Blog | DogWalker.com

Marketing Tip for Dog Walkers: YouTube

Make a Movie While everyone loves “word of mouth” advertising where friends refer friends to their service providers, sometimes this isn’t possible for dog walkers. There are a number of ways dog walkers are able to market their services to dog owners to supplement referrals or when referrals aren’t as robust as necessary to provide enough business for a person.

Creating YouTube videos is a great way for a dog walker or dog walking company to advertise. Videos allow dog owners to get a personal connection to the dog walker even before they meet, helping to establish a bond and trust before a connection is made.

In the video(s), I recommend that the dog walker either teach something helpful or just offer an introduction to give visitors an idea about who the dog walker is and what experience he or she has. While it’s smart to convey the same message on a website, it’s much more powerful to do it over video. Not only will dog owners appreciate the effort, but Google, Yahoo, and Bing will love it and move it to the video section, giving more exposure.

When a dog walker does create a video, he or she should use proper tags, with keywords that will benefit the dog walker. For example, a New York City dog walker should use tags like “new york city dog walker,” “nyc dog walking,” “manhattan dog walker,” “dog walker on the upper west side.”

Considering Dog Insurance? Think About Pet Assure

Have you been thinking about getting pet insurance for your dog (or maybe even your cat)? If you’ve been looking at pet or dog insurance plans, you might want to think about Pet Assure. With PetAssure.com, it’s easy to save money on the bills that can easily pile up as a result of owning a dog.

According to the Pet Assure website, it’s simple to save money:

Present your Pet Assure membership card to any participating vet and you will receive 25% off your bill right at vet’s office on all of the following services:

Office Visit & Exams

All Shots

Any Elective Procedure (e.g., dental care)

Any Surgery (e.g., spaying & neutering)

Hospitalization (in Network)

and more!

With no annual usage limit, there is no concern that coverage may run out. No pet health questions asked, as every member will receive the same coverage on the above services, regardless of health issues that exist or that may arise in the future. There is no waiting period, so sign up now to begin saving!”

What other programs can make the same offer for your pet? If you are looking for an insurance type of product, you should check out and review Pet Assure.

Of course it’s important to check out all of the terms and conditions and other disclaimers that come with programs like this before deciding for yourself and your pet.

The BEST Dog Toy – Omega Tricky Treat Ball

Omega Tricky Treats Ball My Wife and I live in New York City, and my parents live in New Hampshire. Whenever my Wife and I go on vacation or are headed out of town for more than a few days, we bring our puggle Lucy to my parents, who love caring for her and playing with her. During the week, my Dad brings Lucy to his store (curtain and home fashions shop) and Lucy spends the day with him, keeping him company and entertaining customers.

On the last visit to New Hampshire, one of my Dad’s customers recommended a toy to him that her dog loves. The Omega Paw Tricky Treats Ball Dog Toy is a round toy with craters that you put dog food or dog treats in, and as the dog plays, the treats fall out. Because of it’s shape, it’s not that easy for the dog to get her treats, and she really needs to work hard to get them. Instead of giving a dog raw hide which takes time and effort to chew, the dog can play with this toy just as long but not consume as much.

We brought Lucy to New Hampshire this past weekend, and my Parents bought Lucy the Tricky Treats Ball. As you can probably imagine she LOVED it. We have never seen her play with a toy as much as she played with this one. If you have a dog that loves treats, you should think about buying this dog toy! There are plenty of dog toys you can buy, but this is the best one for Lucy to play with in the house.

Now we need to buy her one for New York!

Blister on Dog’s Paw

About a week and a half ago, my Wife and I took our two and a half year old puggle Lucy to Boston’s South End to visit my Brother. In the morning, my Wife took Lucy to the dog run located at the end of his street, and Lucy played with several dogs for about a half an hour.

When my Wife returned home, she told us how much fun Lucy had at the dog run, and also told us the park was unique, as it was concrete (instead of the pebbles or grass Lucy is used to running on in the dog runs here in New York). a couple days after returning home, we noticed that Lucy was limping. The limping got worse, and after inspecting the back paw she was favoring, I noticed it was red and blistered.

We made a quick trip to the veterinarian who gave us a bottle of Nolvasan Otic Cleansing Solution (a pet antiseptic and wound and skin cleanser), and she let us know it was probably caused by the concrete since Lucy’s pads weren’t familiar with running on the concrete. After a few days of Nolvasan soaks (not easy to do with an energetic little dog), Lucy seems to be feeling much better and her paw is healing.

