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Photo Gallery of Pet sitting and Dog walking Clients

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Train the dog in front of you! This is one of our

Train the dog in front of you! This is one of our most valuable pieces of information we can share with you when training your dog.

Having realistic expectations are important. If you have a herding dog, but expect them to be the type of dog that sleeps all day and never barks- you will both be frustrated with the relationship.

Our dogs behaviors are a combination of several things including:

🐶Genetics

🐶Learning style

🐶Environment

🐶Their own personality

Just as with humans, no two dogs are exactly alike. We often hear during our assessments that a client wants their current dog to respond and behave as a previous dog they owned did. We cannot promise that, to do so is irresponsible and sets up the client and pet for frustration.

Each pet brings their uniqueness to the table. It is so important to see the dog in front of you- really see them! What are they bred to do? what do they like, dislike or have an aversion to? How do they learn best (Do they follow modeled behavior, like to problem solve?)? What is their current environment?

When I adopted Murphy, I was not prepared for the challenges he would bring us. He is a fiercely independent, yet loving and cuddly dog. He wants to snuggle and be touching one of us when we are home, but when he is problem solving, he wants to do it on his own. To tell him to stay on the floor is not going to happen, this pup loves to be up high- forever on chairs, counters, etc. If I expected him to be as a previous dog, we would both be frustrated. Instead, I have learned to meet him where he is at.

We know that he is naturally more anxious of new people and new dogs, so we offer slower introductions. We know that he is rough and tumble player that ofter gets over excited easily, so we adjust our play to shorter sessions with breaks built in to allow him to decompress.

Learning to work with the dog in front of you not only creates less frustration, but it strengthens the bond between you and your dog.

Milwaukee Paws continues to expand and grow our te

Milwaukee Paws continues to expand and grow our team! We are a certified woman owned business that provides personalized pet care to local pets!

We have several positions open at the current time and are hiring for both part time and full time positions. Weekday and weekend positions open.

For a limited time, we have a $500 sign on bonus for new team members (50% paid when team member reaches 6 months employment, the remaining 50% paid at 1 year of employment).

We are a team that is focused on team work and communication. The positions require the each team member have a working smart phone and reliable transportation. We will train the right person, but experience is preferred.

This position pays per job, however our current team averages between $15-21 per hour plus tips! Scan the QR code to apply!

Theos first Urban adventure decompression hike!

Theos first Urban adventure decompression hike! It was wet and rainy, but we had a blast!

We always say that these hike build confidence- how?

Watch the video- while hiking, we encountered a large log across the path. There were several ways around it:

🐶Theo could have walked around it🐶he could have jumped over it
🐶he could have gone under it

Instead of telling Theo what to do, I waited and let him problem solve it for himself. Learning to solve problems builds a dogs confidence!

Happy Hiking Theo!

As a follow up to our post on Monday, we wanted to

As a follow up to our post on Monday, we wanted to offer a few more tips for teaching your dog to walk without pulling.

As we stated on Monday, consistency is key. If you only reinforce good walking habits half the time, your dog will not understand what you want and will become frustrated. Dogs learn by association, so consistency is important!

🐶Take time to celebrate small wins. If your dog walks next to you with a loose leash for 2 steps, reward that at first. As they do better, you can lengthen the time between treats, but a heavy rate of reinforcement on the front end, really strengthens the message to your dog of what you like.

🐶Don't skimp on rewards- we often see owners who worry that they will give their dogs too many treats. You can easily mix high value treats with some of your dogs meals and use that mixture for training. Food is the most consistent motivator for dogs.

🐶Learn your dogs language. If a dog is stressed or nervous, often they will not take treats. If your dog normally takes treats, but stops, it may be that you are in an environment that is too overwhelming for your dog. Try to find a quieter location and let them decompress before trying again.

🐶Keep training sessions short, with periods of sniffing and play in between! Keep it fun!

For more help with Loose leash walking skills- feel free to reach out to us!

