Blog

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

Dog Training

AKC Trick Dog Seminar: High Five and Crawl Your Way to a Title

August 24, 2017 by Laurie Zurborg

Wags & Wiggles is offering a 2 Hour AKC Trick Dog Titling Seminar that covers 10 common tricks. The American Kennel Club (AKC) is offering a Trick Dog Program, which will include four level of titles ranging from Novice to Performer allowing dogs of all levels to participate. At the end of the seminar, attendees have the option to test for their Level 1 Tricks Title. Don’t let the word “test” scare you away. The tricks are pretty basic and … Read More

Wags & Wiggles RSM & Tustin - Dog Health Insurance

Dog Health & Care

Dog Health Insurance – Having it Can Save Your Dog’s Life

July 29, 2017 by Katie Nazzario

Here at Wags & Wiggles, we highly recommend our Waggers have dog health insurance. Leo’s StoryHaving dog health insurance saved one of our Wagger’s lives. Leo the Golden Doodle has been coming to Wags & Wiggles since he was a puppy and is now 7 years old. During his boarding stay back in April, our team noticed that Leo was not acting like himself at all. He was sitting in a corner in daycare and acting very unusual.We brought him inside … Read More

Wags & Wiggles RSM & Tustin - Target Training

Dog Training

Target Training – From the Dentist’s Chair to Dog Training & Everything in Between!

July 7, 2017 by Ranaye Kahn

Who knew that going to the dentist would make me think about dog training? I was halfway through my x-rays when I suddenly realized they were using concepts from target training! With new technology and some nods towards behavioral science, the hygienist had a target to help her line up the x-ray machine correctly. By having a yellow hoop as a visual target of exactly where to place it, the hygienist was able to line up the machine to get … Read More

Wags and Wiggles - Dog Noise Anxiety and the Fourth of July

Dog Health & Care

Dog Noise Anxiety: 10 Tips for Keeping your Dog Safe on July Fourth

June 23, 2017 by Katie Nazzario

Preparation for dog noise anxiety can save you from another holiday in the closet cuddling your fearful dog While July Fourth is a fun-filled holiday for humans, canines think otherwise! Thinking about dog safety can make or break your holiday. Many dogs show fear during loud or unfamiliar noises but a truly anxious dog can be a danger to themselves. More pets go missing on July 4th than any other time of the year, and July 5th is the … Read More

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