Accidents happen, and if your dog somehow escapes, you’ll want a current tag with your cell phone number on it. You can also consider getting a temporary tag with the contact number of the person watching your dog, as well as friends and family that could help out in a pinch. Making sure your dog is microchipped before you leave can give you an added sense of assurance that your dog will be returned to you if they happen to escape – just make sure that that information is current, too.

Dogs thrive on routine, and the closer your stand-in can stick to your dog’s routine, the less your dog will stress about your absence. Leave a note with how much food to feed at each meal, as well as the times your dog is used to eating. List how many treats your dog is allowed and if they have any medical needs the caretaker should be aware of. If your dog is being watched at your own house, have the pet sitter come over ahead of time so you can walk them through your dog’s routine, show them where everything is, and introduce them to your pet if they haven’t already met.

All those little quirks that you never think about can suddenly become big problems when somebody else is watching your dog. Do they like to chase delivery trucks? Are they socialized with other animals? Do they have any leash aggression issues? Are they prone to slipping out the front door any time it’s opened? You’re used to dealing with these behaviors on a regular basis and probably don’t think twice about the little things you do to keep your dog safe, but a new person won’t instinctively know all those details about your dog, which can lead to trouble.

Dr, Brian Hare, Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at Duke University topped the NY Times bestseller list with his book, The Genius of Dogs. In an interview with Anderson Cooper this past Spring he told the dog-loving newsman that when your dog stares at you he is “hugging you with his eyes.”

This doesn’t mean you should stare deeply into the eyes of the dog that guards your local junkyard! Direct eye contact is still considered a challenge or threat in many situations. But with your own, trusted pet, try gazing into his eyes when the two of you are calmly relaxing.

Speak softly, stroke him gently, and maintain eye contact. According to Hare, these quiet moments stimulate the release of Oxytocin in the canine brain – the same hormone that bonds mother and child.

A Japanese study published in the September 2013 volume of Behavioral Processes found that dogs raise their eyebrows – especially the left one – when greeted by their owners. Using a high-speed camera, they scrutinized the facial movements of the dogs when seeing their owners vs. seeing strangers.

When the strangers came along to greet them, the test dogs displayed far less facial activity and most of it was right-sided. The significance is that the right brain controls the left side of the face and is tied to emotion, while the left brain controls the right side of the face and is tied to analytical behaviors.

The more facial activity you display when greeting your dog, the more they know they are loved. If you are able to raise one eyebrow (sadly, I cannot) then make it the left one. Your pup will really feel special!

Not just figuratively, actually press your weight against your dog physically. Not to the point where he feels cornered (or crushed!) just a little to show that you trust him. This is something our pups do to display their affection for us that is often overlooked.

Have you ever had your pooch press up against the backs of your legs while you’re busy in the kitchen? That’s a type of dog hug! Try giving him one right back.

More and more dog owners have made the decision to ditch their collar and lead for a canine harness. Harnesses are not only beneficial for our canine friends, but they offer assurance for dog owners as well. Ranging from issues of comfort to safety, a harness can provide support that a collar just cannot. 

Let’s list a few benefits to harness use in dogs below. 

Decreased pressure on the neck: Due to the fact that harnesses strap around your dog’s chest, they do not put pressure on a dog’s neck throughout their walks. Even slight pulling can cause neck pain for dogs, especially those with arthritis or underlying disc conditions. 

Adequate control of your dog: When a harness is measured correctly and strapped in place, it is highly unlikely for your pup to accidentally slip out. This means that no matter how hard your pup attempts to pull or escape your grasp, you have full control with your hands on the lead. 

Reduces pulling on walks: Due to the positioning of the harness along a dog’s chest and back, it is more challenging for them to pull their owner on walks. Unlike a collar that allows them to plant their feet on the ground and pull forward, a harness gives you more control of their entire body. If you stand firm, most dogs will be forced to slow down. 

Though each of the above benefits are impressive, they can only be achieved when a harness is properly measured to fit a dog’s body. The harness must be secure against a dog’s body, and should not allow for any slipping or rubbing against the skin. 

Not only will a properly measured harness offer comfort for your pup, but a harness that is too loose can increase the risk of them slipping out and running away. With this information in mind, you can begin to understand why harness measurement is so important.

A harness that does not fit your dog correctly can lead to an array of complications. Whether the harness is too small or too large for your pup, this will eliminate the many benefits the harness could offer. 

Some of the potential risks of an improperly sized harness include:

• Uncomfortable rubbing against the dog’s skin
• Inadequate control of the dog on walks
• Increased risk of pulling
• Abrasions from constant rubbing of the harness
• Pain due to the harness being too tight
• Potential for the dog to slip out of the harness and escape

When determining if your dog’s new harness is right for them, you should always follow the two-finger rule. You should be able to place two fingers snuggly under the harness when it is secured, no more and no less. This extra space allows for comfortable movement for your dog, while also preventing any escape attempts.

We always suggest measuring your dog before you purchase your harness of choice. This will allow you to choose the best sizing based on their body measurements, as well as reduce the risk of harness complications from improper sizing. 

In order to proceed to the next steps below, you should get out your measuring tape and ruler!

All reputable harness and dog collar shops should provide a sizing chart for each product sold. This should be in the section where you choose the color and sizing of your preferred harness, so be sure to have that pulled up and ready when making your sizing choice. 

Once you obtain the measurements we will discuss below, you can examine the sizing chart and choose the best size for your pup. 

First, you will need to measure the girth of your dog’s neck. You can use your measuring tape around where a collar would typically sit, making sure to apply the two finger rule when measuring. Once you do this, make sure to write their results down.

Next, you will move onto measuring your dog’s chest girth. You can do this with your measuring tape again, making sure to measure the widest portion of their rib cage. Make sure you measure around completely, with the end of the tape coming together on the top of the dog’s back. Once you complete this, write this result down as well. 

The last area to measure is your dog’s entire body length. You can do this with either measuring tape or a ruler, but this will vary based on how big your furry friend is. Be sure to measure from the base of the neck to the base of their tail. Once completed, write this result down as well. 

Not all harnesses require this measurement, but it’s good to have this measurement just in case.

Now that you have these measurements for your pup written down, you can examine the sizing chart for your harness of choice. Just scan the chart for a sizing option that fits your dog’s results, and you can determine the best harness for your canine friend.