bryce davis dog park:a fun new resource, but watch your step

In this issue: Start Doggie Socialization Now | The Scoop on Bryce Davis Park | New Puppy Reality Check
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New Class Start Dates
bryce davis dog park: a fun new
resource, but watch your step
I have mixed feelings about dog parks. They can be a great option for dog lovers because their
dogs can play off-leash without getting loose. From my perspective as a dog daycare operator,
however, I have real concerns. I know that most owners aren’t well versed in reading dog body
language, and the resulting potential for problems is significant.
5 dog park tips...
1. Observe dogs playing in
the park before letting your
dog in, just to be sure no dog
is being aggressive.
2. Keep an eye on your dog
as well as the dogs your dog
is playing with.
Beginner Obedience: Tuesday, January 11, 6:30 pm
Saturday, February 5, 10:30 am
Tuesday, February 22, 6:30 pm
Saturday, April 2, 10:30 am
3. Bring your own poop bags.
Intermediate Obedience: Tuesday, February 8, 7:45 pm
Tuesday, March 29, 7:45 pm
5. NEVER use a retractable
leash in a dog park!
These classes are subject to postponement
due to inclement weather. Please check the
website, www.CanineConnection.info for
the most current information.
Ongoing Classes
Puppy Preshool: Monday, 6:30 pm
Advanced Obedience: Thursday, 6:30 p.m.
Intermediate Agility: Wednesday, 6:30 p.m.
Advanced Agility: Thursday, 7:45 p.m.
4. ALWAYS pick up after your
pup. And while you’re there,
pick up after those who don’t.
I had heard both good and bad reviews about Fayetteville’s
new dog park, and I had clients asking for advice about
whether to take their dogs to the park, so I felt the need
to answer their question. I visited the park with my dog
Atticus one Sunday in late November and was, in general,
pleasantly surprised by what I saw.
Located at 1595 North Dartmouth (just north of Wedington
Drive and west of I-540), the park was opened in October
2010. Its three acres include separate large and small dog
areas, though the afternoon I was there all of the small
dogs seemed to want to test their might with the big guys.
I saw no fewer than thirty dogs at a time during the hour
and a half I spent at the park. The dogs behaved beautifully as their humans chatted and watched their pets make
friends. At one point, three high-energy dogs – two boxers
and a lab – arrived, and almost immediately a pack of
five or six clustered around them. Just as the situation
could have gotten out of hand, the owners stepped in and
diverted their pets’ attention, diffusing things perfectly.
A giddy friend caught me off-guard. To my delight, mixed-breed Maverick bounded up and onto
me. “Off!” shouted his owner, who clearly didn’t realize that Mav knew me from his recent boarding visits to The Canine Connection. It was great fun to bump into Mav and his mom at the park.
A couple of dog parents pointed out the absence of toys for dogs to climb on or scurry under, but
the dogs had everything they needed. The truth is, dogs are each other’s toys. Props like those
wind up seldom used as anything but giant chew toys.
One area for improvement is clean-up. As owners, we must pick up after our dogs. If we don’t,
parks won’t continue to welcome dogs. Mulch along the block-and-a-half-long paved sidewalk
leading to the play area was dotted with poop, and there were no bags, nor a receptacle for
them. There was a dispenser for bags at the entrance to the park, but it was empty, and the
person next to me said, “Out of bags again?” The park is new, and people are learning the ropes,
but it’s important that visitors bring their own bags and not depend on the City for supplies.
Overall, I had a very good impression and I was really proud of the dogs and their owners. I am
also quite proud of the City of Fayetteville for establishing this important venue. By all means, go.
Warning: I have heard multiple stories from clients, about two out-of-control dogs who are
starting fights: a Chocolate Lab and a Miniature Schnauzer. Their owners have reportedly not
been cooperative. You may want to scan the park before you release your dog to play.
a standing ovation for socialization!
New puppy owners be advised: NOW is the
time to begin socializing your little one with
puppy classes and doggie daycare. As you
know, your puppy is not only soft and
adorable – your pup has tons of energy.
Wrestling with you on the living room rug isn’t
enough, though. Early socialization is crucial
for dogs. It is the foundation for healthy
interactions with humans and animals
throughout their lives.
According to the American Veterinary Society
of Animal Behavior, during their first three
months, puppies are more sociable than they
are fearful. This offers owners the perfect
opportunity to provide exposure to other
dogs, humans, and experiences. If owners
don’t capitalize on the opportunity, behavioral
problems can take over down the road.
