Life With Dogs – 5 Dog Must Have Training Tips + Small Dog Care
This post is sponsored by Wellness CORE but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.
Life with dogs – Are you a dog lover? I am. My whole family loves dogs. I love to pamper our pooches. As a pet parent, we love our dogs, train them, and make sure each dog gets the right dog food for their needs. We have two dogs, one big dog, and one small dog. I am sharing what’s new with Luna, how I found out I might have been choosing the wrong dog food for her and our dog training tips.
Luna is a small breed dog. She is part Chihuahua and we think Dachshund (doxie). She will be turning two at the end of summer. How is this even possible? It seems like yesterday that we adopted her and she became part of the family. I never thought I’d own a small dog again. But, when she needed a home, she was so small and her cuteness just melted our hearts.
Life With Dogs
Now Luna is the top dog in our house! So much so when she got loose through the front door and ran down the street. You never saw so many people scampering to catch her. Have you ever seen a doxie run? They look like they are flying.
I was so scared that she wasn’t going to make it. We had to run back and get the car she was so fast. She dashed onto the main road. I hopped out of the car, waving my arms for cars to stop so I could catch her. (Yes, that crazy dog lady). Luna started to stray off the sidewalk and into the road.
Several ladies stopped on both sides of the roadway and helped me retrieve her. (I was so thankful!) Suffice to say, the front door has been off-limits ever since! We pick her up every time we open the door and are training her with treats to stay inside when we open the door.
Eye on the prize!
Dog life
It’s important to train and care for your dogs they can live for a long time. Small dogs usually live longer than big dogs. Chihuahua breed can live 12-18 years!!
How is Luna’s dog training going? She can sit, come, stay, dance and fetch. For her silent training, she can sit. We are working on longer staying and laying down. After she masters that, my goal is to teach her to ring a bell for treats.
When it comes to dog training be kind, patient and gentle when training. Do not tolerate bad behavior just because your small dog is cute. It just creates bad habits.
Is it harder to train a small dog?
No, I don’t think so. Except working on down is a bit tricky since they are already lower to the ground. If they are high energy you might need more patience and getting some energy out but, that’s the same for all dog sizes.
I thought I’d share a few basic dog training tips that work. Be sure to watch the video of her dancing for treats!
Use these easy tips to help you train your dog or train your small dog.
How to train a dog
- Be consistent with your training
- Work with your dog in 5 to 15-minute spurts
- Reward good behavior using dog treats, using your voice, and gentle petting. Luna’s favorites rewards are Wellness CORE Petite Treats)
- Watch helpful You-Tube dog training videos (We can’t all be dog whisperers but, it will help you become a dog whisperer with practice.)
- Repeat training sessions daily
- Join a pet community – Wellness® CORE® has one and it’s free. There are helpful tips and blog posts for caring for your dogs, small dogs… (Yep, I added a bonus resource that I found!)
Watch Luna (the dog) dance for dog treats!
Don’t give up on your dogs’ training, consistency is key. Using the steps above, give them rewards for successful behavior and plenty of love and affection.
Another good tip for training dogs is
- Use your voice in a higher tone when they do something good.
- Or a lower voice when they do something wrong.
I didn’t know there was a line of natural dog food specifically for small dogs. Now that I know, and we can make healthy choices for our small dog.
What should you feed a small dog?
Small dogs can live a long healthy life with good care, exercise, and proper nutrition.
Wellness® CORE® Small Breed line of products is a family of natural dog food. Both the dog food and treats are protein-rich. Using 100% freeze-dried meat and grain-free. (my dog thinks they are flavorful, she just gobbled it up)
How much to feed your small dogs? I remember reading small dogs under 25 lbs. get fed 1/2 cup two times per day. Or talk to your vet.
The best part of trying Wellness® CORE® Small Breed is Luna loves it and it’s good for her!
Happy Dog, Happy Life!
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Wellness CORE RawRev Small Breed (packed with protein your small dog needs)
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Wellness CORE Mini Meals (These are perfect for when you travel with your dog! Or to add to your dog’s kibble.)
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Wellness CORE Petite Treats (excellent for training and good dog behavior reinforcement)
Remember to spend quality time and exercise your small dogs even as they get older.
What you will get in return? Unconditional love! Small dogs just look at you and melt your heart.
Plus a lot of quality lap time! Small dogs love being wrapped up next to you.
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Learn more about Wellness Small Breed products (go here)
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Your dog is so adorable! Training is one the of the places we’ve really slacked off with my Yorkie, but these are great tips. We love Wellness CORE small breed, too!