Nothing quite gets your attention like hearing the grumbling of a dog’s growl. However, is that growl out of excitement, fear, anxiety, or something else in their environment? Dogs use growling as an effective way of communication in all of those scenarios. The key is being able to identify between a playful growl and an aggressive one. You should never punish your dog for growling. Growling is an essential part of a dog’s language. When dogs growl, they are … Read More
Wags & Wiggles is seeing a massive surge of private lesson requests for crate training. Crate training is an essential tool for both the dog and owner. We all knew this was coming. But, unfortunately, dog owners have forgotten the value of teaching their dogs to be comfortable being restrained, confined, or resting in a crate. Some of these dogs are ending up in rescue. Their new owners now face the challenge of teaching their dogs this important life skill. … Read More
It’s a New Year, and we want to welcome all our new and existing clients back to our fully renovated doggie daycare locations! The last two years of surviving the pandemic have been an enormous strain. In the beginning, closing forever was on the table for consideration. However, we could not throw away 23 years of hard work and dedication to our community. Besides, we are having too much fun! We decided to double down and work on projects … Read More
In current times, preparing your puppy for their first day at dog daycare may take some advance planning. Whether your dog is a young puppy just starting to explore or a middle-aged dog who has been spending more time at home this past year, it is important to make sure your dog is comfortable socializing, playing, and relaxing in daycare. Many dog daycare facilities are busy right now socializing covid puppies using both daycare and training. The first step to … Read More
As of June 15, California is releasing some of the restrictions in place for masks and social distancing. Wags & Wiggles will slowly be releasing some of its restrictions as well. Due to the high volume of clients and employees, we plan to take a slow-release approach to make sure everyone can comfortably use our services. Clients who are vaccinated will no longer be required to wear a mask when dropping off or picking dogs. Clients who are vaccinated will … Read More
Here is the Wags & Wiggles Guide to the positive reinforcement tools we use in our dog daycare play areas. Most dogs need help adjusting to a new environment like dog daycare. The lack of socialization for dogs in the last year is becoming evident as people are starting to go back to work and need to find a place where their dogs can be happy. Wags & Wiggles uses various positive reinforcement tools in our dog daycare to help … Read More
Each year Americans develop an obsession over something. Whether it be Barbi or Legos (I know dating myself here), something sparks a high level of interest in our country. 2020 won’t just be the year we remember when COVID started. This year America’s obsession with dogs has deepened. I have had countless clients and friends contacting me about breeder referrals, rescue referrals, and counseling on what type of dog they should get. 50% of these people have never … Read More
Do you worry about leaving your dog home alone because you feel guilty, get all mushy for those big sad eyes, or worried about the condition of your home once you return? Separation anxiety in dogs can tear at your heartstrings but it has many solutions. Most dogs can be left home alone during the day and lead happy lives. There is a small population of dogs that can be destructive, house soil or be miserable. However, these are not … Read More
Wags & Wiggles has a new rescue up for adoption! Journey is a beautiful tri-colored, female purebred Australian Shepherd. She is a spunky 1-year-old rescue that is still discovering the world. This sweet girl was originally owned by a college student who adored her, but just did not have time for her. She is currently enrolled in our Board & Train program at our Tustin facility. We hope to have a new forever home lined up by the time she … Read More
Once you start to rescue dogs, your name gets around, especially if you have been doing it as long as I have. I joined Aussie Rescue SoCal 20 years ago and I am on the board of directors. I evaluate dogs for the Orange County area. The Call It’s never convenient when the call comes in for a rescuer to evaluate a dog. Typically, people tend to let go of their dogs during the summer months or around the holidays. … Read More