Every dog needs a collar and leash.  There are many options out there so let's talk about them. Each option has it's advantages and disadvantages and there's no one perfect solution that works for every dog. So in this episode (part one) I talk about the most common types of leashes that are available. In part two [?]

The post YNP #075: Different Types of Leash Walking Tools (Part 01: Leashes) appeared first on Playtime Paws.

Socialization is the most important training you can do for your Puppy.  We want to get our puppy out from the very beginning and do as much as we can in their early weeks. Socialization is more than just exposing your dog to new people and dogs.  It also includes new places, objects, sounds, textures, environments, [?]

The post YNP #074: How to Socialize Your Puppy Without Leaving Your House appeared first on Playtime Paws.

Christine Rohloff Gossinger literally wrote the book on dog breeds.   She joins me to talk about how understanding your dog's breed can help us understand our dogs and their needs.   This episode is chock full of examples, training tips, and fun tidbits just like her book.  Listen in and decide for yourself it your dog's breed [?]

The post YNP #073: Does Your Dog?s Breed Matter? appeared first on Playtime Paws.

Something I get asked often is how I feel about using a potty bell.   If you listened to my complete guide to potty training then you know that I don't mention using a bell at all but does that mean I don't want you to?  No go ahead...well, maybe...  While I'll show my clients how to use [?]

The post YNP #072: Should You Use a Potty Bell? appeared first on Playtime Paws.

Teaching your dog "Stay" is one of the easier cues to teach your dog...if we do it right.  And of course most of us are doing it wrong.   Stay can be a useful command ("Stay" so I can take your picture).  It can be used for safety ("Stay" while I clean up this glass that [?]

The post YNP #071: Tips for a Stronger Stay appeared first on Playtime Paws.

Kasie comes back to teach us more about raw feeding.  This time we talk all about puppies! Plus Kasie has some advice on treats and how to start even if you feel overwhelmed. This episode is Part 2 of a two part series.  In Part 1 we talk about raw feeding more general.   Kasie has been raw [?]

The post YNP #070: What is Raw Feeding?: Puppy Edition appeared first on Playtime Paws.

Maybe you've never heard of raw feeding your dog.  Maybe you have but you're not quite sure what it means.  This episode can start to answer some of your questions.  Raw feeding is something that I've dabbled in but I am NO expert.  Since I do get questions about it all the time, I've decided to [?]

The post YNP #069: What is Raw Feeding? appeared first on Playtime Paws.

"Practice makes perfect."  We all know that one.  Well, it's just as true for our dogs.   When we teach our dogs how to sit we know to start at step one and work them up to a reliable sit in any situation.   When we want to change a behavior (like barking, digging, leash walking, or counter surfing) [?]

The post YNP #068: The Power of Practice appeared first on Playtime Paws.

In part one we talked about demand barking.  Here in part two I go into detail about alert barking.   Alert barking is when your dog is barking at something.  A dog out the window, a noise like a doorbell, your neighbor, etc.   This type of barking usually starts in as your puppy gets older.  Once [?]

The post YNP #067: How to Stop a Dog From Barking (Part 2) appeared first on Playtime Paws.

Barking comes in many different forms. This makes how to stop a dog from barking more complicated than we think.   We can't just ask "how do I stop my dog from barking?" and get an answer because why they are barking plays a significant role in how we stop them.   Are they barking in the [?]

The post YNP #066: How to Stop a Dog From Barking (Part 1) appeared first on Playtime Paws.

Allison is back with some more great tips on how to take better photos of your dog! Who doesn't want that perfect Instagramable, frameable, background photo of our dog.  But even with the 200 photos we have on our phones sometimes it eludes us! Back in episode 52 Allison Shamrell of Allison Shamrell Pet Photography told us [?]

The post YNP #065: How to Take Better Photos of Your Dog (Part 2) appeared first on Playtime Paws.

I'm back to burst some bubbles (POP!).  Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my fenced-in yard just like most dog owners.  But just like with most things that make our lives easier there's a downside.  I'm here to help you minimize them! My goal is to make sure that you and your dog can use your [?]

The post YNP #064: The Downside of a Fenced-in Yard (Part 2) appeared first on Playtime Paws.

