The Best Dog Walks In Sebastian And Vero Beach For A Sniffari

The Best Dog Walks In Sebastian And Vero Beach For A Sniffari

by | May 16, 2022

Best Dog Walks in Sebastian and Vero Beach

Can you keep a secret?

I’m about to share my favorite dog walking spots in Sebastian and Vero Beach with you… but we don’t want them blowing up with too many other people and dogs – so will you keep these awesome dog walking areas to yourself?!

Before we get into them, let me explain what a sniffari is and why they’re so good for your dog! Then we’ll get onto the epic dog walking spots that you’ll want to check out with your buddy.

What is a sniffari?

Sniffaris are nature walks on a long leash where your dog is allowed to wander and sniff to their heart’s content.

I recommend using a leash of at least 10-15 feet, and if you can, choose a biothane one as they’re much easier to keep clean!

Use caution if you’ve never handled a long leash. You don’t want your dog to take off running or tie you up in knots! Check out the video at the bottom of this page for some great tips.

Sniffaris are a brilliant activity for any dog because they allow for putting their powerful noses to work while staying calm.

So whether you have an over-excitable puppy or a tearaway teenage dog, sniffaris are a fantastic way to enjoy some time together, minus the chaos!

Right, let’s get onto the best places to visit with your dog for a sniffari!

Awesome dog walking spots in Sebastian

Finding places to walk with your dog that are less busy than your local dog park makes it much easier for your dog to relax and focus on the environment rather than other people and dogs. It’s a great way to encourage your dog’s inner calm.

Stormwater Park, Sebastian

Stormwater Park has several nature trails, which are great for a sniffari walk with your dog. You may encounter other people and dogs at the front gate, but it’s easy to walk without seeing many other dogs once you’re inside.

The area spans 163 acres of walking trails with varying habitats, including wetlands and dry upland areas.

Parking: You’ll find the entrance to the area and parking on the south side of Englar Drive, between Barber Street and Schumann Drive.

 Hardee Park, Sebastian

Hardee Park offers a ½ mile walking trail, which is ideal for a shorter sniffari walk with your dog.

Despite it being only a small park, there is plenty of wildlife here, from white ibis to squirrels which leave plenty of interesting scents for your dog to explore!

You’ll see people walking here and a few dogs, but it has a really nice walking park – plus restrooms on-site!

Parking: On the north end of Barber Street

Riverview Park, Sebastian

Riverview is a beautiful park situated along the shores of the Indian River. However, it is a busier park, so I’d save this one for when your dog has practiced and honed their skills of paying attention to you around distractions!

Riverview Park acts as an entry point to many scenic walkways, which offer some beautiful shoreline walks along the Riverfront District.

Riverview Park is also home to tons of fearless squirrels, so it’s a brilliant dog walking spot to practice your recall and focus games with your dog.

Parking: at 600 U.S. Highway 1, on the corner of U.S. Highway 1 and C.R. 512 /Sebastian Boulevard

Awesome dog walking spots in Vero Beach

Vero Beach is home to lots of great dog walking spots. Here are three of my favorites. The third may surprise you!

Captain Forster Hammock Preserve, Vero Beach

Captain Forster Hammock Preserve offers 110 acres of nature reserve to explore with your dog.

You’ll find several different habitats as you walk from the shoreline of the Indian River Lagoon to the Coastal Scrub, making it a great location for a sniffari nature walk with your dog.

This park has several nature trail paths that you can take, many with shade, making it a great pick for hot sunny days.

Some of the trails are narrow, so watch out for people with their dogs off-leash in these areas.

Parking: 8650 Jungle Trail, Vero Beach, FL 32963

Riverside Park, Vero Beach

The walking trail here is pretty long, with some beautiful spots overlooking the water.

There’s a lot to explore at Riverside Park, and I’d highly recommend visiting the Cole Coppola Memorial Fishing Pier, where you might spot dolphins and manatees!

There are nice sidewalks, a big grassy field, and lots of covered picnic tables to rest. You will usually see some people, but there is enough space to get further away if needed.

Parking: ​​3200 Riverside Park Drive

Vero Beach Outlets

You may wonder why I’m suggesting an outdoor mall as a local dog walking spot?!

