DogBoy's Dog Blog

Crates are “Comfy Caves” to your puppy, NOT the “Evil Cages” that they can be portrayed as. When crate training is done properly, there are tons of benefits it can provide for both dog and owner.

Agility was created in 1977 by John Varley as a spectator sport intended to fill downtime at dog competitions. Now, Agility has its own world championship and is the fastest growing dog sport in the United States.

Teaching your dog new tricks is fun, exciting, and incredibly rewarding. Training your dog is also the first step towards building a strong human-dog bond

At DogBoy’s we offer a wide variety of training types, including, but not limited to:

Bonding with your dog happens through training almost automatically. So, I thought writing this would be a cinch. However, after thinking through how our clients approach training, I realized a lot of dog owners and dog lovers get caught up in the how of training and not the why. It’s understandable, because we think about getting visible results when we invest in training. One result we don’t immediately consider is how we can improve our human-dog bond exponentially by going through dog training together.

It may be tempting to toss your dog a treat when you just want to show them some love. Unfortunately, if your dog isn’t working for their treat, then you’re missing out on valuable training time. Even worse, your dog may begin to expect treats and develop unwanted demanding behavior.

Here’s our motto for treats: nothing for free.

Your dog won’t be upset at you for making them earn their treat, they’re going to love it. Using treats this way allows you to reinforce positive behaviors and enables your dog to have fun learning how to get that next treat.  

The Key To Effective Treat Giving: Random Variable Rewards

You don’t want to give your dog the same treats for the same behaviors repeatedly. Think of yourself as a (generous) dog treat slot machine. Sometimes the treat is a ball or a pat on the head instead of a normal treat. Sometimes the treat is a bit of chicken, bologna, or cheese. Sometimes there’s just no treat.

Leashes are a necessity if you're a dog owner. Choosing the right leash is nearly as important as making sure you are feeding your dog the right food or getting them the right training. Almost every dog I know will chase anything new and exciting that moves, if given the opportunity.

Sometimes that adorable curiosity can land them in big trouble though. That's where the tried and true dog leash comes in handy. So, it’s extremely important to make sure you're using the right leash for your dog, and avoiding the ones that might harm them.

Here’s DogBoy’s three simple steps to guide you toward the right leash for your dog:

First: DON'T Use These Dog Leashes

Before we discuss our recommendation on the right leashes for your dog, let’s make sure you know the wrong ones first.

One of the most common and most dangerous leashes is the Flexi Leash. It seems so convenient at first, because it gives your dog free rein to go at their own pace.

I understand completely why someone would want to use this leash at first glance. They're inexpensive, have a nice handle, and it seems like it gives your dog a sense of freedom while you maintain control. However, the Flexi Leash is a long, thin line that can easily wrap around a person and trip them up or cause injury. It has caused burns, cuts, and other serious injuries to dogs and humans alike.

You also don’t want to use any leash that cinches your dog’s neck or body. These leashes can actually cause permanent damage to your dog’s trachea and neck. It’s difficult to control the tightness of the leash and accidents can easily happen with an over-enthusiastic dog.

You just got your brand new puppy, and you’re dying to show them off. Good news! Your puppy is excited too! They are curious about their new world and ready to explore. However, we all know the “real world” can be a dangerous place for a new puppy.

Here’s our guide for making your puppy’s big debut to the outside world memorable, rewarding, and safe.

You Don’t Have To Wait Until They Have All Their Shots

Yes, you read that correctly. If you wait until puppies have all their shots administered before taking them out then you’ve missed critical socialization time. If your puppy isn’t properly socialized then they can have:

• Excessive Fear
• Avoidance
• Withdrawal
• Anxiety
• Reactivity

According to the AVSBA, behavioral issues are the leading cause of death in dogs under 3 years old. Poorly socialized puppies often end up in shelters and are euthanized.

However, the socialization window occurs when your puppy is most susceptible to infection. You need to be careful and keep them away from dangerous areas. Puppy classes and in-home visits are safe ways to socialize your puppy. You need to wait until they’ve had at least 1-2 rounds of boosters to take them out in the general public.

Adding a new dog to your home can be a very exciting time. Usually the whole household is happy, but we often don’t think about introducing this new dog to our current one. They’re both dogs so they have to get along… right? Not necessarily.

Here are some helpful tips for making some smooth introductions (with dogs that is).

#1 Keep Your Current Dog In Mind When Picking A New One

For instance, you might not want to adopt an exuberant puppy if you have a 15 year old dog in failing health. Many dogs are very specific about what types of dog’s they’re comfortable with. They could have problems with a new dog’s:

• Gender
• Breed
• Activity Level
• Size

The first step to having a cohesive household is making sure that your dog’s personalities match. Be familiar with your dog’s preferences and steer clear of dogs they won’t get along with. Don’t adopt a hyper-active Vizsla and expect them to be a good fit for your grumpy couch potato.

We’re doing something a little different for this blog post. We have a lot to say about this topic, but it’s all been said pretty well by the article linked below.

However, this article uses some harsh language and could be taken the wrong way, so we ask that you please read our preface below before you dive in. Remember that you can always contact us if you wish to know more (or just want to hear our personal opinions on the matter).

DogBoy’s Is Passionate About Positive Reward-Based Training

Unfortunately, our passion can sometimes get us into trouble. We find ourselves walking through dog parks and watching people using choke chains, pinch collars, or prong collars on their dogs and it riles us up! It makes us sad for the poor dog and angry at the dog owner because we think that they should know better by now.

However, to be honest, not everyone who uses these methods actually understands the mental and physical damage that they're inflicting on their dogs. Some of them have even paid good money to a “well respected” trainer who has told them to use those methods, and the sad truth is that those methods do work. They just work for the wrong reasons.

These dog training methods are effective because the dog is scared of being hurt by you instead of being excited and happy to please you. They create obedience from fear and trade a loving relationship for a dominating one…

Is that really what people want for their dogs? We certainly don’t think so.