Puppy Training for Urban Life

All puppies need training in order to learn how to behave, but those who live in the city can benefit from specialized training. Living in Chicago means that most puppies don’t have a fenced-in yard to run around in. Instead, they’re out on the sidewalk going for walks around the neighborhood, or spending time in other public places filled with people, other pets and a lot of noise. Urban life can create certain challenges for puppies, but the right training can help ensure that they grow to be happy, well-adjusted pets.


Obedience Training
Teaching verbal commands is an important part of keeping puppies safe in the city. Obedience training helps puppies learn to stay or sit on command, which can stop them from getting hurt or getting into trouble when they’re out in public. DoGone Fun offers puppy training courses that teach puppies how to obey specific commands, even with distractions around. Since city streets and other public places are filled with distractions, these courses offer a valuable training experience.


House Training
Having a puppy in the city can be a challenge in terms of house training, since you can’t just let your puppy out the door when he needs to go. At DoGone Fun, our puppy training courses include proper house training for dogs that live in the city. This training can make it easier for you to ensure that your puppy learns how to let you know that he needs to go out, which helps reduce accidents in your home.


Socialization and City Life
Being a city dog means being exposed to a wide range of sights, smells and sounds on a regular basis. Puppies can become overwhelmed and afraid of these new experiences without proper socialization. Going through our puppy training courses provides your pup with a number of chances to meet other puppies, get used to being in new surroundings and adapt to new experiences. This is all part of making sure that your puppy learns how to behave appropriately around others and does not regard new settings or situations as something to fear.

Doggy Day Care – Is It Right For My Dog?

When you aren’t able to be home during the day to spend time with your dog, day care might be an option to consider. Having your dog go to doggy day care ensures that she has a chance to burn off energy and make new friends on a regular basis. This helps reduce boredom and provides plenty of physical and mental stimulation for your dog. How do you know if this option is a good one for your pet? Keep the following in mind.


Temperament Assessments
Dogs who are going to be joining doggy day care at DoGone Fun must go through a temperament assessment first. This assessment is an important part of making sure that all dogs who participate in day care play sessions are as safe as possible. While many dogs have temperaments that are suitable for this type of social setting, others might have qualities that could create an unsafe environment. For example, dogs who are afraid of other dogs might snap or act out due to their fear. Other dogs might show signs of aggression, such as lunging, that make it dangerous for them to take part in doggy day care.


Basic Obedience
Does your dog obey basic commands, such as “stay?” It’s helpful for dogs to have basic obedience training if they’re going to be in a doggy day care facility. This makes it easier for staff members to ensure that all dogs are able to play safely. If your dog hasn’t had basic obedience training yet, keep in mind that DoGone Fun offers individual and group training sessions. Your dog can learn to follow certain commands, then join in the fun with their day care group.


Socialization
Socialization is a core part of ensuring that dogs learn how to behave properly in different situations and around other dogs, pets and people. If your dog doesn’t get out much, doggy day care is a great way to provide her with plenty of socialization opportunities. At DoGone Fun, your dog can spend a few or several hours each day playing and having fun with other dogs.

Ways to make Long Term Boarding for Dogs a happy experience.

When your dog can’t be home for awhile for certain reasons, long-term boarding can be a good place for him to stay. Whether you’re going on a long trip abroad or having your home renovated, finding a boarding facility for your dog to stay can provide you with peace of mind. However, what about your dog’s own peace of mind? Your dog might not be happy about being away from home at first, but there are things you can do to improve his experience.


Find a Clean and Safe Dog Boarding Facility
The dog boarding facility you choose should provide dogs with an environment that is both clean and safe. When you tour the facility, make sure that dogs have clean water to drink and that there are no messes left lying around. The boarding facility should also have a safe and enclosed play area, as well as knowledgeable staff members who supervise dogs.


Consider Short-Term Stays First
Having your dog do a couple of short-term stays at the dog boarding facility before doing a long-term stay can also help. These short stays give your dog a chance to get used to the new surroundings and get to know staff members. If you’re worried about how your dog will handle a long-term stay, consider scheduling a stay for one or two days first. If the facility offers doggy day care playtime, you might also want to consider doing this for a few days or even a week before the long-term stay. This will allow your dog to become familiar with the boarding facility, staff, and being around other dogs.


Pack a Favorite Toy or Familiar Item
When you’re getting your dog’s supplies ready for boarding, pack one of his favorite toys or an item that reminds him of home, such as a blanket or one of your shirts. Having this kind of item around can help your dog adjust to staying at a long-term boarding facility. His favorite toy gives him something to play with, while a blanket or shirt have familiar scents on them to help him feel at home.

Getting your Dog ready for the Chicago winter

Chicago winters can be brutal when temperatures drop well below freezing and snow storms hit. This kind of weather can make it difficult for dogs to spend time outdoors, even when it’s just a quick dog walk so they can do their business. Take the following steps now to prepare your dog for winter weather.


Cover Your Dog to Keep Out the Cold
Bringing dogs outside in winter when they’re used to milder weather is hard for them to adjust to, especially if they have a thinner coat. Put a doggy coat or jacket on your pup when you head outdoors for walks. Having this kind of covering on helps keep their body warm and protected from wind and cold. If it’s snowing and their coat or jacket gets wet, take it off right away when you get back home. Wearing cold and wet apparel can raise their risk of dangerous health issues, such as hypothermia.


