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German Shepherd Puppy Poop

February 26, 2010 By 1 Comment

It’s been a while since I posted a funny picture here at the Puppy In Training Blog. Today, while looking through Flickr for a Creative Commons-licensed content for commercial use, adaptation, modification or building upon. In particular I was searching for images of German Shepherds. While flicking through the images I came across this one that I thought you might enjoy.

German Shepherd Puppy Poop

image by *Jame*

Do you think someone good with Photoshop and just cropped their puppy into the picture?

That image kind of reminds me of the old Peanuts cartoons with Snoopy and Woodstock.  “KEEP OFF THE GRASS, NO DOGS ALLOWED!”  If you’re feeling nostalgic (like I kind of am) then I think the Peanuts DVD you’re looking for is Snoopy, Come Home (yep, that’s an affiliate link).  Even better yet after doing a little research I came across Snoopy, Come Home on YouTube.  The only problem is it’s broken up into 12 episodes.  Here’s episode number 1:

I’m pretty sure you can watch the entire thing on YouTube.  At the end of each video the next one is listed as SCH2, SCH3, etc.  Also, I’m not sure how long the video will stay on YouTube.  It looks like it was posted a couple years ago, but you never know when YouTube or the actual person who posted the video will pull it off the site.

Well, happy Friday everyone and have a good weekend.  We’ll see you next month.

Do you have any funny images you’d like to share with us?  Leave me a comment below or just send me a message through our contact form.

Filed Under: Dog Humor Tagged With: , , , ,

Raisins And Grapes Can Be Toxic To Dogs

February 23, 2010 By 1 Comment

I always worry about the health and well being of my dogs and today I was reminded that raisins and grapes can be toxic to dogs.

While reading the Only Official Blog Guide Dogs For The Blind I came across the article: A Grape Reminder.  Here’s a little excerpt from that article:

This is a very sad case – a great dog, with great owners who had no idea raisins and grapes could be a toxin to dogs. Please alert everyone you know who has a dog of this very serious risk. Poison control said as few as seven raisins or grapes could be toxic. Many people I know give their dogs grapes or raisins as treats. Any exposure should give rise to immediate concern.

Several years ago I received an email warning how raisins and grapes could be toxic to your dog.  It seems odd because raisins and grapes are such a common food for humans.  I see children eating raisins out of the little sun-made raisins box on almost a daily basis.  I have the image of ancient rome and the ruling class being hand-fed grapes.  If you’re as old as me then you might remember the California Raisins commercial with dancing raisins singing “I heard it through the grape vine.”  Those are some of my fond memories of grapes and raisins.

Never in my dreams had I thought of grapes and raisins killing my dog.  However, now that you know that they can be poisonous be sure and keep your dog away from them and by god don’t use them as a dog treat.

Grapes, Raisins, and Dogs

I had a few close calls in recent years with grapes, raisins, and dogs.  About two years ago my friends one year old twins were eating raisins out of the little sun-made raisin box.  As kids do he dropped more raisins on the ground then he put in his mouth.  Lucky for me I knew raisins were toxic to dogs and I kept Derby from eating any of them out of the sand.

My second close call was probably only one year ago.  My girlfriend unknowingly fed Stetson a couple of grapes as treats thinking that it was a fruit and harmless to dogs.  That was a scary moment and I kept a close eye on Stetson to be sure that he didn’t show any signs of sickness.  Some of the symptoms mentioned in the article from Guide Dogs for the Blind mention:

…He started with vomiting, diarrhea and shaking about 1 a.m. on Wednesday but the owner didn’t call my emergency service until 7 a.m…

…He started vomiting again overnight and his renal values continued to increase…

Lucky for me Stetson was okay, but at any sign of sickness we would have been at the emergency vet.

Be careful what you feed your dog.  Some of the things we eat as humans are toxic to your dogs and remember the two common foods we mentioned today: raisins and grapes can be toxic to dogs.

Have you had any problems with your dogs eating raisins or grapes?  What other common foods do you know about that are toxic to dogs?

