After 22 years, I am told I am now a pack leader (great dog trainer) in the industry. Wags & Wiggles has been lucky to meet and help many fledgling dog trainers. There has been a recent trend of people wanting the fast track to professional dog trainer. I try to be politically correct but I want to laugh out loud and suggest they try to fast track their way to doctor, lawyer, or electrician. Dedication to Learning the Trade … Read More
Force Free Dog Training – No Choke, No Prong, No Pain! – Original article by Niki Tudge and Angelica Steinker Effective training procedures lay the foundation for an animal’s healthy socialization, capacity for learning and will help prevent behavior problems. Since a wide variety of equipment and tools are commonly used when training pets and in their daily activities, the pet-owning public needs to be aware of the potential problems and dangers some equipment may pose. Specifically, the use of … Read More
Laurie Zurborg – Founder, Romi Hirayama – Tustin Facility Manager, Nicole Wakida – Tustin Trainer, & Tammy Wilson, RSM Trainer all headed to Prunedale, CA to compete in the USDAA Agility 2012 Western Regional Championship 08/31/12-09/04/12. If you aren’t familiar with USDAA, you can find out more information here. The Regional events are a lot of fun! They are also important as you can earn Byes into different rounds. This USDAA Agility 2012 regional event was held by The Bay … Read More
Apparently, a dog fight has been brewing in my dog pack. At the end of a particularly stressful day, I took my pack for an off leash hike on my property. I was sharing a great bottle of wine with a great friend. Then a vicious dog fight breaks out in my pack. My two lead male dogs, Gumbo and Savior, had waged war. Both locked on, screaming, blood, the works. It was terrible. All the other dogs ran and … Read More
What to Expect From Your Adolescent Puppy Are you experiencing the adolescent puppy blues? The holidays have come and gone, and many of us were blessed with a fluffy and irresistibly cute addition: a puppy! That adorable little bundle of fur was quickly enrolled in a puppy training class and you thought he was well on his way to being a polite, well-behaved member of the family. But wait… is that a yellow stain part way up the drapes? After … Read More
This post includes dog food tips and information about the different types of dog food available as well as how to transition your dog to a new food where to buy feeding guidelines and suggestions links to helpful websites for more information I am a bit of a health freak when it comes to dog food. It’s actually kind of funny – my friends always joke that my dogs get fed better than I do! I am not a canine … Read More
You love your dog, and so do we! Some of us love our dogs so much that we may even dream about having more “just like him!” However, to breed your dog is a monumental undertaking, and is a decision that should not be made lightly. As we mentioned in an article a few months ago, breeding dogs should not be a hobby or a “one-off” event. Things to Consider before you Breed Making the choice to breed your dog … Read More
We wanted to share a special note we received recently from some of our favorite clients, Annie the Bassett Hound and her mom Carole. Annie (an 8-year-old Bassett Hound) is quite the character and we love her sweet personality and how she is always so quick to make us laugh!
Frequently at Wags, we will recommend a secret weapon to our clients to help them better manage or work with their dogs. Our “secrets” may involve unique treats, a walking tool, or another piece of equipment that we have had great experience with. Unfortunately, sometimes for our clients, we may be speaking a different language! We thought it would be nice to explain some of our most frequently recommended items in one place for our clients to peruse. Even if … Read More
Tuna Fudge is a favorite dog treat recipe of both our dogs and the Wags & Wiggles family in attendance at dog agility trials. It’s nutritious and easy to make. The dogs crowd around us in anticipation of their tasty reward. We have had great success with this dog treat recipe as a training tool for finicky dogs who are not normally inspired by treats. Below is the version we have more-or-less perfected. A 15oz can of Salmon (in … Read More