New Dog Training Course starting October 5 at L4P!

I am an advocate of training your dog. Not so much for doing tricks and such although that is a lot of fun, but in creating a language that you both understand.  Training gives you control and a form of communication. We are not all dog whisperers unfortunately so learning how to communicate is the best we can do.

My background in training comes mainly from 5 years of training shelter dogs for LA Animal Services in West LA. During that time I studied with Animal Behavior College and I completed their certification course. I am now a mentor trainer for ABC. I continue to take seminars with well-known trainers such as Sue Sternberg and Pia Silvani. I love working with dogs and find them to be wonderful students.

There are many methodologies used in dog training and although I prefer using positive reinforcement for your average dog who doesn't have major issues, that doesn't mean there isn't validity in using other methods.  However, what I like about positive reinforcement methods is that:

• Anyone can do it.
• It won't hurt the dog.
• It's effective in many situations and so easily transferable to new behaviors.
• It's fun for both you and your dog

My new class, that has limited space, starts on Friday, Oct.5 at 9am. It is 4 Friday mornings.  The class is specifically for adult dogs with little or no training. It is also good as a refresher course. 

This is a beginner class teaching "sit," "down," "stay," and loose-leash walking.  The class is an hour and the series of 4 costs $80. This is a bargain if you compare this price with other training classes. I do this because I really want people to train their dog and have a successful relationship that lasts a lifetime.

REMEMBER: The success of each dog is based on the work the person puts into it!

What you will need: 

• Leash & collar/halter,
• High quality soft treats cut into very small pieces (pea size), 
• A treat bag 
• A positive attitude and an open mind

Call me at 242-1886 or email me at lola4dogs@gmail.com if you are interested!  

Don't Miss Michelle Sathe, author of Pit Stops at Lola 4 Pets 9/23 at 1pm!

Where have I been?

SuperZoo 2012 - there were a lot of wild dye jobs!

I know I've been MIA!

Lucky me, I went to SuperZoo which is the BIG trade show for the pet supply and grooming business. I have to admit it was pretty fun and I even managed to sneak in a 4 star meal into my 24 hours in Las Vegas. I highly recommend The Barrington if you are ever in LV and want to have a wonderful dining experience.

Anyway, I found some really interesting products that I would like to bring into my store. One is Molly Mutt Duvet covers which are basically a dog bed without the filling. The washable fabrics are really beautiful and fun. Rather than having a filler inside, you fill it up with your old clothes, sheets, etc. and make it yourself. It's super cool way of recycling things you may be throwing away. I love that! Plus it smells like you. Dogs love that!

You add your own filling to these really great bed covers! 

Ta da! And now your dog can think of you when he's sleeping!

Another cool and green company is Cycle Dog who makes collars and leashes made from old bicycle tires. Some collars have a bottle opener on the clasp and others have what looks like a seat-belt clasp. They come in different widths and patterns too. How cute is that?!

extra wide with bottle opener

reflective collar with bottle opener

Cute fabric patterns with large clasp

Slumber Beds on sale this week! 20% off!

Right now, here at L4P, Slumber Beds are 20% off. These are some cute and comfy beds in bright colors. The sides are nice and high so your dog or cat can get really cozy!  These will be on sale while items last. I only have medium and large left. Come check them out!

26" is $32.79 regularly $40.99 and 34" is $44.79 regularly $55.99

What you should know about choosing pet food. Part 1 - Fillers

Obesity in dogs and cats is no joke. :-(

Although I have been buying dog food and cat food for years as a animal guardian, I find that as a pet food retailer I am much more concerned about what I am selling than what I was buying for personal use. Seems strange to me that I went more by word of mouth than by READING labels. Let's face it, there is no joy in reading labels. I can't even see writing that small without a magnifying glass! Yet, I have now discovered that there is a ton of valuable information on what to serve your animals easily accessible on the internet.  So when it is slow at the store, I read read read...

Sure there seems to be a lot of mumbo jumbo on food labels of all processed foods including pet foods.  Multi-syllable words that require a computer to look them up isn't very practical when shopping. So, to save you some time, I will give you some information on pet food labeling, ingredients and websites where you can do more research on your own.  I'm actually surprised at who quickly I got up to speed and I think you will find the same.

Most of the people I meet who have pets really care about them as part of their family. They care about their food and well being. Yet, with all the love they have for their animals, they may choose to feed them food that is not the best for their well being and could even shorten their pet's life.  Not on purpose of course, but for lack of knowing what could be unhealthy.

For anyone who has suffered through pet loss, it is a very painful experience. So why wouldn't you feed your animals the best food you can afford to serve them? There really is no answer to that other than most people don't realize they can afford something better.

So what makes a food good quality and wholesome for your pet?  First, I would say it is best to buy food sourced either in the US or a country that maintains high standards on meat that is exported such as New Zealand.  I avoid anything manufactured in China since there have been multiple deaths related to pet foods made in China being sold in the US.  Just to be safe I stick to products manufactured here in the US.

A quick word on recalls. Just because a product is recalled doesn't mean that everything from that company is bad going forward. Often companies opt to recall even for things that wouldn't necessarily have ill effects, but the company is not willing to take a chance. You really should look at each recall individually before writing off a brand because of a recall.