At The Canine Connection, we offer two resources designed to help you and your puppy
during this very important stage. Our Puppy
Preschool classes include rollicking puppy
playtime and “pass the puppy,” a chance
to be held and petted by other dog owners.
Using positive training methods, Puppy Preschool also teaches fundamental techniques
such as walking on a leash and responding to
the commands “come” and “sit,” and focuses
on early challenges such as housebreaking,
jumping, barking, and nipping. Other topics
include safe and unsafe toys, nutrition, and
the dynamics of children and puppies.
Classes operate on a six-week revolving
schedule, and puppies can join at any point,
so long as they’re at least eight weeks old
and have had their first round of vaccinations.
Another offering, Doggie Daycare for
puppies, provides day-long socialization.
Open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. (with overnight
boarding available), Doggie Daycare offers a
supervised, climate-controlled environment
for dogs to chase each other, roll around,
and burn off as much oomph as they’ve got.
In our separate small dog area, puppies
socialize not only with each other but with
small breed adults, another opportunity for
diverse experiences and learning.
Be sure your puppy starts off on the right
paw — er, foot — and make socialization
a priority.
Puppies can be
frustrating and,
while we love
them dearly, we
are often not as
understanding of
nor as tolerant
with them as we
are with human
babies.
He nips your hands, chews up your shoes,
steals food off the counter, gets in the trash,
and pees on the floor. He even sneaks off
to the back room, where he knows you can’t
see him, to poop! How can he be so smart
and yet so stupid?
As a dog trainer, I hear these sentiments
often. The truth is, your puppy does not know
better. He is still a baby, with a baby’s brain, a
baby dog’s brain. He requires a great deal of
training, management, and patience.
• The number one cause of death in
dogs under age three is not infectious
disease but behavior problems?
• Rawhide in most forms, and many
other toys sold at pet stores, are not
safe for dogs?
• If puppies aren’t socialized with other
dogs early on, they may be unable to be
around other dogs when they grow up?
• You can teach your puppy to ring a
bell to let you know she needs to go
out?
• Some of the best selling brands of
dog food have very little nutritional
value?
“When I adopted my Great Pyrenees mix puppy, Francesca, she had serious fear aggression
issues. I had taken my Giant Schnauzer, Faolin, to obedience classes at The Canine Connection,
and I knew Puppy Preschool would help with Francesca’s challenges. I’ve learned ways to manage her fear, and she has become more comfortable around other animals. The dedication and
joy that Val, the staff, and trainers exude are beyond compare. Faolin loves daycare, Francesca
dances in the car on the way to obedience, and I look forward to calmer dogs.” –Risa Uhl
when reality sets in...
That new puppy was so cute, so cuddly, so
darn loveable the day you brought him home.
But then he became a real, living creature
you had to take care of, watch after, pick up
after, feed — the list goes on. It’s not unlike
having a newborn, with all the aches and
pains that accompany being a new parent.
did you know?
Puppy nipping and housebreaking are topics
we cover extensively in Puppy Preschool
class. Other common problems can be
avoided easily:
• Keep shoes in the closet.
• Place children’s toys where the puppy
can’t get to them.
• Get a trashcan with a lid.
• Make sure electrical cords are out of reach.
• Cover food, or put it away if you’re not
going to eat it.
When not addressed, issues like these can
be much more than annoying. They can be
dangerous. Dogs die from eating things as
innocent as socks and corn cobs. (To view
alarming X-rays of the crazy things dogs
have consumed, check out www.probioticsmart.com/blog/2010/04/16-weirdest-thingsdogs-have-eaten/.) It’s important to puppyproof your environment. These toddlers
with tails can get into anything, and it’s the
human’s job to make sure they’re safe.
“He is your friend, your
partner, your defender, your
dog. You are his life, his love,
his leader. He will be yours,
faithful and true, to the last
beat of his heart. You owe it
to him to be worthy of such
devotion” — Unknown
It can’t be denied: puppies are wonderful.
There’s a reason we scoop them up and
bring them into our homes. To handle
challenges, keep important things where
puppies can’t reach them, or, if you can’t
keep your eyes on your puppy, keep your
puppy in its crate. Your attention to their care
will pay off. The investment of managing,
training, and patience now will result in a
beautiful, rewarding relationship that will
last for years.
If you have children, remember that dogs
play differently. If your child is running and
jumping and your puppy chases and bites
her, the puppy is simply being a dog. For
safety’s sake, be careful to crate your puppy
with a toy when your children are playing.
Phone 479.444.0300
2893 N. College, Fayetteville, AR 72703