by OLK9Alex | Jul 25, 2019 | Albany Dog Trainer
In a recent blog I talked about how the hazy, hot and humid days of summer pose a particular hazard to our pets. To underscore that fact, I want to talk about the dangerous behavior I observed in just the last week since filing that story. On one of the hottest days...
by OLK9Alex | Jul 25, 2019 | Albany Dog Trainer
Can Astrology Help You Find Your Next Canine Companion? Whether you’re an Aries, Gemini or one of the remaining 10 signs of the Zodiac you probably have read up on the characteristics that reportedly make you who you are. You may agree or disagree, but likely have fun...
by OLK9Alex | Jul 25, 2019 | Albany Dog Trainer
Top Ways to Love Your Pet Every Day If you’re like me you talk to your dog incessantly and wish he or she could understand your every word and now how much you love them. But do you ever wish you knew the best way to put your words into action? Here some top ways to...
by OLK9Alex | May 27, 2019 | Dog Health, Dog Tips
How to Bring Your Dog Camping Here in New York State we have abundant green space and rural landscapes to enjoy for recreation. When the weather warms up many of us start thinking about outdoor activities. Camping is at the top of my list. Whether I camp in a tent,...
by OLK9Alex | May 27, 2019 | Dog Tips, Training Information
How to Interpret the Meaning of Dog Barks As any dog whisperer would likely tell you, the duration, frequency and pitch of your dog’s bark has a very specific meaning. Consider the world famous Collie and canine star of the Big Screen in the 1950s and 1960s, Lassie,...
by OLK9Alex | May 27, 2019 | Dog Tips
How to Choose a Name for Your Pup Picking the perfect name for your pup is a serious matter but it can also be fun. After all, he or she will have that name for life so it’s important to choose a name that best suits the newest four-legged member of your family. So,...
by OLK9Alex | May 16, 2019 | Albany Dog Trainer
Dealing with Dog Cancer Is Canine Cancer a Death Sentence? The leading cause of death in dogs over the age of two years is cancer. In dogs 10 years and older the risk of developing cancer increases exponentially, according to a blog post from April 2017 from...
by OLK9Alex | May 16, 2019 | Albany Dog Trainer
Different Dog Sleeping Positions Why does my dog sleep this way… It’s pretty common knowledge that cats spend a lot of time sleeping every day. But you might be surprised to learn that pooches like to snooze 12 to 14 hours a day, too. And puppies, senior dogs and dogs...
by OLK9Alex | May 13, 2019 | Dog Health
At Home Dog Health Checks Simple Home Check-ups to Detect Disease in Pets If you’re like me you’re hyper-vigilant when it comes to detecting changes in your pooch’s or kitty’s behavior. Yet there have been times when symptoms of illness have gotten past me until they...
by OLK9Alex | May 13, 2019 | Dog Health, Dog Tips, Training Tips
Why Foster a Dog Perhaps the idea of adding a dog to the family is a little intimidating at the moment. Or the loss of a beloved dog is too recent and you can’t bear the idea of getting attached to another pooch. Regardless of the reason, fostering is a wonderful way...
by OLK9Alex | May 13, 2019 | Dog Tips, Training Tips
Preventing Dog Theft As many as two million animals are stolen each year and only about 10 percent ever make it back to their homes, according to statistics revealed on Petfinder.com. Purebred dogs tend to be the most popular among thieves, but all beloved family pets...
by OLK9Alex | May 13, 2019 | Dog Health, Dog Tips
Dealing with Dog Cancer Is Canine Cancer a Death Sentence? The leading cause of death in dogs over the age of two years is cancer. In dogs 10 years and older the risk of developing cancer increases exponentially, according to a blog post from April 2017 from...
by OLK9Alex | May 13, 2019 | Albany Dog Trainer
Different Dog Sleeping Positions Why does my dog sleep this way… It’s pretty common knowledge that cats spend a lot of time sleeping every day. But you might be surprised to learn that pooches like to snooze 12 to 14 hours a day, too. And puppies, senior dogs...
by OLK9Alex | May 4, 2019 | Dog Tips, Training Tips
Dog Crate Barking Solutions For most dogs their crate is their home, their man cave, the place where they feel safe and secure. However, if they weren’t introduced to crate training from a young age they may be resistant to spending much time there, which can lead to...