Socializing your dog, especially when they are young, is SUPER DUPER important.  If you have listened to me at all then this is not news to you.  You know that you have to expose your dog to many different people, places, environments, sounds, textures, and dogs.  This is what creates a confident, well-adjusted dog that you [?]

The post YNP #063: My 7 Guidelines for Socializing Your Dog appeared first on Playtime Paws.

How many times have you gone to Youtube to find a new dog trick and it's a three-minute video with a dog that already knows the trick? Or you teach your dog a new trick in class to go home and they act like they never heard of it before.   Truth is, training doesn't happen in [?]

The post YNP #062: How I Taught My Dog a New Trick appeared first on Playtime Paws.

Your puppy's schedule will vary depending on many factors.  Including age, exercise needs, and your schedule. When I'm asked about what a typical day looks like I know that I'm actually being asked things like:"How many times should I take my puppy out?""How much exercise should my puppy get?""How much time is too much time in [?]

The post YNP #061: A Typical Puppy Schedule appeared first on Playtime Paws.

When we imagine kids and puppies we think that they go together like peanut butter and jelly (or my preference - chocolate). The reality isn't so sweet.  Your puppy and your kids LOVE each other.  But sometimes it's that same love and excitement that causes scratches, tears, and a disheartening relationship. When we have kids and [?]

The post YNP #060: Kids and Puppies appeared first on Playtime Paws.

Debbie here!  I just wanted to jump into your podcast feed one more time this year.  First I want to thank you, my listeners once again for being a bright spot in an otherwise stressful year.   I also thought it would be fun to take a look back at this year's most popular episodes and also [?]

The post YNP 2020 Sign Off: A Look Back and Look Forward appeared first on Playtime Paws.

Fetch it the one game we all think of when we talk about playing with our dog.  So it's easy to forget that we have to teach them how to fetch.  We have the picture in our mind of our dog running across the yard or park to get the ball and bring it back. [?]

The post YNP #059: How to Teach Your Dog to Fetch appeared first on Playtime Paws.

When you are new at watching dogs play it can be confusing and even a bit concerning.  Dog play is "play fighting" so if you haven't made a career out of knowing dog body language it's easy to get concerned even when dogs are having a grand old time. To make it harder sometimes two dogs [?]

The post YNP #058: How to Recognize Appropriate Dog Play appeared first on Playtime Paws.

If your dog listens to you inside your house that doesn't mean they know what you want outside on their walk.  Even if you are asking for the same thing.  Dogs are very contextual and need to be taught how to listen even when there distractions.  The good news is, if your dog listens to you [?]

The post YNP #057: How to Teach Your Dog to Listen With Distractions appeared first on Playtime Paws.

How do you handle potty training when all the adults in the housework full time?  This is a question I get asked a lot.  Mainly because my listeners know I do not like the use of potty pads (for more on that, check out Episode 009).  If you are going to be out of the [?]

The post YNP #056: Potty Training for a Working Household appeared first on Playtime Paws.

There are SO MANY things we need to train our puppy when we bring them home.  It's really easy to get overwhelmed or focus on the wrong things.   In this episode, I talk about the three most important skills you can teach your puppy.  Start these skills from day one and you will reap the [?]

The post YNP #055: Three Important Skills to Teach Your Puppy From Day 01 appeared first on Playtime Paws.

Does it feel like your trainer just tells you to stuff your dog's belly full of treats and say then they're trained?  Treats are an essential tool to raising our well-mannered dog but the lesson on HOW to use the treats properly gets lost. And we really want to avoid that place where your dog will [?]

The post YNP #054: How to Use Training Treats Properly appeared first on Playtime Paws.

All we want is a peaceful house!  When asking two (or three!) different species to live together it can get tricky! How you introducing your dog and cat depends a lot on the personalities involved. If you have a calm dog and confident cat, count yourself lucky!  If you have an excited dog and a shy [?]

The post YNP #053: Tips to Introduce Your Dog and Cat appeared first on Playtime Paws.

We all have a hundred (ok, ok hundreds) of photos of our dog.  But how many are keepers?  If you are anything like me you have 600 pictures and 2 end up as keepers In this episode, let's welcome Allison Shamrell to give us all her best tips on how to get better photos of your [?]

The post YNP #052: How to Take Better Photos of Your Dog with Allison Shamrell appeared first on Playtime Paws.

