AZ Dog Sports

A Training Gym for Dogs • An Academy for Dog Trainers

AZ Dog Sports • Dog Training Gym

602-237-6775

Sign Up For Classes

AZ Dog Smart Academy • School For Dog Trainers

Home » Blog

Adopting A Dog

As positive trainers, we are always interested in helping our clients to adopt the right puppy or dog for their family.

Always try to use a reputable rescue organization that will screen and do the veterinary necessities before you adopt. This would be spay or neuter, vaccinations, and temperament testing. You want to know the dog that you are adopting and what situations they have encountered in the housing or fostering situation they are coming from.

Our top 5 things to think about when you are adopting a dog are:

  1. Know something about the dog’s breed or breed mix.
  2. Consider your family’s current lifestyle and how that dog will fit in.
    1. Are you an active family?
    2. Are you a quiet family?
    3. Do you have a yard?  No yard?
    4. Do you travel a lot?
  3. Know what type of dog you are looking for in terms of temperament.
    1. Are you looking for a calm, quiet dog?
    2. Do you want an active dog?
    3. Do you want an older dog?  Puppy?
  4. Do you have other pets in the home already that you need to consider?
    1. Cats
    2. Birds
    3. Reptiles
  5. How much training are you willing to commit to with a new dog?
    1. Or do you have the time required to put in training your new dog?
    2. Are you prepared for possible potty training, crate training and basic obedience?  What level of training would you like to reach with your new dog: AKC Sports, CGC, Therapy or maybe just an all around great dog?

Being a responsible pet guardian means putting in the time to make your pet’s life the best it can be.  We endorse The Whole Dog Journal’s “Adopting a Dog” course as a great way to begin your new adventure.

You can check out the course and sign up HERE.

 

10 Fun Things To Do With Your Dog

Looking for any excuse to get outside?

Fun Things To Do With Your Dog, az dog sports, dog training, dog friendly

How about these 10 fun things to do with your dog in this great weather!

Besides taking a class that you have never before tried at AZ Dog Sports (Parkour, Tricks, Carting, Celebrity Dog, Tracking, Treibball and more!)  … we think you could add some excitement to your life with your pup by trying these things:

  1. Try Paddle Boarding
  2. Get your dog out on a boat
  3. Find a local hike and take in the scenery
  4. Take a trip to the lake (or your own yard) for some swimming with your pup
  5. Try your hand at a dog show – Look into a Conformation Class
  6. Get in the car and drive somewhere to take your dog on a run (or walk) around a new neighborhood
  7. Head to the beach for some fun in the sand and sun
  8. Adopt a new friend for your pup – lots of local rescue agencies have dogs in need of forever homes, just do a simple internet search for dog rescues in your area and go check them out
  9. Give Parkour a try with your dog at a local park
  10. Play some outdoor Treibball in your backyard with big beach balls

If you do decide to try a new class at AZ Dog Sports, we have a lot of outdoor activity class options to check out.

Take a look at our class calendar here or give us a call 602-237-6775.

Got a New Puppy?

got a new puppy, az dog sports, puppy training, dog training phoenix

Did you get an adorable new addition to your family?

How are things going so far?  A bit hectic?  Stressful?  Peaceful?  We have puppy classes happening every week at our facility and know how much life can change with 4 new paws in the house.

Check out the top 5 things we think you should do when you’ve got a new puppy.

Find a Veterinarian

Your new puppy will need all of her appropriate puppy shots, so you will need to find a Veterinarian to visit.  The best way to find a good Veterinarian is to ask around.  Ask your friends and family, ask someone you know who has a dog or works in the dog business.  Try to ask within your home radius so that you find a Vet who is close to your home.  It helps in the future if your vet is nearby and you have an emergency.  If you don’t know anyone to ask, call a local dog trainer and ask who they would recommend.  If these options don’t work for you, check out this page on the AKC website that might help.

Find a dog crate and good, nutritional dog food

A dog crate is essential in helping your dog learn good behaviors.  Not only does it give your new puppy a safe place to rest while he is getting used to his new surroundings, it can keep him safe from harmful situations.  Crate training your dog is so important that we have written about it before, here.  Crate training, when done the right way is not harmful at all and is actually just the opposite, very helpful!

Finding the best food for your dog can be overwhelming.  There are hundreds of types to choose from.  Do you do dry, wet, raw, a mixture?  If you go to the store, check the ingredients in the food you’re buying.  Learn how to read the ingredient list.  Try to stay as close to whole foods as you can.  The main protein source should be one of the first 3 ingredients.  Check out this Consumers Advocate article or this Whole Dog Journal article for more help.