by OLK9Alex | May 4, 2019 | Dog Tips
Dog Volunteering Thinking about adopting a dog or a cat for the first time? Not sure you want to take on the responsibility or have enough time for a four-legged companion? Why not consider becoming a volunteer first? Capital District animal shelters and rescue...
by OLK9Alex | May 4, 2019 | Dog Health, Dog Tips, Senior Dogs
Dealing with Loss of a Pet Grieving the Loss of your Pet The agony of losing your four-legged best friend is almost indescribable. In fact, there is at least one study out there that suggests losing a pet may even be worse than losing a human. A study conducted by...
by OLK9Alex | Apr 28, 2019 | Albany Dog Trainer, Dog Tips
Tips for Boarding your Dog Boarding is one of the biggest sources of anxiety for both dogs and their owners, but it doesn’t have to be that way. There are ways to give your dog a positive boarding experience while you’re out of town. Once you have found the perfect...
by OLK9Alex | Apr 28, 2019 | Albany Dog Trainer, Dog Tips
Dog Licensing Fees for Albany and Rensselaer Counties Keeping Dog Licensing Up To Date in Albany and Rensselaer counties of Upstate New York If you have a dog you already know that the municipality where you live expects you to license your canine and to renew its...
by OLK9Alex | Apr 28, 2019 | Dog Tips
Living in an Apartment with a Dog Do Apartments and Dogs Mix? Most of my adult life I have rented apartments and I have always shared my homes with pets. Admittedly, finding the right apartment has been more challenging because of my four-legged children. But I would...
by OLK9Alex | Apr 28, 2019 | Dog Tips
Road Trip Tips for your Dog I’ve always made it a habit to take my dog on as many vacations as possible. After all, she is a member of the family. For every destination I have in mind I try to find some dog-friendly activities that will be available once we get there....
by OLK9Alex | Apr 21, 2019 | Dog Health, Dog Tips
Caring For Dog Paws Springing into Spring on Four Healthy Paws; what Upstate New York Dog Owners Need to Know This time of year spring cleaning, annual check-ups and setting warm weather activity goals here in New York’s Capital District are all on the list of...
by OLK9Alex | Apr 21, 2019 | Dog Tips
Find the Best Pet Sitter Looking for someone to watch the four-legged members of our families can be a stressful prospect not unlike when we look for trusted, competent childcare. Finding the perfect dog sitter is not always easy for everyone. Most people stress over...
by OLK9Alex | Apr 21, 2019 | Dog Tips
Calming Your Dog During A Thunderstorm We recently had a nasty thunderstorm in the middle of the night here in the Albany, N.Y. area that rocked my apartment building and boasted a light show to rival fireworks on the Fourth of July. And it’s not even May yet. My cats...
by OLK9Alex | Apr 21, 2019 | Dog Tips
Tips for Finding Lost Dogs Tips to Safely Getting Pups Back Home No one wants to think about it until it happens to them — the nightmare of a missing pet. It is a heart-stopping moment. Your mind is racing from thought to thought. You are frantically searching for:...
by OLK9Alex | Apr 14, 2019 | Training Information, Training Tips
Importance of Basic Obedience Training If you had a friend who constantly interrupted you when you were speaking, roughly yanked your arm and stepped on your feet whenever the two of you walked somewhere and had absolutely no table (or bathroom) manners how often do...
by OLK9Alex | Apr 14, 2019 | Senior Dogs
The Benefits of Adopting Senior Dogs (and Cats) When a family is thinking about bringing a new dog into their home, there are lots of things to consider. If the family has children, chances are they will ask for a puppy. Conversely, families without children may give...
by OLK9Alex | Apr 14, 2019 | Dog Health
How to Keep your Dog’s Teeth Healthy Recently, while I was in the dentist’s chair undergoing a root canal I vowed to make sure my daughter would never be in a similar predicament. And then I started thinking about my dog and cats. What about the health of their...
by OLK9Alex | Apr 9, 2019 | Training Information
A Day in the Life of a Therapy Dog Marguerita, or “Rita” as she’s lovingly known, is a four-year-old Pembroke Welsh Corgi from Averill Park, New York whose life is anything but ordinary. Rita routinely comforts humans suffering with everything from anxiety to...
by OLK9Alex | Apr 9, 2019 | Dog Health
Dealing Proactively with Hearing Loss in Your Dog My brother Tony and his partner Kenny have three miniature Dachshunds. The eldest of the wiener-dog trio is Toby who will turn 16 in November. Next oldest is Webster, a dapple mini Dachshund who is nearly 14. Ernie, a...
