Why make your own dog treats when they’re easy to buy at the store? If you make them yourself, you will know exactly what ingredients are in the treats and the quality of those ingredients. Here’s a simple dog treat recipe you can make at home:

Liver “Brownies”

• 2 lbs chicken livers
• 2 C corn meal
• 2 C wheat germ
• 2 eggs
• 2 1/2 tsp. granulated garlic (do not use garlic salt)
• 1/2 C dried parsley

Liquefy the chicken livers in a food processor, pour mixture into a bowl and add other ingredients. Mix until consistency of a brownie batter. Place parchment paper on a cookie sheet spread evenly, about 1/3 inch thick. Bake at 350 F for about 35 minutes. When brownies are cool, cut into squares, or whatever shapes you prefer and serve to your dog. Keep them in a ziplock bag in the refrigerator.

Buying dog treats in the store is a lot more convenient than making them yourself. But have you ever looked at the ingredients in commercial dog foods and treats?  Do you know where those ingredients actually come from?

As an example, let’s look at “meat by-products,” a common ingredient in many commercial dog foods and dog treats.  It is defined as the “non-rendered, clean parts, other than meat, derived from slaughtered mammals”. It can include, but is not limited to, lungs, spleen, kidneys, brain, livers, blood, bone, partially defatted low temperature fatty tissue, and stomachs and intestines freed of their contents. It does not include hair, horns, teeth and hoofs.  Not particularly appetizing, but it gets even better.

Pet food companies are not required to tell where they get their meat by-products.  They can be obtained from any source, so there is a question of quality.  Any animal can be used, including “4D animals,” which means dead, diseased, disabled, or dying prior to slaughter.  Animals euthanized at shelters can be (and are) used in pet foods and treats.  It can also include cancerous tissue, decomposing tissue, and pus.

Now that you know what a meat by-product is, would you really want to feed this to your beloved dog?  I don’t think you would.  This is why it’s a good habit to carefully research commercial products you buy for your dog and to take the time to gather dog treats and food recipes and them yourself.  Your dogs give you unconditional love and are an important part of your family. Show your love and gratitude by providing them with the best possible nutrition to ensure a healthy quality of life.

Agility dog training can get very hot in the summer and that’s why we recommend the use of water obstacles as one tip to keeping your dog cool in practice or competition. Dogs are susceptible to overheating because they don’t sweat like humans do. The best way to keep your dog  cool is to

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Agility dogs need to be trained in the basics of dog obedience before you can take them to a trial or competition. The following article gives some good advice on whether rewards and reprimands will develop your agility dog into an obedient contender for agility dog greatness.

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Training is an essential aspect of keeping and raising a dog especially if you’re planning on moving into dog agility training.  But it’s not about transforming your dog into an obedient “robot dog”. It is not even about turning your dog into a source of  entertainment. Instead, it is about strengthening the connection between the master and the dog and teaching your dog the necessary rules for how to behave in any environment.

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Dog agility trial scoring can be confusing for many people who are new to agility dog competitions. Here’s how it works. You and your dog will be given the opportunity to run through the course successfully.

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There are lots of little things you can do to improve your time on the agility course. You can start by running with your dog to make him or her as fast as possible during that part of the competition.  Increase the  fun factor for your dog  by making it a game of chase.

When you’re in the tunnel, remember to say your dog’s name so they know that you are there, waiting for them to come out. It’s especially helpful when they’re in the chute!

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Not everyone who trains their dog for agility is interested in competing. But if you’ve been looking forward to getting in the game, there are some things you need to know as you prepare for your first agility trial.

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When it comes to finding out more information on dog agility training,trials and competition, there’s no better place to turn than the internet, right? Well, you might be chasing your tail at some point because a lot of the agility dog blogs aren’t very helpful.

The best place to start (besides this blog) is on the  USDAA web site. That stands for United States Dog Agility Association. They have all kinds of helpful links, including a section that helps you find agility dog groups in your area, news and events that are going on in the dog agility world, even a place where you can track your data and stats whenever you compete.

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One of the hardest agility dog obstacles to teach is the Dog Walk. It’s hard because dogs aren’t used to watching their feet. Start with a ladder that’s laid flat out on the ground to get them used to placing their feet in the right position. This video will demonstrate how to get started.


Dog Training Obstacles: The Ladder -- powered by eHow.com

There are 3 ways to build a backyard agility course for your dog. You can buy ready-made agility equipment for your dog, you can make it yourself using PVC pipe and lumber or you can use stuff that you may already have laying around your yard. The first two options cost money so if that’s an issue for you, here’s a helpful article I found that teaches you how to build an agility course for your dog on the cheap.

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