What to Look for before Leaving your Pet with a Pet Sitter or Lodging Facility

As you plan for your getaway, deciding where your pet will stay is something that should give you peace of mind. The Humane Society writes an informative article about what to consider before choosing your pet's lodging accommodations. Some of their tips mentioned:

•  To have your pets stay where they receive more attention and supervision than if home alone most of the day.
• To find out if the facility requires pets to be current on their vaccinations - including the vaccine for canine cough - this will protect your furry family member from others.

Other important questions to ask before boarding your pet with a pet sitter or lodging facility:

1. Will pets be monitored by trained staff?
2. Are veterinary services available if needed? What are they?
3. Are they veterinarian recommended?
4. Are cats housed away from the dogs?
5. Does the facility look and smell clean?
6. Are other services offered such as training, bathing and grooming?
7. How many years have they been in business?

These are just a few items to consider before choosing a lodging facility. At Morris Animal Inn, we welcome you to ask these questions and more in order to feel comfortable leaving your pet with us. We want to be your pet's home away from home. Please stop in for a tour to see for yourself.  

Source: Humane Society of the United States (http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/choosing_boarding_kennel.html)

Benefits of Training your Dog

Did you know that January is National Train Your Dog Month? Created in 2010 by the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, this month promotes dog owners' awareness of how important it is to socialize and train your pet. 

1. Professional Advice

When you seek a professional dog training service for your dog, the advice and recommendations that you receive should come from an individual who has learned and tested this information thoroughly and shares these techniques with you. Their genuine interest in your dog’s successful training inspires a certain amount of trust. It is also good to know that while your dog is undergoing this learning experience, they are in a supervised and safe situation and monitored by a trained professional.

 

2. Less Time Needed For Training

With today's busy lifestyles, some may not want to add dog training to their already large To Do List. Individuals who believe they can train their own dogs often must take classes and learn specific information about dog training before actual training can begin. This can be time consuming for the owner and detrimental to the dog, who is missing out on critical learning time.

Using the services of a professional dog trainer also decreases the amount of time devoted to training. After a short amount of time with the dog,a professional trainer can provide useful information that can be implemented almost immediately. According to Heather Inks, contributing writer of Benefits of Professional Dog Training - 10 Reasons Why Your Dog Needs It, a “dog owner who invests in professional dog training usually finds that their dog is trained in record speed and bad habits are broken quickly or better yet entirely averted”.

3. Being Proactive

With problems stemming from many different factors including a dog’s breed, history, personality or temperament, a dog trainer has the knowledge, either personally or through a network of other trainers, to make changes and stop bad behaviors quickly. Having experience working with many different dogs provides a professional dog trainer with the ability to curb problems with a training plan.

4. Greater Overall Satisfaction

A properly trained dog will result in a harmonious relationship with you and your dog.
Training your dog is the responsible choice which allows for your time spent with your furry friend to be filled with fun!

In certain cases, a lack of training can lead to more serious repercussions than just bad behavior. "Most dogs brought to shelters are surrendered because of the animal’s lack of training," states Fido Friendly Magazine. If problems aren't corrected, some owners may feel that surrendering the dog to a shelter or rescue is their only option. 

 For your training needs, Morris Animal Inn provides Manners Training to learn basics skills including Sit, Stay, Down and more. 

For more information about Manners Training, call 973-539-0377. 

Sources:
National Train Your Dog Month
Association of Pet Dog Trainers. "APDT Train Your Dog Month." Train Your Dog Month. Association of Pet Dog Trainers, 2010. Web. 04 Jan. 2013. <http://www.trainyourdogmonth.com/>.
Yahoo 
Inks, Heather. "Benefits of Professional Dog Training - 10 Reasons Why Your Dog Needs It."Yahoo.com. Yahoo! Contributor Network, 7 May 2009. Web. 04 Jan. 2013. <http://voices.yahoo.com/benefits-professional-dog-training-10-reasons-why-3234833.html>.
Fido Friendly Magazine
"What Families Need to Consider When Gifting Pets for the Holidays | FIDO Friendly."FIDO Friendly. FIDO Friendly Magazine, 22 Dec. 2011. Web. 09 Jan. 2013. <http://www.fidofriendly.com/blog/what-families-need-to-consider-when-gifting-pets-for-the-holidays>.