Wyn & Mary Burch, Ph.D.
AKC's Canine Good Citizen and S.T.A.R. Puppy Director, Certified Applied Animal BehavioristCitizen Canine Blog (that’s right, this one!) Wins at Westminster!
Every year, on the Sunday before the Westminster dog show, dog writers from across the country travel to New York City for annual writing awards that are the equivalent of “Best in Show” for dog writers. This year, the Citizen Canine blog (that’s right, this one!) won an award as the Best Blog in a writing competition and the Citizen Canine book won the prestigious Maxwell Medallion in the Dog Writers Association of America (DWAA) contest. For more information on DWAA, see dwaa.org
About the Programs
AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy® is the puppy level of Canine Good Citizen® (CGC). AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy is designed to provide dog owners and their puppies with a great start in training. With more advanced skills than AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy, CGC rewards dogs who have good manners at home and in the community. The Canine Good Citizen Program stresses responsible pet ownership for owners and basic good manners for dogs. The Hartford is a proud sponsor of the CGC and AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy programs.
Category Archives: Safety tips
A Tool for Tick Season
Beautiful fall weather is finally here and it’s a great time to take dogs for a walk. One problem in the fall is ticks — those creepy external parasites that latch on and feed on the blood of your dog. … Continue reading
Trick or Treat: Make Halloween Safe for Your Dog
So many people love Halloween — it’s a time to let loose, dress up in fun costumes, and overdose on candy. For our dogs, however, the holiday can be scary in more ways than one. As October 31 draws near, … Continue reading
Canine Couture: Halloween Costumes
Fancy dresses, designer outfits, boots, shoes, coats, and jewelry are just some of the many products that are becoming increasingly popular for dogs. And at Halloween, there’s no limit to the creativity when it comes to dressing up dogs. There’s … Continue reading
Household Hazards: What You Need to Know to Protect Your Pet
Every home has items that when swallowed by your pet can be dangerous and sometimes even fatal. To help protect your dog or cat, here are some common household hazards you should be aware of. Among them: Food. Always keep … Continue reading
Posted in Safety tips
Tagged food dogs can't eat, household hazards for pets, safety for pets
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Gearing Up for the Fall
It’s been a dreadfully hot summer. Some days, in the few seconds it takes me to walk outside to my car, I’ve already started sweating from the sauna-like humidity. But this morning, after days of rainy weather, I felt the first … Continue reading
What’s that Smell? Tips on Treating and Preventing Your Dog’s Bad Breath
One of the cutest dogs I ever met was Buffy, a scruffy little blonde terrier mix. She was adorable and the moment I met her, I wanted to hug her. That is, until she got close enough to breathe on … Continue reading
The Trash Compacter Syndrome: How to Stop Your Dog from Swallowing Everything
Laddie was a mostly white Border Collie who changed my life and got me into dogs as a career. He was an unsocialized mess when we got him from a farm. The second day we had Laddie, not knowing that … Continue reading
Making Travel With Your Dog Stress-Free
I can’t tell you how many vacations I’ve taken over the years where I’ve spent a lot of time fretting and wondering how my dog was doing back home at the boarding kennel. It seems that there are a lot … Continue reading
Tips for a Dog-Friendly Fourth of July
Barbecues and fireworks are Independence Day favorites, but not so for your four-legged members of the family. The loud noises and chaos of the day can upset your dog. When it comes to fireworks, I’ve been lucky with my own … Continue reading
Doing the Dog Paddle: Tips on Teaching Your Dog to Swim
Swimming may seem natural for dogs, and most love it, but even natural-born swimmers need to be trained. I teach my dogs to swim by starting them in a doggy life jacket. The old method of throwing a dog in … Continue reading
