Long vs. Short Dog Leashes: How To Choose

Your dog’s leash—long or short—influences the daily rhythm of your life with him. Whether walking your dog is peaceful, controlled, or unruly depends, at least in part, on the length of his leash. In certain scenarios and with particular dogs a short or standard-length leash is your best bet, but in other situations, you and your dog will appreciate the freedom of a long leash. Either way, a leash helps protect your dog and other dogs from unexpected…

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How to Keep Your Dog Safe Around Water


There are ways you can help your pup enjoy playing in the water without worry.
Photo by David, New York

On the river, by the ocean, at the lakehouse, or on the boat: Dogs love to join us everywhere we go. How can you ensure your dog’s safety while swimming or boating? Not every dog is a natural swimmer. And there are hazards for dogs who swim or spend time near the water. Protect your dog with these water safety tips.

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How to Leash Train Your Dog

The best way to leash train a dog is to get them comfortable wearing their collar and attached leash around the house, then slowly introduce them to walking inside while you’re holding the leash. Then, add commands like “come” and “wait” while they’re wearing the leash. Finally, teach them to “heel” by offering treats immediately at your side while they walk beside you. Once they are comfortable with basic commands on leash and can “heel” without pulling on the leash, try taking them outside for real-world practice.

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What Size Crate Should I Get for My Dog?


Photo via orvis.com

Your dog’s crate should allow for 4 inches of space between your dog and the sides, back, and top of the crate. This ensures the crate is big enough for your dog to comfortably rest and turn around in, but not too big, as a crate that’s too large can interfere with housebreaking training. Most dog crates are sized by the dog’s weight, so you’ll need to know your own dog’s weight before deciding on a crate size. In general, small or toy dogs should use a small crate, while the largest dogs like Newfoundlands should use an extra-large crate. However, most dogs will fall in between these extreme sizes…

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Creating a Dog Drool-Protected Home


Photo by: Kathryn, Smithfield

To protect your home from dog drool, you need to:

  • Understand what causes excessive drooling
  • Cover high-use areas, like where your dog sits on the sofa or bed, with a dog-proof throw or furniture protector
  • Be ready to clean fabrics and other susceptible surfaces to reduce the impacts of drool

But that’s not the whole story. Owning a dog makes life a good measure happier—and messier. Constant fur to vacuum, muddy paws to manage, and full-body fur shakes after rainy walks. But the slimiest canine mess is the dreaded dog drool puddle. Your dog puts your devotion to the test when you sit on a drool-soaked couch cushion or slide across the hardwood floor on a patch of…

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Where Should Your Dog Sleep?

Dogs should sleep in a place that’s comfortable for them, like in a crate or on a dog bed, but where your dog sleeps will always be a compromise between you and your dog. At the very least, you should create some sort of sleep routine for your dog, so he knows where to go when he gets tired and can sleep with minimal disruptions. Whether he sleeps in your bed, his own dog bed in one of his many strange sleeping positions, on the couch, or in his dog crate will vary depending…

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Pro Tips: How to Keep Your Dog Safe on Halloween

While Halloween is a time of fun and excitement for humans, it can be stressful and downright dangerous for dogs. So much in their world changes very quickly: there’s a ton of activity, new people are everywhere, strange foods and smells abound, and . . .

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The Dog Jacket: Canine Warmth, Comfort, and Safety


A shivering dog could benefit from a snug, warm jacket.
Photo via orvis.com

Whether your dog’s idea of an adventure is a walk around the block or summiting a 14er in Colorado, dog jackets can keep him comfortable and safe on the trail or in the water. There are nearly as many dog jacket styles as there are human outerwear styles, with insulated jackets to help keep dogs warm, rain jackets to keep dogs dry, life jackets to give dogs extra buoyancy in the water, and hunting jackets to make dogs more visible in the field. Choosing the right dog jacket requires knowledge of your dog, his needs…

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How To Choose the Best Dog Collar

Above all, your dog’s collar needs to fit correctly, but to choose the best dog collar, you also need to consider your dog’s lifestyle and your own. For instance, if your dog is an active swimmer, a nylon dog collar would be a better choice than a leather dog collar, as the former is easier to clean and dries quickly. In addition to collar materials, the closures (like buckles and clips) on collars can play a large role in determining which collar is best for your dog — if you need to remove your dog’s collar regularly, a plastic clip closure will be much more convenient than a belt-buckle-style closure. Taking a step back and determining what features you want in a collar…

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