The next time you take your dog to a dog run, you should be mindful of the terrain. A change in it could hurt your dog!

Collect Pet Hair to Help with Oil Spill

Dog fur As most Americans are aware, there has been a massive oil spill that occurred in the Gulf of Mexico, just off of the coast of Louisiana, and it continues to leak tens of thousands of oil per day (some reports are that it is leaking 210,000 gallons per day!). In total, there has been 3 million gallons of oil that has leaked, and it’s beginning to wash up on shore, which is going to impact a lot of people who live in the area and who make their living in the water or nearby.

Hair stylists, barbers, and dog and cat groomers have been collecting the trimmings of their clients of every kind to send them to the Gulf Coast to help contain the oil spill. The hair is stuffed into nylon stockings, and the finished product known as hair booms are immersed into the water. This massive effort is being undertaken by an organization called Matter of Trust, based in San Francisco, California. According to the Matter of Trust website,

Anyone and Everyone: salons, groomers, wool farmers and individuals can sign up to donate hair, fur, waste wool… clippings and nylons and funding for our Hair for Oil Spills program. Our Excess Access program SIGN UP is FREE, FAST and HELPS us to coordinate the masses of donations going to the Gulf.

To learn more about this effort and see how you can assist by collecting dog and cat fur, visit their website. It’s going to take a major effort to clean up after this massive oil spill but we can all help no matter where we live.

Photo Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rscottjones/ / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Down Economy Means More Volunteers at Shelters!

Jordan Kaplan founded “Brooklyn dog walkers” after successfully building a best in breed dog walking/pet sitting business in Manhattan called Petaholics and knew that all the same elements could be replicated in Brooklyn (which would be the 4th largest city in the us if not part of nyc).

With more time on their hands, people are volunteering at animal shelters in droves!

The waiting list is 6 months long. One such place called Barc Animal shelter in Brooklyn, New York has been reporting hearing that men and woman have been using the dog walks as ways to meet people of the opposite sex. Doggie matchmakers!

We all know that dogs are chick magnets, the cuter the better and in a town where everyone has their guard up on the street what better way to meet people. At least the dogs are getting plenty of exercise and socialization!

What Exercise Does for Your Dog and What You Get in the Bargain

Billings Dog Walker Tracie Morgan is a Certified Dog Walker, has dog first aid certification, and her B.S. degree in Social Science from Rocky Mountain College in Billings MT. Tracie operates a dog walking service in Billings, Montana called Dogs ‘N Sync, LLC where she takes up to six dogs in a pack on daily 3 mile off-leash dog hikes to local public access area trails and parks.

Because of the long work hours and busy lives people lead today their canine companions spend long lonely hours at home bored, sleeping, and even overeating. Dogs are companion animals and an important part of our culture, our family, and our community life. People have a strong historical relationship with dogs and over time dogs have become more than canine companions. People derive both physical and mental health benefits from their relationships with dogs; dogs have become an important part of our society. Dogs provide many stress relieving and health benefits, such as social support and stress relief.

Effects of Exercise on Behavior
Also important to the health and welfare of people and dogs is the need for daily activity. With more people becoming health conscious, it is well known that exercise is a good thing for human bodies, and, of course, that goes for dogs too. Exercise tones muscles, builds strong bones, improves circulation, can improve bone and joint health; can improve heart and lung function, helps weight loss, helps prevent early death, improves mental state, promotes healthy rest, helps prevent depression, and in dogs, reduces the incidence of digestive problems and constipation.

It is well known that people do not get enough exercise and it is no surprise that dogs are not getting enough exercise either. There is a strong connection between lack of exercise and behavior problems in dogs. Dogs were bred to perform specific jobs. Because they are not required to do these specific jobs now they need an outlet for their energy, relief from boredom, and time to display the particular characteristics of their breed.

Dogs’ genetics have prepared them to work, but many dogs are spending their lives confined in monotonous back yards. What are they doing to burn all that built up natural energy? Many are barking, chewing, digging, whining, escaping, howling, and displaying hyper-active behavior.

A Tired Dog is a Good Dog
A lot of these behavior issues can be resolved with consistent socialization and exercise. When dogs don’t get the exercise they need it is causes problems for dog owners and their communities. Regular exercise is the key ingredient to good health, good mental agility, and longevity for your dog.

A well exercised dog translates into happier people, happier pet, and fewer medical expenses. However, the truth is that dogs do not self exercise and play when they are left alone. Instead, dogs tend to shut down when they are by themselves because dogs are social animals.

