Celebrity Pet Expert to appear at Beaverton Toyota's Pet Party

Published author, radio and TV show host Harrison Forbes is the featured guest at Beaverton Toyota’s Pet Party, happening July 16, 11-3.

To really get a feel for Forbes’s standing in the pet world, click on the video at HarrisonForbes.com.

Here is Forbes on Larry King Live . . . Regis & Kelly . . . CNN . . . on stage with Tim and Faith with all the fanfare of a major Nashville event. This guy is big!

Spot had the pleasure of chatting with Forbes last month as he traveled to the next stop in his current tour for Toyota’s Pet Safety Initiative.

Events, Behavior/TrainingKristan Dael - Spot MagazineJuly 1, 2011Celebrity, Events, Safety, Trainer-IndividualComment

Solving the Mystery of the Unused Litter Box

Every cat has an accident every now and again. When those accidents become chronic, it might be time to figure out why your pet is not using the litter box.

Behavior/TrainingKathy Covey - PR Manager at CATJuly 1, 2011Behavior, Cats, Health Issues, LitterboxComment

Dog Park Etiquette - The stuff of good times...for all

Alice waits eagerly for Alex to throw her ball at the river near Alton Baker Park in Eugene.A Dog Park can be the best part of a sunny Sunday afternoon or the only place it’s possible to let your apartment-dwelling pup run.

Either way, there are some important basics that, followed by all park users, help everyone have a great time at the park.

Down, Boy!

How to Keep Your Dog from Jumping

One of the most heartwarming things about life with dogs is their joy over your arrival . . . even just returning to the car at the market. All that exuberance — over you — never gets old. Some dogs also show excitement by bouncing repeatedly as if to say, “Hello!” “I’m here!” “Hurray!” “Look at me!” While this may be endearing at times, allowing a dog to jump encourages poor etiquette and can at minimum be annoying with company, at worst, harmful . . . of course the bigger the dog, the greater the risk.

Behavior/TrainingNikki Jardin - Spot MagazineApril 1, 2011Behavior, Training, DogsComment

Human + Dog + Focused Discipline = Fun, Fitness and so much more

Depending upon various breed characteristics, some dogs are hard-wired to herd, others are all about the hunt, some are just plain nosy, and still others are toys. Wait! That is, they belong to the “toy” group. All joking aside, dogs and their people have many opportunities these days to jump in and get busy engaging a dog’s passions — whatever they may be. In fact, there has been a growth surge in recent months in canine activities you might find of interest. While not all may be of interest, or suited to you and your pup, there are so many choices you’re sure to find something you’d love to try. That’s the other good news: classes, weekend events and workshops have sprung up at doggy daycares, indoor parks and even boutiques, so the opportunities to give something a try abound.

What goes into the making of a ...Good Dog!

How’s your dog? Whether your family’s first pet, or a recent new addition, most dogs — like their human counterparts — come with a few quirks.

Depending on the nature of said “quirk,” behaviors run the gamut from amusing to stressful. And of course some can be really expensive. Behaviors like separation anxiety, chewing, and barking can make the otherwise wonderful experience of life with dog a challenge, and sometimes even untenable. Following is a how-to guide every dog parent needs but doesn’t always know where to find. Spot spoke with three experts in training and socialization who shared their best tips on the making of a good dog.

Behavior/Training, Life with PetsVanessa Salvia - Spot MagazineMarch 1, 2011Behavior, Daycare, Puppy, TrainingComment

Celebrity trainer coming to Salem

Trainers who reach international acclaim are few, and opportunities to meet them are rare. That’s just one of many reasons Victoria Stilwell’s visit to Salem this February is so exciting. It gets even better when you realize the star of Animal Planet’s It’s Me or the Dog series is also a rock star in animal welfare — active in rescue around the world — and is also a best-selling author.

Events, Behavior/TrainingSpot MagazineJanuary 1, 2011Celebrity, Training, Behavior, EventsComment

Ready . . . set . . . FLY!

The growing sport of canine disc — everyone can play

Perhaps you’ve seen it on TV — a dog races out, makes a dazzling leap, and snaps a flying disc from midair. Then ecstatically races back for the next throw.

Or maybe you’ve seen it at the dog park — no less enthusiastic but with varying degrees of finesse. If ever there was a portrait of jumping for joy, this is it . . . Canine Disc.

Canine Disc. Disc Dogs. Frisbee Dogs. Flying Dogs. Aerial Dogs. Whatever you call them, these canine athletes are amazing! And the sport is growing by leaps and bounds.

“Canine disc is a great sport for dogs, particularly in urban settings,” says Adriana Ericson, a member of Washington Owners of Flying Disc Dogs (woofd2). “All you need is a bit of grass, a dog and a disc.”

Jump! Jump! Jump!

Teach your dog to greet your holiday guests with four paws firmly on the ground!

Training Goal: Glue that doggie’s butt to the ground! Teach your dog to sit calmly as guests enter your home for the holidays.

Willamette Valley, Behavior/TrainingJennifer Biglan, CPDTDecember 1, 2009Training, Behavior, Dogs

Don’t Eat That! Part 2

Last month in Spot we discussed the reasons dog eat feces (click here for article), and laid out a training plan to teach your dog to “leave it” alone for good.

If you are going to have success teaching your dog to stop eating poop it’s important that you first have a prevention plan solidly in place — then train them to do what you want (leave the poop alone).

Willamette Valley, Behavior/Training, Health/WellnessJennifer Biglan, CPDTNovember 1, 2009TrainingComment