Did you know that you probably have items in your house that can be used for personal and dog training uses?
For example, if you need to correct your dog you can use a water bottle with water or a mixture of water and distilled white vinegar (if your dog likes to eat the water). I recommend the stream setting rather than the mist setting. You can also use a pop can or pill bottle with marbles, rocks, coins or beans to interrupt barking, jumping or other naughty behaviors. And if you have an air sprayer for your computer keyboard, that can be used as a potential deterrent to correct your dog. Remember – your dog will determine what is aversive.
For grooming, you can use panty hose to put on your dog’s feet and allow the nails to stick out to cut them quicker. The longer you spend “searching” for the nail beneath all that fur can make your pup get impatient with the process.
You can also use personal nail clippers or silverware to practice tapping your dogs’ nails to get them used to nail clipping. In addition, you can use an electric toothbrush, razor or Dremel and run it near your dog’s nail so they get used to the sounds. You can cut matches or Q-tips by their feet with a scissor or trimmer so they aren’t nervous of the noise. Lastly, you can use a hair dryer and brush to get your dogs used to the motion and handling.
For first aid incidents you can use a mixture of honey and water if your dog has a cough. If it is harsh or long lasting, you may also need a vet visit for antibiotics. You can use allergy medication for bites and stings or allergic reactions. We recommend purchasing the liquid formula and taping a safety pin to the back so you can administer it directly into their mouth. Read the ingredients carefully before purchasing to make sure there is nothing poisonous for your dogs.
If your pet eats or drinks something toxic, you can give them hydrogen peroxide to help them throw up. The dosage is 1 tablespoon per 15lbs of body weight.
You can use baking soda or activated charcoal if they consumed something with acid.
Canned pumpkin or a mixture of chicken or boiled hamburger and rice can help with an upset stomach or diarrhea.
And you can freeze peanut butter, broth, yogurt, fruit, veggies, cream cheese (and the list goes on) in Kongs, Licki mats or in ice cube containers for summer fun and enrichment.
For training purposes you can use a wooden spoon or flyswatter and smear some good tasting food on it to help teach your dog to walk next to you. This is useful if you are walking a small dog so you don’t have to bend over so much to reward. And if you have a large bowl or cup, you can put something tasty in the bottom to practice muzzling with your dog (getting them to put their nose in the cup and get a treat).
You can use a tongue depressor, paint thinner stick, rolled newspaper or various kitchen utensils to help splint a limb if needed.
And last, but not least, you can use cheese or hotdogs for a tasty treat to help with recall and desensitizing to scary objects. And you can put cheerios or dog food in a bag with some stinky dog treats to vary the reward and make them last longer.
Share your household hacks with us and what you have used and why?