MADISON
A 7-month old Terrier Mix lovingly compared to the Energizer Bunny, Madison is a magnificent mutt sure to provide some lucky family with years of faithful and fun-filled companionship. Excellent in her obedience classes, the only thing Madison needs is an active family willing to provide her the jogs and playtime she so desperately deserves; BulliesNBeyond.RescueMe.org.
LUCKY
A living good luck charm ideal for any speed of South Florida family, Lucky was unfortunately abandoned in the mountains of Tennessee when a Miami motorcyclist chanced upon him. Obedient, attentive and affectionate, there aren’t enough positive adjectives to attach to this placid pooch who would be a perfect fit for our ever-affable isle; Paws4You.org.
JOURNEY
A 40 lb. Mixed Breed female whose sole intent in life is to widen her circle of friends and acquaintances, Journey’s happy-go-lucky nature makes her a prime candidate for citizenship on this most edenic of islands! An obedient listener and passionate runner, this pretty pooch gets along well with all manner of creatures and just needs a home to call her own; RescuePaws3.com.
PARK DAYS
Dog parks can be a lot of fun, but can also be a recipe for disaster, depending on what players are in the park and how diligently their owners are supervising them. As a responsible owner, it’s your job to ensure your dog is in the mood to play nice with others. He should be actively engaging in play-bowing behaviors, “tag” invitations to entice another dog to come run and play, and be enjoying his time with doggie friends. Inappropriate behaviors include putting a head over another dog’s shoulders, intense chasing, guarding space or toys, as well as incessant barking in another dog’s face. If your dog is more interested in just sniffing around that actively playing, or tends to stick close to you the entire time at the park, it’s best to take him out of the park to enjoy a nice walk instead. Remember, the dog park is not for you to socialize, it’s for your dog to socialize! You should always be supervising your pet — this means no texting, being on you phone or engaging in other distracting activities. Lastly, if your dog has not yet been spayed or neutered, be considerate of other dogs who may not appreciate your dog’s hormones. Just because your unaltered pooch is friendly doesn’t mean that his presence and scent aren’t disruptive to the flow of the park. A dog’s reproductive status definitely affects everyone’s mood! And nobody likes a humper!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
› Dee Hoult is the CEO of Applause Your Paws, South Florida’s largest privately owned pet dog-training company, and Miami’s leading user rated dog-training company on Yelp.com.
