We live in one of the  Greatest Cities, CHICAGO. You just have to love all of our wonderful dog friendly parks, cafes, dog parks and dog beaches.
But there can be a price to pay , up to $500.00 if you do not know the rules.

There are many people who do not properly train their dogs. This is on of the reason Chicago has a 6 foot leash law.

I recently had a bad experience at one of our parks by the Waveland tennis court. I had my little Boston terrier  on a leash and he was sitting next to me while I was talking to a couple of friends. Next thing that happened a very large off leash dog came racing up to us and immediately started to attach my pup.  All three of us tried desperately to break it up while the owner stood by (like a deer in headlights) saying  "my dog doesn't do things like this, he is not vicious". 
We all know our dogs very well when they are in their homes. But you never can tell what they are going to do when off leash and outdoors with tons of stimuli and distraction.  I feel it's my duty to describe the dog and owner to you , so this can possible attach can be avoided. The dogs name is Corky  , size of a golden and looks like a golden mix.  I will leave the name of the owner out, she is about 5feet 7inches dark hair and slightly over weight.
Another terrible event that happened was at the dog beach around the Middle of June. A husky attached a pup and killed it , the dog and owner fled . We  all need to be on our guard, to do our best to protect our loved ones.

Chicago dog laws are.
6 foot leash.
Permit and tag, you can get these at any participating Chicago area veterinary office.
Requirements.
*Current City of Chicago dog license or proof that the dog has a current Rabies vaccination.
*Examined within the past year for communicable diseases, including a stool specimen.
The cost is $5.00 total for the permit and tag.  Unspayed or uncastrated $50.00
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info@abarkinthepark.com

Over the next few months I will add more tricks to teach your poochie.

Some people may consider tricks silly and useless. But I believe there are many good reasons why tricks are not only fun but beneficial to dogs and their owners.

Tricks make the learning process more fun. Because of this, you will be more likely to practice, and practice feels less like "work" for both you and your pup.Not to mention a awesome way to bond. Tricks have been proven to change the owner's attitude towards their pets. If you have unsuccessfully tried to teach the less exciting commands like sit, drop and stay, you may be frustrated with yourself and your pup. But if a you can get your dog to do a trick in a few minutes, you will feel instantly proud and your opinion of your pooch will increase - "look how smart my dog is, he can shake hands!" Teaching obedience is often less relaxing or fun and more stressful because we "expect" dogs to be obedient, but we don't expect dogs to be able to do tricks. At the very least, tricks will increase your control and improve your training skills and your relationship with your dog.

There are also health benefits associated with learning tricks. Tricks such as "bow" and "beg" improve your dog's flexibility and will stretch and warm up muscles.

When teaching tricks, always use positive reinforcement. Start by rewarding small movements in the right direction, then shape them into the desired end result. Use creative clues - even if you have a certain trick in mind but your dog does something completely different, you can reward that and shape a totally different behaviour, then go back to teaching your original idea later. Don't miss the opportunity to teach a trick that the dog may offer at a guess. Even if it wasn't what you were looking for originally, it may turn out to be something even better. You'll need to use a fast marker signal, such as the word "yes" or better still try a clicker. The clicker is quick and precise, it will signal to the dog the exact moment that he did the right thing. Of course this relies on you being able to use the clicker effectively, so make sure you practice before starting to teach. You can prompt the dog by using a lure to start.

Tricks To Try

Targeting
Hold a treat in your closed fist. Show your pup your fist. When the your pooch touches your fist while sniffing it, reward with a "yes" or a click, then give the treat. When your pooch becomes consistent, add the command word such as "hit". Increase the difficulty by taking the treat out of your fist. (Your dog is still targeting your fist and getting the treat, it's just not in your fist any more.) Then use your half-open fist, then an open hand, then move to a different object (start with something short like a pen, then work up to a long object like a wand or ruler). Work up to touching either hand on either side of your body, make the dog stretch, walk around or jump up to reach the target. This trick is great for getting the dog to switch to your other side if you participate in the sport of agility.

Bow
Kneel down beside your standing your dog. Place one hand underneath your dog's tummy, then lure the your dog down towards the drop position using a treat at the dog's nose. Hold briefly and say "bow", then treat. Make your touch softer and softer on the dogs tummy, then eventually remove your hand altogether. If the your dog drops to the floor, lure back to a stand, then treat. When your dog is bowing reliably with the lure, give a hand signal and verbal command before you use the lure, and the dog will start to anticipate that the signal means you're going to lure him into a bow. He will then start to bow when he sees the hand signal and hears the command.  Then you can phase out the lure.  This is a geat trick to show your guest as they are arriving. 

Does your pet suffer from Wanderlust?

Or during those long hikes, do you worry that she might follow her nose just a little too far  and turn up missing?  Or would you like additional peace of mind while exploring the backcountry with you dog. A Global Poasitioning System (GPS) tracking device could help allay those concerns.

 There are now at least five products on the market that can help track down your pooch.  Three require monthly service charges beyond the intial purchase (Pocket-finder, Globbalpetfinder and Zoombak) while two employ handheld tracking devices and have no monthly charges (RoamEO and Garmin's Astro Dog Tracking System).

All the units , with the exception of the Astro, work by having you set a virtual fence by either walking around the deisred perimeter or int eh case of Zoombak and Globalpetfinder, logging the zone size into their system; you are then alerted if your dog, who is wearing the GPS unit on her collar, breaches those limits. (Note: These units do not  function as electronic fences.)

Two cautionary notes: Since many areas have unreliable, or nonexistent, cell phone coverage or less-than-ideal Internet connectivity, be sure your area can be serviced by these systems. Also,almost all of the devices are for medium to large dogs, as the size and weight of the units are likely to overwhelm the small guys.

"eyes in the sky" watching your wanderling pup could provide that extra bit of comfort.

Hello Everyone,

With everybody being on a budget, here is a easy way to save some payola and bond with your pooch.

Make Your Own Dog Shampoo

1 part dish soap ( use mild brand )

1  part apple cider vinegar

3/4 part water

1/4 part glyceirn

Add a drop or two of essential oil if you like---rosemary and levender are refreshing.  Mix well and store in a tightly capped, clean plastic bottle.

Hello Chicagoland, my name is Dianca Farwell, owner of A Bark in the Park.  A boutique dog-walking agency.  I am a die-hard animal lover, and have owned a bark in the park here in the greater Chicagoland area since 1997.  

I have an extreme passion, for what I do, and for what I can do for my furry friends.  My blog will focus on the health and nurturing of animals and their owners.  This blog will also include tips on training your dog, discussions of dog walking paraphernalia, animal behavior, potty training tips, healthy food choices, safe toys for your pet, and more to come.  

I will concentrate on keeping the blog up to date on current trends on all things pet related.  I believe in a holistic way of nurturing and would like to share my research and knowledge with the Chicago community in efforts to educate the public about caring for their pets. 

Today I would like share with you a recipe, if your dog or puppy has an upset tummy, try this easy to make recipe of frozen pumpkin cubes.  

Take a plastic ice cube tray; get a can of NO SUGAR ADDED pumpkin, scoop out the pumpkin and put a scoup in each section of the tray, freeze it and then...viola give to your pet.  Watch as the tummy ache disappears.

The best part is this is a great low cal healthy treat for you and your pet!

I am Dianca and I am always here to answer your questions so please feel free to give me a bark. I can be reached on my twitter @abarkinthepark