Filed Under: Dog Medical And Safety Tagged With: , ,

Guide Dog Training And Hosting In The UK

February 19, 2010 By 2 Comments

I’ve often mentioned that RSS subscriptions and Google Alerts are great ways to hear the latest news about any subject you’re interested in, for instance, Guide Dog Training.  Today I received a Google Alert titled What It Takes To Host A Guide Dog and thought that it was an interesting title.  I think it might have been the first time I had heard the term “Guide Dog Hosting.”  My first guess was that a Guide Dog Host might be equivalent to a Guide Dog Puppy Raiser, but maybe it was a terminology used in another country.  Curious to see what the article was about I clicked through and found out…

How To Be A Guide Dog Host

Check out the video above.  Unfortunately I did not have the embed code so it will take you away to their website, but the video is a nice, short, and will tell you about Guide Dog Hosting.

According to the article Guide Dog Hosts are needed in Jersey to watch fully trained Guide Dogs when owners fall ill or go on holiday.  Here’s a quote from the article:

The Jersey Branch of the Guide Dogs for the Blind recently made an appeal for people to come forward as potential hosts – just in case an owner falls ill or goes on holiday.

At the moment the dog has to go to the nearest branch in Exeter.

Since the appeal they’ve had 40 responses from people who have the space, time and experience of looking after dogs.

I know one of our dogs, Dustin is lucky enough to return home to his original Puppy Raisers when his owner goes on holiday.  I saw on his blog that Dustin was recently back with his puppy raisers for Valentine’s Day.  Check out his adventures at Dustin Yellow Lab.

Guide Dog Training Differences?

When we get our Guide Dog Puppies In Training our main job as puppy raisers is to train them in basic obedience and socialization.  We don’t teach our puppies any of the advanced guide dog training techniques.  However, after watching the video I noticed some possible differences between our puppy  guide dog training and puppy guide dog training in the UK.

Here’s what I noticed:

  • She mentions using a whistle and blowing it three times when it’s time to eat.  We train our puppies to sit-stay before they eat meals, but I’ve never heard of using a whistle.
  • She says that they are never to walk between parked cars.  As far as I know we can walk our puppies between parked cars.
  • Another rule she mentions is to always stop at the curb.  We are taught not to stop our puppies at the curb.  However, this could be something that changes in advanced training.

Fischer, the guide dog in the video, is a working Guide Dog and many of the things he has learned may be during his formal training.  I only know what we teach our guide dog puppies before they start formal training and that is basic obedience and socialization.

I find it very interesting to see not only how guide dog training works here in the United States, but how it works in other counties as well.

I’m sure there are slight differences from program to program even in the same country.  If you are a guide dog puppy raiser or trainer I’d love to hear what you have to say about guide dog training in the comments below.

Filed Under: Guide Dog Training, Guide Dogs, Working Dog Tagged With: , ,

Puppy In Training Timeline Part 2

February 16, 2010 By 4 Comments

The Puppy In Training Timeline is a series of articles chronicling my life with dogs and puppies.  Basically it’s the long version of my “About Me” page and helps to show the influences in my life that led to where I am today with my dogs, puppies, and my writings on the Puppy In Training website.

Puppy In Training Timeline Part 2

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | and beyond…

1991 – 1997 – The College Years

In 1991 I graduated from high school and started my adventures in college at the University of Arizona.  Arizona was a big change from my home back in Orange County – no beaches, desert weather (often exceeding 110 degrees), monsoons, and the freedom to do as I pleased.  Even though I had the freedom to do as I wanted I still didn’t want to take on the responsibility of a dog.  The extent of my personal pets in college were gold fish and an ant farm.

On the other hand several of my friends did have dogs and that was enough for me during this time in my life.

Denali – Siberian Husky Mix

image by tequilamike

Near the end of my second year of college my girlfriend had the opportunity to adopt a Siberian Husky mix puppy from her manager at one of our favorite campus restaurants, Kippy’s. Unfortunately Kippy’s and most of the other mom and pop restaurants near the University of Arizona campus have been taken over by the corporate giants.  Excited to have a dog of her own my GF jumped at the opportunity to adopt a little puppy that she named Denali.

Denali was an adorable little puppy and one of my first memories was him peeing on the carpet in my apartment.  Unfortunately, after only a couple of days playing with little Denali I headed back to Orange County for summer break.  By the  time I got back to school Denali was nearly full grown and already house trained.  He was a great dog and on occasion I helped out with his upbringing.  I last heard that Denali moved back to California with my ex-girlfriend and her son.  I’m not sure if he’s still with us, but if he is he’d be the ripe old age of 17!

