Teaching dog “leave it”

Dear Critter Corner: We just adopted a new puppy and I am worried about him getting into our holiday decorations around the house.  Are there any tips you can give me to help this holiday be less stressful for all? This is a great time to work on teaching your pup a...

Preparing excited dog for guests

Dear Critter Corner: We will be having guests over for the holidays and they are bringing their new pup with them.  Do you have any suggestions for introducing our pup to our guests’ pup?   There are a few things you can do to help make the introduction and visit...

Keeping dog away from kitchen counters

Dear Critter Corner: Our pup recently discovered that he is tall enough to reach the counter and unfortunately has been rewarded a few times by stealing food.  I am concerned with the holidays around the corner and the food that will be out when guests are around. ...

Dog’s first Halloween

Dear Critter Corner: This will be our pup’s first Halloween; do you have any suggestions on how to help prepare so that we have a safe and stress-free Halloween? There are several things we can look at to make sure the night goes well for all involved.  Here are a few...

Improving dog’s recall

Dear Critter Corner:  I have been having a hard time getting my pup to come to me when I call him.  Are there any tips you can offer to help me teach him come to me when I call him? There are several ways to set our pups up for a successful recall.  Here are a few...

Demanding dog

Dear Critter Corner: We have noticed that our pup is starting to become very demanding and barking at us to initiate a game of ball or to get our attention.  We have also noticed that he is starting to whine during our meal times and is more underfoot.  We are not...