Is this product safe? Years ago these treats had some issues and unfortunately a few dogs choked and died. The treat is now new and improved with a soft, chewy texture that is easier to digest. They are now so soft that they are even bendable. The gummy texture helps remove tarter from a senior dogs teeth! Older dogs sometimes stop chewing things like chew bones, and dental cleanings are expensive but become necessary. However, like with any treat or dog chew you have to be a mindful dog owner! You really need to know your dog, ask your vet and think about when you give treats.

Seriously, I mean when you buy a treat for your dog, think about your dog and circumstance. Do you have multiple dogs? Does your dog gulp treats? How old is your dog? You are probably thinking, why should I ask myself all of these questions before giving my dog a treat or a chew!? Well, all of these questions have to do with safety and ultimately safety will save you heartache and vet bills. These treats like other treats and dog chews can be great if you read the packaging and get the proper size of treat for your dog. The main thing is that your dog does not gulp or hoard treats. If that’s the case this type of treat may not be right for  your dog. This treat is now new and improved to be chewy and easy to digest helping to clean teeth and has vitamins galore.

Paws for a Minuteâ„¢ safety tips for treats!

1. If your dog gulps treats, this treat is not the best. Beware of your dogs chewing behaviors. Check with your vet, first.

2. Read the packages and think before you buy a chew bone or treat!

3. If you own multiple dogs don’t give them all a chew bone or chew treat all at the same time. This creates a “shark effect” and frenzy that can cause choking.

In the coming weeks Paws For A Minute will be offering some really new cool products in our online shop. This elevated dining dish is a great example of the type of items you will find within. We love the modern design, it will look fantastic in any kitchen.  Check back soon to see the complete 2010 Fall/Winter Collection and find out how to get one of these for yourself!

This week’s product pick is Pup Orboâ„¢ with Treat spotâ„¢ I love this toy for puppies and senior dogs too! It’s bouncy, minty and specially formulated for teething puppies. It’s the best non-toxic chewy toy on the market for small toy breed dogs and very young 8 to 16 week-old pups. Here’s the best part senior dogs love this toy too! Finally, a great toy for older dogs. Older dogs may have teeth that may be getting fragile and therefore stop chewing and sometimes playing. This toy seems to give them a little pep in their step again! It’s made from a unique formula that encourages chewing, gnawing and is recyclable. My dog Daisy just turned 14 years old and she loves this thing!  She turns into a playful, feisty puppy upon seeing this toy, it’s lovely to watch.

Mark your calenders in just 2 weeks Paws for a Minute is opening our on-line store!  This toy and so many other cool, bed’s collar’s, bowls and more will be available. Stay tuned!

Friday the 13th scary face? Well you might be familiar with face or know of someone who has a little dog that that will take your face off when going over to their house. Not good! When a dog shows his teeth and growls that’s a clear warning which usually comes before a bite. In other words, the translation from the dog becomes if you take one more step closer, I’ll bite you. Why do some dogs get to this place of protection? Usually dogs who growl or show their teeth in self defense are not trained and socialized. What I mean by that is proper boundaries have not been set. I don’t mean discipline, I mean boundaries. Boundaries can be positive. Training a dog to learn basic obedience ( heel, sit ,stay ,down and come on a leash helps create eye contact and a positive boundary. The process of training also allows you to verbally and physically praise your dog for accomplishing something! These steps create a foundation and teaches your dog that through learning these steps your dog is able to please you. If you own a little dog who is sweet to you and then decides who he/she likes it becomes confusing to your dog that you are not redirecting him. Therefore, he/she will take over the territory (your house) and deem anyone else a threat to his territory, This behavior can happen to many little dogs from over coddling as a form of affection rather than praising your do for accomplishing a command.

What type of leash is best for walking a dog? As a dog trainer, I get asked this question all the time. So, I thought I’d give you some tips that may surprise you. Did you know that some leashes, if used improperly, can actually create bad behaviors? Yup. In my practice, many clients complained 0f their dog’s bad behavior while walking on a leash. When solving these lunging, barking, and pulling behaviors, I addressed them in part by recommending the proper leash!

The flat 5 or 6 foot leash that comes in nylon or leather is my personal training favorite.  The retractable leash that allows your dog to reel out and explore and sniff is great for certain dogs and owners, but not all. The retractable leash is great for hikes and walks that are not heavily populated by other dogs and owners. They’re also great for the older or middle-aged dog, rather than the very athletic young pup. Why? Because the retractable leash creates the opposite effect than what dog owners should be trying to achieve: guiding your dog to walk at your heels (Using the “heel” command).

Allowing your dog to lead you and (depending on your dog’s temperament and energy level) can send your dog a mixed signal over time. This mixed signal leads to bossy behaviors from your dog towards other dogs and can become hard to manage when holding the cumbersome plastic handle used for retraction. You end up feeling as though you’re water skiing behind your dog rather than going for a nice stroll. We’ve all witnessed the feisty Jack Russell or the out of control Yorkie on the end of the retractable leash barking it’s head off at other dogs. If your dog is easy, older and manageable on the retractable than great. If not, there are other choices!

Using the flat 5 or 6 foot  nylon or leather leash allows your dog to sniff at times and it’s easier to carry in your hands while teaching your dog to heel on your left hand side while walking. My vote is the flat leash over the retractable kind! Don’t get me wrong, the retractable leash can be great for the mellow older dog or the very non-dominant little dog who just minds their own business while walking.

