Recent Blogs

  • Ask the PetSpert: Lawn Burn Prevention

    Dear PetSpert,

    I love my dog but she’s ruining my lawn! Last summer, no matter how I treated it, my lawn had yellow spots all over from my dog’s waste. Is there anything I can do so it doesn’t happen this year?

    -Spotty  

    Dear Spotty,

    Many dog owners have the same problem. Dog waste contains ammonia, which is made of nitrogen, an additive to most fertilizers. In concentrated amounts, this nutrient burns your lawn brown. Luckily, there are solutions that don’t involve planting a whole new lawn or getting ...

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  • Dog Versus Dog Food: Finding the Best Pet Food

    Food is one of the most important things you give your dog or cat. Store shelves overflow with cans, bags, and even frozen items all claiming to be the best food for your dog or cat. No food is perfect for every pet – find the best food for your pet as we compare the 6 main types.

    Type
    Description
    Cost
     Ease Pros
    Cons
     Best Use

    Dry/Kibble

     

    Example: Natural Balance


    Crunchy kibbles are often extruded at high temperatures with added vitamins and minerals. This food category contains the ...

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  • The Value of a High Quality Dog Food

    Nutrition is a weighty matter when it comes to dogs. While all dog food bags picture a healthy dog on the package and boast to be satisfying to your pet, this is unfortunately not always so. As with any industry, there are brands that cut corners when it comes to nutrition all in the name of money. There are many reasons to choose a high quality food for your dog and I will outline a few of the more important ones here.

     

    Keep your dog satisfied

    A good quality ...

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  • Ask the PetSpert: Dog Foods for Different Ages

    Dear PetSpert,

    We recently adopted a new Shih-tzu/Bichon cross puppy who is four months old. We already have two other Shih-tzu crosses, Toby and Ritz, who are 3 and 5. We’ve been feeding Toby and Ritz separately from the new puppy, Baxter, but he prefers their food to his own. Can we feed Baxter the adult food instead of his own puppy formula?

    -PickyPuppy

    Dear PickyPuppy,

    Congratulations on your new adoption!

    Feeding pets of different ages can be difficult. However you may try to feed them separately, some food will ...

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  • Alternatives to Electronic Training Aids

    Safe Solutions to Problem Barking

    Barking is a natural way for your dog to communicate with you and others. However, problem barking can make your dog a nuisance to neighbours and test the most loving dog owner’s patience. While you should always look to the root of your dog’s barking – albeit a genuine threat, anxiety, attention-seeking, boredom, or stress, for example – these harm-free aids can help you train your dog safely and effectively.

    Citronella Sprays

    Citronella collars are a bark control collar that works on the principle that ...

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  • Foolproof House Training

    House training your puppy can be one of the most difficult trials of dog ownership. Whatever method you choose to employ - kennel, bell, newspaper, litter, or artificial grass - here are 5 training tips to help you along the way. 

    1. Refrain from Scolding

    It can be very frustrating when your puppy repeatedly makes the same mistakes. The natural impulse is to scold your puppy. However, this approach can be more harmful than good. Scolding can increase your puppy's anxiety, which can in turn cause submissive behaviours - including ...

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  • 5 Ways to House Train Your Dog

    House training is one of the most frustrating challenges for pet owners. Some settle for a less-than-perfect record, dealing with frequent ‘accidents’ and others avoid purchasing a puppy to skip this step! House training your dog does not have to be difficult. Have you considered these 5 different ways to house training success?

    The Options

    1. Kennel Training

    Kennel training is the old standby when it comes to house training. Why has it persisted through the years? Quite simply, it works. Kennel training works on a dog’s instinct not to pee or poop in their ...

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  • Bringing Home a New Puppy

    You can have everything you need for a new puppy and still feel unprepared. Follow these 9 tips to give your puppy a safe, easy, and comfortable transition to his new home.

    1. Be Prepared

    Get everything your puppy needs before you bring your puppy home: food, bed, brushes and shampoos, dishes, treats, cleaning supplies, toys, training aids, kennel, and anything else your puppy may need.

    2. A Nice Ride

    Bring your puppy home in a kennel to avoid panic in your vehicle on the way home. Bring a ...

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  • Before You Bring Puppy Home

    Bringing home a puppy is exciting for both owner and pet, but it can be stressful, too. The best way to keep everyone healthy and happy is to be prepared. This guide will help you create a comforting environment for the new puppy and your whole family.

    1. Prepare Children

    If you have children, try to acquaint them with dogs and puppies before bringing the new puppy home. If you can, have each member of your family come in and see the puppy before adopting. Get your child excited about dogs by reading them a book about ...

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  • Parasite Prevention in Dogs

    Spring brings many things for our dogs: warm weather, more time outside, summer camping and vacations, and trips to the kennel and the park. Unfortunately, spring also brings with it an onslaught of internal and external parasites that can sabotage your summer fun. Read on for the 5 most common spring parasites and their best prevention.

    1. Fleas

    Description

    Fleas settle along the collar, tail, belly, or back of your dog, biting the animal and feeding off its blood supply. They can cause other infections as well as tapeworms. Fleas ...

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