A strong recall is one of the most important behaviors your dog can have.  It's also something that takes LOTS OF WORK!! This episode is a replay a mini recall training I did inside my online puppy course YOUR Perfect Puppy.   I talk about how I approach recall as a habit that you and your dog [?]

The post YNP #051: How to Get a Stronger Recall appeared first on Playtime Paws.

Separation anxiety is always been something dog owners need to be aware of.  How to be alone is something that we have to teach our dogs.  In a perfect world we start this when they are puppies with crate training and the natural rhythm of our lives as we need to go to work, school, [?]

The post YNP Episode: How to Prevent Separation Anxiety During Stay-at-Home appeared first on Playtime Paws.

Leash training is a hot topic among dog owners.  Walks are a fundamental joy for dogs but when it comes to walking down the street in a straight line, it's no longer feels natural for them so that's why we encounter some resistance. This is also why there are many different ways we struggle with our [?]

The post YNP #050: The 3 Most Common Leash Training Questions appeared first on Playtime Paws.

?As your dog grows you will probably experience some behavior changes.  Just as you think you have it ALL figured out your puppy will prove you wrong. It's all part of the roller coaster of owning a puppy.   In this episode, I talk about when these changes can happen, why they happen, and how to [?]

The post YNP #049: Behavior Changes as Your Puppy Gets Older appeared first on Playtime Paws.

?If you decide to bring home an adult dog you may have different expectations than if they were a puppy.  Maybe they're already potty trained and crate trained.  They don't have as much energy. Maybe they're out of the chewing stage.   These expectations can lead to some trouble when we first bring them home.  Just [?]

The post YNP #048: Bringing Home an Adult Dog appeared first on Playtime Paws.

?This week I'm doing something a little different.  This is the audio version of a video series called 3 Phases to Bringing Your New Puppy Home.  If you are a future puppy owner than this mini training is perfect for you. In this episode, I talk all about Phase 03: Get to Work.  Right around day [?]

The post [Part 03] 3 Phases to Bringing Your New Puppy Home appeared first on Playtime Paws.

?This week I'm doing something a little different.  This is the audio version of a video series called 3 Phases to Bringing Your New Puppy Home.  If you are a future puppy owner than this mini training is perfect for you. In this episode, I talk all about Phase 02: Settle In.  I go over exactly [?]

The post [Part 02] 3 Phases to Bringing Your New Puppy Home appeared first on Playtime Paws.

?This week I'm doing something a little different.  This is the audio version of a video series called 3 Phases to Bringing Your New Puppy Home.  If you are a future puppy owner than this mini training is perfect for you. In this episode, I talk all about Phase 01: Prepare.  I go over everything from [?]

The post [Part 01] 3 Phases to Bringing Your New Puppy Home appeared first on Playtime Paws.

***This episode was recorded on March 22, 2020 and uses the best information available at that time.  With information is constantly changing, please keep informed and stay safe according to the most accurate, science based, up to date information available.***In the best of times, it's important to know how to socialize your puppy.  Even though [?]

The post YNP Episode: How to Socialize Your Puppy During Social Distancing appeared first on Playtime Paws.

I wanted to take a minute and check in and reach out.  How are you doing? Just about every single person out there is touched by what's happening.  I too, sat in my anxiety and stress for a little while. You know what brought me out of it?  YOU. I carved out this little corner of the [?]

The post YNP Episode: Checking In and Let?s Play! appeared first on Playtime Paws.

?When you have a reactive dog on a leash it takes all of the fun out of walks and makes them stressful and a chore. Unfortunately, having a reactive dog is all too common. It comes from the dog?s fight or flight response. When they are on a leash and tethered to you, some can default [?]

The post YNP #047: How to Handle a Reactive Dog on a Leash appeared first on Playtime Paws.

Puppy biting is something that just about every new dog owner struggles with.  It can go from being an annoyance to affecting your enjoyment and bond with your puppy.  It gets even worse with the kids.  Puppies don't know how to play with humans.  It's in their DNA to play with their tough-skinned, fur-covered littermates, but [?]

The post YNP #046: Puppy Biting and Why You Might Still Be Struggling appeared first on Playtime Paws.

There are a bunch of different types of dog training programs out there.  Each has its own advantages and disadvantages.  Which one (or ones) you choose depends on your learning style, what's going on with your dog, and what your budget is. In this episode, I take a look at a puppy class vs obedience class [?]