Vero Beach Outlets is a brilliant spot for an early morning sniffari – there are so many smells for your dog to explore.

Any opportunity to gently introduce novel experiences to your dog is a chance for some good dog training! If you want a dog that you can take anywhere, then visiting new places is a big part of your training.

Socialization and training aren’t all about meeting other dogs and having a playfest, so an outdoor mall is actually a pretty good place to take your dog for a field trip!

You can read more about good puppy socialization here.

What to take on your nature walks with your dog

Insect repellant
Sunscreen
Water for both of you
Your long leash (10-15 feet)
Dog treats

I hope you and your dog enjoy exploring some new dog walking spots together. I’d love to hear what you think and which one is your new favorite dog walking area.

Pop on over to my Facebook or Instagram page and let me know!

Essential Supplies To Get Through Puppyhood

Essential Supplies To Get Through Puppyhood

by | Apr 25, 2022

Essential Supplies to Get Through Puppyhood – From Treasure Coast Puppy Training Expert

If you have a puppy on the way and you’re reading this, kudos to you for researching ahead of time!

If you already have a puppy and hope to make your life easier, you’ve found the right article!

When starting life with a new puppy, here are the supplies that will help you manage your pup’s behavior and reduce your stress:

Essential Supplies to Get Through Puppyhood

  • Exercise Pen: Always buy taller than you think you need. I prefer metal. This is your puppy’s new bedroom. Keep their toys in here, so it’s a fun place to be. Please keep them in when they aren’t being directly supervised.
  • Crate: This is your puppy’s safe sleeping space. I like to put the crate in the pen, but it depends on its size. You can buy a big one but make sure it has a divider to be able to reduce the size to suit your puppy.
  • 1-2 Cheap Dollar Store leashes: So you won’t mind if they get chewed: You’ll leave one of these on your puppy when they are out of their pen and running around.
  • A 6-foot leash: Use this for potty walks and short neighborhood walks. I prefer biothane leashes; they are fantastic!
  • Martingale Collar with ID Tags: Keep on your puppy when they are out of the crate/pen.
  • Harness: Once your puppy goes through a growth spurt or two, invest in a well-made harness with a leash connection on the chest. Two popular brands/styles are Freedom No-Pull Harness and Balance Harness.
  • Water Bowl: If you have a messy drinker or a dog with a beard (doodle), I like the LumoLeaf bowl on Amazon. Make sure your pup knows how to use it, of course.
  • Toppl Food Toy by West Paw: Stuff it with your puppy’s meal and freeze. Suddenly, you will have about 20-30 minutes of free time!
  • Loads of Edible and Non-Edible Chewable Items: Check out puppy teething rings, Benebones, Nylabones, CET chews, and Enzadent chews, to name a few. Make sure you have plenty and rotate them weekly to keep them fresh.
  • Flirt Pole Toy: Help satisfy your pup’s urge to chase and tug.

Of course, you can always buy more things, but these are the items that I recommend as basic essentials for almost every puppy. I use all of these essentials with the pups that come through my house.

If you have any questions about using any of the above, please reach out, and I’ll be happy to help!

Puppy Training Vero Beach Goldstar puppy training has the best new puppy essentials list, from exercise pens to Toppl food and the best edible chew toys from nylabone Essential Supplies to Get Through Puppyhood

Treasure Coast Puppy Trainer

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Gerry-Anna is the leading puppy trainer on the Treasure Coast, and would love to support you through your puppyhood journey and beyond!

If you want a dog that will be an absolute joy to share your life with, who’s a pleasure to be around, then it all starts with early puppy training.

As the saying goes, prevention is better than cure, and that is so true when it comes to raising a well-mannered dog who is a wonderful addition to your family.

Fixing problems takes a lot more time, effort, and support.

But if you learn how to prevent problem behaviors from developing and how to communicate with your puppy so they understand exactly what you want – you have an incredible foundation for the road ahead.

Book your FREE Puppy Training Consult with Gerry-Anna today! 

Does Your Puppy Like To Chew?

