Wish your dog were a better listener?

Our training philosophy:

Positive Reinforcement Training

Until recently, dog training has focused on the human-dog relationship in such terms as dominance, discipline and punishment. Dogs, like all living organisms, are just trying to get through the day accessing as many pleasant things as possible, while avoiding the unpleasant.

Gaining control of the pleasant (reinforcers) in a dog’s life is a means of behavioral control that is as effective as methods which administer pain and startle.

Dog owners are victims of the lack of correct and accessible science-based information about dogs. The range of misinformation based on some trainers’ opinions can have consumers confused and feeling desperate or frustrated.

Imagine if the same range and quality of information existed about cars. People might be told by “experts” to never change the oil, change the oil daily, or replace the oil with lemon juice!

It is little wonder why pet owners are confused. Despite this spotty history of militaristic and old fashioned training methods of the past, pet dog training and behavior counseling is coming of age through the use of positive reinforcement methods.

By providing you with the ability to more clearly understand how dogs learn, what motivates their behavior and how to trade access to all the good stuff for behaviors you expect, you can accelerate your dog’s learning.

Kids and Dogs: Safety Tips

When a dog bites a kid, it's usually one the pup knows. The best prevention: supervision. Even the most sweet-natured pooch can be provoked. Beyond that, there's plenty you can teach your child about staying safe around Spot.

1. Be calm around canines. No jumping, screaming, or, of course, yanking tails, pulling fur, or poking eyes.
2. Nix hugs -- or kisses. Hounds don't like them. But they do like being gently stroked on the back or the side. One spot to avoid: The top of the head -- even a small hand looming above can feel threatening to a dog.
3. Never sneak up on a pup. Approach from the side.
4. Leave sleeping (or eating) dogs alone. They're likely to snap if bothered.
5. Ask the owner before petting a dog you don't know. If he says it's okay, have your kid hand you anything she might be holding (especially if it's edible!). Then, if the dog is calm, tell her to make a fist, palm down (so her fingers are out of the way if the dog nips). If the dog comes forward, tail wagging, it's okay to pet it.

The Paw Plaza Grooming Spa

Grooming Spa Opens: 10 AM – 4 PM Monday – Saturday

• State of the art grooming salon.
• Appointments available every day except Sunday.
• Full service grooming in about 1 hour.
• One-on-one, customized, private session with you, your dog and the groomer.
• Comfort your pet while we work.
• Guide us to give your pet exactly the hair cut you like.
• Walk-in bath service are available for dogs 25 lb or less without appointment – Although there is a possibility for a short wait. Prices vary depending on size of the dog.
• We groom cats as well!!  Brushing, bathing, de-shedding and haircuts (by appointment only).

Ten tips for training your dog-

 

1. LISTEN TO YOUR DOG

   Learn to listen to your dog. If your dog appears to be uncomfortable meeting another dog, animal or person, don’t insist that he say hello. He’s telling you that he isn’t comfortable for a reason, and you should respect that. Forcing the issue can often result in bigger problems down the line.

2. BE GENEROUS WITH YOUR AFFECTION

   Most people don’t have a problem being very clear about when they are unhappy with their dogs, but, they often ignore the good stuff. Big mistake! Make sure you give your dog lots of attention when he’s doing the right thing. Let him know when he’s been a good boy. That’s the time to be extra generous with your attention and praise. It’s even okay to be a little over the top.

3. DOES HE REALLY LIKE IT?

   Just because the bag says “a treat all dogs love” doesn’t mean your dog will automatically love it. Some dogs are very selective about what they like to eat. Soft and chewy treats are usually more exciting for your dog than hard and crunchy treats. Keep your eyes open for what he enjoys.

4. TELL HIM WHAT YOU WANT HIM TO DO

   There is nothing inherently wrong with telling your dog “no,” except that it doesn’t give him enough information. Instead of telling your dog “no,” tell him what you want him to do. Dogs don’t generalize well, so if your dog jumps up on someone to say hello and you say no, he may jump higher or he may jump to the left side instead of the right. A better alternative would be to ask him to “sit.” Tell him what you want him to do in order to avoid confusion.

5. BE CONSISTENT

   Whenever you’re training your dog, it’s important to get as many family members involved as possible so everyone’s on the same page. If you are telling your dog “off” when he jumps on the couch and someone else is saying “down,” while someone else is letting him hang out up there, how on earth is he ever going to learn what you want? Consistency will be the key to your success.

