Tried and True Canines

07/08/2026

07/04/2026

🎆🇺🇸Happy 4th of July from Charlie!🇺🇸🎆

07/01/2026

I’m a little late posting this year, but 4th of July is just a few days away, and with the holiday comes lots of stress and panic for many pets. More pets go missing during 4th of July than any other holiday. Starting your preparations NOW will help ensure your pets stay safe and as stress-free as possible.

✅ Talk to your vet NOW about anxiety medication, not at the last minute when vet clinics are flooded with everyone else rushing to get medications.

✅ Ensure all pets are wearing collars and that ID tags and microchips are up to date.

✅ Keep all pets indoors and ensure doors and gates are secure. Especially if you have guests over who will be coming in and out of the house, make sure you employ the use of gates and other management strategies to keep your pets from slipping out.

✅ Shut windows, blinds and curtains to help reduce auditory and visual stimuli.

✅ Provide a safe space in an interior room of the house for your pet to retreat to.

✅ Turn on the TV, music, or white noise machine to drown out the sounds of fireworks and other auditory stimuli.

✅ COMFORT your dog however they want to be comforted! It is NOT true that cuddling and providing comfort to a scared dog will reinforce the fear, you can’t reinforce emotions, they are involuntary. You are a secure base for your dog. Help them feel safe!

✅ Provide your pet with stuffed Kongs, long-lasting chews, and other enrichment items to help keep them occupied and manage stress levels.

✅ Exercise your pet early in the day before the holiday activities begin.

06/30/2026

It’s hot this week! With temps getting into the 90s, many dogs will be skipping their daily walks and playtime outside, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll be happy laying around in the AC all day! Below are some fun indoor and outdoor summer activities to keep your puppy happy (and cool!) during hot weeks like this one!☀️

✅ Walk your dog in the early morning or late evening when it’s cooler.

✅ Turn mealtimes into enrichment: Feed meals out of store-bought or DIY puzzle toys, fill a Toppl with a mixture of kibble and other goodies to create a Toppl parfait, soak kibble in water and spread on a Lickimat or in a Kong, or use their meal for training. TIP: Freeze your filled enrichment toys to give your pup a nice and cool treat!

✅ Take your pup swimming or to play in a creek!

✅ Play indoor games: Hide-n-seek (w/ people, toys, or treats), fetch (on carpeted surfaces only!), tug, puzzle toys, scentwork, etc.

✅Take your pup for ice cream🍦

✅ Bob for treats in a bowl of water or in a shallow kiddie pool.

✅ Training: Review old skills and tricks or teach new ones.

✅ Indoor Walks: Take your dog on a trip to a pet-friendly store.

✅ Create indoor obstacle courses using furniture and common household items.

Whether you’re chilling indoors or enjoying the sun with your pup, these activities are great ways to beat the heat *and* boredom. Stay safe, stay cool, and don’t forget to enjoy these sunny days! 🌞🐾

06/05/2026

For reactive dogs, success isn’t always about training through every trigger.

Ruby has some big puppy feelings about other dogs (why can’t everyone be her best friend!?). We’ve been working hard on teaching her how to make good choices around dogs, but in this moment, the set up wasn’t right for training.

We played training games while the other dog was farther away, but continuing as they got closer would have set Ruby up to fail and rehearse unwanted behavior.

Instead, we used scatter feeding to divert her attention while the dog passed, preventing a reaction and helping her stay successful.

Remember: Not every situation needs to be a training opportunity. Sometimes management and distraction are the best options to help everyone be successful!

PittsburghDogs

06/02/2026

Ruby accepts payment in cookies and belly rubs❤️

Dogs PittsburghDogs