Protect Your Dog’s Paws
A coat or jacket helps keep a dog’s body warmer overall, but don’t forget about their paws. Having to walk on freezing concrete can be uncomfortable and lead to injuries. Dogs that have to walk over rock salt on sidewalks can end up with burnt paw pads. The pads on their paws can also become cracked from exposure to the cold, and freezing temperatures can increase their risk of having frostbitten feet. Have your dog wear a pair of dog booties when you go out for walks. These booties protect your dog’s paws and lower the risk of injuries. Make sure you take them off as soon as you get home, so your dog won’t spread salt around your home. Licking this rock salt can be dangerous for dogs.


Look Into Indoor Fun
When it’s too cold for playtime outdoors, consider putting your dog in doggy daycare. This gives your dog a warm and safe place to stay physically active and spend time with other pups. With doggy daycare, you won’t have to worry about frostbite and other winter woes, and your dog won’t get bored being cooped up at home.

Options for your dog while you’re away for the holidays

The holiday season is often a busy time thanks to family gatherings, work parties and other festive activities. If you plan on driving or flying elsewhere to see your family for the holidays or if you have a packed social schedule during this season, you’ll have to figure out how to make sure that your dog is cared for and has some company. These are just a few different options that are available for pet owners during the holidays.


Consider a Dog Walker
If you’re not going out of town, but you have several holiday festivities going on, look into hiring a dog walker. Professional dog walkers can stop by your home as often as needed to take your dog for walks. This allows your dog to eliminate regularly, get some physical activity and have plenty of attention when you’re not home. This can provide you with peace of mind as you go about your holiday activities.


Hire a Pet Sitter
Hiring a pet sitter to come to your home and care for your dog is another option to consider. Pet sitters can take dogs for walks, play with them, feed them, give them medicine if needed, and perform other tasks. However, keep in mind that some pet sitters only stop by a few times a day or less, which means your dog won’t have as much company overall. If you hire an in-home sitter, you would have to be comfortable letting someone you don’t know stay in your home while you’re away.


Find a Pet Boarding Facility
Boarding your dog is a better option if you’ll be away for the holidays and want to make sure that he has a lot of attention. Find a pet boarding facility that provides a clean and safe place for dogs and has friendly and experienced staff available to supervise them. You can also find pet boarding places that offer other services such as spa services, gourmet treats, and training sessions. If you choose this option for your dog, check the facility’s requirements for boarding, which usually include certain vaccinations and a temperament assessment.

Manage that dog hair with a Grooming Service designed for unruly shedding

During spring and fall, your clothes and furniture can easily end up covered in a coat of dog hair. It’s not just dogs with long, thick coats that shed. You also have to deal with dog hair everywhere when you have a dog with a shorter coat. While you can’t do anything to stop shedding from happening, you can do something about minimizing the amount of hair that gets all over.


Shed Management Program
At DoGone Fun, we offer a special grooming program that’s designed to address shedding and eliminate it as much as possible. In fact, this 8 to 10 step program can reduce shedding by 60 to 80 percent. This means you’ll have a lot less dog hair to deal with on your clothes and in your home. Since this program also reduces the amount of pet dander overall, friends or family with allergies might be able to visit you without sneezing and sniffling.


Keep in mind that this program works best when you have grooming done about every 4 to 6 weeks while your dog is shedding. How often your dog will need to be groomed depends on the type of coat and its length. Dogs with heavier coats or ones that shed more will need to come in more often. The grooming techniques we use for this Shed Management Program can effectively reduce shedding without damaging your dog’s skin or living hair. Your dog will still shed naturally, which is crucial for maintaining a healthy coat, but the amount of hair and dander in your home will be less.


If your dog isn’t used to being groomed, we recommend starting as early as possible. This can help ease any anxiety your dog might have about being handled. Getting your dog used to grooming at an early age makes it easier to stick to a regular grooming schedule, especially during shedding season. At DogGone Fun, we understand how nervous some dogs can be, and we take steps to make them feel as calm as possible. Our trained staff know how to provide grooming services while also keeping dogs comfortable.

Keeping your dog calm during the holidays

The holiday season is hectic enough for humans. Imagine what it’s like for dogs who don’t really understand what all the commotion is about. When you have a busy schedule during the holidays and gatherings to attend, your dog could act up out of anxiety or boredom. You can help your dog remain happy and calm throughout the holidays with these simple tips.


Go Through Training
Even if your dog already knows basic obedience commands, it doesn’t hurt to go over them again and make sure that she knows what to do. If your dog hasn't had any obedience training so far, it’s important to teach her a few basic commands, such as “down” or “stay.” This can help you have more control over your dog’s behavior when you have holiday guests over, especially if she’s the type that tends to get excited and jump on people. Remember that you should never reward jumping or other unacceptable behavior with attention.


Keep Pet Toys Handy
If your dog will be spending a lot of time without you, make sure that you have plenty of toys available to keep her occupied. Give her safe chew toys, so she can gnaw away her frustration. You can also give her puzzle toys to figure out, since these challenging toys are ideal for preventing boredom. Keep in mind that dogs who are bored, anxious or frustrated can end up having behavioral issues, such as eliminating in the house or barking too much.


Look Into Doggy Daycare
Putting your dog in a daycare setting is a great idea when you’ll be busier than usual with holiday preparations or other activities. Doggie daycare provides opportunities for your dog to stay active and have fun playing with other dogs. This helps keep her brain and body busy, which lowers the risk of behavioral problems. If you’ll be traveling for the holidays, consider boarding your dog at a facility where she can spend time with other dogs. Instead of being cooped up and bored at home, she’ll have plenty of company and many chances to be physically active.