A dog’s instincts tell them it is not good to be left alone or isolated from their pack. Dogs are entirely dependent on their humans for proper exercise, food, and health care. It is up to humans to provide adequate amounts of exercise for their beloved canine companions. For humans, a well exercised dog means coming home to a calm dog and a dog nicer to be around.

Story by Tracie Morgan, CDW
Dogs ‘N Sync, LLC

Partnership for Animal Welfare, Inc., Exercise Benefits. Retrieved March 29, 2008, from DogTip Exercise Benefits Web site:
http:/www.paw-rescue.org/PAW/PETTIPS/DogTip_ExerciseBenefits

Butler, Joy (April 22, 2007). Doggy Fitness Exercise Checklist. Retrieved March 29, 2008, from Doggy Fitness Exercise Checklist:
Daily Active Routine Benefits Web site: http:/dog-care.suite101.com/article.cfm/doggy_fitness

Scott. M.S., Elizabeth How Owning a Dog or Cat Can Reduce Stress. Retrieved March 29, 2008, from Health Benefits of Pets – How
Owning a Dog or Cat Can Reduce Stress Web site: http:/stress.about.com/od/lowstresslifesytle/a/petsand stress.

Dogs ‘N Sync Walking: 10 Quick Tips

The foundation of dog training is dog walking. Walking your dog is the most important part of training and it forms the cornerstone for all other areas of training. Many dog owners are at their wits end with their dog’s behavior on the walk and they desperately want things to change. We have all seen dogs determined to get to another dog, their favorite bush, a fire hydrant, or to people they see in the neighborhood. We watch as they drag their embarrassed owners around the block. If you are the owner of a dog that has a mind of its own, not only do you have sore arms but you probably dread walking your dog.

Walking your dog is a great way for you and your dog to get exercise and it is a fun and fulfilling way to improve your relationship with your dog. There is no better way to form a strong bond and fulfill your dog’s core need for regular and adequate amounts of exercise. Another good reason for walking your dog is because there is a strong connection between lack of exercise and behavior problems in dogs. A lot of behavior issues can be resolved with consistent socialization and exercise. Of course, there are many reasons for problems, but most start with owner’s not having all the information they need to successfully walk their dog.

I am going to give you 10 tips for dog walking but first, I have a question for you….

DO You Know About the APDT?

Chances are you haven’t heard of Ian Dunbar. He is the renowned and popular author of six books on pet training, he developed one of the earliest puppy training courses in the United States (Sirrus Puppy Training), he is the holder of a veterinary degree and a Special Honors in Physiology and Biochemistry from the Royal Veterinary College of London University, he has a doctorate in animal behavior from the psychology department of UC Berkley, he has done a decade of research, he has decades of dog training experience, he is the founder of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) an organization with thousands of members, and he has revolutionized the dog training field with positive reinforcement methods. Ian Dunbar is the dog trainer’s trainer.

A sample of Ian Dunbar Quotes:

“Even unwanted behavior offers a wonderful dog training opportunity. Reinforcing the cessation of misbehavior is the training technique of choice when trying to eliminate whining, growling, and running away. Punishment generally exacerbates the problem, making the dog more likely to whine, growl, or run away”

“One of the most magically powerful training techniques is to ignore all unwanted behavior and instead, teach and reinforce good behaviors. Whenever your dog does something you like, simply say, “Good dog” and give him a piece of kibble, some affection, or play a game with him as a reward. For example, reward your dog whenever he sits, lies down, looks at you, stops barking, or just looks cute.”

“You especially want to reward your dog for any sociable or friendly greeting behavior, such as when your dog approaches, wags his tail, wags his butt, sticks out his tongue, raises a paw, or play bows. Sometimes your dog may look like he isn’t doing much. But that’s precisely the point! He may just stand there wagging his tail, but think of all the annoying and worrying things he could have been doing. He could have been barking, snapping, jumping up, or careening around your house like an agility course! So, in a sense, it’s a good idea to reward your dog for not acting fearfully, antisocially, or hyperactively.”

Okay…now for the 10 quick tips:

Dog Walking Tip #1

Collar Placement Needs to be Right. Your dog’s collar needs to be properly

placed on his neck. Many collars are too loose. If the dog pulls, a too loose collar easily slips off over the dogs head and the end result is a loose dog who is in harms way or who could cause harm. The collar must be adjusted enough so it does not slide off if the dog pulls. You should be able to slide two of your fingers under the dog’s collar. The collar needs to be placed (and stay) at the top of the dog’s neck.

