Noelle making dog biscuits with Mo's "help."

Unfortunately there aren’t a ton of ways a girl in elementary school can volunteer with dogs on the level Noelle wants.  So when she asked her parents to contact us two years ago after seeing one of our marked cars in a parking lot,  we had to find a way to incorporate her into our team.  Since then she has helped us do everything from bake dog biscuits to manage our booth at various events.  She even participated in the Pit Crew’s training class, helping the dogs practice for their challenging roles as therapy dogs.  Still, this isn’t quite enough for her, as all Noelle wants to do is spend time with dogs.

Thankfully, allowing fantastic kids like Noelle volunteer and learn about animals just got easier in Austin.   With the help and support of her parents, Noelle is able to be part of Austin Pets Alive’s new Big Brother/Sister Program.  A lucky (and quite adorable) dog named Bunny got Noelle as her “Big” recently.   Noelle is familiarized with Bunny’s schedule and needs, wrote Bunny’s bio to help her get adopted, and gets to do fun stuff with her like play and teach her obedience cues.

Noelle Jack

While most ten year old girls are playing video games and making lists of all the toys, clothes and shoes they want, Noelle is focused on something entirely different.   She reads countless books on anything dog-related  and volunteers as much time as she can to opportunities that will allow her to help dogs and the people who love them.

Noelle’s love for animals, sense of humor, perseverance, and utterly amazing tendency for giving to others before she takes for herself, have made her a true inspiration in our lives.  We are proud to say she is part of our team and thankful for programs like APA’s Big Brothers/Sisters for giving her the opportunity to learn and grow as a truly good and wonderful person.  We hope to be more like Noelle when we grow up.

Your information is safe with us and will never be shared with or sold to any outside parties.

Sincerely,

Crystal Dunn, Founder & Trainer

Instantly I rushed to the Android Apps site to find all the cool pet apps that they offer, fully expecting them to rival iPhone’s excellent selection, yet only to find out that Android has totally missed the boat on this one.   In fact, there isn’t even a “Pet” category – Just a stinkin’ “Lifestyle” category that contains one virtually useless dog whistle app.

Usagi says: "Get with the program, Android!"

C’mon Droid developers!  Don’t you have pets?

Just because I bought the practical app phone that will still function even after being dropped on the concrete a million times, in a cup of tea, and once in directly into a pile of dog poo; that doesn’t mean I don’t deserve the cool app that tells me when my dog’s shots are due, where the nearest dog park is, and how to find the closest vet.

Then there’s DogiDuty: A pet sitting app that sends reports directly to the client after each visit.  How cool is that?  We keep an active journal for all of our clients and send email updates regularly, but this is just awesome!

So I’m not ditching my trusty (and tough) Android phone just yet.  But I was thinking… maybe I need that iPad after all.

P.S.  I disinfected my phone after the poo incident very thoroughly- in case you were worried.

And if I am missing a cool android dog app, please feel free to share.

~Crystal

…and reap the benefits of the good behavior that follows!

This is an edited re-post of an older article taken from the LnH Newsletter – March 2009

We all know that belly rubs are great and that one spot you scratch, you know the one that summons the ticklish back leg kick? Yeah, that’s the spot! But the luckiest dogs will tell you that, aside from the great belly scratches they receive on a regular basis, their lives also include lots and lots of games that keep their minds sharp and their bodies busy!

Jack will do anything for that ball - even if it means the hard work of sitting still for a photo.

Games help build confidence, spend excess energy, teach self control, increase focus, and create a sense of stability and comfort in the home. Games can also decrease destructive urges by giving a more constructive outlet for releasing pent-up energy.  This is called harnessing drive – or channeling a dog’s natural urges to chase, catch, and retrieve into more constructive things than say: killing the squirrels or chasing the neighbor’s car.  Games can give your dog a sense of purpose, a challenge, and a job to do. All of these factors contribute to your dog’s overall well being and, best of all, build a stronger bond of trust and respect with you!

There are good ways and bad ways to play with your dog. If your dog loves to steal your underpants and run away while you chase them around the house, you’ve experienced some of the undesirable side effects of the chase game first hand. If they are failing to see the difference between your hands and chew toys, you may be inadvertently encouraging mouthing by wresting and playing too rough with your pooch. Playing with your pup should build good behavior, not bad habits.

A good game for a dog should engage their mind first. There should be clear rules outlined for them during this game using training cues that they have been taught in advance. For example, Fetch can be played using cues like Sit, Stay, Fetch, Come, and Drop it. If you find a game that you think your dog will love, make sure you prepare them ahead of time by teaching them any new cues that they may need to understand the game first. Then teach the game one step at a time. Every dog is different, and may respond to one game more than another. If your dog isn’t having fun with a game, don’t be afraid to make it easier or try something new.

