Anyone who has experienced a sudden illness or injury with their dog knows that the bills can add up very quickly. Nobody wants to have to turn down necessary treatments because they are unable to afford them. Pet insurance is a smart way to reduce that risk and help pet owners have some peace of mind when emergencies occur. 

Choosing a pet insurance company can be extremely overwhelming for pet owners. There are many different factors to consider and compare. It can be difficult to know where to start! Let’s look at some of those factors.

• Types of Coverage: All companies offer a basic accident and illness combined plan for pets, and most also have an optional wellness plan to cover routine care. As a way to keep costs low, some companies also offer an accident-only plan. 

• Deductible: This is the amount that must be paid out of pocket before the insurance company will start reimbursement. Generally, this will reset every year. Some companies, however, offer...

Nail care maintenance for our canine companions comes in a few flavors. My first choice, and the one around which I built my signature course, is the Dremel. If you do not have a sound-sensitive dog, this tool with a Diamagroove bit is the gold standard.

When owners and their dogs struggle with nail care, most veterinarians and dog trainers recommend using a scratchboard. This is a great tool to get your dog started, but this method has some issues you need to watch out for. Owners need to be careful the dog’s pads are not getting injured. You should be inspecting the feet and nails regularly if you are using this method. You may notice that the nails may be filed unevenly. Some toes may be near the quick; while others may not be filed enough. You need to especially be concerned with the middle two nails on the front feet. Those can be hard to get filed using a scratchboard.

In my program, Dremel Like a Boss, when we realize the Dremel is not an option for a dog, we...

The video in this article is an example of training you can do with your pup to make the Elizabethan collar a non event for you and your pup.

This discussion came up with my Dremel Like a Boss students and I thought the topic was excellent as an article for all of you!

The question asked was about using pet recovery collars (AKA Elizabethan collars, e-collars, cones, etc.) and ideas on how to get our dogs used to it before a surgery. This is the mindset we want in the membership is how do we prepare our dogs for any husbandry procedure before it happens, instead of fixing it after it happens. We want to prepare our dogs for the event in the best way we can.

There are now many devices to allow our dogs to heal after surgeries. I will list some of them below:

1. Recovery suits- great for many types of surgeries (especially spay/neuter surgery) as long as the suit covers the wound/incision and your dog won’t lick/chew through the suit. Make sure they are not too big. If your dog is...

While we are enjoying the warmer, longer days, increasing our outdoor activities, and adventuring into nature, ticks are waiting for an opportunity to make a meal out of us, our families, and our dogs!

Most of us have encountered ticks or Lyme Disease in some fashion. Either we have seen a tick, know what a tick is, have had a tick bite, have had Lyme disease, our dog has had Lyme disease, or we know someone or someone’s dog who has had Lyme Disease. The truth is that Lyme is an endemic infection, with nearly 476,000 cases of Lyme disease diagnosed in the US each year. So, if you haven’t yet encountered a tick or the diseases they carry….you could in the future. Let’s review some tick bite prevention strategies and how to best prevent tick-borne illnesses.

Map of Lyme disease cases in the US, 2022 

Why do we need to prevent tick bites?

Ticks carry bacteria that can be passed to humans when they bite and feed on...

Last summer our outdoor water program didn't end on a high note. There was a HAB (harmful algae bloom) at Assunpink Lake on Saturday, 8/26/2023, right before we were going to hold our Canine Water Sports Test.

We had been monitoring the water quality at this site all summer by working with The Watershed Institute and doing our own testing with this test kit (Amazon affiliate link). The lake had been placed at watch status (Blue) at the boat launch area. The rapid tests we performed at our swim location enabled us to continue swimming at the location while feeling our dogs were safe. Unfortunately, the algae bloom exploded during the week before our CWS swim test. At the time, we posted pictures in our 4 Paws Adrift FB Group and our newsletter. We felt that once you saw the pictures, it would be much easier for you to recognize when there is a toxic bloom.

We reported our findings on the NJ DEP HAB site. If you see a HAB, please...