Oh no! We missed Addie’s birthday! This sweet

Oh no! We missed Addie’s birthday! This sweet pup turned 10 yesterday! We adore her and her family! Happy Birthday Addie!

We get asked all the time for tips on how to help

We get asked all the time for tips on how to help dogs walk better. When we drill down with owners, what we find are they want their dogs to walk without pulling and to not react to specific triggers in the environment (reactivity to dogs, people, cars, squirrels, etc).

Today, I want to share some of our basic tips for teaching your dog to walk on a leash and not pull. Teaching a dog to loose leash walk is key for safety, and it makes walks more enjoyable for you and your dog.

We always start by training focus- teach your dog to focus on you first and the environment second. We teach cues like "watch me" or "touch" for this. We also teach fun games to keep the focus on us. Start these indoors and add distractions as your dog gets the idea. Asking your dog to focus on you in a dog park, without lots of practice is like asking a child to do homework at Disneyworld.

Once your dog is able to focus, take it on the road! Below are some tips to help your dog understand what you want.

🐶 When your dog pulls- the second the leash is tight, stop moving and wait. Wait for up to 30 seconds. If your dog looks back at you, mark the behavior and offer a treat, then start again.

🐶When your dog "checks in" with you (looks at you) whether you have asked them to or not, reward it EVERYTIME. This really reinforces that good things happen near you and you are more fun than the environment.

🐶Make sure your dog has plenty of enrichment and time to sniff. This cannot be overstated. A dog with too little enrichment will have a very hard time focusing on you and dogs need to sniff!

🐶 To make walks fun and interesting for your dog, change directions, go a new route, find new places to walk.

🐶Walk faster- our natural gate is much slower than a dogs natural gate, oftentimes we see that by moving a little faster it is easier for our dogs to stay with us.

Be consistent in your training when teaching a dog to walk with a loose leash. Happy Walking!

Taking a break today from cute pet posts to share

Taking a break today from cute pet posts to share that my father in law had the honor of participating in the Honor flight by Stars and Stripes yesterday.

This non profit goes above and beyond to show our veterans how appreciated and special they are.

The current flights are supporting Korea and Vietnam vets. If you have never been to a homecoming for one of these flights- you need to go!

@starsandstripeshonorflight #honorflight #honorflightmilwaukee #couldntbeprouder #thankaveteran

May is Global Employee Fitness Month We wanted to

May is Global Employee Fitness Month

We wanted to take today to say that we have the best jobs and have one of the best ways to stay fit!

Our walkers often walk between 8-10 miles per day each! They walk city blocks, go hiking, and play with your pets. Our team consistently tell us how much they love the job- and how much exercise they get!

While this post does not show all of our staff- we love them all and know you do too!

Puppy Pack Play Group! We started the puppy pack

Puppy Pack Play Group!

We started the puppy pack play group in an effort to help puppies learn to play with a variety of dogs (sizes, breeds, play styles, etc) while minimizing the chances of them having a negative experience.

With this service, we have priced it to only cover the cost of the gym we rent, and our staff- that's right, at this time, we do not make a profit on the play group! We feel that it is that important for puppies.

We keep our playgroups small- never more than six dogs, often smaller than that! We also staff each play group with a ratio of no more than 3 dogs per staff person. There is always a certified dog trainer at every playgroup (often multiple dog trainers).

The benefits of puppies learning to play with a variety of dogs goes beyond them being tired (although the pups do get very worn out!). It reaches them to be confident, how to interact with other dogs and how to communicate their needs.

Our staff are trained on canine body language, so if a pup is getting overwhelmed, they are taken from the group to get a break and decompress, then are reintroduced. We also monitor to make sure that no puppy is being bullied or being a bully! Both of these are essential for positive dog-dog interactions.

An added benefit is that we take them to the Canine Enrichment Center in Grafton. The pups are exposed to different surfaces, learn to navigate the equipment, and incorporate the different pieces of equipment in their play. We love seeing how creative the dogs get!