Gus – the Wiry Haired Mutt


My third year of college we moved into the Bean Street House along with a wiry haired mutt named Gus.  Gus was a very shy, timid dog much like Linus only multiply by 100.  He did have one guilty pleasure and that was chasing cats.

My first memory of Gus was returning from summer vacation in the summer of 1993.  I knew we were going to have a new shaggy haired roomate, but when I got to the house I couldn’t find a soul around.  I started moving a few of my things into the house and after about an hour I decided I should look for this so called dog named Gus.  After searching every room  I heard a scratching sound in one of the bedroom closets.  Low and behold in the back of the closet was Gus shaking from fear.  I guess he wasn’t much of a guard dog.

Gus was an older dog probably somewhere between four and six years old, well-behaved, and house trained.  My role with him was strictly as part time caretaker in the Bean Street House.

Gus lived in the house for the next couple years and at the end of school year in 1995 he moved back to Denver for the remainder of his life.

Daly – A Collie Mix…I think?


image by sebrenner

That’s an actual picture of Daly!

Daly belonged to our neighbor and was probably about 6 months old when she entered our life.  A bundle of joy and energy our neighbors could no longer keep her and she was destine for the local shelter.  One of my roomates stepped forward and saved her from a possible terrible fate.

Still very much a puppy, but the size of a dog, Daly was full of joy and I think she drove old Gus nuts…she certainly drove her other roomates nuts.  Unfortunately, with puppyhood came chewing and destruction….the couches turned into white foam scattered around the house.  Our roomate Jeremy’s favorite hat became Daly’s favorite chew toy.

As I look back now Daly probably needed a little more exercise and attention during those early years which would have most likely curbed her destructive behavior.  Lucky for me I moved out of the house only weeks after Daly became a permanent fixture.  I did spend many a day backpacking, hiking, and mountain biking with her.

If Daly is still with us she is approximately 15 years old and I’m sure much calmer then those early days in college.

Stinky the Doberman Mix & Pepper the Australian Shepherd Mix


image by jilbean3

Shortly after graduating college I got a job, not a real job of course, but working part time as a skate guard at the local ice rink. The pay wasn’t good…I think I made minimum wage, but I got to play ice hockey for free. Along with the new job I moved to a new upscale house! Actually it was my friends house and was shared between three roomates. Once again dogs would enter my life.

My roomate Ryan and his girlfriend ended up getting a little Doberman mix puppy named Stinky.  Now you might think Stinky was a cruel name, but she had terrible gas and the name suited her.  Not long after the arrival of Stinky came another little puppy an Australian Shepherd mix named Pepper.

Stinky came from the pet store (hopefully not the puppy mill, but I’ll never really know).  Pepper was a stray and picked up off the street.  Both dogs were great, but not house trained and never really got the hang of it during my time with them.

As a part time worker I was home almost all the time and really the only caretaker of Stinky and Pepper.  I worked on their training.  Not very well since I didn’t know much.  I groomed and bathed them, made sure they had daily walks, and played with them in the backyard.  In essence these two little girls were my dogs.  I was not much of a dog trainer, but they loved me and they were great companions.

In the summer of 1997 I headed back to Orange County and had to leave Stinky and Pepper behind.  I seriously thought about asking if I could take them with me, but even though I took care of them they weren’t my dogs.  Unfortunately, I later found out that because of a lack of time they were given to another family.  If I was still around I would have taken them in an instant!

Today, if these two little girls are still around they would be about 13 years old.

Check out Puppy In Training Timeline Part 3

Filed Under: Dog Adoptions, Rescue Dogs Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Search And Rescue Dog Training Demonstration

February 11, 2010 By 1 Comment

I can’t believe I missed the Search And Rescue Dog Training Demonstration and it was held right here in my back yard in Irvine, CA.  Also, to make matters worse, one of our Orange County guide dog career changed puppies, Wyler (now called Wiley) was one of the Search and Rescue Dog demonstrators.

Here’s a picture of Wiley from our OCGDA website:

Wyler, renamed Wylie – Male yellow labrador retriever raised by Kathy Tallant and Art Richardson has gone on to become an Urban Search And
Rescue dog with hander/firefighter Doug Van Iwaarden of the Orange County Fire Department. He will continue his training to become FEMA certified.