The post YNP #045: Pros and Cons of Different Dog Training Programs appeared first on Playtime Paws.

Just like humans, dogs get car sick.  It's especially common for puppies.  Their little bellies are sensitive and not used to the motion.  The good news is, most will grow out of it.  The bad news is there is always a chance they will develop a bad association with the car.   Since it starts out [?]

The post YNP #044: When Your Dog Gets Car Sick appeared first on Playtime Paws.

You've read ALL the books, watched ALL the videos, listened to ALL the podcast but there are things that still come as a surprise when you get a new puppy. Let's be honest, some of these things they DO tell you, but maybe we don't hear them because they aren't the fun part of having a [?]

The post YNP #043: What They Don?t Tell You About Getting a Puppy appeared first on Playtime Paws.

Especially with a new puppy, you'll hear 20 times a day, play with your puppy, exercise your puppy, stimulate your puppy so they don?t get bored, bond with them to create a strong relationship? OK OK, we get it?s important but after 160 games of fetch things get a little...well, boring.  In this episode, I?m going to [?]

The post YNP #042: 10 Ways to Play With Your Dog appeared first on Playtime Paws.

Raising a puppy is challenging.  Raising a puppy in an apartment adds a few additional challenges.  It?s becoming more and more common to raise a puppy in an apartment.  This is great because it means more places are allowing dogs but before you run and get your new puppy there are some things to consider and [?]

The post YNP #041: Tips on Raising a Puppy in an Apartment appeared first on Playtime Paws.

You need to be your dog?s pack leader.  This much is clear. However, when I talk about leadership it doesn?t have anything to do with ?alpha? or ?dominance?.  I believe those words are overused and greatly misunderstood. But mostly, I believe that it leads us to the wrong type of relationship with our dog.   Make [?]

The post YNP #040: How to Be Your Dog?s Pack Leader appeared first on Playtime Paws.

This is the third and final special edition highlighting the great questions I received during Q&A Tuesdays.   Every Tuesday in October I will be answering your training questions.  These are just a few of the great questions I received and I thought would be beneficial to all my listeners.   October is now officially over and therefor [?]

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Potty accidents are part of having a puppy.  You can do everything right and you are still going to have an accident.  And let?s face it, we probably aren?t going to do everything right.   In all of my years helping puppy owners with potty training there are a few types of accidents that I see [?]

The post YNP #039: The Most Common Potty Accidents appeared first on Playtime Paws.

Every Tuesday in October I will be answering your training questions.  These are just a few of the great questions I received and I thought would be beneficial to all my listeners. I got the idea for Q&A Tuesday because this is very similar to what I do inside YOUR Perfect Puppy my online course for [?]

The post YNP Special Edition: Q&A Tuesday ? Crate Training appeared first on Playtime Paws.

Every Tuesday in October I will be answering your training questions.  These are just a few of the great questions I received and I thought would be beneficial to all my listeners. I got the idea for Q&A Tuesday because this is very similar to what I do inside YOUR Perfect Puppy my online course for [?]

The post YNP Special Edition: Q&A Tuesday Highlights 01 appeared first on Playtime Paws.

here is only one thing that you need to know about dog behavior to teach or stop any behavior! Yup, when it comes down to it, our dogs are very simple creatures.

In this episode, I am revealing my secret. This is what I use to solve 90% of my client's training issues.

I have centered my life around dog behavior. And everything I have learned and observed comes down to this one thing.

The post YNP #038: The One Thing You Need to Know About Dog Behavior appeared first on Playtime Paws.

There are three types of training that you need to turn your puppy into a well-rounded, well-behaved, and well-mannered dog. When we think of training our dog we usually think about teaching our dog to ?listen to me?  I want him to come when I say come and stay when I say stay. Or we don?t [?]

The post YNP #037: The Three Types of Training You Need to Raise a Well-Mannered Dog appeared first on Playtime Paws.

Raising a puppy is something we have to learn.  It's not natural for us humans.  So just like with learning anything new we are going to make a few mistakes along the way.  First we have to know what mistakes we are making in the first place.   In this episode, I talk about 4 mistakes I [?]

The post YNP #036: 4 Mistakes New Puppy Owners Make appeared first on Playtime Paws.