News about Your Dog’s Friend

Play in the A/C in Class Instead of the Park This Summer!

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dogpark

Our nearby dog park, the Cabin John Dog Park, was in the local news this week. A woman was knocked over by a group of dogs and sustained several injuries. Are the owners responsible? Is the park responsible? There are a lot of unanswered questions.

To Dog Park or Not to Dog Park?

That is the question, isn’t it? As we’ve mentioned before, not all dogs benefit from going to the dog park. In fact, we’ve seen dogs who were not reactive develop reactive behaviors because of an incident at a dog park. That being said, if you regularly attend the dog park at the same day and time and there is a compatible group of dogs that show all the signs of having a great time, then great! You’ve got a good group of playmates (and hopefully good dog parents who are supervising with you).

Sue Sternberg has an excellent iPhone app for dog parents who are supervising dogs at play. It helps you identify behaviors that signal that a dog is “done” with play and should be taken home.

Come Play in the Air Conditioning!

We’re offering several fun classes this summer and our training center has air conditioning, so you’ll be out of the heat. (Can you believe it’s this hot already?)

  • It’s All Fun & Games! is on Tuesdays from 10 – 11 am. It starts on June 25 and ends on July 23. (No class on 7/3.)
  • Play & Games for Small Dogs (under 20 lbs) is a one-session class on Saturday, June 15 from 11:45 am – 1 pm. We repeat this class fairly often, so check back for additional dates!
  • Agility Games will have new sections this summer. We fill this popular class from our waiting list, so please email us at [email protected] if you’d like to be added to the list.
  • Kids & Dogs Summer Camp occurs in June and August. Fun and games for kids ages 8-13 and their furry friends.

And of course, ALL of our manners classes, sports classes, behavior classes, and skill clinics are fun because you’re bonding with your dog. Check out all our upcoming classes and sign up for one today, before your summer gets too busy.

 

Which Sign of Canine Heatstroke Are You Forgetting?

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heatstroke

Click the infographic to read the excellent article at Petfinder.com!

 

Dog Bites By The Numbers (Infographic)

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Dog Bites by the Numbers

Prevent Dog Bites: Teach the W.A.I.T. Method

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National Dog Bite Prevention Week 2013, May 19-25This week, May 19 – 25, is National Dog Bite Prevention Week. Dog bites change the lives of the people and dogs involved and many dog bites can be prevented through education.

Any dog can bite, even your family dog.

The website PreventTheBite.com has an excellent mnemonic to aid you and your children in learning how to approach a dog.

WAIT: Wait, Ask, Invite, Touch

In order to pet a dog, you must go through each step of the WAIT process.

Wait to approach the dog until you see that the dog is with his owner and appears to be friendly. STOP and walk away if the dog is alone or looks frightened or angry.

Ask for permission to pet the dog from its owner. STOP and walk away if the answer is no. Even if the dog looks friendly from a distance, it may not enjoy interacting with strangers.

Invite the dog to approach you. Talk in a gentle voice to the dog. Keep your hands loosely at your sides. STOP and do not touch the dog if he doesn’t come over to sniff you.

Touch the dog gently on its chest or back. Dogs can be sensitive about petting on their head, face, or tail area, so avoid these areas with a dog you do not know well.

PreventTheBite has an educational presentation kit including flyers, activities, and coloring pages for children on their website.

 

Links We Love for Dog Bite Prevention Week

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National Dog Bite Prevention Week 2013, May 19-25

We’ve gathered together some of our favorite links about dog-human interaction for you today!

This week, May 19 – 25, is National Dog Bite Prevention Week. Dog bites change the lives of the people and dogs involved and many dog bites can be prevented through education.

Any dog can bite, even your family dog.

Bite Prevention Links

The Humane Society’s How To Avoid a Dog Bite is a quick overview of dog body language, what to do if you think a dog might attack, and what to do if you are bitten by a dog.

Doggone Safe’s Dog Bite Prevention Tips are a must-read for parents. They include the three most important things to teach your kids, two important steps for parents of children, and three most important things for parents of dogs. There’s even an interactive quiz at the end!

Trainer Colleen Pelar has been helping families love sharing their homes with dogs since 1991. She’s spoken at several of our free workshops and has an amazing website and book.

The Family Dog focuses on families with kids between 3-10 years old. Their mission is to ensure that every parent knows how to parent their kids around dogs and their dog around kids. Since the majority of bites come from a familiar dog (family or friend’s), the information needs to start at home. Serious lessons are presented through fun and games in the first online video based training program.

Local Educational Opportunity

Doggone Safe Dog Bite Prevention Program for Children

Most bites to children are by the family dog or other dog the child knows, and can be prevented through education. Doggone Safe has developed the Be a Tree™ program for primary school children. Children learn how to read dog body language and act safely around dogs.

This program is unique in its use of several different teaching strategies, including interactive games, its focus on physical activity, and its emphasis on positive messages.

Instead of telling children “don’t do this and don’t do that”, the Be a Tree™ program teaches them to make safe decisions based on the body language and actions of the dog.

Local trainer Hedda Garland, CPDT-KA, PMCT (www.schoolofdogs.com) is a registered Be a Tree™ presenter. For a Be a Tree™ presentation to your church, school, or scouting group, contact Hedda at [email protected] or 202-363-2310.

Recall: Natura Pet Food & Treats

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recallNatura has issued a voluntary recall of all dry products with an expiration date on or before March 24, 2014, for the following brands.

Innova
EVO
California Natural
HealthWise
Karma

For more information, see the Natura website where you can download a form to request replacements of recalled food.