– This is very personal to me. Why? Because I have a beautiful dog in my care, that was “literally” one hour from euthanasia. I picked her up at 3pm not knowing that her appointment was at 4pm. Onyx (name changed for privacy), my beautiful black lab mix, is why I do what I do.

Her owners were in tears at the time I arrived. According to her owners, she was a dog with an extensive list of issues. Onyx was 5 years old and had been with them since she was a young pup. I listened carefully to all of their concerns. I offered training as a reprieve for 30 days…they declined. I believed I was her only hope and knew that I could help her.

Time for training Onyx! I am a Balanced Trainer. What is “balanced training”? In its simplest form, Balanced Dog Training refers to any approach to dog training or behavior modification which involve the use of both reward based techniques and aversive consequences. In other words, the trainer shows the dog that their choices and behaviors can result in either pleasant or unpleasant results.

Positive reinforcement is awesome and it should be an important part of ANY training or teaching approach. However, is that the whole conversation? Should we really just reward the good and ignore the bad? And if that doesn’t work…….is all hope lost…no matter how hard you tried…..what now? For my girl, it was euthanasia.

What if someone told you to put down your dog, because a methodology of “never say no” and said your dog was too far gone? If you’re trying so hard with your dog in one style of training – if you’re frustrated – if you’re scared – if you’re ready to give up – please know there are other methods, techniques, tools and approaches out there.

I and many others, believe that NO ONE gets a dog with the intention to become frustrated, discouraged, and defeated when the training style they are dedicating themselves to isn’t working. No one who loves their dog and has dedicated so much time, effort, emotion, and heart wants to give them up or (worst case scenario) put them down…but when folks are told that they have no other options or a different training style is going to “make things worse or ruin their dog” folks feel like they have no hope.

Onyx, my lab mix, is now 6 years old and was to be euthanized, because her owners were so discouraged and felt defeated. Her life is very different today…she’s a very outgoing dog that loves to live life and thrives off of structure and knowing whether her choices are the right ones.

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– Deciding to take your dog to the dog park, is a very personal decision for you and your dog. Should you decide to go, the kind of etiquette your dog displays at the dog park is very important.

We have all been to the dog park when there is a dog with terrible manners and not very well-behaved. That one dog can ruin the entire park experience for you and your dog.

If you see this, I believe the risk just isn’t worth it and may decide to leave or work with my dog on leash and use this time for training with distractions.

It’s really important to have a dog that knows the proper way to interact around other dogs. Nobody wants an aggressive, unfriendly dog in the dog park.

Things to Remember:
• Proper equipment (e-collar/leash/)
• Clean up after your dog (enough said)
• Play Safe (no fighting over tennis balls)
• Pay Attention at all times (things happen quickly)
• Bring clean water/bowl (some dogs are poop eaters and contaminate water source)
• NEVER enter the park when there is a dog crowding the gate (politely ask for the owner to remove the dog from the entry area)

Dog park success means to never let your guard down and be aware of surrounding dogs. There are usually signs that you can pick up on that can keep you and your dog safe. If it doesn’t feel right….it probably isn’t and it’s time to go.

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– Crate your puppy! A crate that has enough room to turn around and stand up is all that they need. One too big allows for potty on one end and sleeping/eating on the other.

– How long between outings? Add two hours to the age of your puppy and that’s the maximum time between outings.
• 2 months of age + 2 hours = 4 hours( max) between potty breaks

– It’s bedtime. It’s important to be “all business”- go potty-no play-on leash-to bed-THE END. Bedtime should not involve playtime or you might be up for quite some time.

– Offer your puppy a potty break within 30 minutes of eating or drinking. So that means, you can’t just feed them and off to work – wake up early and get into a routine 0f:

Potty (#1 definitely, #2 maybe)
Training (with pups breakfast) during your walk
Water
Play (10-15 mins)
Potty (should see both #1 and #2 here!)
Crate

OTHER GOOD INFO TO KNOW
– Puppies, when playing, pee more frequently. It just means that you take them out every 15-20 mins during this time.

– If your puppy naps and wakes up, take them potty. They always need to go out anytime they wake up.

– If you need to put your puppy in their crate to leave, take them potty first. Anytime they are coming out of their closed crate, take them potty right away.

– All food finished by 6pm and water by 8pm. Feed your puppy 3 meals per day. Controlling when/how much goes in, you know when to expect waste to come out! Free feeding is not recommended…unless you want eating and pooping all day long which makes potty training doubly hard.

– If you can’t watch your puppy, they should be in their crate. When your eyes are off of them they WILL potty in the house. Starting and keeping a schedule is imperative to success and sanity.

– You need to be there to see that they have pottied, and most importantly REWARD them for going outside—time to Celebrate!

– If you take your puppy out and they don’t potty, bring them inside and put them in their crate. 10-15 mins later, take them back out again. Repeat this until they potty outside. (Resist the mistake of letting your puppy run around after they go out but don’t do anything and inevitably the puppy potties inside! They don’t want to potty in their closed space, so back into the crate!)

