Hotdiggity Pet Sitting

Adopt a Friend This Summer!

Hotdiggity Pet Sitting — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 20:32:01 +0000

Summer is the perfect time to give a rescue friend their forever home. Training classes can be found all over Portland, and it’s easier to encourage dogs into a new routine when it’s nice outside. Right now, Clackamas County Dog Services is offering half-price adoptions for the month of June! You can give a great dog a loving home. Senior dogs are especially in need of adoption and make wonderful companions.

Please visit http://www.co.clackamas.or.us/dogs/ for more information, or call 503-655-8628.

Warm Weather Fun!

Hotdiggity Pet Sitting — Thu, 13 May 2010 22:55:38 +0000

Howdy, friends!

It looks like the Multnomah County Fair has gone to the dogs this year! Just in time for this beautiful weather, the fair will be hosting a Dog Expo over Memorial Day weekend at Oaks Amusement Park. Dogs and their owners are welcome to meet each other in the park and sample many pet-friendly vendors that can only be found in Portland.

One of the highlights of the fair will be FlyBall. This fast-paced Fido sport is taking the country by storm and is so exciting to watch! Flyball combines both speed and agility in a relay format. According to the North American Flyball Association, at www.flyball.org, Flyball races match two teams of four dogs each, racing side-by-side over a 51 foot long course. Each dog must run in relay fashion down the jumps, trigger a flyball box, releasing the ball, retrieve the ball, and return over the jumps. The next dog is released to run the course but can’t cross the start/finish line until the previous dog has returned over all 4 jumps and reached the start/finish line. The first team to have all 4 dogs finish the course without error wins the heat.

FlyBall demos will be taking place all weekend; it’s a can’t miss event! There will also be agility trials and dock diving.

This is a great time to bring your pup out for some quality excercise and socialization. For more information, check out FidosCityGuide.com. You can also pick up a schedule of weekend events at the City Guide booth.

See you there!

– Your Friends at Hot Diggity!

Chewing with dogs

Hotdiggity Pet Sitting — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 10:36:44 +0000

Chewing is always a difficult problem with puppies, and it’s one that needs to be resolved for your pet to be a part of your household.
The good news is that most dogs do grow out of their chewing behavior. The bad news is that they can do quite a lot of damage before they do. Here are some ways to train your puppy:

Crate training – Crate-training is the most feasible option for many people, and it can keep your puppy feeling safe and secure when you’re away.

Reward conditioning – When you are around, watch him like a hawk. When you see him grabbing onto your leather loafers or a chair leg, distract him with some other, more attractive option. When he takes the rawhide chew or nylon bone or whatever “good” toy you want him to chew, give him lots of praise and petting.

A variety of chew toys – You may have to switch his toys around to keep him interested.

Preventing chewing – If your puppy tends to chew on a surface that is color safe and won’t be damaged (like your fingers), you can coat the surface in white vinegar or rubbing alcohol. The smell and taste will make the object much less tempting.

Don’t give up on your puppy – It can be hard to retrain an instinctive behavior like chewing, but it’s well worth it to have a happy, well-adjusted dog.
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