Kapalua Bay

Beautiful Kapalua Bay.

Trainer Tips for the Holidays

As we get closer to the holidays, more and more people will be entertaining friends and family in their homes.  With guests can sometimes come unforeseen problems with your pets.  This month's Trainer Tips is intended to help you with some hints to survive the holidays.

Follow the Rules:
Just because its the holidays doesn't mean you should let your dog get away with bad behaviors.  All your normal rules and boundaries you have for your dog (which you should have), should still be enforced.  There may also be holiday rules added, such as:  pets are not allowed to go within a certain distance of the decoration and present areas.  Also alert your guests on how to deal with your pets.  It is always best for someone coming into your home to follow the Basic Rule: No Touch, No Talk, No Eye Contact.  Instruct your guest to completely ignore your dog until you say otherwise.  Guests should not look at the dog, talk to the dog, or touch the dog.  Once your dog calms down and is offering good behavior, you may let your guests say hello, if they wish.  If your dog is one who likes to jump on guests, remind your guests to turn their back and ignore the dog.  It is your job as the owner to gain control.  Plan ahead, add a leash before your guests arrive for easier control.  Stepping on the leash away from the doorway and allowing your guests to enter without being licked and jumped on is always appreciated.

Schedule & Exercise
Dog's thrive on a regular schedule, even if it varies slightly from day to day.  Over the holidays, many of us take time off work and have people over to the house.  This can sometimes cause us to forget the regular schedule our pet requires.  So even though we may have a week or two of planned relaxation, don't forget to keep your pet on their schedule.  This includes feedings, walks, play and affection times, and even rest times.  Don't let the hectic holiday rush affect your dog's happiness.




Also don't forget to make sure your dog has plenty of water.  All the holiday commotion can add stress to your dog's day, and therefore increase his/her thirst.  Be sure to keep your pup hydrated.





BEFORE your guests arrive (or before you leave to go visiting), make sure you have spent some time with your pup.  Don't forget to exercise your pup as much as possible.  Remember the old saying…"A tired dog is a good dog."  It is very true.  If you can wear out your pup a little extra before guests arrive, you will have a much easier time controlling your dog, and your dog will be much less stressed.



Dog Toys & Bones

Make sure your dog has plenty of his own things to keep him entertained.  This includes various toys and chew items that will help occupy him when you want to enjoy your guests.  If your dog has something he enjoys, he will leave you alone, and more importantly, leave your guests alone.  Try Kong toys stuffed with yummy treats and peanut butter, or a good old-fashioned bone.



DECORATIONS

Pets tend to find new things in the house very interesting.  Adding holiday decorations to your home can be fun, but remember to keep your pets in mind.  If your dog (or cat) cannot be trusted around items such as tinsel, ribbons, bows, plants, and other holiday items, be sure to secure your pet in a separate area when they cannot be supervised.






Every year pets play with and swallow many different types of holiday items.  Many of these items can cause serious problems.  The last thing we all want or need over the holidays is a very expensive trip to the emergency vet.  Keep your pets safe by planning ahead.





Holiday Food
We all enjoy the large amounts of amazing food over the holidays…so does your dog.  Remember that just because dogs will eat dry dog food, doesn't mean they don't like, and want, what you're eating.  Be sure to keep your pets out of the kitchen when preparing and eating food.  Your pets should always wait to get their meal until AFTER the humans have eaten.  This is also helpful because you can then add left-overs to your dog's meal.  I actually use this to help save money.  Sometimes there are just too many left-overs or you have eaten the same thing for too many days.  What then?  Add it to your dog's regular meal.  Notice I didn't say just give it to your dog, especially not from the table.  This will encourage begging, definitely NOT something we want around the holidays (or any time really).  Generally speaking, you can add almost anything to your dog's food.  Obviously if your dog cannot have certain foods, do not give those items.  If you are unsure if something is safe for your dog to have, it is best to not give it to them. Also be aware of the toxins for dogs.

Common Food Items that are Toxic for Dogs:

Alcohol
Avocado
Chocolate
Coffee/ Caffeine

Garlic

Onions
Macadamia Nuts
Milk & Dairy
Walnuts
Most nuts in general

Grapes & Raisins
many fruit seeds and some skins
raw meat or eggs
Yeast dough

For a complete list of items toxic to pets, visit the Pet Poison Helpline.

This is not a complete list, but covers the basics.  If your left-overs contain these items, I would not recommend giving them to your dog.  Meats, rice, potatoes, and vegetables (without sauce or garlic) are all good things to throw in.  Be sure to mix it in with your dog's regular dry kibble.  If you are unsure if a particular food is unsafe, do not give it to your dog.  Always error on the side of caution when it comes to your pet's safety.