The choice is yours. Happy walking!

Are dog doors a good tool for housebreaking your dog? There are definitely pros, cons and things to look out for. Having a dog door and not housebreaking your dog properly can create other problems down the line!

Here are the pros, cons and my thoughts about the use of dog doors and training your dog. In general, the concept is good and handy for those longer days. However, what I tell most of my clients is that the key to long term success is to housebreak your puppy or shelter dog without use of the dog door first. Why? Mainly because even though the long term goal is to be able to have your dog use the dog door at his leisure, you should still teach your dog to hold the urge to go to the bathroom from all areas of the house. This formal approach of crating your dog and introducing your dog where to potty (in your yard) helps teach him how to please you! This gives puppies and new dogs the confidence of a pattern. Your pattern. After he knows how to hold the urge and where to go you can introduce the dog door concept. That way you have the choice of closing the dog door sometimes and still have a housebroken dog with no accidents, or allow him to use the dog door!

The cons of putting in a doggy door without training and foresight can sometimes create a multitude of  bad behavioral problems, such as territorial behavior, excessive barking, and even other unwanted animals coming in your house. This can happen over time as your dog learns to bolt out the dog door to protect his property or bark at noises in the neighbor’s yard. In addition, having a dog door never teaches your dog to control his urge to relieve himself.

I feel a dog door works if you have already formally potty trained your dog, and when your dog has matured. Then you can have the benefits of both–the convenience of the dog door, and a trustworthy, housebroken dog. Waiting until your pup is housebroken and fully mature is the best idea if you want to install a dog door.

After many months of applying the steps to housebreaking, you can incorporate a dog door. Take the time to teach your dog in a consistent manner. using a leash, take your pup from the gated area, saying “Outside” while guiding your pup to the doggy door. Show your pup a treat and throw the treat through the dog door. Your puppy should bounce through the dog door after the treat. If he doesn’t, lift the flap of the dog door and, if necessary, throw an additional treat through the opening. Your pup should follow after the treat with a little encouragement. Then open the door that has the dog door opening and meet your pup on the other side. Take the leash and guide your puppy to his toilet area in the backyard. Repeat this process every time you initiate “Outside” with your pup. Repetition of this process will bring success!

Get the Perfect Pet Door, shown above, here!

Many people ask me if wee-wee pads are the way to go in teaching their puppies the housebreaking protocols. Here is the key tip on the wee-wee pad theory. These pads are great for the very young infant puppy and toy breed dogs. The great thing about wee-wee pads are that they are easy, absorbent and meant as a temporary aid. The training part is up to you! Many people think that these pads will actually train your dog where to go. Nope, that part’s up to you and has to happen in developmental stages leading up to trusting your pup loose in the house one day with no accidents. That takes time.

Having said that, the big mistake people make is that they use these pads all over the house! This is especially a habit with Maltese, Yorkie and other very small breed dog owners. This can really give your dog a huge mixed signal.

Larger breed puppies sometime begin to play with the wee-wee pads instead of dong their business on them. All in all, these pads are a good idea for a period of time. The general rule goes like this: At 16 weeks old a puppy can hold their urge to go to the bathroom all night long. Meaning, the wee-wee pads should come up–never to return! Your dog should be also simultaneously learning to go to the bathroom outdoors. Which of course means you are guiding your dog outdoors for (2 minute) potty breaks up to 5 times a day.

Got a kitty that’s hooked on the ‘nip? You’re in luck! Jake & Micah’s super adorable organic catnip toys are bound to be bunny-kicked by your feline friend. These 100% cotton toys come in different styles including boomerangs, sushi, “catmint” green tea, martini olives, swiss cake rolls, wontons and my personal favorite, kitty fortune cookies! The fortune cookies even come in their own chinese takeout box and each have a different cat-themed fortune attached!

Jake & Micah offer tons of different color and pattern options to suit every cat’s taste. Their premium catnip is 100% organic and grown in the USA and man, our Paws for a Minute tester, Royce, could sure tell the difference! We’ve never seen him love something like his fortune cookie, carrying it around, sleeping with it and even licking it to death! Royce gives it four paws up.

Jake & Micah also feature the trendiest cat collars, id tags and charms, catnip kitty mats and purr-fect gift ideas! Check out their website here.

This is the newest  and coolest in dog gear. Don’t feel like carrying around a water bowl or letting your dog drink from your own water bottle this summer? No worries! The guys at H2O4K9 have come up with this ingenious water bottle made especially for our pups! The stainless steel bottle is capped with a bowl-type lid, allowing dogs to drink naturally. No more lapping up dirty mud puddles on your hike!

The H2O4K9 is perfect for camping, walking the dog, vacations, days at the beach or park, bike rides, dog shows or even rides in the car. The standard size 25 oz. bottle fits in any cup holder, bike cage or backpack and are 100% recyclable! We LOVE the bright colors that pop: hot pink, bumble bee yellow, denim blue, pure stainless (silver), racecar red and tree frog green. The bottles contain absolutely no harmful chemicals and are safe by human standards.

Head on over to H2O4K9’s website to get the details!

Include Fido in the fun during your summertime cookout or fish fry with Petprojekt’s incredibly realistic Dogmeat toy! How cool is this? With so many “girly” dog toys out there, these come as a breath of fresh air for all you manly men (and man’s best friend!) The toys come in size large or small, are non-toxic and squeak when chewed. Check out Petprojekt to get the details and order some for yourself.