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We drove 16 hours roundtrip between winter snow and ice storms to pick up our 9 week old puppy. Like most puppies that age, he was a roly poly ball of fur clumsily playing and exploring his environment. So cute. So innocent. So fun.

I can’t remember another time in my adult life that I’ve been faced with such a heart wrenching and difficult decision. Working with dogs and families the past few years, it has been imperative that I keep an open mind and consider the best outcome for everyone. Sometimes, it is to encourage and support families through training and management that cultivates a forever family. Sometimes, it is to rehome or return a dog to the rescue or breeder they were acquired from. No matter what the situation, it’s never an easy or simple process.

Need a New Year’s Resolution you can stick with through the entire year? How about resolving to enrich your dog’s life with at least one fun and novel experience a week? During the cold winter months or hot summer heat, these activities can add some variety to your pup’s days when walks aren’t feasible. Let’s do some thinking outside of the kibble bag and discover a few activities that can add even more joy to your life together.

Adopting a pet is a wonderful experience that can bring incredible joy and completeness to a family. The happy tale of searching the web or visiting a shelter to find “the one” is a beautiful story. We’ve all heard it and hoped our experiences would follow that narrative. However, for those of us who have gone through the process of adding a rescued pup to our families with young children, we know that this prettily painted picture isn’t always how the story plays out. 

In-home pet sitting has been around for quite some time, but for some it is still a new concept. In-home pet sitting is an alternative to boarding your pets at a facility or asking a family member to take care of your pets while you are away. Even though my company has been around for over eight years, we still field weekly calls from pet owners who have never heard of these services and want to understand what we do.

The news stories coming out recently about beloved pets injured, suffering, and dying in the care of a trainer or boarding facility are devastating. It’s evident that poor care at a facility can spread disease, create bad behaviors, and cause harm. Leaving your pet can be scary, especially for the first time. As a member of the professional pet care industry, safety should be our number one priority.

Smartypaws is excited to invite you to our Smartypaws 5 year anniversary celebration pawty! We made sure to plan this event with you in mind because without your support, we wouldn't have anything to celebrate!

Have you ever had to force or trick your pup to take a pill? What about getting their nails trimmed or standing still for an exam? Well, I’ve got some great news for you! It is possible to train your pet to participate in these activities without utilizing force, fear or intimidation.

Dog Adoption: A Myth and A Mistake Part II

A Mistake: Fast Freedom

I’m just going to come right out and say it. The biggest mistake when bringing home a new dog – especially an adolescent or adult rescue – is allotting the pup TOO MUCH FREEDOM from the start!

Dog Adoption: A Myth and A Mistake

Part I: A MYTH: What you see is what you get.

July 23rd marks our 1 year gotcha Day with Dolly! The slinky and shy Great Pyrenees Border Collie mix – at least that is our best guess at what breeds she is - leaned into our legs and pushed her way into our hearts.