With only 11 more days  until Christmas, are you getting your furry friend a gift this year?  We have several gift ideas that we would like to share with you. 

Toys: Planet Dog offers toys for puppies to older dogs and everything in between.  We are proud to be a retailer for Planet Dog toys.  Currently we have some great toys available for the Holidays. The Orbee-Tuff Bulb with Treat Spot is a great way to keep your pup occupied while you have company over.  Fill the Orbee-Tuff Bulb with your pups favorite treats or even their kibble. We also have the Orbee-Tuff Bone & Orbee-Tuff Ball with Rope in stock.  These are great toys for hours of fun with your dog. Planet Dog toys are Eco- Friendly and Made in the U.S.A.

Beds: Tired of spending money on beds that only last a few days or a couple of weeks at best?  We carry durable dog beds for dogs of all sizes. These beds are raised which helps keep your dog cool in the Summer, durable, easy to clean & comfy. You wont have any stuffing to clean up and will have a bed that lasts.

Holistic Pet Food: If you have a dog or a cat, you want to make sure that you are feeding them the best food. HealthyPetNet offers nutritious dog & cat food, treats, & supplements as well as Revitalizing Shampoos, Bath Mist & other Pet safe products.  If you don’t have a furry friend but know someone else who does, you can also get Gift Baskets or Gift Certificates.

Expectant Parents: Are you expecting a new baby and have a dog or do you know someone who is? We have the perfect gift for you. We offer a training program for expecting parents with dogs.  This program will help you get your dog ready for the arrival of the new baby and covers some basic commands as well as teaching your dog to walk next to a stroller.  This program also comes with a reference booklet.  Contact us for more information.

New Puppy: Getting a new puppy for the Holidays or know someone who is?  We offer a K9 Starter Kit to get you and your puppy started on the right paw.  This 2 hour In Home Consultation covers housebreaking, play biting, socialization, handling skills and more. We will be starting our puppy group classes in January. Contact us today to get your puppy started.

We also offer several other training programs.  Contact us to schedule a FREE demonstration and evaluation with YOUR dog.  We service the Sanger and surrounding area, including but not limited to, Denton, Gainesville, Krum, Justin, Valley View, Flower Mound, Cornith,McKinney & Lewisville.

Getting a new puppy for the Holidays?  If you take your new puppy to a group class or enroll in private training make sure to get it started on the right track. 

Starting in January we will be offering puppy group classes for puppies between 8-16 weeks old. This class will cover all the basics including housebreaking, crate training, socialization, grooming/handling skills, nutrition, basic leash training & basic manners.  Puppies and their owners will learn what is acceptable play, how to deal with issues such as play biting, how to socialize your new puppy to different situations and unfamiliar object & how to create a confident, well-mannered puppy and future adult dog. This class will be limited to a max of 10 dogs/handlers.  **Owner/puppies who have completed the K9 Starter Kit will be permitted to attend puppy group class-  Contact us to schedule your K9 Starter Kit today!

Do you have busy schedule and can’t attend group classes?  We offer a board and train program that will get your puppy started off right.  During this program we will do all the work for you including housebreaking, create training, socialization, handling & more. Even if you have an older dog who needs to learn some manners, we can help you with that too.  Contact us to schedule your FREE demonstration and evaluation today.

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All puppies are cute

With the holiday season fast approaching, the thought of getting that cute little puppy may have crossed your mind.  Before you make the big commitment of bringing a new puppy into your house here are a few things that you should consider:

*Time- What is your lifestyle? Will you have time to spend walking, playing with, & training a new puppy? Remember, once the puppy grows up you still need to commit time to exercise & to train it.

*Size- What size dog do you want? Remember size matters… you wouldn’t want to get a Great Dane or Mastiff if you live in an apartment or a smaller home.  Some people think that by getting a smaller dog they won’t need as much exercise.  This is not always true.  Some small dogs need just as much if not more exercise then larger dogs.

*Male or Female- Males are more likely to act aggressively towards other dogs, defend their territories, & try to be dominant over their owners, as well as mark territory and wander.  Females are more likely to demand more affection, are easier to house train & obedience train. There is really no difference in excitability, nervous or defensive barking between the two sexes.

