YNP #099: Why Not to Give a Puppy as a Holiday Gift

The holiday season is a popular time to bring a new puppy into the family.  But how we do it can make a big difference in the well being of all involved.  Now before I totally burst your bubble, I'm not saying you shouldn't get a puppy this time of year (though there are things to […] The post YNP #099: Why Not to Give a Puppy as a Holiday Gift appeared first on Playtime Paws.

Why your dog isn't listening depends on a bunch of factors including what your asking them to do, where they are, what you've taught them previously, and more. It's one of the most common questions I get but it's also one of the hardest to answer.  I usually need ALOT more information.   From my experience, I've narrowed […] The post YNP #098: Why Your Dog Isn’t Listening appeared first on Playtime Paws.

Just about every dog is going to have some trouble with the hot weather.   For some dogs even a slight elevation in temperature will find them seeking out the shade and wanting shorter walks.  The heat itself can be tiring for a dog so it tends to shorten walks and activity.  This will result in us […] The post YNP #097: Hot Weather Activities for Your Dog appeared first on Playtime Paws.

Pet insurance isn't the most interesting topic I've ever talked about but it is important. Most often I get the question "is pet insurance worth it?"  And I think this is the wrong question. We most often compare it to our own health insurance.  But there are key differences that mean we have to think about pet […] The post YNP #096: Is Pet Insurance Worth It? appeared first on Playtime Paws.

What do you do when things go wrong between the kids and your dog?   Something that isn't talked about enough is how the relationship between kids and dogs isn't always as magical as we imagined.   It's very common for the kids to get annoyed with the jumpy puppy and their sharp teeth.  It's just as common for […] The post YNP #095: When Things Go Wrong Between the Kids and Dog: With Justine Schuurmans appeared first on Playtime Paws.

If you're a parent, how do you know if your kids are ready for a dog?  And if they are, how do you prepare them for bringing that new dog home? Well lucky for you (and me) Justine Schuurmans, the expert on families, kids, and dogs,  is going to answer those questions. Justine is the founder of […] The post YNP #094: Are Your Kids Ready for a Dog? With Justine Schuurmans appeared first on Playtime Paws.

What is dog fitness?  Brittni of Potential Unleased Idaho has joined me to answer that question and then some. Brittni talks to us about dog fitness and how it can prevents injuries, builds confidence, and work both body and mind.  Of course, we also talked a lot about puppies and how to keep our their muscles and […] The post YNP #093: Dog Fitness: Keeping Your Puppy Fit and Safe with Brittni appeared first on Playtime Paws.

It can be counter intuitive but when your puppy has a potty accident, we shouldn't punish them. You may feel that you need to do something to let them know "this is wrong".   Or maybe you know that you're not supposed to punish your puppy's potty accidents but you're not sure why. In general, I discourage using […] The post YNP #092: Why Not to Punish Puppy Potty Accidents appeared first on Playtime Paws.

When I receive multiple questions from my listeners around the same topic I know it's time to do a podcast episode about it.   But not all questions warrant a full episode but can still be useful to answer. So that's exactly what I did in this episode.  I gathered 5 questions that came from you, my […] The post YNP #091: Listener Questions appeared first on Playtime Paws.

When your dog refuses to go outside in the rain, it can be annoying and time consuming.  It's even worse when you're trying to potty train a young puppy that isn't going to hold it until the rain stops.   For most dogs they will learn to tolerate it but for others it may always be […] The post YNP #090: When Your Dog Hates the Rain appeared first on Playtime Paws.