Here are a few great games to try:

Hide n’ Seek (Intro to Coming When Called and Distance Stays)

Place your dog in a Sit or Down/ Stay. Walk a few feet away and call them to you in a very excited and fun tone. Reward when they come to you. Repeat the process, each time increasing your distance from the dog until you can go out of sight. Keep it simple at first, then slowly increase the difficulty level in finding you. Hide behind doors, in closets, and even outside (in a fenced area) to create a real challenge!  If your dog’s stay isn’t quite strong enough to play this game by himself, have someone hold them by leash and show your dog the reward you’ll have waiting for them when they come find you.  When you call, your helper drops the leash and your dogs scampers to find you.

Treasure Hunt (Intro to Impulse Control and Focus)

Put your dog in a down or sit stay and place a treat, toy, or something of moderate interest within sight. Wait a moment before releasing her to get the toy, encouraging her to go to the reward and eat it or play with it however she wants. Use a cue for this coupled with your release word.  If you say “OK” to release, then say something like “OK – Get it!”  in an excited tone.  If you act like you really love the game, your dog will pick up on your tone and be equally excited.  So if your dog isn’t extremely interested in the game to start, increase your energy and excitement to show them how fun it is.  Repeat this, varying where you place the reward and slowly increasing the value of the reward.  Start “hiding” the reward where the dog can’t see it, but where she can watch you place it and easily find it and retrieve it if she wants (behind a piece of furniture, for example). Release her to get the reward and guide her if she becomes confused. Next, hide the treat further away, then in another room, gradually increasing difficulty.  You can increase the distance and difficulty in finding the treasure as your dog gets better at the game. This is especially good for dogs that have begun to learn “stay” but are nervous about having their people go out of sight.  It is also a fantastic focus game to lengthen a puppy’s typically short attention span.

Clean Up

Get a box or bucket and collect a number of toys and other dog-safe items that you would like to teach your dog to recognize and clean up.   Scatter the toys in a small pile on the floor. Through shaping, get the dog to pick up the items one at a time and place them in your hand while giving the cue: “Clean Up.”  It helps if your dog already understands the concept of “Take it” and “Drop it” allowing you to start with these already familiar cues and work in the new “Clean Up” cue slowly.   Be sure to reward each “gift” with praise or treats (I’ve found exchanging one toy for another to be the easiest way to train this as treats distract most dogs from the game to start.)  While maintaining the fun of this “return for refund” game, move further and further from your dog adding distance to their retrieve.  Then introduce the toy bin and place each toy retrieved in the bin.  Lastly hold your hands over the bin and as soon as your dog drops the toy, move your hands allowing it to fall directly into the bin.  Praise heavily for this and get noticeably excited.  Repeat until your dog will place the toy directly into the bin without your hands present, then slowly move away from the bin each round adding more and more distance.  Your dog will likely lose interest in the early stages of teaching this game at first and that is fine.  Simply end the game on a high note and try again later.  This one can take a while to master and requires a lot of practice.

Tug (Confidence and Impulse Control During Heightened Excitement – Introducing the On/Off Switch)

The secret to playing this game successfully is for you, the human, to control it. For this game, choose one particular toy that will be used as your tug toy. Don’t use a bone, a leash, or anything that smells too much like you (like a sock) unless you are ok with all of your socks and undergarments becoming toys.  A good tug toy is long enough to avoid contact between a dog’s mouth and your hands, is sturdy, and is of interest to your dog.  This toy is special and unique for your dog, so it will be kept in a safe spot away from your pet until it is time to play.

You start the game by taking the toy out of it’s safe spot and encouraging your dog to mouth it with a cue like “Tug” or “Get it.” Some dogs will refuse to do this with you, especially if they’ve been punished for tugging in the past. If your dog is food motivated, try rubbing the toy with something tasty and smelly at first like a little peanut butter. However, tugging is instinctive for dogs (it’s a cooperative act in pack feeding) so your dog should catch on quickly. Tug a few times, then tell your dog “drop it” or “release.” Use a cheerful but clear tone. You can reward him for dropping it with either a treat, a different toy that he gets to play with for a minute, or another round of tug. Occasionally let your dog win by releasing the toy from your grip while saying “OK.” If your dog is the shy or timid type they should be allowed to win more often.   A more confident dog that who struggles with authority needs to win less often than you.

Remember Four on the Floor at all times – no jumping, leaping, or scratching allowed.  Angle your toy low to the ground so you don’t inadvertently encourage jumping behavior.  Any time your dog leaps or jumps, release your grip and turn your back stiffly to let your dog know you absolutely do not like and will not play with this behavior.   Make sure that you end the game if your dog gets too rough or agitated. Simply ask for a “drop it”, praise for it, and always put the toy away when you are done playing.

