The Gift of Teaching Your Dog to Swim

By Chrissy Poth, CPDT-KA, KPA CTP, FFCP 

When Jack was just 14 weeks old, he was curious about water but found it . . . well, suspicious. He’d look at lakes, streams, and puddles with that mix of fascination and hesitation only a puppy can pull off. I made it my mission to change that.

Every week, we explored a different kind of water—a calm lake one day, a babbling creek the next, and even the shallow end of a pool. With the help of Erica, we made every interaction positive, turning splashes into fun instead of fear. Slowly but surely, Jack’s confidence grew.

Then, finally, at nine months old something magical happened. While we were at the lake, he spotted a kayak gliding across the water. His curiosity finally outweighed his caution. He gathered every ounce of puppy courage, paddled out, and swam for the very first time. From that moment on, there was no stopping him. Jack became the kind of dog who would happily drag me toward the water at ...

The Water Table: Your Secret Weapon for Teaching Your Dog to Swim Joyfully
Written by: Erica Etchason, owner 4 Paws Adrift and Dremel Like a Boss

Swimming is often one of our favorite activities to offer our dogs, whether for recreation, sport, or conditioning. 4 Paws Adrift was built on teaching dogs to swim. I started swimming dogs to spend more time outside in beautiful lakes with my dog by my side, and it brought me so much joy that I wanted to share it with other people.

The Challenge: Teaching Dogs to Swim with Joy

Some dogs take to the water like fish and some do not. I recognized pretty quickly that people wanted their dogs to enjoy the water even if it didn’t come naturally. My mentor, Deborah Lee Miller-Riley, created a platform that allows dogs to put their feet down in the water while learning to swim.

This was a game changer for all of us. More and more dogs, of all breeds and ages and at all levels, were successfully swimming and learning to enjoy the water. 

What is...

Kidney Care for Dogs: Nutrition and Support Tips
Written by: Alexis Egnatovich

Our dogs rely on us for everything from food to exercise. One of the most important, yet often overlooked, aspects of their health is kidney function. The kidneys play an essential role in their bodies (and ours). When the kidneys aren’t functioning properly, it can have serious implications. That’s why it’s so important for pet parents to understand the signs of kidney trouble and the steps they can take to support healthy kidney function.

The Importance of Your Dog’s Kidneys

The kidneys are part of your dog’s renal system and are responsible for:

• Filtering waste and toxins from the blood
  
• Balancing fluid and electrolytes
  
• Regulating blood pressure
  
• Producing hormones that support red blood cell production
  
• Maintaining healthy pH levels in the body

Healthy kidneys perform these vital tasks every day, but when the kidneys are damaged or begin to decline, the entire body is impacted. Dogs may sho...

When dogs are experiencing health issues, a common suggestion is to look at diet. Specific foods and supplements can be helpful with managing symptoms of problems such as kidney disease, heart disease, diabetes, pancreatitis, and gastrointestinal disorders. Dogs with food allergies and trouble with weight management also benefit from scrutiny of and changes to their diet. A board-certified veterinary nutritionist is your best resource in these situations, as they have extensive specialized education and clinical experience. 

When should you consult a board-certified veterinary nutritionist?

While your primary care vet can make diet recommendations for many basic concerns and simple disorders, board-certified veterinary nutritionists can find solutions for more complicated issues. Your dog may have a difficult combination of health concerns, you may have questions about homemade diets, or you may even just want to find the optimal food to help your dog live a longer and healthier life...

Does your dog eat meals so quickly that they make themself sick? Are you concerned about the possibility of bloat? Or, does your dog simply need more enrichment when you have a busy day? Slow feeders can be helpful in all of these situations. These bowls and mats have different obstacles to encourage dogs to eat their meals more slowly and thoughtfully, reducing the risk of bloat, gas, choking, and vomiting. 

When choosing a slow feeder bowl or mat for your dog, there are several points to consider. 

1. Many types are quite difficult for dogs with short muzzles. They are unable to get to all of the food and can become discouraged. 
2. They can be time-consuming for humans, too! Most require supervision, so if you have a busy schedule, you may not have time to wait for your dog to be finished with many of the more difficult ones.
3. Some types can be difficult to clean. Not all are dishwasher safe, or they may have grooves that trap bits of food. Fabric ones may need to be cleaned in a was...