Search and Rescue Dog Training Demonstration

If you take a look at yesterdays Local section of the Orange County Register right there in the middle of the first page are a couple pictures of Wiley and some of the other Search and Rescue dogs.  If you missed the article in yesterdays paper you can check it out online at Search and Rescue Dogs.  The cool part about the online article is there are a bunch of photos from the demonstration and a short video.

Check out the short video on Search and Rescue Dog Training Demonstration.

By the way, did you notice at the end of the video the reporter said: “…each search and rescue dog is a rescue dog himself.  A dog that with intense training has gone from the pound to saving lives.”  I thought that was interesting considering Wiley was a guide dog puppy in training and I’m pretty sure never saw the inside of a pound.

Here’s another picture of Wiley from the OCRegister.com.

Great job Wiley!

After Derby was career changed we had him tested to see if he would make a suitable Search and Rescue Dog.  Unfortunately, they said he lacked the concentration and probably would be better suited as a family pet.  I’m sure he’s enjoying his life as a pet!

I encourage you to check out the full story called Rescue Dogs, Trainers Strut Their Stuff on the OCRegister.com website.

Filed Under: Working Dog Tagged With: , , , , ,

Puppy In Training Newsletter

February 10, 2010 By 1 Comment

I’m revamping the Puppy In Training newsletter and thought I’d shoot off a quick post to encourage any of my RSS subscribers or daily web visitors to join today.  In case you hadn’t noticed I haven’t had our newsletter sign up form in the sidebar for a while, but I’m working to redesign this website and make it much easier to find things like newsletter sign up form, RSS subscription counts, and all the other important information you expect to find on the Puppy In Training website.

If you have any suggestions for the website redesign or upcoming newsletters then please contact me via our contact form…or just leave us a comment in the comments section below.

In the mean time if you want to get the latest and greatest puppy training information then join our newsletter by filling out the form below:

Filed Under: Shelter Dogs Tagged With: , , ,

Puppy In Training Timeline Part 1

February 9, 2010 By 5 Comments

The Puppy In Training Timeline is a series of articles chronicling my life with dogs and puppies.  Basically it’s the long version of my “About Me” page and helps to show the influences in my life that led to where I am today with my dogs and my writings on the Puppy In Training website.

Puppy In Training Timeline Part 1

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | and beyond…

Since I was a young boy I’d always had a love for animals especially dogs and cats.  Growing up I can’t remember a time when we didn’t have a dog, cat, hamster, guinea pig, bird, lizard, etc.  I feel like I would have been most comfortable growing up on a farm.  My life and love for animals began years before I was born.

Pre-1972 – Before I was born there was dog…

I’d be remiss to start my story without taking a little bit of time to talk about my parents and their experiences with puppies and dogs before I was born.  Well, their life as I know it that is…

My parents were married in 1969 and it’s my understanding that before they had children they had dogs.  Maybe it was an experiment to see how a family of dogs would be before a family with children or perhaps just a love for animals, but in their early years as a couple my parents had two mutts named Bonnie and Clyde.

image by FreeWine

And it doesn’t end there…before I was born (and my brother before me) Bonnie and Clyde had a litter of puppies under my parents care.  Bonnie, Clyde, and their litter of puppies were the first children (my siblings) in our family.  However, shortly after my brother was born Bonnie and Clyde had to be given to another loving family.

1972 – 1991 – The Early Years

Kiko – A Purebred Golden Retriever


image by jsmjr

I was born two years after my brother on December 5th 1972.  I suppose I was lucky considering all the practice my parents had first raising two dogs, then a litter of puppies, and finally my older brother.  I guess the challenge of two infants wasn’t enough for my parents because 10 months after I was born they brought home a Golden Retriever puppy named Kiko.

We had Kiko, a purebred Golden Retriever for the next 10 years and he was an amazing family dog.  Kiko was a very tolerant dog and was definitely a dog good with children.

Three years after Kiko came to our family  my sister Miko was born and everyone thought she looked like a monkey (just kidding…only Justin thought that).

In 1979 we moved from Culver City to Fountain Valley.  Looking back it amazes me how much trouble it must have been to move our family.  At the time I was 6 years old, my brother was 8 years old, my sister was 2 years old, and Kiko was 5 years old.  I’m guessing that even back then Kiko was no problem at all for my parents while us three bratty kids were probably their biggest concern during the move.

