Housebreaking Your Puppy: Top Tips for Potty Training

Here at Crossbones Dog Academy, I work with a lot of dogs that are relieving themselves in the house. Housebreaking seems to be one of those things that either goes smoothly or is really troublesome. A lot of it depends on how your dog was raised, both before and after you acquired him.

Photo Credit: Rachael Voorhees

Puppies raised on wire floor pens, such as dogs sold in pet stores, learn to relieve themselves where they sleep. This makes crate training and housebreaking […]

By Katherine Ostiguy, KPA CTP CPDT-KA|2024-02-28T14:22:01-05:00February 28, 2024|Training|2 Comments

Choosing A Best Friend: What to Consider When Finding a New Dog

There are so many choices when it comes to adding a new dog to your household. There are hundreds of breeds to choose from, not to mention the thousands of wonderful dogs in shelters across the country. If you have never had a dog before, or haven’t had one since childhood, it can be overwhelming! Here are some things to consider when adding a dog to your family.

Not all dogs would be so tolerant of this child’s advances! (Photo Credit: Giulio Nepi)

Do you have children? Dogs weighing less than ten […]

By Katherine Ostiguy, KPA CTP CPDT-KA|2016-02-02T15:34:26-05:00February 2, 2016|Helpful Hints, Puppies|Comments Off

Puppy Nipping: A Plan to Stop It

Puppy nipping is one of the most frustrating behaviors that new owners report. It hurts! But you’ll see a big reduction in puppy nipping in a short period just by getting some human cooperation.

If this is a familiar sight, it’s time for a new training plan! (Photo Credit: Renata Lima, Flickr)

Let’s start by examining why your puppy is putting his mouth on things. I don’t like to spend a ton of time pondering why a dog is doing what he’s doing, but puppy nipping is such a frustrating behavior for owners […]

By Katherine Ostiguy, KPA CTP CPDT-KA|2015-11-23T02:27:07-05:00November 23, 2015|Helpful Hints, Puppies, Training, Tutorials and How-To Guides|Comments Off