Remote collar / E-collar

Remote Collars can be a great tool when you use the right brand and they are used correctly.
You may have heard them called a "Shock" collar.
They do not harm the dog. Once you train the dog with the collar it is just another form of communication with your dog. It is a lot less force full and actually is kinder on your dog than physical corrections from any other form of collar. It is a gentle reminder of what they are supposed to be doing. Anyone that truly wants their dog to be off leash should invest in an ecollar. It allows me the confidence and safety that no matter what I have control of what my dog is doing. You can train all day every day and there is still a % that your dog can make their own decisions. There are things that we can't train or prepare for. I want to have control of that %.  I am a safe driver but I still wear my seat belt. That's how I think of my ecollar. It's there if I need it but the majority of the time it isn't needed once the dog is trained.
The brands that we recommend are
Einstein / E-collar Technologies and Dogtra.
Mini Educator/Einstein Collar is the ecollar that we carry that is included in training plans. It is considered at "small dog collar" but I have yet to meet a dog that needed anything more.
Both of these collars are great and have a wide range of options.
The lowest level "Small dog collar" is all that is needed on most pet dogs.
Mini Einstein/ Educator + Dogtra 280
Has 100 levels of momentary or continuous. If we decide this is the right tool for your dog I have you feel it 1st. Most people feel it between an 8 - 20. I almost guarantee you your dog will feel it between a 3-7.
It has a boost button for emergencies and has a vibrate option.
There are other good brands out there like Tritronics and Garmin but those tend to work at a higher level than most dogs need and are a little more tricky to work and switch between dogs on a multi dog unit.
We DO NOT recommend most of the E-collars that you can find at your local pet store like Petsafe and Sportdog collars. Most of those collars have a very limited selection of levels like 4 or 5 and the levels jump quite a bit because it has so few options.

Dog Nutrition articles

A few great Articles on the importance of good nutrition in Dogs

http://files.championpetfoods.com/ORIJEN_White_Paper.pdf

http://www.volharddognutrition.com/healthy-dog-conference-2014-phoenix.html

Decorating the dog door

Puppy Mouthing/Biting

Yes it is natural for puppies to play with their teeth with other puppies.
It is NOT ok for us to tolerate it on us and by ignoring it teach the puppy that it is ok for them to put teeth on people. This is not something that puppies just grow out of over time. This is something that gets worse over time if you allow the dog to continue practicing this behavior.
You want to start from day 1 teaching your new pup the rules of the house and setting structure. It's more fair to set the rules from the beginning than it is to allow something for 4 -6 months then tell them its not allowed anymore. It's always possible to fix later, but far more fair and easier on your puppy if you start with rules from the beginning.
For most puppies using a taste detterrent is the best way to cure puppy mouthing.
Bitter Apple is a product made for dogs. It is sold in almost all pet stores.
I use Bitter Apple as a direct consequence for teeth on me. They put teeth on me and I spray some bitter apple in their mouth. You are NOT mad, yelling or angry. Just a direct consequence. You do this.. this happens. Make sure that you are CONSISTENT. Every time puppy mouths the bottle is handy.
Make sure that the bottle doesn't become a threat. If you bring the bottle out.. you use it..
NOT: bring bottle out... puppy stops.. i set bottle back down. Then you always have to have the bottle out.
I go to Target or Walmart and get the little travel size spray bottles it makes it alot easier to carry the bitter apple around or put it in my pocket.
Some people have heard from other sources to "Yelp" when the puppy bites. For a rare % of puppies that have a really soft personality it can work. But if you have a puppy with a stronger personality and you YELP... your puppy can see that as you submitting to them. This is not something that you want to do.
Another possible solution to the mouthing that I believe I heard this idea from I think Ian Dunbar but I could be wrong is that if the puppy puts teeth on you.. to be dramatic stand up walk away from the puppy and slam the door behind you...   I could see this working for many puppies... but then I'm leaving a puppy in a room by itself unsupervised and I really dislike to leave a puppy unsupervised EVER.
Start with the Bitter Apple...

Crate tips

Teach your dog to love the crate. 

Don't hesitate putting the dog in the crate, don't stop and explain to them that you will be back.
Make it matter of fact and make the crate part of life.
1. Tell your dog "Crate" / "Kennel Up" / "House"
Then proceed to put your dog in the crate. Lead them in with a leash or physically help them in.
2 Once they are in you can give them a treat.
3. When you go to let them out, they need to wait to be invited out. (No barging out the crate door)
If they go to rush out of the crate, close the door on them.
Start to open the door again, if they try to rush out shut the door again.
I do this until I can open the door all the way without them rushing out.
4. Then invite them out with their "release" word ("free") or an invitation command "Let's go".
Then repeat starting at step 1 until your dog goes into the crate without help.
Then Gradually increase the amount of time that you can open the door before inviting them out, also start increasing your distance with the door open then return to them to release them.

Other tips:

• REMEMBER: Crate the dog when your home too. NOT just when you leave.
• Take your dog and their crate with you to a friends house and crate them in another room while you visit with a friend. It's good practice for them to be comfortable being crated in a different place. 
• It always helps to cover the crate with a sheet or towel. 
• If your dog whines in the crate and you think they need to go out for a potty break you can take them out ON LEASH but take them straight out to potty and right back to their crate - whining and barking gets you out for a potty break not time to be free or fun time. Otherwise they will learn to bark or whine anytime they want out. 
• Feed your dog a few of their meals in the crate. Use the above 4 steps for putting the dog in the crate. Once your dog is in the crate instead of a treat give them their food bowl. Close the crate door and walk away. When they are done eating and it is convenient for you, you can come back by and take the bowl out and let your dog out calmly (Still don't allow rushing out).

We have found that more dogs do better in plastic crates than wire crates. Lots of dogs are able to destroy wire crates if they are stressed or anxious. Plastic seems to hold up better and tends to be more den like for the dog. 

I will post a video later today on how to put the dog into the crate and teaching them to wait there.