Kiko was a great family dog and enjoyed being around our family and even put up with us little kids pulling at his fur and trying to ride him like a horse.  He was a great retriever and loved to chase a tennis ball around the yard.  I have fond memories of him running to grab a ball off of our swimming pool cover, I’m sure much to the dismay of my parents.  If you’re looking for a wonderful family dog that is good with children I’d highly recommend Kiko’s breed – the Golden Retriever.

Remember the scene in Marley and Me when Marley passes away?  Do you remember your first pet?  Thinking back to the day I heard that Kiko had to be put to sleep because he had an inoperable brain tumor was one of the saddest days of my early life.  I guess having pets is a way for parents to teach children about death, something that we all inevitably have to face throughout our lives.  It’s a difficult lesson to learn, but one that we all experienced way back in 1983.

Maffy – Border Collie? Labrador Retriever? A Mutt!

image by shortCHINESEguy

We still had cats, lizards, hamsters in and around the house, but for two years we didn’t have a dog.  After much begging and pleading from my sister Miko and I our Dad took us on a trip to the local shelter and we saw the smartest black dog in the entire world…and he even had a name already…Maffy!  He new all of his commands from sit to down to stay to shake hands.  He looked like a cross between a Labrador Retriever and a Border Collie.  Miko and I wanted him so bad, but unfortunately someone else had already claimed him for adoption and were due to pick him up later in the week.

Several days had passed and my father decided to stop by the shelter on his way home from work just to see if Maffy had been picked up yet.  Apparently, no one came to pick him up and he was scheduled to be euthanized in a couple days.  My dad quickly filled out the paperwork and got him in the car for his first ride to see his new family.

Before making a stop at home my dad took Maffy to the local park to give him a chance to stretch his legs and run around a bit.  He let Maffy off leash and he ran like a gazelle…straight into the lake!

It turns out that Maffy was very much the water dog as he learned to play with us in the swimming pool on a daily basis in the summers and even when we weren’t playing in the pool Maffy would jump in and play on his own.

Maffy was a special dog and loved to run.  In fact one of our first outings at our local school he chased his tennis ball and sideswiped me to the ground then continued to do the same to my dad and my sister.  On occasion our gardener would leave the side gate sligthly open.  Maffy, being the smart dog would nudge the gate open and run from our house to the school park to play with the kids on the playground.  If ever we noticed Maffy was missing we always new where to find him…on the school playground.

I headed off to college in 1991 and Maffy stayed home with my sister and parents.  He was two years old when we picked him up from the shelter in 1985.  By the time I left for college he was 8 years old and considered a senior dog.  However, he still acted like a puppy!

Maffy lived an amazing life and was with our family from 1985 to 2002 and passed away a couple days after my 30th birthday.  Maffy had severe arthritis and even suffered what was possibly a stroke or canine vestibular disease.  In the end, in his mind Maffy wanted to stay with us, but his body could no longer support him.  He could barely stand or walk and my parents new it was time to put him to sleep.

Check out Puppy In Training Timeline Part 2

Filed Under: Dog Adoptions Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Why Adopt A Shelter Dog?

February 4, 2010 By 2 Comments

When I first decided to get a dog I didn’t know much about dog breeders, pet stores, rescue dogs, or why adopting a shelter dog might be a better alternative.

After you’ve made the decision to bring a dog into your life you have many options as to where you will get a dog.  Here are a few of the choices I thought about before making my final decision:

  1. Adopt A Dog From The Animal Shelter
  2. Adopt A Dog From A Rescue
  3. Buy A Dog From A Breeder
  4. Buy A Dog From The Pet Store

I’m going to go in depth on my reasoning for getting Linus from the animal shelter.  However, I don’t plan on going into detail on why you should or should not go with any of the other three options on this list.  If you are looking for a dog I’d recommend either getting a dog from the animal shelter or from an animal rescue.  If you’re looking for a specific breed you can find dog rescues dedicated to just about any breed.  I’ve also read that 25% of the animals at the shelter are purebred dogs.  Try looking for rescue and shelter dogs at Petfinder.com.

image by bcgrote

We think you should highly consider adopting from a shelter or rescue and if you’re looking for a specific breed as I said try looking for a breed specific rescue.  However, we do know that some might choose to purchase a dog from a breeder.  If you decide to get your dog from a breeder make sure you do your due diligence.  Do some research on how to find a good breeder.   After you know how to find a good breeder make sure you apply that information when looking for your next dog.