Puppy proof your home and yard

Puppies are like toddlers, they are curious and can get into everything.  Unfortunately, unlike toddlers, we leave our puppies home alone sometimes. Believe it or not, there are a lot of things in and outside of your home that can harm or be fatal if ingested by your dog.  Household toxins include things you might never suspect such as Sago Palms, Cocao mulch, Oleanders, chocolate, raisins, grapes.  Please check out this page for things that you need to do to keep your puppy safe.

Get a suitable collar, leash and ID tag

Yes, putting a collar, harness and leash on your dog at an early age will make life a lot easier as she grows up.  It’s easy to train a puppy to wear a collar and harness and how to walk on a leash.  But it is not so easy to train a full grown dog how to do this.  (Yes, it can be done when the dog is older, but your best suited if you start them early!)  We have a selection of some of the best collars, harnesses and leashes money can buy.  Trying to figure out what is best for your dog?  Come in and try them on.  Ask questions.  Remember, you don’t have to spend a lot of money to get good products for your pup.  Find what works best for you, your pup and your lifestyle.

Socialize your pup

Puppies love to explore.  They learn so much by smelling and seeing the world around them.  So it is imperative that you get your dog out of the house and into the great outdoors once they have had all of their shots.  We at AZ Dog Sports do not condone taking your puppy to a dog park, this is not a good place for them to roam at such a young age.  What we do recommend is taking them on walks around your neighborhood, down to a local park (on-leash), or to a friends house for a playdate with other dogs. When we say you should “socialize” your dog, we do not mean to just let them loose to run amuck with other puppies all the time.  Structured and organized socialization is what is best for them. Being on-leash, interacting with other dogs and other people is a great way to teach respect and good habits.  One of the best ways to socialize your new puppy is through a puppy training class.  Your pup will learn how to behave around other dogs the correct way at a young age.  This will help you tremendously in the future.  Trust us!

Have fun with your new puppy.  If you start teaching good habits now, bad habits are much less likely to be a problem in the future!

Give us a call to start a puppy class today!  602-237-6775

And, check out our Brilliant Puppy Package here.  It’s a great place to start!

Why does my dog do that?

dog behaviors

Do you sometimes look at your dog and ask, “why are you doing that?”

Dogs have some behaviors that seem strange to us.  But looking a bit deeper into them, you can find there is a reason for everything your pup does.  So before you tell everyone your dog is “just a bit weird,” check out some things we found to help explain our pups behaviors.

Some questions you may be asking yourself about your dog’s behaviors:

Why does my dog take his food somewhere else to eat?

Why does my dog dig all the time?

Why does my dog jump to greet me when she sees me?

Why do dogs chase their tails?

Why does my dog walk in circles before laying down?

Why does my dog lick me?

If your dog exhibits behaviors that are destructive or harmful to you or others, we can help.  We offer private training in your home, in your environment, to help you and your dog.  We also have many different dog training group classes that address common behavior issues that might come up.  Check out our class calendar here. Or call us and we can help find the right fit for you.  602-237-6775

Loose Leash Walking Tips & Tricks

loose leash dog walk, dog walking, az dog sports

Do you enjoy your walks with your dog?  Or do you dread them?

At AZ Dog Sports, this is one of the top concerns our customers have when they come us for help.  We have heard countless stories of families who have adopted a new puppy or dog and very quickly their morning walks turn into a chore.  We can help!  Walking with your dog can and should be an enjoyable experience, sometimes it just takes a little time to get there.

Some quick dog walking tips:

  • Make sure you have an appropriate harness and leash for your size dog.  Don’t use a retractable leash as they give you less control over an unruly pup.
  • Be patient and make sure your dog is waiting for you while you put on her harness.  Don’t chase or pin her down.
  • Never let your dog charge out the door ahead of you, make sure they are polite and wait for you.
  • Always use your walks as a time for training.  Never miss a good opportunity to teach good habits!

You might remember, we have talked about this before.  See HERE for some more expert tips on how to have an easier walk with your dog.

If you recently adopted a new puppy, it is never too early to start teaching him good walking skills.  We found a great article on specific tips for walking your puppy HERE.

We at AZ Dog Sports focus on positive training.  Our friend Victoria Stilwell does also.  See what she has to say about loose leash walking HERE.

Please check out our Dog Training Class Calendar to see our options for obedience classes where you can start with your dog!

Call us with any questions.  602-237-6775

azdogsports@msn.com

AZ-Dog-Smart-Academy-Schools-for-dog-trainersdog*tec certified apdt_logoAZ Dog Sports earns Angies List Award