Social Dog, Happy Dog

One of the many perks of being a dog walker is watching our doggie clients play together. Play groups and paired dog walks add companionship, but also help to keep dogs socialized and well adjusted to new and changing situations. As city life is always full of excitement, city dogs are definitely in need of a flexible nature. As the guardian of our dogs, it is our responsibility to help our beloveds learn how to respond in a healthy and acceptable manner to the large spectrum of possibilities that exist when out for a walk on our busy city streets.

Socialization should begin in puppy hood. Dogs have a sensitive period for socialization between the ages of 3 and 12 weeks. Fun and pleasant exposures to people, other dogs and other animals during this time will have long-lasting influences on the sociability of your dog. Well socialized dogs tend to be friendlier and less fearful of the kinds of individuals they were socialized to.

Socialization needs to continue through out a dogs life. Well socialized pups have a better chance of being well socialized adults, but still need to have exposure to new people, animals, and situations. New situations help your pooch (and you) develop confidence and resiliency in the face of difficult experiences.

Which bring us the humans of this equation. Our dogs are great at reading our faces and our vibes. When we display anxiety when approaching situations, our dogs feel this and react accordingly. They feel our tension and understand the situation to be a tense one. Our more overt actions also lead our canine counterparts to react. Let's say our sweet Lucky has shown aggression to large white dogs. When ever we see a large white dog approaching, we tighten our hold on his leash. Lucky now starts to bark, and we begin to scold dear Lucky for barking. Lucky now thinks: I don't like big, white dogs. Whenever they show up, I get punished. I need to keep barking to keep them away.

So what do we do to teach our pooch that other dogs (and kids, and the delivery person, and hats, ect.) are all okay to be around. Rewards! Try your best to reward good behavior and ignore poor behavior. Teaching our dogs and ourselves new ways of being takes time. If your dog barks at approaching dogs, spend time on a park bench. Sit calmly with your pooch as other dogs walk by. When your dog meets a new dog, hand feed them a treat. Make sure your dog has enough physical space. Your dog may bark as usual, but this behavior will begin to diminish as your pooch recognizes a new equation: new dog + calm me (and human) = delicious treat.

For more info on socialization try some books by Dr. Patricia McConnell - you can find them at amazon.com, or check out this website to get a review of tactics: http://www.dog-obedience-training-review.com/index.html
Please give us a call or email with any questions you may have!
617.710.0324

Celebrating The Pooch!

As a lover of animals and art, it only seemed natural to start drawing and painting my furry companions! With an undergraduate degree in Studio Arts, I've spent alot of time making art and looking at art. It is always rewarding to capture something or someone on paper or canvas. And it is most rewarding when your subject is close to your heart. Here are a few pictures I have made recently to immortalize some of the dogs close to my heart. I'll be sure to post more as they come into creation! If you are interested in getting a portrait of your pooch - email me at info@laughing-dogs or call 617.710.0324. Enjoy!

Acupuncture and Herbs for your sweet pooch!

Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine has been used for animals for centuries. An old tale says acupuncture was discovered when war horses were punctured with spears tips and their muscular issues decreased. Whether or not that story is true, the healing benefits of acupuncture and herbs are becoming more and more accepted by western culture and the western medical community.

A dear doggie client of ours used acupuncture successfully to treat his deteriorating hips. His human expressed her excitement when her pooch was better able to climb stairs and move around.

Acupuncture and herbs are not only good for muscular and skeletal issues, but are also helpful for allergies, gastro-intestional disorders, urinary issues and more. Acupuncture works by balancing the "vital energy" or "qi" in the body. Acupuncture points are areas on the body where the "qi" flows through the body. When illness occurs in the body, the "qi" is not balanced. Acupuncture needles are used to balance the body and regain harmony.

To learn more about acupuncture visit http://www.thefamilyacupuncture.com

LAUGHING DOGS blogs!

Welcome!
We have decided to start a blog to share photos and stories of our adventures with our furriest clients, your beloved canine and feline counterparts! We would love to hear from you.


Visit us at http://www.laughing-dogs.com