Have a fun and safe holiday season.

Beach Fetch

Fetch with Caravaggio at Napili Bay.

Caravaggio waiting for dad to throw the ball.

Toy Breeds

The Toy Breed group includes:

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Chihuahua
Chinese Crested
English Toy Spaniel
Havanese
Italian Greyhound
Maltese
Miniature Pinscher
Papillion
Pekingese
Pomeranian
Poodle
Pug
Shih Tzu
Silky Terrier
Toy Fox Terrier
Yorkshire Terrier

The most obvious characteristic this breed carries is its size.  The small size of these dogs can make it difficult for some people to train.  Having to bend over constantly during training can get tiresome.  Also because these dogs are seen as so cute and cuddly because of their size, many owners think that they should not receive the same rules and exercise as a larger dog.  This is a big mistake.  Just because a dog is small, does not mean it doesn't need exercise.  I've known a Toy Breed dog that ran circles around his larger counter-part on a daily basis.  Depending on your dog, this breed may need as much, if not more mental and physical exercise than a dog several times it's size.  Also do not be fooled into that "cute little face" and let your toy breed dog get away with bad behavior.  Everyone thinks the little toy puppy that bites at your face is so cute until they actually make contact.  Just because they are small dogs, does not mean that they cannot cause damage.  Toy breed dogs need the same consideration for exercise and rules as any other dog.

For more information on the Toy Breed Group visit the American Kennel Club's website.

Happy Halloween

Costume prepping to become a fairy...

Monica painting on some butterflies.

Adding some glitter for my fairy costume.

Ali'i Lavender Farm

We took a trip to Ali'i Lavender Farms in Kula.

Beautiful place!

Pumpkin Patch

We had fun at the Pumpkin Patch and Kula today.

Pumpkin carving master Adam.

Nalu, Devo, & Caravaggio eating their dinner with our new pumpkin.

We had a lot of fun at the pumpkin patch.

Hansen Road hike

We are doing a stay-cation at our friend's place in Kula.

Today we hiked with the dogs up Hansen Road.

Beautiful day!

Hiking with Caravaggio, Nalu, & Devo.

Devo, Athena, Caravaggio, & Adam.

Hound Breed

The Hound Breed group includes:


Afghan
American Foxhound
Basset Hound
Beagle
Black & Tan Coonhound
Bloodhound
Dachshund
English Foxhound
Greyhound
Irish Wolfhound
Rhodesian Ridgeback
Saluki
Whippet

Breeds in this group are easily distracted and have an independent nature.  Dogs in the group may have less drive to please their owners because they were bred to work independently of humans.  These dogs may easily be distracted by scent and movement.  The most important basic obedience cue you can teach these dogs is focus.  This cue is usually verbalized with a "Look" or "Watch Me."

Many of the dogs in this breed group like to bark and howl, as they were bred for.  This can make it very difficult for many owners and I do not recommend this group for apartment dwellers.

For more information on the Hound Breed group visit the American Kennel Club's website.

Rainbow Dog Walk

Beautiful afternoon walk with the dogs.

Double rainbow at Kapalua Bay.

Caravaggio, Devo, Adam, & Athena.

Nalu

We have a guest staying with us this week.

This is Nalu, a Miniature Pinscher / Chihuahua mix (just like Devo).

Devo helping make sure Nalu stays with the group.

Playtime with Nalu & Lucy.

Nalu, Lucy, Caravaggio, & Devo.

Pack walk with Devo, Caravaggio, & Nalu.

Caravaggio and Devo playing with Nalu at Kapalua Bay.

Non-Sporting Breeds

The Non-Sporting Breed group includes:

American Eskimo
Bichon Frise
Boston Terrier
Bulldog
Chinese Shar-Pei
Chow Chow
Dalmation
French Bulldog
Lhasa Apso
Poodle
Shiba Inu
Tibetan Spaniel
Tibetan Terrier

The breeds in the this group typically have less in common than other groups.  Members in this group have some characteristics from the working and sporting groups.  Most of the dogs in this group were not bred for labor-intensive purposes and there-fore could be difficult to motivate for training.  It is important to follow the "No Free Luncy" policy training technique.  This means that your dogs must work for everything they get.  Making your dog do simple basic commands like sit, wait, and focus can help your training go much more smoothly.

On the other hand, because the dogs in this group were not bred for anything specific, they can make easier pets for inexperienced owners.

For more information on the Non-Sporting Breed group please visit the American Kennel Club's website.

Sunset

Dinner and sunset with some friends in Lahaina.