Beware the Giant African Land Snail
Beware the Giant African Land Snail By Kimberly "Kim" Archer, CPDT-KA, CTDI The Giant African Land Snail is an incredibly dangerous snail invasive to Florida, and it is also irradicated with an equally dangerous bait, metaldehyde. Florida has previously successfully eradicated these snails, and plans to do so again, but in the meantime everyone should remain vigilant for both themselves and their pets, as thousands [...]
Being Wrong is Right
Loving Being Wrong Turns out that humans have a huge problem-- we love to be right. Unfortunately, this tendency can be dangerous and actually causes serious tragedies and even death, according to Being Wrong: Adventures in the Margin of Error author Kathryn Schulz. Schulz explains how planes crash as a result of a pilot refusing to admit error. As Schulz delves into the topic you [...]
Tampa Bay Times Interview: Dog’s good manners according to a Lutz expert
By Philip Morgan, Tampa Bay Times Correspondent Originally published by the Tampa Bay Times here. Angelica Steinker loved dogs early on. “When I was little, I begged my parents for a brother or sister, and they said no and they got me a dog. And it all spiraled out of control from there,’’ she says. Steinker is founder of Courteous Canine, Inc. in Lutz. The [...]
Laser Pointers & Our Dogs: Are They Really Having Fun?
By Beth Napolitano, CPDT Many of us are familiar with the red or green beam of light from laser pointers that may be useful during presentations to direct the attention of an audience. Perhaps even as a toy for our cats who seem to love chasing that little beam of light? Sometimes these laser pointers are also used as a toy for our dogs. There [...]
Dog Training’s Dirty Little Secret: Anyone Can Legally Do It
Most dog guardians assume that professional trainers follow strict standards. These standards include education, safety, and ethics. Dog Training’s Dirty Little Secret: Anyone Can Legally Do It challenges that belief. It reveals a reality many people do not expect. In the United States, dog training is largely unregulated. While dogs must be licensed, the people handling their behavior and welfare often are not. This article [...]
Microchip Maintenance
Dog Microchip Registration: Helping Your Lost Pet Get Home By Brenna Fender Your dog is microchipped and you feel confident that, if he or she was ever lost, that microchip would help get your dog returned to you. But sometimes it isn’t that easy. Did you know that there are things you can do to help increase the odds that your dog’s microchip will aid [...]
Dock Jumper Has Impressive Debut
Dock Jumper Has Impressive Debut By Brenna Fender Photo by Hillary Fuentes Three-year-old Australian Labradoodle, Zac, made a big splash at a recent Courteous Canine North American Diving Dogs competition. On Saturday, he began jumping at 4' and went to 5', and on Sunday he started at 4'8" and it went to 5' again! It was a very impressive performance by a young [...]
AKC Offers a New Agility Program for Newcomers to the Sport
The American Kennel Club has begun offering a new program that makes agility more accessible to newcomers. According to the AKC’s website (https://www.akc.org/events/agility/act-program/), the ACT will be available in two levels. “ACT1 is designed for the beginning level dog to show beginning sequencing and performance skills. ACT2 requires an increased skill level shown by the additional obstacles to be performed.” The ACT is not [...]
Small Dog Daycare!
Courteous Canine, Inc. now offers SMALL Dog Day Care! One day a week is dedicated to our small furry family members. Enroll your little one today! Spots are filling! Call 813-949-1465 or email Info@CourteousCanine.com
Bait Dog to Pet Dog
by Catherine Clark He is tall, dark and handsome. His name is Jacob. And he is 5 ½ year old black Labrador retriever. Jacob was my fourth foster through Labrador Retriever Rescue of Florida (LRRoF). He was just over a year old when i began fostering him. One of my first duties as per the rescue organization was to take Jacob to see Angelica Steinker [...]
Meetups: A FUN Way to Make Dog Friends
If you enjoy the concept of meetups please consider joining one of these meetup groups if your dog fits the breed or activity -- For Chihuahuas: https://www.meetup.com/Chihuahua-Mafia/ For doodles: https://www.meetup.com/Doodle-Bugs-of-Tampa-Bay/ For pet therapy enthusiasts: https://www.meetup.com/Tampa-Paws-for-Pet-Therapy/
Tampa Dog Trainer Brenna Fender: What is UpDog?
Tampa Dog Trainer Brenna Fender: What’s UpDog? UpDog is a brand new dog sport organization created by Kat and Jack Fahle, Andrea and Jason Rigler, and Babz Mahony. These dedicated disc doggers wanted to expand their favorite sport to include a wider variety of dogs – and people – than seen at typical disc dog events. Traditionally, while many people enjoy games with discs in [...]