I’d highly recommend not purchasing a dog from the pet store as many of their dogs come from puppy mills.  Read more about puppy mills at Stop Puppy Mills if you’ve been considering purchasing a dog from the pet store.

Why Adopt A Shelter Dog?

If you’ve been following this blog for a while then you probably know all about my story and how I adopted Linus from the local animal shelter.  Now the question is why did I decide to go with a shelter dog and not any of the other three methods of obtaining a dog.

I had heard for years never to get a puppy from the pet store because they came from puppy mills.  Puppy Mills are horrible places where breeding dogs are kept in cages (usually their entire lives) and churn out puppies like factories with no regards to the health of the puppies or breeding dogs.

We considered a breeder and actually visited several backyard breeders.  The breeders we visited were found via the local newspaper classified ads.  Each breeder had varying levels of professionalism.  Some had both parents on the premises, AKC paperwork, hip and elbow certification.  Some of the breeders had none of this information.  If your considering a breeder I’d recommend you read the chapter on Where Can I Find My Puppy? in  Puppies For Dummies.  This section not only tells you about breeders, but rescues, pet stores, and other ways of getting a dog.  Ultimately, we decided getting a dog from a breeder was not for us.  I was more interested in saving a dog from a shelter.

We didn’t not consider getting a dog from a local rescue.  After we decided not to go with a breeder I kept my eye on Petfinder.com checking out lists of adoptable dogs and puppies from both local rescues and shelters.  One day I saw Linus and his siblings at the Carson Shelter.  I immediately thought he might be the one.  Petfinder.com showed three dogs and if you’re interested in finding out how I chose Linus then check out the article on How To Choose A Puppy.  Later that day I brought home my new puppy.

So why exactly did I adopt a shelter dog?

  1. I definitely did not want a puppy from the pet store after reading about pet stores and puppy mills.
  2. Because there are so many dogs euthanized in shelters I chose not to get a dog from the breeder and rather rescue from a shelter.
  3. If I found the perfect puppy at a rescue than I would have had no problem getting a rescue dog.
  4. I found my perfect puppy via Petfinder.com and rescued him from the Carson Shelter in Los Angeles.

Ultimately, I weighed my four options for getting a dog and decided that dog rescue was the best way for me to get a dog.

I’m so happy I chose to rescue Linus from the shelter.  He brings me tons of joy.  Every day I return from work I’m excited to see him and he’s excited to see me.  He’s my companion when I’m home alone.  He impresses my friends with his tricks.  He encourages me to exercise every day.  He comforts me when I’m sad.  He cuddles up next to me when I’m cold.  Rescuing Linus was one of the best decisions I made in my life.  Those are the answers to the question: Why Adopt A Shelter Dog?

Have you rescued a dog from the shelter?  What has your experience been like?

Filed Under: Dog Adoptions Tagged With: , , , ,

The Importance Of Puppy Training

February 3, 2010 By 1 Comment

I read a short article today about Five Commands Every Dog Should Know and found the article on Google Alerts.  Google Alerts is a great way to find the latest news on puppy training.  Just go to http://www.google.com/alerts.  Fill out the form by adding the following:

  • Search Terms
  • Type
  • How Often
  • Email Length
  • Deliver to

Here’s the form as I filled it out:

Click the “Create Alert” button and just let the emails come to your inbox.  That’s how I found the article: What five commands must every dog be trained to know?

Five Commands Every Dog Should Know

So what are the five commands every dog should know?

  1. Sit
  2. Down
  3. Stand
  4. Stay
  5. Come

All of these commands are included in our list of commands we teach our guide dog puppies in training and I would agree that they are very important for not only guide dogs, but for every dog to know.

The Importance Of Puppy Training

One other item I gleamed from this article had to do with the importance of puppy training.  Here’s the statement I’m talking about:

Behavior Specialist Dayton Vance says:

“Once you get a puppy, if he grows up and isn’t trained the likelihood of him going to animal control is so much greater.”

This is something we’ve been harping on since the inception of this blog.  Puppies are adorable there’s no question about it, but it is oh so important to make sure you train your puppies so they grow up into well-behaved dogs.