by OLK9Alex | Apr 9, 2019 | Training Information
Is it Illegal to Interact With or Pet a Service Dog? The quick answer is no, it’s not illegal but you still shouldn’t do it. There have been many occasions when I’ve happened upon a service dog and its handler anywhere from Albany International Airport in Albany, NY...
by OLK9Alex | Apr 9, 2019 | Dog Health
Plants That Are Poisonous to Dogs and Other Pets Spring arrived a few weeks ago. But here in Albany, East Greenbush and throughout Upstate New York’s Capital District we have only been treated to a handful of days when the temperature has climbed above 50 degrees...
by OLK9Alex | Aug 28, 2018 | Dog Health
Dogs That Eat Too Much or Eat Little: Causes and Solutions Some dogs never satiate their appetite. They are always hungry and anxious to get more food. They are by the table, when the rest of the family eats, waiting for someone to offer them a piece of any food. But...
by OLK9Alex | Aug 28, 2018 | Albany Dog Trainer
Does my Dog Have Feelings? Many people wonder if their dog has feelings or emotions. Dogs, like humans, can experience emotions and feelings, more or less intensely, in the same way as humans do. Numerous scientific studies have been carried out verifying these data,...
by OLK9Alex | Aug 28, 2018 | Albany Dog Trainer
Is Your Dog A Cartoon? My dog is a goofball. She reminds me of a cross between Scooby-Doo, the reluctant detective, and a silly version of the heroic real-life Movie Icon Rin Tin Tin of the 1950s. “Holly” is a white German Shepherd, who on a number of occasions, has...
by OLK9Alex | Aug 28, 2018 | Dog Health
Be Prepared for Pet Emergencies If your pet got injured would you be able to administer basic life-saving care that could mean the difference between life and death? First Aid and CPR training classes are both offered online and in person regularly in most US cities...
by OLK9Alex | Aug 28, 2018 | Albany Dog Trainer
Topical Pain Meds Can Kill Pets As many Bay State pet parents hailing from Albany, Troy, Schenectady, Saratoga, NY already realize, there are myriad human medications that are off limits for cats and dogs – and not all of them come in pill form. The Food and Drug...
by OLK9Alex | Aug 28, 2018 | Dog Health, Senior Dogs
Senior Dogs and Surgery Senior pets aren’t all that much different from human senior citizens, except that their lifespans are generally shorter than what we humans experience. While conducting research on the topic of senior dogs and the risks surgery and...
by OLK9Alex | Aug 27, 2018 | Albany Dog Trainer
Dogs’ Mouths and What May Be Lurking There These days it seems like our four-legged friends are just a likely to suffer from scary maladies as we are. We dog owners here in Upstate New York, the Capital District, Albany and Saratoga are inundated about the do’s...
by OLK9Alex | Aug 27, 2018 | Albany Dog Trainer
Some Cool Stuff Santa’s Packing for Good Pups on His List This year Santa will be bringing some pretty unique gifts for canines not on the naughty list. For starters, a doggy treadmill, a hands-free leash, an elevated bed and collars that actually repel unpleasant...
by OLK9Alex | Aug 27, 2018 | Albany Dog Trainer
Air Travel and Your Dog The rules for traveling by air with your pet have evolved over the years. For instance, in 1990 I traveled from Los Angeles to Albany, N.Y. with my cat “Koko” when she was less than a year old. At that time, I was required to keep her in a very...
by OLK9Alex | Aug 27, 2018 | Albany Dog Trainer
Can Bugs Take Up Residence in a Dog’s Mouth? I recently was sent a link on Facebook with the image of the interior of a dog’s mouth and what appeared to be ladybugs attached to its roof. The photo was, not surprisingly, disturbing and meant to alarm...
by OLK9Alex | Aug 27, 2018 | Albany Dog Trainer
Make Your Picnic Safe for Your Pooch The lazy days of summer offer lots of opportunities to share good times with our four-legged friends. But that fun can quickly turn deadly if our pooches ingest something toxic or get too much heat and sun. Here are a few tips for...
by OLK9Alex | Aug 27, 2018 | Albany Dog Trainer
Is Vomiting Cause for Concern Sometimes it seems like my dog “Talia” will eat anything she comes in contact with. I’ve literally had to pull everything from a tomato plant to a pair of snow skis from the clenches of her adult German Shepherd jaws. Given the...
