Articles
To Bite or Not to Bite
By Darlene Koza
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A serious issue receiving media attention is dog bite cases. My focus is to prevent people (especially children) from experiencing a dog bite.
First of all children should NEVER be left alone with any dog, especially children under the age of 10 years old. As a parent you should supervise all activities between your child and your dog, not only for your child’s sake but for the welfare of your dog. I have witnessed many children that treat a dog improperly because they have not been taught otherwise. Therefore I will provide you with the proper way for your child to approach and behave around a dog.
Let’s begin with the approach. The first thing you or your child should do is ask permission to pet the dog if it is not your dog. It’s ok for the pet parent to say “no”. They know the temperament of their dog and some dogs have not been...>continue to read article
Make Friends With Your Butcher
By Darlene Koza
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Don’t be scared by the title. This friendship will benefit man’s best friend. Still have no idea what I’m talking about...BONES! Dogs love bones! Bones help to relieve boredom. It is necessary for your dog to have something to chew on, especially if you have a teething puppy. Save your shoes and get your dog a sterilized beef bone. You can give the bone to your dog unfilled or you can fill them. Peanut butter makes a good stuffing. The pet stores also sell Kong paste which comes in a variety of flavors. The container looks like a Cheez Whiz can.
Cow hooves are another choice for you dog to chew on since they are long-lasting. However if you notice your dog is breaking large pieceoff toss out the hoof. I must warn you the hoof smells really disgusting while your dog is chewing on it. My suggestion would be to put the hoof in your dog’s crate. That way you won’t smell it and you will not step on it. Believe me they are not much fun to step on especially in the middle of the night. OUCH
Some other dog chews are ears. There are three ears to choose from: cow, pig and lamb. For puppies and older dogs ...>continue to read article
Scooter's School of Sit and Stay
By Leah Forsberg
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Dogs in Danville and surrounding areas can now enroll in school.
Darlene Koza has been tossing around the idea of having her own dog obedience school for years With the elbowing of her fiance, she has recently made the leap from trainer to business woman.
"At first, he's like, "Oh my goodness, you have three dogs!" Now he's like, They 're really good dogs" He's become a believer, too. I didn't want to work weekends the rest of my life ..>continue to read article
Fido’s First Christmas???
By Darlene Koza
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It’s that time of the year already, the holidays are upon us. We are busy shopping, cooking, entertaining and decorating. It’s such a joyful season-Christmas trees, presents, poinsettias and all the food!!! However did you realize the festive things we enjoy can be dangerous to our pets?
The Christmas tree is such a great tradition and the focal point of our gatherings. It’s so beautiful and fragrant. Unfortunately it can be a hazard to our pets. Please make sure you supervise your animals around the tree. If you are unable to supervise put gates up or close doors so they are not left with the tree unattended. One danger often overlooked is the water supply to the tree. Dogs like to drink the tree’s water therefore leaving the tree dry, a dry tree with hot lights on it can become a fire hazard. The lights themselves can be dangerous and they are enticing to a teething puppy. Tinsel although beautiful can become a tasty treat for a dog; there have been deadly reports of dogs ingesting tinsel.
Presents look so lovely under the tree. Here are a few things to keep in mind. Dogs LOVE paper!!!! If you don’t supervise some presents may get unwrapped before Christmas. Or your presents may get additional decorations. One year I had my tree up with all the presents under the tree it looked so gorgeous. Then my male dog (Scooter) came along and decided one of the presents was his. Guess what he did....>continue to read article
Baby Its Cold Outside
By Darlene Koza
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If our recent snow storms are any indication of how this winter is going to be it will be a LONG, cold winter. For the skiers this is great news! For some of us, including our pets this is not exactly the type of weather we enjoy.
Some people are under the impression that because a dog has a fur coat it can tolerate the cold. This is not true, especially for breeds with short coats. Some examples of dogs that should not be exposed to the cold without a dog sweater or coat are the Boxer, Chihuahua, Chinese Crested and the Miniature Pinscher. All breeds regardless of the length of their coat can suffer from frostbite... >continue to read article
Fighting Cabin Fever with Fido
by Darlene Koza
All the excitement of the holidays is over. The decorations are put away and the guests are gone. Now what? A nap sounds really good! After your nap, get up and do something fun with your dog.
During the summer it’s easy to enjoy outdoor activities with your dog. In contrast, the thought of going outside in the bitter cold during the winter months is not appealing. However your dog still needs exercise to help keep him at an ideal weight and prevent behavioral issues. A great deal of bad behaviors stem from lace of exercise. Some examples are: chewing improper items, barking and digging....>continue to read article
Purse Dogs
By Darlene Koza
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We have all seen them, those cute little dogs in the dog “purses”. Paris Hilton parading around with her Chihuahua “Tinkerbell”. Sure she may look fashionable but is she doing the dog any favors by carrying it around in a purse? I’m sure you have all experienced the lap dog that is protective and will growl or try to bite you if you motion towards the owner. Since they are typically toy breeds people think the dogs are funny and will just laugh at them.
Why are these dogs like that? Are toy breeds just that way? I don’t think so...>continue to read article
