PAW-some ways the whole family can have fun celebrating National Puppy Day
HOUSTON โ National Puppy Day is a paw-some way for all dog parents to celebrate the unconditional love that puppies bring into this world. Itโs also a day that helps to promote puppy adoptions. In honor of the holiday, we asked our friends at Believe in DOG Training in The Heights for some fun ideas on how to get involved with our pups for the special day. Watch as Lauren Kelly and โBIDโ owner Stephanie Bennett have an Easter Egg Hunt with a few furry friends, that also helps with enrichment and nose work activity.
Best family dog breeds: Houston dog trainer shares her top picks
HOUSTON โ If youโre thinking of adding a new puppy to your family, itโs important to consider what dog breed best fits your lifestyle. Each dog is different, but there are general and somewhat predictable personality traits associated with specific dog breeds,โ said Bennett, the puppy expert who trained our beloved Tex. According to Bennett, is important that you ask yourself a series of important questions before bringing a new dog into your family unit. Are you physically able to provide the necessary exercise for a high energy dog? Talk to professional dog trainers who will be able to discuss the challenges of particular breeds,โ she recommended.
Stephanie Bennett shares tips on helping your puppy adjust to being alone in the crate
HOUSTON โ Over the last few months, our fur babies have been spoiled with their owners more than ever because of the pandemic. With everyone working from home, our dogs have gotten used to their parents being there with them 24/7. Stephanie Bennett, owner of Believe In Dog Training, is sharing her tips on why itโs so important for puppies to learn to be alone and settle in their crate. If puppies donโt learn and practice this skill, many of them develop separation anxiety which could lead to bigger issues down the road. Check out what Stephanie had to say about easing some of the common crate-training issues.
Watch Tex learn new tricks with Stephanie Bennett from Believe In Dog Training
Since Tex is one of the smartest dogs we know, we wanted to test his knowledge by trying to teach him two new tricks. Stephanie Bennett, owner of Believe in Dog Training, (and Texs favorite person btw!) Another suggestion: break down trick training exercises into small steps. Dogs learn more quickly and with less confusion when exercises are broken down into small steps. Always end the training session with success and while your dog still wants more, and practice, repetition, and patience are key.
5 things you need to know to keep your dog safe during hurricane season
Itโs a great reminder to prepare ourselves and our dogs for hurricane season. Just make sure that you have the basics, grab that bag and run with your dog,โ she said. Keep that update now, because we never know,โ said Bennett, who suggests not only keeping the vaccinations record on your phone, but also on your emergency case in case you lose power. So, itโs important because theyโre going to go crazy and weโre going to have an emotional emergency going on that can also freak out our dogs. If they are very familiar and safe in a crate with a blankie that smells like home, itโs going to help them so much,' said Bennett.
How to prepare your dog for when you return to work
HOUSTON โ With more business opening across Texas, a major concern for dog parents is heading back to work and leaving their pups home alone again. โItโs really important to start leaving for small increments of time, even if itโs just for 15 minutes. โDonโt let your dog be velcro dog, meaning following you every single place that you go, whether it means, Iโm going to go check the mail. But you do need to seek help from professionals to help you and to help your dog. If your looking for help to train your dog, Believe in Dog Training has a canine training and enrichment center in the Heights.
Houston dog trainer shows how to teach your dog to โstayโ on command
But puppy expert and owner of Believe in Dog Training, Stephanie Bennett, shares a simple solution to give your dog boundaries. โWe are going to teach them how to stay on the place. โPlaceโ means place, until I tell you otherwise. โThe picture of โplaceโ for the dog, is four feet on the bed. Set small goals as you slowly add distraction, distance and duration, and reward your dog with a tiny treat for success.