□ Learn a New Trick. Just because you and your dog have been maintaining your earlier training and sticking to basics, doesn’t mean that you can’t find something new to do together. Clicker training and agility training are quite popular and are a great deal of fun for you and your dog. You can find local classes through your Parks and Recreation Department or visit The Dog Agility Page on internet.

□ Introduce Your Dog to Strangers. The time will eventually come when you and your pet will need to be separated – at least for a short time. If you ever plan to vacation, travel for business or even attend to a family emergency, your dog is going to be under care of someone other than you. Prepare for this by introducing him to many new people throughout his life. The simple act of letting your pet meet and greet new people will help socialize him in event that you need to leave. Also, if you live in an adults-only household, you may want to take time to introduce your dog to children. The more positive experiences he has around kids, better off you are when your sister’s kids come to visit. But remember – never leave children alone unattended with dogs.

□ Take A Ride. Teach your dog early that riding in car is a fun way to go places. Take them on short trips in your car and always make destination a fun or interesting place for them to be. Make sure you have proper pet-carriers for smaller dogs and appropriate seat belts or harnesses for larger breeds. You want your car rides to be safe and fun for both of you. If only time your dog gets in a car they end up at a vet, it won’t take them long to decide that cars are bad -- making it difficult to crate them or load them into car when you need them to come with you.

□ Establish Your Pecking Order. Your dog needs you to let them know where they stand in family order. It may sound cruel to say that you are Alpha or Leader of Pack. But truth is if you do not set up a plan to show your dog who is boss, he will walk all over you. It may seem cute when your 8 pound puppy demands your attention by pawing you while you work, but when your puppy is an 80 pound dog who is demanding you drop everything to play with them, it can be distracting at best and dangerous if you are carrying a hot pot to table or healing from a medical procedure of your own

Molds produce chemical groups like Ochratoxins, Aflatoxins and Trichothecenes. In high concentrations these chemicals cause cancer for people and dogs. Doctors and vets have known this for almost 30 years.

http://www.themoldlab.com

But these toxins are slow onset problem makers. This means that it may take a few years for cancers to develop. So your dog may feel great up till moment that it is too late.

Where else do we find mold in high concentrations? In basement, of course. People quite often have a beautiful sleeping area for their dogs in basements.

"Okay, I believe you. What can I do?"

1. Keep cleaning products sealed in plastic containers.

2. Buy cleaning products WITHOUT bleach.

3. Clean up all spills immediately.

4. Keep washer and dryer open when not in use. (To stop mold)

5. Keep laundry room door open to air out.

6. Periodically spray rooms with a solution of grape fruit seed extract or Tea Tree Oil to prevent mold growth.

If you plan to keep your dog healthy, you have to start thinking about it today.