness

Buckle up! Dogs must be securely contained when riding in a vehicle. Click here for the safest ways to contain your dogs.

First Aid Bag

Pet first aid bags are a must, especially when traveling. Don’t forget to pack your dog’s dose of heart worm preventive if he’s scheduled for a monthly dose. Click here for a list of must-have supplies, including a Pet First Aid phone app and the best pre-packaged pet first aid bag review.

 Useful Tips:

  • Apply flea/tick preventive the day before traveling, especially during summer months or when you’re traveling through heavily infested areas.
  • Pack paper towels:  Useful for dogs and people.
  • Bring 2 large towels just in case:  Dry off a wet dog.
  • Bring a small bottle of enzymatic cleaning solution for cleaning accidents in the car or at your final destination.
  • Never leave your dog in a warm or hot car.
  • Don’t allow your dog to ride in the back of a pickup truck. Restrain him inside the vehicle instead.
Dog Training Nation is a dog training blog for pet owners and dog lovers. We cover a range of topics from puppy socialization tips to dog aggression to dog health. It is our hope you share our content to make the world a better place for dogs.

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