Anyone who has experienced a sudden illness or injury with their dog knows that the bills can add up very quickly. Nobody wants to have to turn down necessary treatments because they are unable to afford them. Pet insurance is a smart way to reduce that risk and help pet owners have some peace of mind when emergencies occur. 

Choosing a pet insurance company can be extremely overwhelming for pet owners. There are many different factors to consider and compare. It can be difficult to know where to start! Let’s look at some of those factors.

• Types of Coverage: All companies offer a basic accident and illness combined plan for pets, and most also have an optional wellness plan to cover routine care. As a way to keep costs low, some companies also offer an accident-only plan. 

• Deductible: This is the amount that must be paid out of pocket before the insurance company will start reimbursement. Generally, this will reset every year. Some companies, however, offer lifetime deductible...

Nail care maintenance for our canine companions comes in a few flavors. My first choice, and the one around which I built my signature course, is the Dremel. If you do not have a sound-sensitive dog, this tool with a Diamagroove bit is the gold standard.

When owners and their dogs struggle with nail care, most veterinarians and dog trainers recommend using a scratchboard. This is a great tool to get your dog started, but this method has some issues you need to watch out for. Owners need to be careful the dog’s pads are not getting injured. You should be inspecting the feet and nails regularly if you are using this method. You may notice that the nails may be filed unevenly. Some toes may be near the quick; while others may not be filed enough. You need to especially be concerned with the middle two nails on the front feet. Those can be hard to get filed using a scratchboard.

In my program, Dremel Like a Boss, when we realize the Dremel is not an option for a dog, we talk about manual...

The video in this article is an example of training you can do with your pup to make the Elizabethan collar a non event for you and your pup.

This discussion came up with my Dremel Like a Boss students and I thought the topic was excellent as an article for all of you!

The question asked was about using pet recovery collars (AKA Elizabethan collars, e-collars, cones, etc.) and ideas on how to get our dogs used to it before a surgery. This is the mindset we want in the membership is how do we prepare our dogs for any husbandry procedure before it happens, instead of fixing it after it happens. We want to prepare our dogs for the event in the best way we can.

There are now many devices to allow our dogs to heal after surgeries. I will list some of them below:

1. Recovery suits- great for many types of surgeries (especially spay/neuter surgery) as long as the suit covers the wound/incision and your dog won’t lick/chew through the suit. Make sure they are not too big. If your dog is bet...

While we are enjoying the warmer, longer days, increasing our outdoor activities, and adventuring into nature, ticks are waiting for an opportunity to make a meal out of us, our families, and our dogs!

Most of us have encountered ticks or Lyme Disease in some fashion. Either we have seen a tick, know what a tick is, have had a tick bite, have had Lyme disease, our dog has had Lyme disease, or we know someone or someone’s dog who has had Lyme Disease. The truth is that Lyme is an endemic infection, with nearly 476,000 cases of Lyme disease diagnosed in the US each year. So, if you haven’t yet encountered a tick or the diseases they carry….you could in the future. Let’s review some tick bite prevention strategies and how to best prevent tick-borne illnesses.

Map of Lyme disease cases in the US, 2022 

Why do we need to prevent tick bites?

​Ticks carry bacteria that can be passed to humans when they bite and feed on you. While Lyme Disease is the most diagnosed tick-borne illness, m...

Last summer our outdoor water program didn't end on a high note. There was a HAB (harmful algae bloom) at Assunpink Lake on Saturday, 8/26/2023, right before we were going to hold our Canine Water Sports Test.

We had been monitoring the water quality at this site all summer by working with The Watershed Institute and doing our own testing with this test kit (Amazon affiliate link). The lake had been placed at watch status (Blue) at the boat launch area. The rapid tests we performed at our swim location enabled us to continue swimming at the location while feeling our dogs were safe. Unfortunately, the algae bloom exploded during the week before our CWS swim test. At the time, we posted pictures in our 4 Paws Adrift FB Group and our newsletter. We felt that once you saw the pictures, it would be much easier for you to recognize when there is a toxic bloom.

We reported our findings on the NJ DEP HAB site. If you see a HAB, please report it using this link! You should always check the N...