• Top 10 Reasons NOT to get a Puppy

     Whats In There?
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    Screen Shot 2018 06 14 at 3.02.25 PM  Listen to the Podcast

    There is nothing in the world quite like a puppy – warm, fuzzy and snuggly and you’d be hard-pressed to find anything cuter! But as the holidays approach, squash those thoughts about giving the gift of a puppy. Often parents imagine the wonderment of a soft, fuzzy puppy under the tree – providing a Christmas morning that their children will never forget. Fast forward a few days, weeks or months and the reality is a puppy can put a major strain on a household. Puppies under the tree are NOT a good gift for anyone! So that begs the question: Is your household ready for a puppy? Here are 10 things you should know before adding a puppy to your household:

  • 4 Easy Steps to House Training Success

    Housetraining can be a daunting task if you don’t go about it right. With proper supervision and timely responses, any owner can have a fully housetrained puppy in no time.

    1 – SUPERVISE –this really is the key. The most crucial step in the process. If you aren’t watching and the dog has an accident in the house, it’s a lost training opportunity. Don’t think that disciplining after the fact will help. It never will. It’s crucial that you actively supervise your puppy so that any accidents can be caught as they occur and proper feedback can be given. This may include a soft scold followed by bringing the puppy outside. No harsh corrections are needed or warranted. If you cannot supervise, use an appropriate crate.

  • Too Cold to Go Outside? Fun Times Indoors with your Dog!

    Francis in the snow

    Winter can be hard on humans and canines alike. We take for granted how easy it is to entertain our dogs when the weather is nice. So, how can we make sure our dogs don’t go stir-crazy when the weather outside is frightful? Here are a few ideas to help keep you and your pup be content when outdoors isn’t an option.

  • 5 Valentine’s Day Dangers for Dogs

    Will You Be Mine?

    Ah…. L’Amore – Valentine’s Day. It’s a special day that holds much meaning for many. Are there dangers for your dog? A few – so let’s get on with the discussion so you can go back to planning your special activities.

    Chocolate –Make no mistake about it. Chocolate IS toxic to dogs. The darker the chocolate, the more danger it poses to your pet. Visit petmd.com for a great interactive toxicity meter. Be careful with those pretty, heart-shaped boxes full of delicious treats – they can be deadly! Chocolate contains theobromine and caffeine – two substances that can be toxic to dogs. Seizures, vomiting and death can occur within 24 hours from chocolate toxicity.

  • 4 Steps for Safety Planning with Kids & Dogs

     Friends For Life

    To continue on from our blog post last week, we’ll be discussing safety planning for interactions between kids and dogs. If you missed last week’s post on kids and dogs living together in harmony, you can find it here.

    Today, we’ll be focusing on interactions with strange dogs. If you have a child that loves dogs, you know that if left to their own devices, they will run up and hug every dog they came across. Of course, this is a giant NO-NO! Some things to teach kids about dogs:

  • 5 Tips to Preventing Dog Bites – Kids and Dogs can be A Winning Combination!

    Anyone who’s ever seen a Disney movie knows that kids and dogs belong together! Running, frolicking, plotting… getting in and out of mischief together…. Who would ever suggest any other way to live, right?!? Wrong!

    Kids and dogs can be a winning combination, but more often then not, where they exist together, there can be danger lurking in the wings. A few elements are key to ensuring kids and dogs can cohabitate without danger to either:

  • Choosing a Dog Trainer

    So you’ve planned your new addition down to the letter. You’ve chosen your breed, breeder, sex and age of your puppy and being a planner, you know that your pup will need training. So how do you filter through all of the trainers out there to find the right one for you? We’d like to help you find the perfect match for you and your new puppy. A few important things to consider when finding a dog trainer:

    1 – Credentials – Did you know that there is no governing body for dog trainers? That means anyone can call themselves a dog trainer and start up a training business. Therefore it’s important that you look at how long they’ve been in business and where they learned to train. Personal recommendations from family, neighbours and friends can help you find someone who has been in the business long enough to have learned how to conduct themselves both as a business professional and a dog trainer.

  • But I’m Already An Expert!

    While sitting at one of our weekly staff meetings, the conversation turned to basic skills and adjustments we had recently tried with our own dogs. This happens often at our meetings. We are constantly talking and exchanging ideas about dog training – and not necessarily on difficult training concepts, typically it’s on the basic skills for day-to-day life with dogs.

  • Holy Tick! Avoiding Ticks this Spring

    Ticks and other Parasites

     

    Spring - tis the season for all 4-legged creatures to enjoy wet, warm and wonderful... and to come under attack!

    There are many different parasites that can pose a threat to your pet. Fleas, ticks and lice, to name a few. All are blood feasting and all transmit disease. Fleas can transfer viral and bacterial disease to both humans and dogs. Ticks can cause all sorts of illness including Lyme and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Even if no diseases are transmitted, they can become infestations both on the dog and in the house in no time.

  • The Gentle Leader Head Halter: A Nice Way to Train

    If you have a young dog who has yet to master the skills of walking nicely on leash or facing tough distractions, an equipment change can help. Dogs who are very strong and powerful, or highly susceptible to distractions can benefit from a Gentle Leader head halter.

    There are several different brands of head halters on the market. We prefer the Gentle Leader brand due to its secure fit and calming influence.

  • Training Your Dog Through Distractions

    Dogs are very much like humans in the respect that they have their strengths and weaknesses. Sometimes situations and feelings can be overwhelming.

  • 6 Ways to be a Good Dog Training Student

    Make no mistake about it! Dogs are not who this blog post is about. Dogs are easy: If we give them good information, they will rise to the occasion.

  • Halloween is coming – is your dog safe?

