Most Common Issues for Dog Owners in Phoenix

Pet owners in Phoenix have plenty of advantages that other pet owners in other states do not have. For starters, the Arizona and Phoenix metro has plenty of outdoor space for dogs. However, on the other hand, there is also a lot to consider if you own a dog in Phoenix....Could your issues with your pet be caused by one of these serious issues plaguing Phoenix dog owners?

1. Hot Pavement

When it reaches temperatures upwards of 110 degrees in summer, taking your dog for a walk in Phoenix can feel impossible. In fact, you may skip the walks altogether. This means that your dog has plenty of pent up energy and not much to do about it. Incorporating more playtime indoors at a Phoenix dog training facility may be the key to eliminating some of this energy and ensuring that your pet has everything he needs to be happy and healthy.

2. Exhaustion & Dehydration

Here's another problem caused by Arizona's intense heat. If you put your dogs outside during the day (or even at night), they are sure to be exhausted and dehydrated by the heat. In fact, the intense heat can actually kill your pet if you do not take steps to prevent it. One of the best solutions is to have a part of the house that is accessible from the outside so that dogs can enter a cooler room at any point in the day for water and food.

3. Predators

Depending on where you live in Phoenix, your pet may come face to face with some dangerous animals, including rattlesnakes, scorpions, javelinas, and coyotes. Unfortunately, predators typically lead to barking and howling. While commonly considered a behavioral problem, barking is often a reaction to fear. Anxiety commonly leads to this type of behavior. It may be time to assess your property to determine whether or not predators could make their way into your yard, causing your animal to become distressed. It may not be your pet's fault at all.

4. Indoor Urination

One of the most common reasons for elimination inside is the heat outside. As a pet owner, you are probably very frustrated. Unfortunately, this is more than just a nuisance. It's also damaging to your home and property. If there are no health problems, it could be that your pet has no comfortable place to eliminate outside.

Learning dog training skills by taking classes can be incredibly helpful in either preventing these issues or coping with their effects. In fact, you may find that your dog responds much better to the environment with proper behavior and obedience training.

How to Focus on Training Dogs to Stop Barking

Unfortunately, every dog barks at some point -- even the most well-behaved ones. Some dogs bark more than others due to personality and training, and others seldom do it. Just like people, dogs have needs. You may not even want your dog to stop barking entirely, however, as you may want them to ward off intruders. In that case, these tips will help reduce barking as well.

1. Identify why your dog is barking.

It could be that your dog always barks when somebody knocks at the door, and he thinks he is alerting you to danger. Some dogs bark when they are trying to play or are afraid of something. Of course, sometimes barking just appears to be a fun past-time. In reality, it is most often based in insecurity.

2.Don't yell at your dog when he barks.

He might think that you are joining in, or perhaps he thinks that you are scared as well. The key is to be confident and calm when your dog starts making a ruckus.

3. Build confidence in your dog.

Your pet thinks he needs to communicate with you by barking. Show him that this is not the case -- you are the one in charge. Your dog needs to know that he does not need to do anything to help you. You can practice this by holding him on a leash as you answer the door, showing him that this is okay. You can do this by speaking calmly and soothingly to your pet.

4. Teach your dog to do something besides bark.

Many pet owners find success in teaching their dog to bring an item over when the doorbell rings rather than to bark. You can point to a favorite toy or other item and ask the dog to bring it to you.

5. Attend Dog Training Classes

Many times, professional dog trainers  can provide some insight into your dog's behaviors. You might even be surprised at some of the things you learn about your dog when you see the interaction with the trainer.

The key to training your dog not to bark is consistency. Communicate with your dog verbally, and take baby steps. It could very well take weeks or months for your dog to warm up to the idea that the person at the door is not a predator. So long as you are consistent, you will see good results. Your dog wants to help you, not drive you crazy by barking.

5 Reasons It Pays Off to Become a Dog Trainer as a Second Career

Training dogs is not a type of career that people dream of doing, and yet it offers a number of excellent benefits. Not sure where to start when it comes to becoming a professional dog trainer on the side of your normal career?

 No matter where you start, you will find that this path is more rewarding and exciting than you initially thought.

1. You will be making a difference in the lives of both dogs and people.Whether you train personal pets or you are helping to prepare dogs to work with individuals who may be disabled, you are helping somebody in need. Dogs benefit from having tasks to fill their time, and many do not have to be rehomed because of the training. Additionally, many dogs are choked with chains or are sprayed with water for bad behavior. Teaching them good behavior can be a good starting point- and attending schools for dog trainers at an accredited academy will help.

2. It’s a very social job.You may not be working alongside co-workers all day, but you will still be interacting with people throughout the day. You aren’t just working with dogs. In fact, you could argue that you are actually working more with their owners. If your day job isn’t cutting it for you in this realm, training dogs could be much more beneficial.

3. Training dogs on a full-time basis can be difficult.A part-time schedule may consist of up to 20 classes regularly, and even that feels like a lot. This is why working as a dog trainer on a part-time basis is so desirable. Still, there is no formal training and you get to learn on your own if you wish to do so.

4. You are self-employed.Most dog trainers are self-employed. This means that you get to pick and choose who you work with and for. You can also set your own hours for work, giving you the desired flexibility. Of course, this does not mean you never have to improve your skills. It is actually important to continue studying in order to become a better trainer

.5. It’s fun!If you are passionate about animals, you can’t do much better than training dogs. If your day job doesn’t fulfill this need for you, turning to training as a second career can. Your love for animals will actually help you enjoy pursuing this passion, and you will also see the results of your efforts. 

This job also allows you to stretch some muscles, especially if you spend most of the day at work sitting down.