Does Your Puppy Like To Chew?

by | Apr 5, 2022

Puppy Training Treasure Coast

Puppy Teething Can Be Painful

If you live with a puppy, you’ve learned that they nip and bite and use their mouth to explore the world (and you). It is natural and normal, but it also hurts! When your puppy is young, you become familiar with their terrible little needle teeth. By managing your puppy’s mouthy overtired behavior, you will likely see improvement in how often they gnaw on you.

Treasure Coast Puppy Training

For expert advice on all aspects of puppy training in Vero Beach and the surrounding area contact me or arrange a FREE consultation call to discuss how we can work together to give you a dream dog.

Five Months Old Habits

However, you may notice an uptick in your puppy’s chewing and biting habits around five months. It is when they begin losing some of those big teeth like the canines and molars. It can be painful for them and may affect their behavior as well. Some pups may seem needy or cranky for a day or two as the teeth move in. You may notice your puppy trying to chew hard objects or furniture that they didn’t chew before. I’m talking hard like concrete blocks in the yard or coffee table legs. And don’t be shocked if you find some blood on a tug toy one day! You’ll usually find a tooth on the floor soon after. Although frequently, the teeth end up swallowed, so if you don’t see them, don’t worry.

Kongs & Toppls Are your Friends!

To support your puppy through this time (and save your antique armoire), try using frozen food stuffed toys like Toppls or Kongs. You should also provide plenty of chewable items like teething rings, Enzadent chews, or puppy-safe Nylabones. And as always, supervise your puppy with these objects to ensure they don’t swallow them whole. And remember, if your puppy seems bitey and inconsolable, time for a crate nap!

Treasure Coast Puppy Trainer

Goldstar puppy training programs offer a revolutionary blend of in-person private puppy training, home-study tutorials, and group puppy classes.

We provide puppy training in Vero Beach and all areas of the Treasure Coast, Florida.

Through years of experience, we’ve discovered that this is the most effective way to train your puppy successfully. Your puppy progresses their new skills easily, with the optimum conditions to promote powerful learning that lasts.

So that you can enjoy life with a dog who is confident, well behaved, and an upstanding member of doggy society!

Check out some of Gerry-Anna’s amazing reviews.

Book your FREE consultation today for expert puppy training advice and find out how Gerry-Anna can help you and your puppy live stress-free.

Making your own Kong Filling

 

Problems With Puppy Socialization

Problems With Puppy Socialization

by | Mar 19, 2022

Puppy Socialization Treasure Coast 

Do you ever notice the dogs that can walk through a busy park and stay connected to their pet parent? They can pass by another dog without a second glance. They can walk by people without becoming overexcited or pulling. If this is the type of dog, you wish to have, read this article!

I’ve noticed a trend lately. There’s a big push for all dogs and puppies to interact and play with other dogs. The narrative is so strong that you may even feel like a crappy dog parent if your dog doesn’t have dog friends! After all, how could you deprive your dog of “socialization”?!

With this in mind, you begin to make puppy playtime a priority for your new dog. It takes precedent over establishing a good training foundation with the pup. You start letting your enthusiastic puppy greet every dog on a leash in the neighborhood in the name of socialization. You may go to a group class that encourages puppy romping and roughhousing. You may even take their puppy to a dog park (which I strongly discourage for various reasons, including disease risk).

Puppy Trainer Vero Beach Florida Puppy class is a brilliant opportunity to begin progressing your puppy training in more distracting environments, so your puppy can behave wonderfully wherever you go together.

Puppy Socialization Treasure Coast

At first, you relish your puppy’s excitement and joy when they see another dog. I mean, what’s more fun than watching puppies wrestle? But as the puppy grows, it becomes more apparent that your puppy’s excited behavior towards other dogs is problematic. He used to pull toward other dogs, but now he gets up on two legs and starts vocalizing. He’s totally forgotten that you exist and has a one-track mind. He WANTS TO GET OVER TO THAT DOG. And he thinks that the harder he pulls, and the more he whines, the sooner he can drag you over there. After all, this is what he’s (accidentally) been trained to do! He sees something he wants, he pulls towards it, and you walk him over there. He’s also learned that playing with other dogs is WAY more fun than whatever you have to offer. You soon have a teenage puppy that gets highly frustrated on the leash and is a pain in the butt to walk.

