Dogwood Pet Lodge

07/30/2025

"Head Start" Puppy class, Saturday mornings 10-11!
Who's ready to join?
Message me, call or text 217-824-6985,
email [email protected]!

07/18/2025

Summer Basic Obedience
starting soon!
Evenings 7:30-8:30 PM

07/17/2025

So true! Learning takes time, change takes time. dog training takes time... There is no magic to it!

We can make improvements in a session, provide clarity, sometimes even make an environment shift that changes everything.

But when big behaviours that come from big feelings or a developing brain are quickly changed. Something is wrong. Just the same way we would worry about a high energy personality suddenly feeling flat, this sudden shift is telling us something isn’t right.

No one can learn that fast, behaviour change takes time, learning takes time, skill, new muscle development.

But suppression, fear and confusion happens fast.

07/14/2025

Good advice and well-said!

This is so important to read ..New Puppy Owners!!

‼️To New Puppy Owners‼️
This is an excellent read! I didn't write it (but added to) it's completely true. Be sure to research your breed!!! Please read ❤️❤️

Realistic Expectations

You go to the breeders home. The pups are all social. They are quiet in the pen. The breeder shows you videos of them being totally outgoing or relaxed. All looks amazing and you bring your puppy home.

Then reality hits. The puppy WILL cry in the crate for the first few nights/weeks!! Absolutely making you tired and agitated. The happy social puppy is refusing to greet the half dozen overly excited friends/family you invited over to see your new puppy. The puppy refuses to walk on a leash. Many are wondering how did my perfect puppy turn into a nightmare.

So let’s discuss realistic expectations of when a puppy goes home. First of all the puppy has been in the breeders home since birth. They had their mother and often littermates. They had their routine, were taught expectations and were completely in their comfort zone.

Now suddenly they are taken to a totally new environment. Picture yourself being dropped into an unknown country, often in a different part of the world. You know only a few words of their language. Different environments, animals, smells, sounds,temperature and people. Now in the middle of this we are switching up your routine, decide to have a party with people you dont know, and ask you to do jobs you have no idea about. Overwhelming to say the least!!!

This is what every puppy goes through when going to their new home. Stress manifests in different forms. From not eating, reluctancy to play and greet people. Being apprehensive at the vet’s office or as strangers reach for them. Diarrhea, vomiting and depression can occur.THEY EXPERIENCE FEAR PERIODS!!

So what can you as a new owner do to help your little one acclimate?

- most puppies take 3-4 weeks(or more) to acclimate to their new home. Repeat after me THREE to FOUR WEEKS OR MORE!!! Not 1-2 days. I can’t stress this enough about how much time is needed for a dog or puppy to feel comfortable in their new home!
- limit guests during the first week. We understand you are excited to show off your new baby but they need time to adjust. Plan on waiting 1-2 weeks before inviting people over
- ask guest to sit on the ground and let the puppy approach them. No squealing/over excitement or grabbing the puppy
- set up a good routine!!!
- restrict the puppy to a small area of the house‼️This not only reduces them being overwhelmed but also allows you to watch/learn them
- don’t expect a 9-13 week old puppy to walk on a leash. Instead work at home with a leash where they are comfortable. Let them drag the leash, use treats to encourage them to walk with you
- if your puppy is refusing to walk give them time. My first trips to town with puppies a walk around a small block took 1 1/2 hours. We only move when they initiate the movement as they need time to take in the different environment
- understand your puppy needs time to see you as family. Expecting an immediate bond is unrealistic
- train your puppy. Seek professional training !!! This not only helps TEACH YOU but strengthens your bond and teaches the puppy to look to you for direction and input
- lastly be patient & CONSISTENT !!! Don’t declare “omg there’s something wrong with this dog”. Nothing occurs overnight. Outings should be planned at puppy speed. So while you might imagine a fun walk around the lake in reality your puppy might only be able to handle walking a short distance that day.

Most outings for me take a long time, as I am often just standing still as the puppy cautiously explores the new environment. Patience is key!

Remember if the puppy was wonderful at the breeder’s house but now is struggling, you as the owner, need to help the puppy adjust which takes time, patience and training. SMART SOCIALIZATION !! Have realistic expectations and give the puppy positive experiences. Each puppy is an individual, don’t compare your current puppy to past pets and judge their behavior based on how another dog handled things. Lastly, try to see thing’s from a puppy’s perspective and adjust situations accordingly❤️

Please feel free to share!!

06/27/2025

Doggy horror flick! :-0

06/20/2025

Because this can't be repeated or shared enough. www.pamdennison.com

06/09/2025

Very true! It's a matter of teamwork! It's my job to coach human and dog together to make things better for both!

Let’s get comfortable with the uncomfortable! We can’t always do it right, sometimes our actions might increase undesirable behaviour in our dogs.

The first thing to help this is to realise it. Then we are almost there. Working with behaviour challenges is as much about working on our own reactions as our dogs.

Because it’s a journey and the best part is we get to go through it together!

🐶 Find exercises for both dog and guardian on the membership ❤️

06/04/2025

Good tick info!

😣 TICKS!! 😣
Here in the Catskills of eastern NY the ticks are B-A-D right now!!
😱
They love cool-to-warm, humid weather and that's what we've got, for weeks and weeks.
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There are different kinds of ticks, and many different diseases that can be transmitted by a tick bite. Lyme Disease is the most famous, but believe it or not, it's maybe not the worst of them.
🥺
This resource has a lot of great tick information, including links to have your tick tested. In PA the basic testing is FREE!
https://www.ticklab.org/
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In NY State, this lab offers low cost tick testing:
https://nyticks.org/

Understand that testing the tick for a disease is not always recommended. It's possible the tick didn't transmit the pathogen to you or your pet; it's also possible the test missed a pathogen that WAS transmitted.
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As always, the best way to prevent tick borne diseases is to not get bitten in the first place! Easier said than done, I know.
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When you remove a tick, DO NOT SQUEEZE IT!! You can release pathogens that way. Discard the tick, put in a baggie or stick it to tape -- I struggle to feel compassion for ticks, because I am just not that evolved yet.

06/02/2025

Best advice! If you want a puppy, or even a young adult of a certain breed, really the only way to go about it, is to take the time to find an ethical preservation breeder. You are bringing a new member into your family and household, to live with you as a companion for the life of the dog, 13 years or more. And you rarely have to travel out of your own state to find them.

05/03/2025

Plan ahead to help your dog!

💥Dogs and Firework Celebrations are NOT a great combination, however, there are ways we can help to lessen the trauma experienced by our dogs. 🐶Join our FB...

04/28/2025

This!!

"Dogs don't understand don't, because don't is a concept.

Dogs understand DO. They understand behaviours.

Create a beahviour that you DO want, so that your dog can be right and you're setting him up for reinforcement.

This makes for a much better relationship for you and your dog, and for anybody else who comes in contact with your dog."

- Susan Garrett