Crazy Dog Blog

Most people wouldn’t hire a personal fitness trainer or a tutor for their child without first doing some careful research. They’d interview the person, look at their credentials and contact other clients who might serve as references.

But when it comes to finding a trainer for that new puppy or aggressive older canine, many pet parents simply take Daisy or Bowser to the nearest establishment that says it offers dog training services. This is a big mistake, because dog training is an unregulated industry. “Anyone can print business cards and charge for her services, regardless of background, education or experience,” warns Stephanie Gibeault, a Certified Professional Do...

No surprise here – your dog loves bacon too. You can “share” this mouthwatering food craze with her, while being assured she’s eating healthy, by giving her Crazy Dog Bacon Flavor Train-Me! Treats. Their savory hickory-like aroma and taste make them a great snack to take along on picnics, camping trips and other summer activities.

*The global bacon market, already at historic heights, is projected to grow at a compounded annual ...

2 To Try: Dock Diving and Flyball

Crazy Dog wishes to thank Steven Appelbaum, president of Animal Behavior College, a vocational college that specializes in pet related careers, for contributing to this blog post. Appelbaum is also a professional dog trainer himself with over 30 years’ experience. www.animalbehaviorcollege.com

One of the joys of summer for pet parents is getting to spend more time outdoors playing with our furry best friends. This year, why not go beyond the usual game of Frisbee in the park and get your pup (and yourself) involved in a more structured canine sport.

Competitive dog sports are becoming increasingly popular and it’s easy to see why. They’re fun...

Crazy Dog wishes to thank Steven Appelbaum, president of Animal Behavior College, a vocational school for professional dog trainers, for contributing to this blog post.

You’ve probably seen the incredibly athletic dogs at Agility competitions, flying over jumps, crawling through tunnels and weaving in and out of poles at breakneck speeds. Maybe you thought this looked like a fun activity to get involved in, but didn’t know if your dog (or you!) could handle the extreme physical and training challenges that Agility presents.

The good news is that the sport of Agility can be enjoyed on many different levels. Even if you never reach the Westminster trials, setting up some jumps and o...

Positive reinforcement is the best way to train a dog. But all those food rewards can add up and cause pups to gain excess weight during training. How can you keep dogs from packing on the pounds while still giving them the repetitive rewarding that successful training demands? Read on.

The 10% Rule

Canine nutritionists recommend that dogs get no more than 10% of their daily caloric intake from treats, with the other 90% coming from a well-balanced nutritional food. A look at a 30-pound dog's daily caloric requirements shows how easy it is to go over this 10% limit when repetitive rewarding is used in training.

A popular formula for calculating a dog's total daily caloric Resting Energy Requir...

A special thanks to trainers Fanna Easter (CPDT-KA, KPA CTP) and Pat Miller (CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA)

A new trend in professional dog training is choice training. As its name suggests, choice training empowers dogs to make their own choices during the training process. Canine students are given the freedom to control everything from whether to participate in a training exercise, to when the session should end. Many canine behaviorists favor extending this to other life activities, such as allowing the dog to choose whether to get his nails clipped or which path to take on a walk.

Why Give Dogs Choices

Advocates of choice training say that when dogs have greater control over their environment, it redu...

Users of Bumble got a surprise when they logged onto the popular dating/networking app recently. Along with people seeking human contacts, they saw profiles of adorable puppies and dogs looking for safe, loving homes!

These "available" furry companions were being featured on Bumble as part of the ASPCA's (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) national #FindYourFido campaign, which ran during October, Adopt A Shelter Dog Month. Shelters in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Atlanta and Austin participated in the Bumble promotion, which was focused on finding homes for adoptable dogs by gaining exposure for them through social media.

Swipe Right...Or Left

Bumble isn't the only d...