    Boo! Who doesn’t love Halloween? Fun costumes, candy, happy kids and Trick-or-treating. While it is typically fun for most of the family, it can be a living nightmare for the dog.

  • What Does It Take to be a Dog Trainer?

    We are often approached by people who are interested in becoming a dog trainer. They LOVE dogs and have had them all of their lives and would love to dedicate the rest of their lives to them.

  • Emergency Plan in the Event of a Lost Dog

    Screen Shot 2018 06 14 at 3.02.25 PM  Listen to the Podcast

    When a dog belonging to one of our staff members went missing, we all had a bit of a wake up call. Firstly, it reminded us that this could happen to anyone.

  • Puppy Training - The Cost of Waiting

    My Puppy is 7 weeks old

    There are no shortage of differing opinions among dog trainers. Regardless of whether we are pro or anti food, or for or against the use of correction, one thing we all agree on is that preventing problems is much easier than fixing them.

  • Huge Mistakes People Make When Looking for a Dog

    How to Choose the Right Breed for You

    As dog trainers, we get to see a lot of teams. Some are spectacular!

  • Why an Apartment May be the BETTER Home for a Dog

    Myth – Dogs Shouldn’t Live in Apartments

    There is a long standing myth that dogs shouldn’t live in apartments, space being the obvious concern. This would lead us to believe that dogs should only live in homes with big yards.

  • That Dog is GUILTY! He Knows He Did Something Wrong!

    Do dogs feel guilty? Find out with McCann Professional Dog Trainers

    Sadly, we hear this all of the time. "He knows what he did - Look at his face!"

    Picture this situation: A dog named Doug is left...

  • Dog Training Has No Limits! A Dog is a Dog is a Dog....

    We've all seen the Legally Blond version of a dog - a tiny Chihuahua named Bruiser carried around in a purse. This cute little bundle weighs less than 10 pounds and is usually carried

  • Chewing Safety Reminders and 8-Week Trial of Pet Insurance with Pets+Us

    Chewing Safety with McCann Professional Dog Trainers

    Chewing safety with a puppy or a young dog are very important. Blockages from inappropriate chewing are the most common reasons for insurance claims according to Melissa Long at Pets Plus Us pet insurance.

  • Have You Seen Our Amazing Dog Training Facility?

    Take a virtual tour of dog training heaven at McCann Professional Dog Trainers

    We aren't shy when it comes to our facility. We are very proud of our special, dog training heaven!!! Have you been here? Have you seen our place? It's definitely worth a look.

  • Rescued or Rehomed Dogs: A Few Things to Consider

    Rescued or rehomed dogs with McCann Professional Dog Trainers

    A rescued or rehomed dog can be an amazing addition to a home or family. As with any dog, it's important to find the right match for your lifestyle and it's important to know that there may be some issues to deal with if you are adopting an older dog.

  • Labrador Learning - Ace Starts Grade 1 at McCanns!

    Labrador in training with McCann Professional Dog Trainers

    Meet Ace!

    She's adorable AND smart! We'd like you to meet Ace, a 4-month-old Black Labrador Retriever. This is her first lesson of the Grade 1 program. When they start at an early age, it's easy for any dog to learn basic skills and manners. Watch Ace learn the first steps of her Grade 1 training from the handler's perspective.

  • Don't Touch Me! 6 Steps for Training Dogs to Accept Handling

    training dogs to accept handling with McCann Professional Dog TRainers

    Training dogs to accept handling is a crucial component of any training program. Puppies should be taught from an early age that handling is a positive thing. That way, you'll be able to comfortably administer medicine, groom, transport and allow for veterinary examination.

  • Guard Dogs - Making them Mean for Protection

    Do guard dogs have to be mean with McCann Professional Dog Trainers

    I'll never forget the first time I heard this absolute absurdity directed at my sweet, 12-week old Rottweiler puppy. I was cottaging and had taken Quincey for a walk around the back roads of Bala. There was an RV stuck at a hilled fork in the road. A group of people had gathered around to take in the scene.

  • Kids and Dogs: 4 Things Kids NEED to Know

    4 things kids need to know about dogs with McCann Professional Dog Trainers

    Kids are like little sponges - there are always great opportunities to teach them what they should be doing in any given situation. One thing that kids are bound to encounter is dogs! For kids and dogs to exist harmoniously together, it's crucial that all children are taught some basics about dog interaction.

  • 4 Steps to Easily Trim Your Dog's Nails - Do-It-Yourself

    trim your dogs nails yourself with McCann Professional Dog Trainers

    Do you want to trim your dog's nails? “Oh my word, NO!!!!” That was her response when I a student in our Puppy Head Start class if she wanted help with nail trimming. Clearly she was terrified of the process. I asked her why. “My last dog used to fight so hard, we had to muzzle him and eventually had to resort to anaesthetizing him to get his nails trimmed. It was awful!”

  • Do You Have A Stubborn Dog? 5 Easy Steps to Training Any Dog!

    training a stubborn dog with McCann Professional Dog Trainers

    Fortunately, there's no such thing as a stubborn dog. The act of being "stubborn" is a human construct meaning "determination not to change one's attitude or position on something, especially in spite of good arguments or reasons to do so." As humans, we tend to project our own emotions and feelings on animals.

  • 6 Ways to Teach a Dog NOT to Come When Called

    Teach a dog not to come when it's called with McCann Professional Dog Trainers

    There are many ways to successfully train a dog to come when called. The method you choose is dependent on your training philosophy and style. Unfortunately, there are an equal or greater number of ways to teach a dog NOT to come. People can quickly sour their dogs to coming when called. Here are 6 of the most common errors we see.