With fall approaching, leaves will soon be on our lawns. What might the additional foliage mean for your dog? Although some canines might be content to just enjoy jumping in the leaves with you, others might be inclined to dine on them, as well as grass and sticks. So, should you be concerned if your canine companion is getting their snacks from out back? Dogs often eat grass and/or leaves simply to alleviate an upset stomach. If they vomit a bit sometime after doing so, it shouldn’t be cause for alarm, as long as this is not something that happens …
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How to Clean Your Dog’s Ears
Ear Cleaning Description: The first thing to do is to familiarize yourself with what the dog’s normal and healthy ears look and smell like in order to identify if they become abnormal. If the ear looks abnormal, you may need to do a gentle clean or flush depending on the severity. You will want to start handling the dog’s ears at an early age to build cooperative care. Frequency: Check ears daily for debris or redness. Clean as needed. Supplies: Ear Cleaner (Douxo Micellar, MalAcetic Otic, or Vetoquinol Vet Solutions from chewy.com or pet stores) Cotton Balls only; never use …
Springtime Tips for Dogs
Spring is finally springing. As you make the transition to what the season means in your life, don’t forget what it can also mean for your dog. Preventatives If you’re someone who doesn’t give heartworm or flea and tick preventatives to your dog year-round, now is the time to resume those practices. Preventing medical problems is much easier than treating them after the fact. Grooming Grab a brush! If your dog has a winter coat to shed, give them a hand by brushing them more frequently. As long as you’re at it, check their ears and nails to make sure …
Dogs’ Musical Preferences
It’s no secret that dogs have better hearing for certain sounds and pitches. But does it matter if you play Mozart, Bob Marley, or Metallica around your furry friend? Some say, “yes!” At Can Do Canines, we play classical music in our kennels. Executive Director Jeff Johnson was recently interviewed by Minnesota Public Radio to discuss how listening to MPR’s classical music station has been shown to have a calming effect on our dogs. In fact, research has been done to address how some sounds—particularly music—can affect dogs’ behavior. According to Cambridge University Press, a 2002 study by Wells et …
Puppy Program Volunteer Opportunities
Our Puppy Program is looking for volunteers to help with our more specialized foster opportunities. Whelping Homes: Volunteers in this role take a pregnant female dog into their home and, along with our Breeding Coordinator, help the dog give birth. They lovingly care for Mom and puppies for up to six weeks. This includes charting their growth, making sure they are developing appropriately, doing environmental enrichment exercises, socialization, and lots and lots of clean up! This role requires the volunteer to give 24/7 care to the mom and their puppies. Medical Recovery & Evaluation Homes: These volunteers are available on …
Dog’s Dental Health
Dental disease is one of the most common concerns that veterinarians see in their patients. Dental disease can be uncomfortable, painful for dogs, and expensive to treat. In the long run, it can cause damage to the jaw, a higher risk of oral cancer, and eventually cause kidney disease from bacteria overgrowth. Luckily, dental disease is, overall, something very preventable. Brushing the dog’s teeth is the best way to prevent dental disease. Ensure your dog has appropriate toys and treats that are safe for teeth and yearly vet visits to check oral health. Frequency: At least once a week; daily, …
Holiday Baking for Your Dog
With the holidays near, why not include a simple and healthy dog treat recipe for your pup in the baking line-up? During the holiday season, in particular, we are often tempted by an abundance of goodies for ourselves. Just as many people find joy in eating, it’s clear that our Can Do Canines do too. If you haven’t yet seen our video about what feeding time in our kennel looks like, we’re serving it up again for you here. Homemade Dog Treats Ingredients 1 cup pumpkin puree 2 eggs 1/3 cup peanut butter natural, (NO Xylitol or sugar substitutes) 2 …
Avoid any Halloween scares by following these tips and tricks
Oh my gourd, howl-ween is almost here! Sweet treats, festive decor, and costumes galore make Halloween a fun day. To keep your pets safe, we put together a list of tips and tricks to avoid any scares! Get out the zoooooomies! Halloween visitors usually come around the evening time. With this in mind, help your dog get their energy out with a walk during the day when it’s still light out. Costumes + animals = cuteness overload While we might love the idea of a pet in a costume, keep in mind not all of our furry friends do, so …
Practice Loose-Leash Walking to Avoid Being Pulled
As spring approaches, getting out to enjoy the nice weather by walking our dogs more often and for longer periods of time is a welcome relief. This might also be a great time to brush up on loose-leash walking habits with your four-legged friend. Teaching a dog to walk nicely with us on a leash is one of the hardest skills to maintain. We walk slower and usually in a straighter line than our dogs, and we certainly don’t get giddy about running over to sniff delicious smells. Most dogs will get very excited about the opportunity to go for …
Positive Reinforcement Training
What is Positive Reinforcement Training? The general concept of positive reinforcement training is in the name—you reinforce and reward desired behavior versus focusing on, and reacting to, the undesirable behaviors a dog is displaying. Rewards for desired behaviors can come in the form of treats, praise, toys or anything the dog finds rewarding. Since the reward makes the dog more likely to repeat the behavior, positive reinforcement is a powerful tool for shaping or changing your dog’s behavior. For example, if you have a dog who jumps all over visitors, it is much faster to teach your dog a behavior …
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