*Purebred or Mix- With a purebred dog you know what you’re getting but have a higher chance of inherited disease. If you go with a mixed breed it will be less likely to suffer from inherited diseases but the final size, temperament & grooming requirements will be unknown.

*Activity level- What is your energy level? You want to make sure that the dog you pick doesn’t have more energy then you. If you would rather stay at home and watch TV on the couch then take a nice, long evening walk, than you probably would not want to get a Jack Russell Terrier.

*Good with kids- Do you have children or are you planning on having children in the next 10-12 years?  There are certain breeds that tend to do better with children than others, but there are always exceptions to this rule. No dog or breed of dog is 100 % trustworthy with children.

*Good with other dogs- If you have a dog now, you want to think if a new dog will make him or her happy. Is your current dog good at sharing? How will he or she feel about sharing your affection?

*Cost- How much is it going to cost to raise this puppy? You need to take into consideration the cost for food, vet bills (shots, spay/neuter, medications, etc.), toys, training, grooming, & boarding, just to name a few things. Remember that the cost doesn’t end once the puppy grows up. The average lifespan for a dog is 10-12 years.

Once you have made the decision to bring a new puppy into your home, make sure that you start in a good training program early.  The sooner you start training the earlier your puppy will be instilled with good behaviors.

On The Ball K9 Training LLC offers a puppy consultation to get you started off on the right paw with your new puppy.  The consultation covers things such as housebreaking, play biting, socialization skills, handling & grooming skills.  After the consultation you can continue your puppy’s education by enrolling in puppy preschool.

You will be on your way to having a happy & balanced dog

On The Ball K9 Training LLC offers FREE demonstrations and evaluations with your dog. To schedule your FREE demo or for more information on our programs,check out the website at www.ontheballk9.com

We have made it to Texas. I am looking forward to starting training again and helping people and their dogs in North Texas.  I will continue to update the blog as much as possible, to keep everyone informed on whats going on.  Remember you can follow us on Twitter or become a fan on our Facebook Page.

A few new things—

New Phone #- (940)765-3K9S (3597)
New Mailing Address- PO Box 820 Sanger TX 76266

Here is a video I put together with some of the mushers participating on the 2009 Iditarod.  Enjoy!

Hogs and Dogs Dog Fashion Show

The House of Harley-Davidson is hosting a Hogs and Dogs  Dog Fashion Show on Jan. 24th 2009 from 12pm -5pm. Stop by for food, fun, fashion and prizes.  There will be several different categories to participate in such as Best Biker Dog, Classiest, Best Owner & Dog Duo, and more. This is a FREE event for friendly dogs and their owners. Come by and join the fun!  Hope to see you there.

House Of Harley-Davidson   907-248-5300

Here are some new picture of some of the dogs that have been or are currently being trained by On The Ball K9 Training LLC. 

check out these dogs

Interested in training?  You can contact us at www.ontheballk9.com to schedule a FREE demonstration and evaluation with your dog!

   Place is a valuable command to teach your dog.  When you are eating dinner and don’t want your dog next to the table, you can send them to their ”place”.  If someone comes to the door and your dog wants to always greet them, you can send them to their ”place”. If you want to have a relaxing evening watching a movie without your dog on your lap, you can have them lay down on their “place”. 

Check out these dogs working on “place”.    Dogs on \”place\” 

Wanna teach your dog “place”?  Contact us for a FREE demonstration and evaluation with YOUR dog to get started!!  www.ontheballk9.com

So I was finally able to figure this slideshow thing out.  I will keep the pictures updated here so check back often Here are some new pictures of Dogs in Training. 

If you would like a well mannered dog, contact us to schedule a FREE demonstration and evaluation with YOUR dog!  www.ontheballk9.com

Modi and I returned to Anchorage from a 5 day trip to That’s My Dog in Hazel Green Wi for E-Collarpalooza 4.  Robin and her staff did a great job this year.  All of the speakers were great and I learned so much (as always).  I cant wait for next years E5.

Check us out on Facebook for updated pictures of our trip