Your New Puppy

I love puzzle feeders as a way to "ditch the bowl" and make mealtime an event.   If you search "puzzle feeder" or "slow feeders" online countless options come up.  I have my favorite store bought feeders (see my Supplies page) but there's also many ways to DIY it! In fact, I have three that you can […] The post YNP #084: My Favorite DIY Puzzle Feeders appeared first on Playtime Paws.

I hope you never need this podcast episode.  Chances are, you will.  Having a lost pet is a stressful and upsetting experience.  Sometimes we don't think of the obvious things and sometimes we don't even know the resources that are available I talk about the most effective things you can do, who you should call, where you […] The post YNP #083: What to Do if Your Dog Gets Lost appeared first on Playtime Paws.

A microchip is a tiny device that is placed below your pet's skin.  It has a unique 15 digit code that you register along with your contact information.  This way if your pet ever gets lost, shelters, veterinarians, police stations, and others can scan the microchip and access your contact info and help return your […] The post YNP #082: Let’s Update Your Dog’s Microchip appeared first on Playtime Paws.

When we thing of what our dog's walk should look like we think of them walking by our side without being distracted by anything and only sniffing when we say it's ok.   Spoiler alert!  There is NO "should". I'm here to let you off the hook.  Your walk doesn't have to be perfect.  As long as […] The post YNP #081: My Rules for Your Dog’s Walk appeared first on Playtime Paws.

Most of the time we want to use the cue "off" to tell our dogs to "get down".  For example, when they  jump on us or our guests or when they jump on the table or counter.   I have nothing against teaching this cue, I just approach it in a different way.  If we think about it, […] The post YNP #080: Why I Don’t Teach “Off” appeared first on Playtime Paws.

Potty training is hard.  We can set them up for success as much as we can but it takes as long as it takes.  It's a process that we can't rush our puppy through.   We all struggle with potty training.  While we're in it, it feels like it will last forever.  For most, we'll have […] The post YNP #079: Are You Still Struggling With Potty Training? appeared first on Playtime Paws.

Nipping is one of the biggest struggles every puppy parent goes through.   It can be very disheartening especially when the kids don't want to play with the puppy anymore.   That's why I'm giving you my three favorite games that I teach my clients to help with a nipping puppy. Each one is designed to give you a […] The post YNP #078: Games to Play with a Nipping Puppy appeared first on Playtime Paws.

A strong recall is one of the most important behaviors your dog can have. That is why I wanted to replay this episode about how to get a stronger recall.   This is a special training that I do inside my digital products (YOUR Perfect Puppy and Playtime Paws Academy) I talk about how I approach recall as […] The post YNP Replay: How to Get a Stronger Recall appeared first on Playtime Paws.

A lot of new puppy owners wonder if it's OK to use a pen in addition to (or instead of) a crate.   The idea of giving your puppy or young dog room to move around and play is a very appealing one.  BUT there are some drawbacks to giving them this extra space.  A emphasize using the […] The post YNP#077: Using a Crate vs Using a Pen appeared first on Playtime Paws.

Every dog needs a collar and leash.  There are many options out there so let's talk about them. Each of these tools has it's advantages and disadvantages and there's no one perfect solution that works for every dog. In part one I talked about the different types of leashes.    In this episode (part two) I talk about […] The post YNP #076: Different Leash Walking Tools (Part 02: Collars and Harnesses) appeared first on Playtime Paws.

Every dog needs a collar and leash.  There are many options out there so let's talk about them. Each option has it's advantages and disadvantages and there's no one perfect solution that works for every dog. So in this episode (part one) I talk about the most common types of leashes that are available. In part two […] The post YNP #075: Different Types of Leash Walking Tools (Part 01: Leashes) appeared first on Playtime Paws.

Socialization is the most important training you can do for your Puppy.  We want to get our puppy out from the very beginning and do as much as we can in their early weeks. Socialization is more than just exposing your dog to new people and dogs.  It also includes new places, objects, sounds, textures, environments, […] The post YNP #074: How to Socialize Your Puppy Without Leaving Your House appeared first on Playtime Paws.

Christine Rohloff Gossinger literally wrote the book on dog breeds.   She joins me to talk about how understanding your dog's breed can help us understand our dogs and their needs.   This episode is chock full of examples, training tips, and fun tidbits just like her book.  Listen in and decide for yourself it your dog's breed […] The post YNP #073: Does Your Dog’s Breed Matter? appeared first on Playtime Paws.

Something I get asked often is how I feel about using a potty bell.   If you listened to my complete guide to potty training then you know that I don't mention using a bell at all but does that mean I don't want you to?  No go ahead...well, maybe...  While I'll show my clients how to use […] The post YNP #072: Should You Use a Potty Bell? appeared first on Playtime Paws.

Teaching your dog "Stay" is one of the easier cues to teach your dog...if we do it right.  And of course most of us are doing it wrong.   Stay can be a useful command ("Stay" so I can take your picture).  It can be used for safety ("Stay" while I clean up this glass that […] The post YNP #071: Tips for a Stronger Stay appeared first on Playtime Paws.

Kasie comes back to teach us more about raw feeding.  This time we talk all about puppies! Plus Kasie has some advice on treats and how to start even if you feel overwhelmed. This episode is Part 2 of a two part series.  In Part 1 we talk about raw feeding more general.   Kasie has been raw […] The post YNP #070: What is Raw Feeding?: Puppy Edition appeared first on Playtime Paws.

Maybe you've never heard of raw feeding your dog.  Maybe you have but you're not quite sure what it means.  This episode can start to answer some of your questions.  Raw feeding is something that I've dabbled in but I am NO expert.  Since I do get questions about it all the time, I've decided to […] The post YNP #069: What is Raw Feeding? appeared first on Playtime Paws.

"Practice makes perfect."  We all know that one.  Well, it's just as true for our dogs.   When we teach our dogs how to sit we know to start at step one and work them up to a reliable sit in any situation.   When we want to change a behavior (like barking, digging, leash walking, or counter surfing) […] The post YNP #068: The Power of Practice appeared first on Playtime Paws.

In part one we talked about demand barking.  Here in part two I go into detail about alert barking.   Alert barking is when your dog is barking at something.  A dog out the window, a noise like a doorbell, your neighbor, etc.   This type of barking usually starts in as your puppy gets older.  Once […] The post YNP #067: How to Stop a Dog From Barking (Part 2) appeared first on Playtime Paws.

Barking comes in many different forms. This makes how to stop a dog from barking more complicated than we think.   We can't just ask "how do I stop my dog from barking?" and get an answer because why they are barking plays a significant role in how we stop them.   Are they barking in the […] The post YNP #066: How to Stop a Dog From Barking (Part 1) appeared first on Playtime Paws.