A second quote from Vance:

He said being rigorous in training could even have a long-term positive effect on welfare as there would be fewer creatures in adoption and rescue centres.

One of our goals here at Puppy In Training is to try and reduce the number of dogs ending up at the animal shelters.  We believe that we can make a small difference by dispensing dog training tips and information in the hopes that our little contribution will save one dog from ending up at an animal shelter.

Are you involved in dog rescues or shelters?  We’d love to here what you think about the importance of puppy training and the impact on our local shelters.

Filed Under: Rescue Dogs Tagged With: , , ,

Top 5 Reasons Why A Dog Sticks His Head Out The Car Window

February 2, 2010 By 8 Comments

Yesterday I was driving home from work when I saw a dog stick his head out the car window.  It was a beautiful Golden Retriever wearing a gentle leader, sniffing the air, and in general just enjoying the car ride.  I pulled out my handy dandy new DROID Phone and snapped a few pictures while waiting at the stop light.

This got me to thinking why do dogs like to stick their head out the car window?  As usual I began my search on the web and also asked a few dog loving friends the question: Why do dogs stick their head out the car window?

Dogs, Cars, Windows, And Safety First

I wanted to start off by saying it can be very dangerous to let your dog hang his head out the car window.  There’s all kinds of debris scattered on the road and it often kicks up from the cars in front.  Just take a look at my windshield (several nicks) or the front of my car (chipped paint and minor dents).

Now just think about your dog hanging his head out the car window getting pelted in the eye by a tiny rock at 50 mph.  I don’t even want to think about the vet bill let alone the pain and suffering your dog would endure if he caught a pebble in the eye.  I’ve never used them before, but I’ve heard that some people have their dogs wear Doggles when they hang their head out the window of a moving car.

A friend of mine used to let his dog hang her head out the window until one day his collie mix jumped out the car window at 30 mph.  Lucky for him there was no oncoming traffic and his dog didn’t get injured on her fall to the ground.

Also, if your dog has allergies like mine then all the pollen and dust flying into your dog’s face could cause an allergic reaction.

I just wanted to let you know about some of the dangers of letting your dog stick his head out the car window.  After all you wouldn’t let your own child stick his head out the window of a moving car so why would it be appropriate for your dog to hang his head out the car window?

As a child my parents never let me stick my head out the window.  The few times I tried I seem to recall receiving a quick smack to the butt.  I’ll crack the window for my dogs and they’ll put their nose about against the window, but I never let my dogs put their entire heads out the car window.

Top 5 Reasons Why A Dog Sticks His Head Out The Car Window

Now that I got my safety speech out of the way we can get to our list of Top 5 Reasons Why A Dog Sticks His Head Out The Car Window. Lets do it David Letterman style and begin with a countdown.  Drum roll please……….

NUMBER 5 – It helps them to cool off faster inside a hot car.

NUMBER 4 - So they can pretend like they’re running at an incredible rate (see the movie Dumb and Dumber).

NUMBER 3 – To make sure you’re driving safely on the road.

NUMBER 2 – This is a sure sign that you stink!  Your dog is obviously trying to avoid your stench.

NUMBER 1 – They love to sniff the air…

Of course just like the David Letterman list the Number 1 answer is always anti-climatic although in today’s case it’s probably the closest to the truth.  It’s my understanding from what I’ve heard from friends and family, read in books and on the internet, and observed, dogs have such a keen sense of smell that being able to put their noses entire heads out the car window is like a natural high.  They get to catch many different smells passing through the air and because the car is moving so fast these smells are constantly changing.  I guess it might be similar to watching some beautiful scenery pass by.

Anyhow that’s my take on why a dog sticks his head out the car window.  Just remember, if you do let your dog hang his head out the car window then please be careful and protect your dogs eyes with a product like Doggles, get him a safety restraint so he can’t jump out of the car, and maybe just try cracking the window so he can catch the scents with his nose, but not put his entire head out the window.  As I mentioned earlier, you don’t want to end up with a huge vet bill just because your dog was hanging his head out the window of your car.

How about you?  What kind of experiences have you had with dogs sticking their head out the car window?  Do you allow your dog to ride with his head out the window?  Do you take any safety precautions?  I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below.


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