6. HAVE REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS

   Changing behavior takes time. You need to have realistic expectations about changing your dog’s behavior as well as how long it will take to change behaviors that you don’t like. Often behaviors which are “normal” doggie behaviors will take the most time such as barking, digging and jumping. You also need to consider how long your dog has rehearsed the behavior. For example, if you didn’t mind that your dog jumped up on people to say hi for the last seven years and now you decide that you don’t want him to do that anymore, that behavior will take a much longer time to undo than if you had addressed it when he was a pup. Remember it’s never too late to change the behavior some will just take longer than others.

7. DON’T UNDERESTIMATE THE BENEFITS OF FEEDING A HIGH QUALITY FOOD

   Feed your dog a high-quality diet with appropriate amounts of protein. If your dog spends most of his days lounging in your condo, don’t feed him food with a protein level that is ideal for dogs who herd sheep all day. The money that you will spend on feeding an appropriate quality food will often be money that you save in vet bills later on. I recommend you always check with your veterinarian for the right diet for your dog.

8. YOU GET WHAT YOU REINFORCE – NOT NECESSARILY WHAT YOU WANT

   If your dog exhibits a behavior you don’t like, there is a strong likelihood that it’s something that has been reinforced before. A great example is when your dog brings you a toy and barks to entice you to throw it. You throw the toy. Your dog has just learned that barking gets you to do what he wants. You say “no,” and he barks even more. Heaven forbid you give in and throw the toy now! Why? Because you will have taught him persistence pays off. Before you know it you’ll have a dog that barks and barks every time he wants something. The solution? Ignore his barking or ask him to do something for you (like “sit”) before you throw his toy.

9. BRIBERY VS. REWARD

   The idea of using treats to train is often equated with bribery. Truthfully, dogs do what works. If using treats gets them to do what you want, then why not? You can also use the world around you as a reinforcement. Every interaction you have with your dog is a learning opportunity, so when you think about it, you probably don’t use food very often except during active training sessions. So why does your dog continue to hang out? Because you reinforce him with praise, touch, games and walks. Just remember, the behavior should produce the treat; the treat should not produce the behavior.

10. FREEDOM

    Let your new dog gradually earn freedom throughout your home. A common error that many pet parents make is giving their new dog too much freedom too soon. This can easily lead to accidents relating to housetraining and destructive chewing. So, close off doors to unoccupied rooms and use baby gates to section off parts of the house, if necessary. One of the best ways to minimize incidents is to keep your dog tethered to you in the house and by using a crate or doggie safe area when you can’t actively supervise him.

Healthy Eating for Dogs 101

Did you recently add a dog to your family, or are you concerned about your current dog’s eating habits? Dog nutrition can seem complex, but we’ve made it easy with this roundup of tips, tricks, essential info, and solutions to common feeding problems. Read on, and your dog might just eat better than you.

Take a look at the ingredient list on your dog’s current bag of food. Look for recognizable ingredients, a minimum of starches, and essential vitamins and minerals. If you don’t have a bag on hand, you can use a site like Dog Food Advisor to see what’s in popular brands and compare ingredients. Make sure there’s a whole protein source as the first ingredient, and check that your dog’s food meets AAFCO nutritional adequacy standards, which you can see on the label.

DIY Dog Treat

This two-ingredient recipe on Curbly will get you started with something quick and easy:

Ingredients:

• 2 cups any kind of flour
• 2 (4-oz) jars of organic baby food. Beef, chicken, blueberry, and sweet potato are all good choices.

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350°
• Mix ingredients to form a stiff dough, adding extra flour or water as needed
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to about a 1/4 inch thick. Cut with cookie cutters for fun shapes, or a pizza cutter for bite-size cubes.
• Bake for 20 – 25 minutes. Allow to cool completely before storing in a paper bag (storing in an air-tight container will make them soft, but they’re still edible)

If you’re feeling adventurous, consider including grated carrots, apple, or sweet potatoes, a bit of mint or parsley (which can help with bad breath), dried blueberries, or even a touch of nut butter. Almost good enough for people, right? Here are tons more DIY dog food recipes. There are gluten-free, special-occasion, and even vegetarian options here—something for every pup.

Thank you!

To all of our most wonderful and loyal clients, we want to thank you so much for all your generosity through the Holiday Season, we received so many tasty treats, lunches, tips and cards.. It feels so great to have the appreciation of each and everyone of you!