In honor of Responsible Dog Ownership Month, here are ten tips to help you be a responsible dog owner:
1. Pet proof your house.
2. Groom your dog, or have him/her professionally groomed.
3. Vaccinate your dog.
4. Spay/Neuter your dog.
5. Keep and ID tag on your dog.
6. Train your dog.
7. Exercise your dog.
8. Properly feed your dog.
9. Socialize your dog.
10. Love your dog.
Some of these may seem rather obvious, but they're worth stating, just in case.
Training Tip of the Month
Want to help your dog get used to loud noises? Become clumsy. Start dropping things like silverware on a hard floor, heavy books, a chain leash; anything that makes a racket. Then if your dog reacts, ignore him/her. If the dog reacts to the noise and you react to the dog, he/she will think there's a reason to react. If you don't react, the dog will come to realize that it's no big deal. Of course it's okay for the dog to be startled for a moment and then recover (just like us), but that's it. The more noise the dog hears, the less reactive he/she will become, so help your dog out and toss spoons on the floor.
Breed Spotlight
Historically, the Greyhound is the dog breed that has been used in dog racing as they can reach a top speed of 45 miles per hour. As of today, West Virginia is the last state in the U.S. that still has commercial dog racing. Because of their racing background and their speed, most people (including me before I was a dog trainer) believe that the Greyhound needs a lot of exercise. The truth is, Greyhounds are couch potatoes! More about that in a moment. The breed is ancient, having existed for almost 2,000 years, while similar dogs can be traced back for at least 5,000 years. The Greyhound originated in ancient Egypt and Greece but was eventually brought to Great Britain and is believed to have arrived in the U.S. in the 16th century. Greyhounds do well with people, including children. They do have a strong prey drive (they are sight hounds after all) so they may not do well with small animals. Greyhounds need socialization, training, a fenced-in yard, and to be leashed when they're not in a fenced area or inside. Possible health concerns include bloat (due to their deep chest), anesthesia sensitivity, and osteosarcoma (bone cancer). Grooming is minimal as they have a short, smooth coat. Back to the couch potato status; as long as a Greyhound gets some exercise as in a good walk, a game of fetch, working an Interactive Game, etc. he/she will be a lazybones for the rest of the day. I once had the privilege to spend an afternoon curled up on the floor with a Greyhound named Eor watching football. I'm not sure he would have moved if I hadn't gotten up. That's the day I fell in love with the Greyhound.
Quote of the Month
"All dogs are limited edition." Sara Tuilling
