Helpful Tips For Busy Families

School is back in session and life is hectic again. There are soccer games to get to, piano lesson, teacher meetings and all the other stuff that comes with fall. The days are also getting shorter and cooler and it is all to easy to forget about the four legged family member.

Just because your schedule has picked up doesn't mean your dogs needs have lessened. He still needs walked EVERY day, and he still needs attention, and set rules to live by. Make sure that you are making time for him or you will have behavior problems and also an unhappy pooch. Here are some ideas to help you keep Fido happy and still keep up with your busy schedule.

• Soccer practice? Take the pooch. I used to run laps around the soccer field with my dog while I watched my son's team practice.


• Walk to school. This is a great way to keep your dog socialized and exercised!


• Add a pack. If you can't go for as long of walks now you can add a back pack weighted with watter bottles to make sure your dog is still getting the most out of his work out time.


• Treadmill train. If you have a treadmill train your dog to use it. It takes some patients but is likely easier than you think. Fido can get in a good walk while you get ready for the day.


• Divide it up. Make a schedule for the dogs needs. Write out who walks, who feeds, who grooms etc. Share the task so that no one person is bogged down with too much. This also ensures that each family member gets special bonding time with the pooch!

These are just a few ideas to help you meet your dogs needs in a busy world. Be creative, have fun and remember that you made a commitment to your pet. His needs don't go away just because your schedule gets full.

What is Breed Specific Legislation?

BSL are letters you may have seen around, but what do they stand for and what does it mean? BSL stands for Breed Specific Legislation. Which simply means passing laws or limitations against certain breeds of dogs. There are strong opinions on both sides of this, but coming from a Behavior Consultant point of view I'd like to offer up a few points to think about before you make up your mind as to whether BSL should be enforced in your area.

Likely the first breed you all thought of was the Pit Bull. The Pit Bull is this eras villain replacing the German Shepherd and Rottweiler in decades past. While BSL does often target Pit Bulls it is not limited to them.

Whatever your opinion on a particular breed of dog I think we put ourselves in jeopardy by assuming BSL will solve aggression problems in our society. My fear is that BSL gives people a false sense of security about who the "bad guy" is. If for instance you live in an area that bans a certain type of dog you might feel you and your children are safer and that neighborhood pets are not a threat.

The truth is that extensive testing has been done on all breeds of dogs and the tests all show one thing very clearly... ALL DOGS CAN BITE. In fact, the highest bite rate in dogs was Cocker Spaniels. It is so important that we as a society educate ourselves and our children, not on which breeds to avoid, but what actions and body language to avoid.

For example, if you saw a man walking a pit bull down the street at a nice calm pace, his dog at a heel, and on the other side of the road a Border Collie. Let's say the Border Collie is pulling on the end of the leash and ignoring his owners corrections. Which dog would you ask to pet? I tell my kids NEVER to ask to pet a dog that is not walking at a heel and responding properly to his owner...no matter the breed or size of the dog. In this case, I would feel comfortable letting my kids approach the Pit Bull as long as the owner agreed.

Dogs are always dogs before they are a specific breed. We are in danger of bites if we allow ourselves to believe that BSL makes the streets safe of aggressive dogs. Rather than watching out for a breed to avoid, watch for behavior. It is much more accurate, and the only real way to keep you and your family safe.

Avoid dogs of any breed who are

• jumping


• barking


• pulling on a leash


• not responding to owners voice


• fearful


• on a chain


• loose without an owner


• in a confined area

This way you can enjoy, and feel safe around the vast number of breeds that surround us on the street, at the park or in your neighborhood.