Southpaws Playschool for Dogs and Puppies

04/23/2025

🌱🌎Happy Earth Day!🌎🌱 Southpaws dogs got to celebrate with a Southpaws 🪵Stick Day🪵 - nature’s best toy! 💙 All the pups had so much fun sharing sticks with each other. 💚

04/18/2025

DOG BITE PREVENTION
Although the dog in this picture seems happy to be gently hugged by the little girl, that is not always the case.

Children are often unpredictable and make sudden movements, which can startle dogs. Some children have not been taught how to interact with dogs. Many children are just too young to be left with dogs without knowledgeable adult supervision.

What supervision looks like:
Direct, attentive support for both the child and the dog. Teach the dog and the child how to be together in the same space without conflict. Separate the two if there is any tension or fear from the dog or the child. It is better to try another day than to force the situation.

What supervision is not:
Forcing the dog and the child to share the same space for a photo opportunity.
Letting the two interact while the adult is otherwise occupied. Keep your eyes on the interaction the whole time.
Trusting that all will be well because nothing has ever happened before. There is always an outside chance that something different will happen, causing an unfortunate bite.
Never leave infants alone with dogs.

04/18/2025

DOG BITE PREVENTION
If you witness a dog fight, please don't use your hands to try to pull the dogs apart, especially if you are alone. If you can only grab one dog, you run the risk of the other dog moving towards you and the dog you have pulled away. The risk of getting bitten is very high when dogs are highly aroused to the point of fighting.

What to do instead:
1. Insert something solid between the dogs if you can. A trash can lid, a lawn chair or something else that is large enough to divide the dogs will often be enough to stop the dogs fighting long enough to give you the chance to get the dogs into separate spaces. This is the best strategy if you are by yourself.
2. If you have help, you can each grab a dog at the top of their back legs (where their leg meets their body) and lift their back end. Then, "wheelbarrow" the dogs away from each other and get them into separate spaces as quickly as possible.

Bites to the hand are painful and if you are bitten hard enough, you could require surgery. Always err on the side of caution when dealing with fighting dogs.

NOTE: don't rely on strategies that may or may not work (water hose, banging to pans together, air horn, etc.). These are not always effective and may actually cause the fight to escalate.

04/16/2025

DOG BITE PREVENTION WEEK

Today's tip involves careful reading of your dog and knowing what events cause stress or anxiety. Your close relationship with your dog can help you to prevent Trigger Stacking.

"He just snapped at the lady out of the blue!" NO, HE DID NOT.
Biting and snapping are never sudden reactions. The vast majority of dogs do not want to bite. They instead show body language that is clearly communicating that they are tired, stressed or anxious. It is up to us to notice those signals before they escalate.

Trigger Stacking works like this:
1. It's a very hot day
2. You take your dog for a hike, but you didn't bring water for him
3. He is not great on a leash, so there's a lot of pullling and hitting the end of the leash involved
4. On the way home, you remember that you need dog food because your dog didn't get breakfast that morning before you started your day
5. You stop at a big box pet supply store and you have to take your dog inside with you because it's so hot outside
6. Your dog is anxious around other dogs and again, not great on a leash
7. A lady thinks your dog is so cute and suddenly reached out to pat your dog on the head
8. SNAP! OUT OF NOWHERE, YOUR DOG GROWLS AND SNAPS AT THE LADY. Nope. Nope. Nope.

Your dog might have tolerated the sudden unwanted touching if all of the other stressors had not happened that day.

Be aware of your dog's tolerance levels and avoid Trigger Stacking. This simple thing can prevent bites "FROM OUT OF THE BLUE!"

04/15/2025

DOG BITE PREVENTION WEEK
Dogs have a great sense of smell, but their eyesight isn't so great. Don't extend your hand to a dog to let him sniff you before you pet. This could cause a startle reflex that MIGHT result in a bite.

TRY THIS INSTEAD:
After asking the dog's owner whether it's okay for you to pet the dog, talk gently to the dog and pet the dog under the chin. This will prevent the startle reflex that would happen if your hand was suddenly stuck into their face. (NOTE: IN GENERAL, MOST DOGS DON'T REALLY ENJOY PATS ON THE HEAD).

Now take this new knowledge on the road and marvel at the number of calm relaxed dogs that you encounter!

04/14/2025

This week is Dog Bite Prevention Week.

This first rule is somewhat controversial:
"But I do this to my dogs all the time! They love it!"
DO THEY REALLY?

"I have known this dog forever. He would NEVER bite ME!"
NEVER? REALLY?

Always let the dog choose whether they want a kiss or a hug and teach your children to have the same self-control. Not all dogs like close contact that is forced on them, but many tolerate it because they have to.

Just like you want to have bodily autonomy, and you want your children to have bodily autonomy, grant that to your dogs, as well.
The dog bite statistics needle might change a little if you cause this little revolution.

Your dog will love Southpaws Playschool! Our South Austin climate-controlled, free-range daycare is just south of the 78704 neighborhoods,.

04/11/2025

Today and every day is Pet Day at Southpaws. We are so grateful to have such great dogs to work with every day.
***This cat WISHES he could be a Southpaws Dog!***

04/09/2025

BIRD FLU--SHOULD I BE WORRIED?

I know that those of you who feed your dogs raw are especially concerned about this issue. Those who feed processed food that includes chicken and turkey should probably have this on their radars as well.

Rest assured that Southpaws Playschool is reading ALL the articles and listening to ALL the webinars in an effort to be able to keep you informed. Feel free to ask questions either via email or in person, or comment below so that we can answer for everyone to see.

Currently, it is unknown if dogs can get bird flu in any systematic way. However, caution and managing your dog's exposure is warranted.

04/09/2025

🍎TASTE TEST TUESDAY🍌 April’s Taste Test Tuesday was so much fun! 💚 The pups got to try apples & bananas, but apples were the majority’s favorite! 🐾 Taste Test Tuesdays fall on the 2nd Tuesday of every month - stay tuned for May! 💙

04/02/2025

Please pass this information along to anyone that may need it.

https://www.austintexas.gov/event/free-community-spayneuter-clinic-clinica-comunitaria-gratuita-de-esterilizacion-0?fbclid=IwY2xjawJZf7hleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHZrZlcU_JKpyxcE6yO5ZwpHt7pGUwv2nfotBC7m366wZX_ltEIneghRK1w_aem_yGwtWgLH5z_wNuvbc0GFTg

Austin Animal Center and Greater Good Charities will offer free high quality, high volume spay and neuter to local pet community of Travis County. Centro de Animales de Austin (AAC) y Greater Good Charities ofrecerán esterilización gratuita de alta calidad y alto volumen a las mascotas locales en ...

04/01/2025