Take the tunnel for example, some dogs run through it, some jump over it!

Our most recent group of play group graduates, have now continued on to do group hikes together! We are so proud of the relationships they made and loved watching them grow up!

We currently have openings in puppy play group. If you're interested in joining, send us a DM to get started!

We almost missed it! Happiest of birthdays @baker

We almost missed it! Happiest of birthdays @baker_potato! We love our adventures with sweet baker beans!

Penny Lane appreciation post! Penny Lane is a 12

Penny Lane appreciation post!

Penny Lane is a 12 year old rat terrier, shitzu mix.

She is a shy pup who had a rough start to life before being rescued by her current owners. She has been given reason not to trust humans, and she is understandably nervous with new people. Her current owners are dedicated paw-rents who have shown Penny Lane just how loving humans can be.

Penny Lane takes some time to warm up, but when she does, she reveals her playful, silly side!

Penny Lane has a hear bigger than Texas! She recently welcomed, Lincoln, her new brother into her home. Our team adores Penny Lane and are honored that she trusts us.

Happy birthday Malibu! @woofitsmalibu

Happy birthday Malibu! @woofitsmalibu

On Friday the 13th, let's talk about black cats.

On Friday the 13th, let's talk about black cats.

Many people think that black cats are bad luck, but we find them to be the snuggliest and most loving cats! Black cats get a bad rap and we are here to share some interesting facts about them.

🐈Black cats were once worshipped as gods, in fact, the ancient Egyptians revered them

🐈Some cultures feel that black cats are good luck (in Scotland, if a black cat shows up on your doorstep it means fortune is on it's way)

🐈 While many breeds of cats have black fur, there is only one breed that is exclusively black- the Bombay

🐈Black cats have stronger immune systems than other cats, according to the National Institutes of Health. This may be related to a gene mutation that causes their coats to be black

🐈It is theorized that black cats are harder to adopt because people feel they are harder to photograph- however this is not true! Black cats take beautiful photos.

Don't you agree that these beauties are gorgeous?

Sun day fun day!

Sun day fun day!

Let's talk about the benefits of Urban Adventure D

Let's talk about the benefits of Urban Adventure Decompression Walks and why your dog needs them!

We were the first local company to offer Urban Adventure Decompression walks and will continue to offer them. The benefits of these walks include reducing stress and anxiety, increasing confidence and helping with some behaviors.

We have asked our dogs to come into our lives and we increasingly ask them to be in situations that are not natural for dogs. We take them to bar patios, dog parks, day care, they travel with us and they take long walks in the city.

None of these are bad things- it can be fun and enriching for your dog to have different experiences- as long as they are comfortable. The problem arises when we fail to realize that dogs were bred to connect with nature, to not be furry humans, but incredible canine partners.

Dogs need to sniff, they need to connect with nature, they need to problem solve and they need to explore! Our Urban Adventure decompression walks do just this!

🐶Dogs are allowed to dictate the pace we move, and often the direction we go.

🐶They are allowed to sniff as much as they want.

🐶They are encouraged to experience new things like swimming, climbing, and walking on different terrains (wood chips, sand, dirt, grass, gravel, etc)

🐶they are permitted to explore and problem solve.

Doing all of this allows the dogs to decompress from the stress of daily life. It allows your dog to remember how to be a dog. When we offer these weekly, we see the dogs have a reduction in anxiety and reactive behaviors, we see their confidence grow and they exhibit less signs of boredom at home.

Every dog should be allowed to do their own decompression walk weekly- with their owner, or with a professional company. If you want to see your dog really come alive, start doing your own Urban Adventure Decompression walks, let your dog lead the way and watch them grow in confidence as they find their way!

Let’s talk about Leash Reactivity. The dogs in

Let’s talk about Leash Reactivity. The dogs in this picture are only a few of the actual reactive dogs we walk. The reality is, reactive dogs are not scary, the are great dogs!