It takes two to tug!  If the dog refuses to let go, you let go of your end and walk away.  Wait until the energy has diminished a little and distract your dog with another toy so you can put the tug toy away.  The game always plays by your rules and begins and ends when you say it does.  It won’t take long for your dog to learn this and master the ability to turn off their excitement just as quickly as they can turn it on.

Fetch with Obedience (Impulse Control – Channeling Chase Instincts)

If your dog already retrieves the ball (or at least runs after it), have them sit and stay while you throw the ball. Attach a leash at first to make sure they stay when you ask them to. Then release them to “Fetch!” Reward the return of the ball with a chest scratch or a treat if needed. Build on the length of time that you ask them to stay slowly. This is an extremely good impulse control exercise for those dogs who just can’t wait to go get that ball!  For dogs who struggle with chasing things that they shouldn’t, work on this game to teach a similar attachment to the toy instead.  This can be used later in training to remove attention and focus from chasing bad things like cars, channeling that instinct into the ball (or fetch toy) instead.  For pro fetchers with great focus, increase difficulty by adding down and tricks before releasing to “Fetch!”

Other fun games to check out

Catch (with frisbee, ball, toys)

Racing (running to touch a target – dog must know “touch” on command)

Play & Freeze (incorporates games like Tug & Racing to build excitement, then challenges the dog to stop or “freeze” suddenly before play begins again)

Agility: formal or basic with hoop jumping, hurdles, and other props. You can even make your own props! (High impact and large jumps should only be done by dogs 12+ months of age.)

Tricks: If your dog loves to perform and has a knack for picking up the details, the possibilities are endless!*If you have more than one dog, it is equally important to spend quality time alone with each dog. Don’t hesitate to separate your dogs and play with one at a time, especially when playing a game or teaching them something new. Each of your lucky dogs will thank you for it.

For more in-depth rules and directions on teaching these games, check out books like 50 Games to Play with Your Dog and 101 Dog Tricks.

If your cat is (or was) potty trained to go in a box or outside, but has recently begun urinating or defecating elsewhere, you can bet there’s more reason to it than simply forgetting how to use the box.

Our cat, Titus, gets moody and destructive if he doesn't get his daily nap in the sunlight.

Unlike the dog who may eat the couch, cats are subtle creatures when they are unhappy.  The signs they give to show it often go undetected for long periods.  They may shed more, gain weight, lose weight, stop playing, become destructive, over-groom and produce more hairballs, or under-groom and let their fur become matted, dull and dirty feeling.  These signs are often missed all together or dismissed as aging.  Meanwhile the cat falls deeper and deeper into depression and searches for new ways to show it.

Then there’s the breaking point for both cats and humans, which is usually when the random urinating and defecating begins.  First, trust that your cat prefers the box to the floor on any day – it is more natural to them.  So if your cat starts urinating or spraying on the walls, something is not only very wrong, but it is likely that your kitty is pulling out all the stops to tell you.  This is a cat’s ultimate cry for help, and they’ll find whatever corner, closet, or pillow they can to waive their stinky yellow flag of surrender.

Why do they do it?

What else could they do?  They can’t talk otherwise they’d tell you things aren’t right.  So naturally, they use the only tools they have: their waste.

Your cat’s problem could be medical, behavioral, or both.  While we recommend always checking with your vet to eliminate any medical issues with your pet first, never underestimate the power stress has on an animal’s health.  Stress and medical issues often go hand in hand, so consider your pet’s mental well being too and avoid repeat trips to the vet to treat the same stress produced problems.

Lots of things can cause depression, stress, or general unhappiness in cats, but it usually boils down to one culprit:  Change.

Most cats become very comfortable in their daily routines, especially when they are solely indoor pets.  Their world is a small one and therefore very easily disrupted.  Move a piece of furniture, remodel a room, move the cat box, adopt a new pet, or have guests come stay for a weekend; and you might get a stinky surprise out of your previously potty trained friend.

Finding the cause of the the problem can often be a difficult question to answer since cats are known and loved for their mysterious nature.  The good news is resolving a problem with a cat is usually more about accommodating them.   For example:  You can’t help it when you have visitors that smell funny to your cat, but you can make sure your cat has a safe zone when they feel imposed upon.

Regardless of the mysterious (or not so mysterious) changes that may have sent your cat down the path of ammonia-scented destruction,  focus on the good news:  Happiness will prevail and your cat can learn to cope.

What makes a cat happy anyway?

Aside from constant worship?  Lots of things!

1.) Healthy Diet and Clean Water

-Good food makes happy, healthy pets.   It is THE MOST IMPORTANT thing you can do for your animal.  Chemicals effect behavior and health, so if you are buying cheap grocery brand food for your cat, spend a little more to change to a premium food and save yourself some money on vet bills in the long run.  You’ll also spare your cat a painful and early death in the process.  Introduce the new food slowly, mixing it in with the old over the course of a few weeks until the bad stuff is phased out.  Also, clean their dishes daily,  especially the water dish.  Cats need fresh clean water and will shun a dirty dish no matter how new the water is.

