Blog

Understanding Dog Body Language

February 9, 2018 by Katie Nazzario

Dogs have a lot to say! Understanding dog body language will help you communicate effectively with your pup. Dogs speak mostly through body language. Learning how to speak “dog” is important because you will be able to recognize when your dog is uncomfortable, scared, or threatened. Dogs rarely bite without multiple warning signs. You will have to train your eye to see quick body movements, as they may appear for a moment and then dissolve into something else. First, understand … Read More

Wags & Wiggles | Positive Reinforcement Training

Dog Training

Positive Reinforcement Training: The Wags & Wiggles Approach

December 9, 2017 by Amanda Hudgins

Wags and Wiggles offers many positive reinforcement training programs One of these training programs is our Board and Train service! We have 2 week and 4 week training periods where dogs come to stay at Wags and Wiggles. They learn new behaviors, work through problem behaviors, and increase their socialization with both people and other dogs. One recent student to join our Board and Train graduates was a small terrier that we will call Phoebe. Phoebe was recently adopted from … Read More

Dog Training

Puppies Need Positive Reinforcement Puppy Class

November 28, 2017 by Laurie Zurborg

Puppies need positive reinforcement in their young lives and this starts in puppy class. Puppies arrive as blank slates but they are learning about you very quickly. Every time something good happens, puppies will want to be attentive to you. Every time something bad happens, puppies will avoid you and tune you out. Puppy Class is critical to teaching your puppy to learn through positive reinforcement. Should I Punish My Puppy? Pet Parents often ask this common question in puppy … Read More

Dog Training

7 Reasons To Shop Black Friday Sales

November 23, 2017 by Laurie Zurborg

Black Friday Sales is the best time of year to plan your Wags & Wiggles daycare and training purchases. Most of the deals will not be offered any other time. With a 2 year period to use up your daycare package credits, Black Friday Sale bulk purchases are a great choice. Here are 7 BIG Reasons you should check out the Wags & Wiggles Black Friday Sales. 1. 100 Full Day and Half Day Packages are never offered except during … Read More

Dog Training

How to be a Successful Student in our Dog Obedience Classes

November 17, 2017 by Katie Nazzario

Here at Wags & Wiggles, we believe in training both ends of the leash! Our four-legged students are always willing to please and eager to learn in our dog obedience classes. However, the same cannot always be said about our two-legged students! If you truly want your dog obedience training to be effective, you have to learn how to be a successful student. Dog training isn’t always easy and can definitely be frustrating at times, but it is more than … Read More

Dog Training

Training Your Dog: Tips on Finding the Motivation to Establish a Routine

November 10, 2017 by Katie Nazzario

Establishing and reaching your dog training goals can be difficult Maybe you’re busy and always on the go with kids, work, or life. Maybe you have a puppy and the list seems endless, or maybe you have an adult dog with a chronic bad habit and you’re not quite sure where to start. Training your dog isn’t always easy, but it sure is rewarding! The most difficult part of training your dog is getting started and establishing a dog training … Read More

Wags & Wiggles | Choosing the "Right" Dog Food

Dog Health & Care

Tips on Choosing Nutritionally Balanced Dog Food – A Short Guide

October 25, 2017 by Katie Nazzario

I’ll let you in on a secret – there is no one “right” dog food! In fact, many dog food experts recommend changing up your dog’s food frequently to obtain nutritional balance. If you’ve ever taken one of our obedience classes, you’ve heard some of this before. Your dog’s food might be labeled as “complete and balanced,” but that doesn’t necessarily mean that the food is formulated to be “complete and balanced” for YOUR dog! Different types of dogs require … Read More

Dog Training

Dog Training & The Tie-Down: Setting Your Dog Up For Success

October 13, 2017 by Katie Nazzario

The tie-down is a great tool used in positive reinforcement dog training! Here at Wags and Wiggles, we have a very specific dog training philosophy. It focuses on building up both dogs and their owners through positive reinforcement. But training at Wags isn’t all sunshine and cookies. Every day the trainers get questions on how to stop a dog from doing a dangerous, destructive, or just plain annoying behavior. Our answer is always two-fold: What would you like your dog … Read More

Dog Training

The Many Applications of “Touch!” in Basic Dog Training – Why Every Dog Should Know This Command

September 30, 2017 by Katie Nazzario

Every basic dog training program includes the the command “touch!” If you’ve taken any of our obedience classes, you are familiar with the behavior “touch!” The goal is to teach your dog to touch the palm of your hand or tips of your fingers when commanded to do so. This simple behavior has many applications in basic dog training. The use of “touch” can substitute for the command “come.” Some dogs are more likely to respond to “touch” rather than … Read More

Wags & Wiggles Family

Emergency Pet Preparedness: Create Your Home Plan

September 2, 2017 by Laurie Zurborg

Wags & Wiggles Dog Daycare just finished its yearly practice of our Emergency Preparedness Plan for both its Rancho Santa Margarita and Tustin Locations. As we watch the disaster in Houston play out, it serves as a reminder to us all to get ready for our own local emergencies. Wags & Wiggles has a formal Emergency Pet Preparedness and Evacuation plan which we practice twice yearly to prepare for fire, earthquake or another disaster. We practice each scenario with our … Read More

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