These dogs are not dogs who are stressed and unhappy- most of the dogs we walk are extremely happy, easygoing dogs, until they see a trigger (the thing they react to- dogs, cars, people, etc).

Dogs, when feeling threatened either fight, flee or freeze. Putting a leash on them takes away the option to flee and oftentimes owners tug dogs along, removing the option to freeze. Guess what’s left- fight. Hence the barking, lunging, etc.

One of the things we try to do is never let the dogs we walk get over threshold. Often this means changing direction quickly when we see a trigger and giving the dog we are walking enough space to feel comfortable. We also work on teaching the dogs to relax when they are on a leash- by using pattern games, sniffing and redirection. By avoiding situations where the dog feels like they have to react to be safe, and incorporating a few techniques to help them feel more relaxed and comfortable, we teach them to tolerate a trigger nearby.

As a pet owner, your job is to advocate for your dog. Remember, it is ok to say “No thank you” if someone wants to pet your dog! Protecting your dogs space is your job when you are out with them.

For all dog owners who prefer to have your dog off leash, don’t. Your dog may be friendly, but your dog rushing up to a reactive dog to say hi is more than rude- it’s downright dangerous for the reactive dog and yours. No dog should have life altering consequences because you want your dog to be off leash. That is what off leash dog areas are for.

If you have a reactive dog, work on building their confidence first, and teach them to focus on you. The reality is, a confident, focused dog is generally not a reactive dog. Food is a great motivator, so are toys, and play. What do you use to keep your dog calm?

Let your pup celebrate #cincodemayo with you by ma

Let your pup celebrate #cincodemayo with you by making pup friendly tacos!

Fill a corn tortilla shell with healthy foods like lean ground beef, sweet potatoes, green and red peppers, zucchini, tomatoes and some plain yogurt (in place of sour cream).

Add in tasty additions like a few beans and a tiny amount of cheese.

Your dog can celebrate with you! Just remember, that these are meant to be a treat, not a substitute for a healthy diet.

Also, avoid foods that can harm your dog like excess salt (don’t add the taco seasoning), onions, or garlic.

Tilly is here to remind everyone to #supportlocals

Tilly is here to remind everyone to #supportlocalsmallbusiness and to #shopsmall! This week is #smallbusinessweek and we want to support as many small businesses as we can!

Small business jobs make up 48% of the entire workforce! Small businesses really are the backbone of this country.

Today is "Specially Abled Pets Day". We want to ho

Today is "Specially Abled Pets Day". We want to honor Lola today. Lola is a dog training client, who is deaf- and so sweet!

Lolas fur parents adopted her when she was 10 months old from the Ozaukee County Humane Society. As long as her owners have known Lola, she has been deaf, but that never stopped her from communicating!

Lola knows sign language, a variety of tricks and is the best snuggler! Whenever Lola fur parents sit down, she sits on their lap!

Her owners describe Lola as "smart and eager. She loves car rides and hiking trips and she is always ready for the next adventure!"

We could not agree more, we met Lola to help her with some leash reactivity, she was instantly a love bug and eager to learn new skills. She is a quick learner and silly girl when we play games with her. Lola does not allow being deaf to slow her down!

In honor of “Specially abled Pets Day, we are do

In honor of “Specially abled Pets Day, we are doing a Millie Eileen appreciation post!

Millie Eileen is quite the spirited fighter. She was found on a roadside with a broken leg that she was dragging with her. After getting her leg amputated, she immediately came to life and was a happy girl!

Millie Eileen was adopted by incredible owners who knew that she would not be stopped by only having three legs. They were right!

Millie Eileen and her brother Benny love going for their weekly walk with us. While Benny sniffs everything, Millie is a sight hound, she loves to chase birds, squirrels, and anything that moves fast.

She is a lover and such a happy girl- she makes our day! Millie Eileen proves, you don’t need four legs to outrun the rest of the world!

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