2.) A Sanitary Low-Dust Cat Box

-If you had to wade through sewage every time you went to the bathroom, you’d pee in the corner too.  Scoop the box, use a good litter that doesn’t produce a lot of urinary tract-upsetting dust, and provide more than one cat box (especially if you have more than one cat or a large home).  Change out the litter entirely once a week.  We don’t care what those litter makers say: nothing stays fresh for a month after being peed on every day, not even the super expensive stuff.

3.) Exercise and Mental Stimulation

-Cats are gifted and natural hunters.  If your cat stays inside all day, life can lose purpose pretty fast.  Set time aside every morning and evening to play a little.  Get out the string, the mousie, or the little milk carton tab that they love to bat around and get them running.  There are also some great games and challenges you can give your cat to awaken the tiger within.  Check out books like 50 Games to Play with Your Cat. From food games to teaching them tricks, your cat may be more gifted than you think.

4.) The Safety Zone

Photo credit: Can Has Cheezburger

-If you have multiple pets or lots of family like we do, you may find the need to give your cat their own space.  They need a spot to feel safe and sleep during the day, especially if your home is prone to hectic activity and lots of visitors.  This spot is safe from everyone: kids, dogs, noise, etc.  It should be dark so they can sleep and covered to give a sense of security.   Cats are famously simple creatures who often prefer cardboard boxes and paper bags to fancy store-bought beds.  Experiment a little and see what they like.  We covered a cardboard box in cute material once for one of our cats who would sleep in nothing else.

5.) The Importance of Tanning

-Sunlight is a natural anti-depressant, and something our cats need despite their nocturnal nature.  Therefore every cat needs a peaceful spot in the sun where they can nap and work on that summer tan.  Many kitties will bath in the sun for hours, allowing their fur to heat to almost untouchable temperatures.  Seems crazy to us, but then again they probably think the same of us every time we dip ourselves into that giant tub of water.

6.) The Power of Cardboard and Catnip

-We’ve known a lot of cats, and almost none of them could resist this silly thing.  Admittedly it is ugly, so if you don’t want it hanging around your cat’s living space, try other scratching options instead.  Just know that even declawed cats need something to stretch their paws on and spread their scent.

The only thing that makes the Cardboard Cat Scratcher more attractive to a cat is cat nip.  While we like giving our cats the fresh and dried stuff, we found the spray a while back and use it all the time to attract our cats to certain areas.  Wherever we spray it, that is where they want to lay and roll about until they eventually pass out from cat nip bliss.  Meanwhile they are not laying all over our burgundy couches because those no longer smell nearly as appealing as that cat bed covered in nip. 

7.) Training

-We don’t mean teaching them to sit and roll over (although that is possible), but more importantly:  how to coexist with us as a happy cat.   The most important tool for training a cat is redirection.  Scratch here not on my couch, potty here not in my plant, and repeat.  Focus less on stopping a behavior and more on redirecting it so your cat knows where to do the things that come naturally to them.

8.) Socialization

-If your cat spends their entire life inside with the same people, animals, and things, it is safe to bet that they will be very sensitive to anything new.  Expose them to new people, other nice cats and nice dogs, and desensitize them to change while they are young.  It seems so simple, but it will impact your cat’s personality more than any other thing you do for them.

While no pet comes with an emotionally sound guarantee, doing these things for your cat will help you raise a confident and happy family member that can adapt to change gracefully – avoiding those smelly kitty blues all together!

We decided we better take some fun pictures of our furry staff of models and testers if we are going to make labels that are worthy of their hard work.   I’m not sure if we will use this set of photos or take more to create the label, but it sure was fun getting these shots this morning.

Looking especially cool in this shot, Mo makes those glasses work!

Mo was especially patient donning these cool shades to match his Shoo Bug! Scented Bandanna.  Shot after shot, he posed and held for me as I caught all of his handsome angles.

Then Usagi got in on the action.  We could not locate sunglasses small enough to fit her tiny head, but we suspect they wouldn’t have stayed on long anyway.

Lyla also deserves full credit for her best Blues Brother impersonation.  And again, Usagi invited herself into the photo.  Not that we mind.

This miracle shot is a framer for sure.  We’re pretty proud of this one since it required 2 dogs balancing sunglasses on their faces, a hyperactive Jack sitting still, and a Chihuahua to sit (while she knew there were some treat crumbs on the ground right near her, which explains that look on her face), and all of them simultaneously looking at the camera.  Amazing.  The stars must have been aligned just right this morning!  What a crew.