Four paws on the floor
By Ellie Storch, Dog City Office Manager

The main reason people choose to work at Dog City is because they get to hug, kiss, cuddle and play with the dogs. However, when 50 dogs are running around, there are extra duties that come into play. Encouraging good dog manners is at the top of our list with our furry clients.

One of the biggest requests from our human clients is to help teach their dogs not to jump up onto people. With help from master trainer Nana Will, we devised a positive and efficient way to teach this to the dogs.

Our first step was to change our way of thinking. Instead of telling the dogs what we want them to stop doing (stop jumping!), we now tell the dogs what we want them to keep doing (keep four paws on the floor!).

An important factor in training dogs is to always keep in mind that dogs are attention seekers. They will do things to get attention, and bad attention is better than no attention at all. For that reason, dogs will continue jumping up even when we say ‘no’ and push them off.

If dogs jump up and are ignored, however, they will learn that jumping gets them nothing.What we find works best is to completely ignore a jumping dog, turn away from them and slightly step into their space. Don’t look at them or talk to them.

Once they are standing or sitting nicely, then we will give them attention. Dogs quickly learn that keeping their four paws on the floor gets us to pet them.

Another important factor in dog training is consistency. It’s confusing for dogs when sometimes we let them jump and sometimes we don’t. At Dog City, we notice that most dogs jump up on our front gate when they are checking out at the end of the day.

They are so excited to see their humans, and since they can’t see through the gate, why not jump up to get a better view? It usually works for them because their human is often on the other side saying hello or telling the dog to get down. Either way, they are getting attention from their human.

If your dog jumps up on the front gate, you can turn your back and ignore him. Most importantly, once he gets down, praise him. Our staff always asks the dogs to sit before they can walk out of the front gate area.

Together, we can teach the dogs that sitting and waiting patiently will get them through the gate to see their parents… jumping gets them nothing. Who knew that walking through a door could be so complex?!

Our goal at Dog City is to show the dogs a good time and reinforce all of their good behavior. There is nothing better than a happy, tired, well-mannered dog!!! If you have any questions about this article or some exercises you can try at home, please let me know.

Ellie Storch is currently apprenticing with master trainer Nana Will and will be a full-fledged dog trainer in March.

Dogs rate new, healthy chew toys "better than a trip to the dentist"

The Dog City Retail store is happy to offer some exciting new products to meet your requests. 

The shelves are stuffed with healthy, all natural (and tasty, say the dogs) new chew products from NPIC.  Two of the most exciting include the Quado, an interactive dog treat, and Pearly Whites, a healthy dental option. 

The Quado is all the rage amongst the dogs at Dog City. It is an edible chew treat with a unique “Y” shaped design. This nifty feature ensures there will always be an upright chew area to achieve maximum chewing fulfillment.

And because the Quado is edible, there are no harmful ingredients like plastic, nylon or rubber. The interactive shape provides strength and structure, as well as eliminating the problem of “holding” and trying to chew. 

The Quado is ideal for long lasting chewing fun, and when the only size offered is "ginormous," you know your dog is sure to be pleased! 

Also new from NPIC are the Pearly Whites. This is an edible bone made with added minerals, which clean teeth, remove tartar and freshen breath.

Ingredients include clove, which is a natural astringent that effectively kills plaque-causing bacteria, peppermint and parsley, which aid in maintaining fresh breath, as well as calcium carbonate to promote healthy teeth.

Consult your dog; they’ll take a good bone chewin’ over a trip to the dentist anytime!  Come down and check out all the new healthy and fun treats (as well as toys and food) and feel free to ask for suggestions for the latest and greatest!

Saturdays, 9-10 am.
Starting February 4.
$95; six-week session.  Make your reservation by calling Dog City at 303-473-9963.
Training by Kika’s Canine Services (www.kikascanine
services.com) or 303-442-3353.

Sun., Jan. 22, 9 - 11 am
Fri., Feb. 3, 3-5 pm
Sun., Feb. 12, 9 - 11 am
Sun., Feb. 19, 9 - 11 am
Sun., Feb. 26, 9 - 11 am

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Published by Dog City, LLC.  Copyright © 2006 Dog City, LLC.  All rights reserved.

Dear Dog City,

We are moving with our owners to Salt Lake City, Utah, and would like to take a moment to thank you for the terrific job you've done for us each time our owners needed to go away.

We love everyone in Dog City, and as one of your first pets six years ago up 'til today, some of our best memories (that's 42 human years!) are our times with you all.

It was great to have a place to stay that we loved, and our owners trusted. After we moved away from Boulder three years ago, our owners drove us to Dog City even though we were over 50 miles away, simply because they were so satisfied with the care and expertise of your stafff... we will miss you.

Lula and Hagerty

We'll miss you, too, Lula and Hagerty!!