Also keep in mind, there are not many manufacturing plants for pet food and big brands need big plants to make the food. Few companies can afford to have their own plant so many brands will share the manufacturing plant. Smaller exclusive brands can be made in smaller facilities since their batches are smaller and are usually more expensive to buy for that reason.

Okay, so back to the topic,  a BIG issue within the pet food right now are fillers in pet food.  Fillers would refer mainly to corn, soy and wheat in all shapes and forms, all foods that are not bad in themselves, but serve no real purpose in pet food.  Plus, it is true that some animals can have a sensitivity to these ingredients.

The question is, do dogs or cats need any of these ingredients in their diet and the answer is a resounding NO! Dogs are mainly carnivores and can eat some fruits and veggies but meat protein should be the mainstay of their diet.  Cats are even more strictly carnivores and do best with a grain-free diet.

Probably the most common filler in both dog and cat food is corn. Corn in itself isn't a horrible thing, but dogs and even more so, cats don't need corn in their food, period. It's called a filler primarily because it is not necessary to the animal's health. Corn may have some nutritional value but it would  also be the cheapest and least digestible source of these nutrients.  For corn to be digestible it needs to be processed, but that also causes it to be higher in sugar content.  Why corn then? In a word, CHEAP.

Cheap is key here, more money for the company and less nutrition for your pet.  Corn is a carb that can make your pet FAT too! Dogs and cats need Protein and Fat in their diet but very little to no carbs. Just like we humans, carbs can put on the pounds if you aren't super active. Weight is an important factor in maintaining pet health so why feed your loved one a steady diet of carbs when they don't really need it?

Here are some interesting articles (and websites) that talk about corn in dog and cat food. Enjoy!

http://www.campaignfortruth.com/Eclub/240205/Petfood.htm
http://www.naturalnews.com/Report_pet_food_ingredients_8.html
http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-industry-exposed/dog-food-corn/
http://holisticpetfood.wordpress.com/2007/12/10/cornophobia-demon-corn-is-corn-in-pet-food-really-all-that-bad/

Pre-order cool/cold weather wear for your pet NOW!

If you live in the Frazier Park area, you know how cold it can get up here in the winter months. Brrrr! Your dogs feel the cold too, especially the seniors and short-coated dogs.  Sure, my Rottie Ace loves the snow, but the rest of the kiddos rather be snoozing under a blanket! 

What about a festive sweater or a reversible puffy vest for your furry ones?  I can pre-order these at a great price if you order yours today through September 1. The sweaters are on sale for $35 and the reversible vests are $40.  There are several choices of sweaters and the vests come in a variety of colors as well.  Stop by and I can show you what is available!

Fall Festival is next weekend!! 9/1 - 9/2

High anxiety, what can a pet parent do?

Many dogs (and even cats) can suffer from ANXIETY. This is an extremely common problem!

Anxiety can manifest in different ways, everything from fearful behavior, hiding, shaking, whining, barking to neurotic behavior like pacing, licking, tearing up the house, etc.  Probably one of the most common anxiety-related afflictions is separation anxiety which, if you've had a pet with this problem, you know how difficult it can be to treat successfully.

Anxiety can be learned or it can be a temperament issue.  There may have been a trauma in puppyhood and the dog has become sensitized to something in particular. Sometimes it is due to a lack of socialization and exposure to different situations so the dog hasn't had a chance to build confidence. All of this said, whether it is temperament or it is a learned behavior, it is still possible to improve your dog's quality of life..

Although anxiety is a very complex issue, it can be helped through some very basic procedures that can put your pet at ease.

Teaching your pet to be neutral about staying home alone is a good place to start and one that I highly recommend.   Tone down your comings and goings. Downplay your emotions relating to leaving your dog and then being reunited.  Sure, you are sad to leave your baby and happy to see her again, but the less emotion that you display at these critical times will help your dog to feel less emotional  about it as well.  Less is more in this case and a big help to your dog in dealing with being alone.  You are not doing your dog any favors by having dramatic arrivals and departures.

What most people fail realize is that our emotional state directly affects our pets. If you think about it, you can probably come up with several examples where you felt that your pet was responding to your emotional state.  A lot of these emotions can be projected onto your pet including anxiety!

Crate training can also be very helpful to dealing with anxiety because your dog learns to enjoy the crate as a safe haven.  If you crate train you are more likely to have a dog who doesn't mind being alone and quiet.  It's also great for travel and especially in an emergency to have your dog acclimated to the crate.  Crate training is something that needs to be gradually introduced so I will leave that to another post...

Another thing that can keep your dog calm is having a regular schedule.  Dogs are truly creatures of habit. I find that when a routine changes there is usually an adjustment period that needs to take place. Try not to change too many things at once.  Even a food change can cause some mental upset.

Thankfully there are a lot of articles and books on how to deal with anxiety in dogs and I would advise anyone that they should take full advantage of the information that is readily available online. Websites like Dogstardaily.com and Cesarsway.com have dealt with the topic of of anxiety many times. These websites are a great place to start.

In recent years, products have come on the market like Thundershirt which is basically a snug fitting shirt-like wrap that can help the dog feel more secure much like swaddling a baby.  I personally would recommend the Thundershirt before going the medical or herbal remedy route.  If you do try Thundershirt, remember, read the directions first!  Oh and btw, I sell them at Lola 4 Pets! :-)

If you have an anxious dog, come by Lola 4 Pets and I will be happy to help you come up with a solution that works for you and your pet without breaking the bank.

Ciao!