Dog Walking Tip #2

Think Dog. Try and view the world from your dog’s outlook. We have domesticated dogs and brought them into our human world and it is up to us to teach them how to live in our world confidently. S/He doesn’t know what is unacceptable behavior, unless we tell him, to him it seems okay. Behaviors that are a problem for us are normal behaviors for them.

Dog Walking Tip #3

Be Consistent. If we want training to stick, everyone in the family has to follow the same rules and enforce the same boundaries and limitations. When we are consistent in rewarding what we like and when we give constructive feedback of what we don’t like, dogs begin to understand what we want from them.

Dog Walking Tip #4

Keep Your Dog Busy. Mental stimulation, proper exercise, socialization, and fun games will burn up your dog’s natural energy. Regular exercise is the key ingredient to good health, good mental agility, and longevity for your dog. A well exercised dog translates into a happier pet, happier people, and a happier home. A good dog is a tired dog.

Dog Walking Tip #5

When Your Dog Pulls on the Leash. When your dog begins to pull on the lead immediately stop walking and don’t resume walking until the lead is loose (be a tree). Slack on the leash means you instantly, again, start moving forward. If your dog pulls on the lead again, you again stop, and wait for slack on the leash. It’s okay if it takes you five minutes to get out the door. Dogs pull because they have been rewarded for pulling. Somehow it as has been a rewarding experience. S/He pulls and he gets out the door, or to the other dog, or to your neighbor, or to the car. Someone somewhere took a step when s/he put tension on the leash. The idea is to teach your dog he doesn’t get to go where he wants to go when he is pulling.

Dog Walking Tip #6

Find Doggie Friends. It is very important your dog stays socialized with other dogs; s/he needs to see other dogs regularly or he will be at greater risk of developing behavior issues around other dogs. Regular exposure to other dogs for play dates or dog socialization walking packs will ensure he keeps his ability to feel comfortable around other dogs in all environments. Dogs that have not been socialized or had enough experience around other dogs, people, and environments can be problematic. The lack of proper socialization is the major reason dogs become fearful of people, other dogs, other animals, and the environment.

Dog Walking Tip #7

Use Praise and Reward. Be positive and stay calm (no yelling). Reward behaviors you want and there is a very good chance those behaviors will be repeated. When an unwanted behavior occurs use a time out to remove your dog, or use sounds to interrupt the behavior, or refocus your dog on something more constructive, or ignore the behavior (such as jumping up), so the behavior is not reinforced and it eventually stops. If your dog is on a lead and desperate to get to another dog, bench, fire hydrant, or person, quickly turn in a different direction or in the opposite direction, so your dog will not be rewarded by reaching the target. Throw a praise party for your dog when he displays the behavior you are looking for and want repeated.

Dog Walking Tip #8

Do Not Use Dominate the Dog. Do not use pain, fear, force, intimidation or domination. Outdated training methods by traditional trainers would like you to believe dogs are behaving badly and trying to be dominant over their owners. Few dogs are actually attempting to be dominant over their owners; mostly they are displaying their insecurities or fears, which can be overcome with understanding and patience. Punishment has no place when teaching what behaviors we desire and what behaviors we want to end. Positive reinforcement training methods are easier, more effective, more enjoyable, and more efficient, plus your dog will learn better and retain information longer. You also build a better relationship with your dog.

Dog Walking Tip #9

Be Aware. Keep a look out for what is going on ahead of you when you are walking your dog. If you know your dog tends to lunge at other dogs, or likes to chase a cyclist, or run to a group of playing children, you should be prepared ahead of time with a plan of action. You could have your dog sit and keep sitting until the distraction passes by, or you could change your direction. Practice sitting first by having your dog sit for a treat on walks when nothing is happening and there are no distractions.

Dog Walking Tip #10

Exercise it vital. Make sure you do training after your dog has been adequately exercised. If pulling is a problem, there are no-pull harnesses that come in a variety of styles. You may need to try more than one style to find one that works best for you. Some, like the Gentle Leader Easy Walk harness attach to a leash at the point of your dogs chest and make it more difficult for your dog to pull. Others use straps that go under the dogs front legs and tighten when he pulls, such as the Sporn No Pull Halter. Still others are head halters like the Gentle Leader, but with a head halter it is important to desensitize your dog to the head halter gradually by associating the halter with treats and also rewarding when the dog is not trying to get the halter off by pawing at it. Be patient while your dog gets used to it.