– Make sure your puppy does a #2 before bedtime. And remember No Punishing for accidents in the house. It’s your fault-not theirs. Stick to the routine as accidents will happen but a rhythm will be formed. Pack some patience and be calm…REWARD for outside potty.

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– Before placing your dog into a Training Program – Make Certain They’re in Great Physical Shape!

In addition to regular checkups with a family veterinarian, including routine wellness procedures such as an annual blood panel, fecal testing and urine analysis, these indicators should be noticeable to pet owners. Here are six signs your dog is healthy.

1. Fresh Breath

A healthy mouth is the gateway to a healthy pet. Relatively clean-smelling breath and clean teeth absent of tartar buildup are signs of good health.

If your dog has gingivitis (also called gum disease) or periodontitis, it can ultimately affect vital organs and lead to serious health issues. Periodontitis is disease of the supporting structures of the teeth (bone, ligaments, etc.) and is the primary cause of tooth loss in pets. It’s caused by the buildup of food, plaque, and tartar in the spaces between the gum and the lower part of the tooth.

A rotten smell coming from your dog’s mouth could mean tooth decay or worse: oral melanoma, an aggressive form of cancer.

Routine dental care can result in improved overall health and longevity of a pet by spotting issues early on.

2. Shiny, Clean Coat

Healthy pets will typically have a shiny, clean coat due to natural oils and shedding. A healthy pet doesn’t need to be bathed routinely unless your pet got dirty. Routine bathing for pets with fur (versus specific breeds with hair which require grooming) isn’t necessary and can lead to skin irritations.

If your dog is often licking, chewing or scratching, it could be a sign of a skin irritation, skin allergies, a bug bite or the presence of fleas. It’s also a sign your dog is uncomfortable; schedule a veterinary checkup to address the problem.

3. Consistent Lean Weight

Pet obesity is a top health concern for veterinarians—excessive weight causes the same problems in dogs as it does in humans such as diabetes, heart and lung diseases, bone and joint diseases, skin conditions and different types of cancer.

If you notice your dog has dropped a noticeable amount of weight, a checkup is recommended as this could also be a sign of a health issue.

Your dog should have a consistent lean weight that doesn’t change much. You should be able to see your dog’s waist taper in toward the hips without the ribcage showing (this can vary based on breed). Pets need portion control as well when it comes to meals and treats. Discuss your dog’s ideal meal plan with your veterinarian to help maintain a healthy pet.

4. Regular Bladder and Bowel Movements

How do you know if your dog has a tummy ache? Check out his poop. Healthy bowel movements will be absent of blood, mucus, worms, eggs, a chalky white discoloration, a black, tarry appearance, a greasy coating or diarrhea. If you notice a change it could be due to a change in diet, stress, allergies, parasites, bacterial infection, viral infection, ingestion of a toxic substance, pancreatitis, cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, colitis, or an obstruction.

The color of your dog’s urine is important: If your pet’s pee is the color of transparent yellow (straw yellow, pale gold, amber, clear yellow) it’s a sign of good health.

Dark or bright yellow could be a sign of dehydration. Orange is typically associated with jaundice or icterus, gallbladder problems, pancreatic problems, severe dehydration, liver disease or damaged blood cells.

If your dog’s urine is red, pink or cloudy it may be a sign of a urinary tract infection, cystitis, clotting diseases, trauma or cancer. If your dog is peeing inside the house or off a customary piddle pad, it could also be a sign of distress due to a health issue. A checkup is highly recommended for further testing.

5. Alert, Engaged Interest

A healthy dog is eager to spend time with family, coming to you for playtime, watching and observing with interest.

If your dog suddenly starts spending time alone, is disengaged or sleeping more, it could be a sign of a health issue. Changes in behavior are one of the number one reasons pet owners discover something is off with their companions. Pay attention to any change and schedule an appointment with your veterinarian.

6. Clean, Odor-Free Ears

Another sign of good health in dogs are clean ears: no waxy buildup, no discharge and no pungent or musky smell.

It’s normal for dogs’ ears to get dirty, so routine cleaning is recommended. Ignoring dirty ears can lead to pet ear infections — the second most common reason dogs visited vets in 2015, and a major source of irritation for our pets.

Clean ears also help maintain normal body temperature by radiating heat out.

One tell-tale sign your dog has an ear infection: smelly ears, sometimes like the smell of yeast. Schedule a checkup with your veterinarian if you suspect your dog is suffering from an ear infection. Common symptoms besides the smell and waxy buildup are side-to-side shaking of the head and pawing at the ear.

If you have questions about your dog’s health or are concerned that an issue may be present, contact your veterinarian immediately. Remember: You dog can’t always tell you when something is wrong. If you see a sign that has you questioning your pet’s health, don’t hesitate to schedule a checkup.

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