This topic has been hitting home for me lately and I really want to make sure as many people as possible take this topic to .

I currently live with four dogs part time and two of those dogs had lovely comments from professionals this week. Let me start with Jibe, although I have spent many hours training her on husbandry skills, these results can be achieved with a smaller commitment as you will see with Beckett’s story in a bit.

Jibe is a heavy-coated Newfoundland with a full on spay coat and heavy furnishings. We have run into an orthopedic issue that will likely require surgery, conservative management, and underwater treadmill. When Jibe was young, she was not comfortable with strangers. Our handler and many of my dear friends worked with Jibe to get her used to people other than her mama taking the end of her leash.  As part of my Dremel Like a Boss program, we work on handling, chin rest, restraint and generalization of these behaviors for groomers and...

This week in the 4 Paws Adrift Newsletter our featured client is a Puppy Culture puppy. It got me thinking how complementary Dremel Like a Boss is to the Puppy Culture program. Puppy Culture has a special place in my heart since my Newfoundland, Molly, and I were in the original Puppy Culture film.

Let me tell you why I think Dremel Like a Boss is a great addition to the Puppy Culture training plan for puppy owners. Your pup’s nails will need to be maintained their entire life. Following the DLAB curriculum as part of the training plan will provide problem prevention for your nail care and husbandry needs. The methodology used in DLAB follows the Puppy Culture ideals to allow the puppy to lead the dialogue and create a two way conversation between the pet owner and the puppy. DLAB like Puppy Culture meets your puppy where they are at!

How many times have I heard that my puppy does great with nails so I don’t need to train it. Here is the thing, you may have...

I have been traveling and I am sometimes away for a month at a time. This means I need to do some grooming on the road with my Newfoundland, Jibe. If you do not have a double coated breed, your list will be shorter than mine, but anyone traveling for a bit with a dog needs a few things just in case. I wanted to make sure I had things for regular maintenance, but also in case I ran into burrs or mud and couldn’t give her a bath. 

BTW I have run into burrs and needed quite a few things on this list.

Here is my list of must have grooming travel items for longer trips:

• Dremel - I use an actual Dremel with a DiamaGroove diamond bit from Whitman.
• Ear Cleaner- The Zymox line is one of my favorites. (Amazon Affiliate Link)
• Eye Wash - I just use sterile solution eye wash from the grocery store
• Hot Spot Treatment- Vetericyn is my favorite. (Amazon Affiliate Link)
• Rake/Comb- Livestock Comb. This is literally my favorite rake of all time. (Amazon Affiliate Link)
• Leave in...

I have helped dozens of members get results with my signature program Dremel Like a Boss. I am not talking about small results, this is life changing results for these teams. Pet owners come into my program thinking they will not be able to do it…then by the end of the program they are doing amazing things! The dogs are happy and loving their grooming time with their owners.

Yes, I have a systematic approach that members follow. It is broken down into small slices so that teams get the results desired.  But….non of this would work if the owners were not consistent, put in the time, and developed the patience of a saint. The group coaching sessions are focused on the teams developing patience in their training for hard grooming skills. You get results with my program because I take you through it step by step, but the members that come to the group coaching sessions each week on Thursday for three to six months make the biggest changes and have...

My clients and I are extremely fortunate that we have access to both an in-ground pool and an under water treadmill at the swim center where my business is located.  I know…..extremely fortunate.   Since I can offer both types of hydro therapy, I get asked this question literally 10 times a day.

I hope this chart is useful if you are ever trying to figure out which hydro therapy you would like to pursue with your canine.  As always if you have a serious illness or injury, speaking with your Veterinarian or Rehabilitation Therapist is a good place to start.

When reviewing the chart here are some things to consider.  The 10,000 foot view is that the Underwater Treadmill is better for hind end, swimming is a front end activity.  If a dog is recovering from an injury with any muscle atrophy I am going to suggest Underwater Treadmill hands down.  If economics is a factor and you just need some mild conditioning then the pool is your biggest bang for...