Lastly, it is reported that 60% of dog owners do not to walk their dogs. The majority of dogs are spending their lives trapped in monotonous back yards and houses. Just because your dog is outside in the yard does not mean he is getting enough exercise. Dogs do not self exercise and play when they are by themselves. If you sit down to watch TV or read and your dog is snoozing beside you or chewing a bone, your dog has probably had enough exercise that day. If not, and he is getting into mischief or bugging you to play, then he has not had enough exercise. It is up to humans to provide adequate amounts of exercise for their beloved canine companions.

Walking your dog is low cost, popular, provides stress relief and support, offers health

giving exercise, and is life giving and beneficial. Your dog was born ready – let’s walk.

Discounting Dog Myths

Billings Dog Walker Tracie Morgan is a Certified Dog Walker, has dog first aid certification, and her B.S. degree in Social Science from Rocky Mountain College in Billings MT. Tracie operates a dog walking service in Billings, Montana called Dogs ‘N Sync, LLC where she takes up to six dogs in a pack on daily 3 mile off-leash dog hikes to local public access area trails and parks.

Many generations of evolution separate dogs and wolves. It does not make sense for us to learn how to interact with dogs from wolves. It makes about as much sense as learning to parent by watching chimpanzees parent. But this is what happened when man put unrelated wolves together in captivity and then concluded that domination is normal behavior. This theory was then superimposed on dogs.

The Natural Wolf Pack

In reality a natural wolf pack is a family unit that consists of an adult alpha male and an adult alpha female and their juvenile offspring and pups. There are usually about six or seven blood related members in a pack. The mated alpha male and female are the parents and leaders of their offspring pack just like humans lead and teach their offspring.

David L. Mech, one of the worlds leading wolf experts asserts, “In the natural wolf pack dominance contests with other wolves are rare if they exist at all”. Dr. Mech also writes in the Canadian Journal of Zoology in 1999, “The typical wolf pack is a family, with the adults guiding the activities of a group in a division-of-labor system”.

Researchers have learned that dominance is rare behavior for wolves and may be a by product of captivity where man put unrelated wolves together. Dominate behavior in wolves is based on environmental circumstances and is not an instinctual directive.

Cesar Milan

Currently there is controversy and debate going on in dog training circles. One side represented by Cesar Milan promotes the theory of dogs as wolves and promotes dominance training by pet owners and states there are only leaders and followers in a relationship. There is dominance or submission, no partnering. Cesar’s way is a one size fits all approach to dog training. On his TV program on the National Geographic channel Cesar uses techniques difficult for owners to replicate and uses techniques that could result in injury to the owner or their dog. That is why National Geographic has a disclaimer that runs at the bottom of the screen warning, “Don’t try this at home”.

Writer Mark Derr whose articles have appeared in Audubon, Natural History, Atlantic Monthly, and other publications and who is the author of critically acclaimed books like Frontiersman and Dog’s Best Friend writes that Cesar’s ethology is outdated. He further states, “he is a charming one man wrecking ball directed at 40 years of progress in the understanding and shaping dog behavior and in developing non-punitive, reward based training programs, which have led to seeing the dog as an individual, to understand what motivates it, what frightens it, and what its talents and limitations are”.

Many dog training experts are alarmed that Cesar Milan has become the face of dog training and are shaken by the fact that he has taken the world of dog behavior by storm. More and more concerned dog professionals are becoming increasingly vocal in expressing their disagreement with Cesar’s methods.

Ian Dunbar

The other side of the debate is represented by the renowned and popular Ian Dunbar author of six books on pet training, developer of one of the earliest puppy training courses in the United States (Sirius Puppy Training), holder of a veterinary degree, and a Special Honors in Physiology and Biochemistry from the Royal Veterinary College of London University, a doctorate in animal behavior from the psychology department of UC Berkley, a decade of research, and decades of dog-training experience.

The only things Ian and Cesar both agree on is that all dogs can and should be trained and that dogs need regular and adequate amounts of exercise. Ian Dunbar believes all training is negotiation and compliance can best be achieved through positive training methods. His emphasis on positive approaches like lure reward methods using treats and praise has revolutionized the dog training field. He once ran a behavior clinic for fighting and biting dogs and he is the founder of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT), an organization with thousands of members. He was also the star of the British television show “Dogs with Dunbar” and he has hosted a dozen popular videos about dog training.

Ian is not a supporter of using pain and fear in dog training. He does not support using force or intimidation. He stands solidly in the dog friendly reward based training camp. Ian Dunbar is being joined by an ever growing number of dog trainers that follow his positive training methods and train force free. This positive reinforcement method is also the method that is coming out on top of the debate. Positive training methods are gaining more momentum every year, and positive reinforcement it is where dog training stands today.