On the other hand, perhaps you have a more timid puppy. You hear from a friend that getting your pup around other dogs will fix this problem. You begin encouraging people to walk their dog up to your puppy. Or maybe you take him to an area with loose dogs running around. Your puppy attempts to hide behind you, perhaps even cries in fear when the other dogs come up to him. You don’t realize that overwhelming your puppy in social situations like this can backfire. It can make his fear worse instead of better. As your puppy ages, he learns that his passive, fearful signals aren’t being heard, so he begins to growl, bark or lunge at other dogs offensively. It often looks similar to the excited/frustrated dog I described above, but the internal motivation is different.

So how do we avoid accidentally creating these problems but still socialize our dogs?

Avoid letting your pup interact with every dog or person that crosses their path. It’s not necessary for them to physically touch every person or dog, but they still benefit from the exposure of seeing other people and dogs.

Build up your relationship with your dog. Building your relationship can be done through fun play sessions and training. I love using a tug and fetch game to keep a dog engaged with me. Play also helps nervous dogs gain confidence. If your dog thinks you’re fun, he’ll be more likely to pay attention to you in public or while walking.

Teach your dog what a clicker means by clicking and then giving a treat. Once your dog understands that the click means a treat is coming, you are ready to start using it on walks.

When out walking with your pup or dog, watch his body language and click as soon as you see him notice a dog, person, squirrel, whatever. Then quickly deliver a treat to him. Be sure to click before he pulls or vocalizes. Move farther away from the oncoming distraction if needed to prevent your dog from barking. After some practice, you’ll notice that your dog looks at a distraction but then turns back to check in with you. This is what you want! This behavior creates a dog that can walk through a busy park without making a scene!

Other passive puppy socialization ideas include:

      • Take your dog on a car ride and spend about 5 minutes parked in a busy store parking lot or animal hospital parking lot. Stay in the car and click and treat your dog for watching people walk by the vehicle.
      • Find a low traffic park and sit on a bench. Place a mat next to you and have your dog lie on the mat and drop treats down to them for calm behavior. When a person or dog walks by, give your dog treats quickly to keep them down and relaxed. Just make sure you don’t allow someone to step up to your dog in this situation.
      • Sit in your front yard or driveway and click and reward your dog for watching people walk by.

The main idea here is to EXPOSE your dog to new places and things but reward them for checking in with you and being calm. Just click and treat! Do not allow them to pull you over to something they’re excited about and if they are afraid, don’t force them to interact.

This will help you create a polite dog that can pass by another dog without overexcitement or fear.

Once this behavior pattern is ingrained, you may consider teaching your confident dog to say hello on cue. But that’s a topic for a different day!

If you’d like more help with socializing your puppy contact me now for a free consultaion

 

So You Just Brought Home a Dog

So You Just Brought Home a Dog

by | Mar 1, 2022

Bringing a new dog home can be an exciting and rewarding experience, but it’s important to take some steps to help your new furry friend feel comfortable and settle into their new environment. 

Whether you just brought home a brand new puppy or adopted an adult dog from a local shelter, these tips will help you start right!

Before bringing the dog home, acquire a crate and ideally an exercise pen. You may “puppy-proof” a small room with a baby gate in the doorway like a laundry room or bathroom, as an alternative to the pen. However, you may find that the dog chews on whatever is available in these areas, so be sure to supervise! These confinement zones will provide a safe space for your new dog to spend time and prevent them from engaging in unwanted behavior. It also lets other pets adjust to the new dog’s presence and allows you to monitor interactions.

Establish a routine: Dogs thrive on routine, so try to establish a regular schedule for feeding, exercise, and playtime.

Give your new dog several days to decompress and settle in. It is essential for newly adopted adult dogs. Please don’t take them to the pet store or on big adventures yet. Let them spend time in your house and yard learning about their new home.

When your new dog is out of the safe space, let them drag a regular leash and supervise them at all times. The leash helps you keep track of where they are and allows you to redirect them if needed without grabbing their collar quickly. It also helps prevent accidental slips out the door! Your goal is to prevent them from engaging in bad habits like counter surfing, chewing up objects, peeing on the rug, etc.

Use the dog’s regular food or treats throughout the day to reward good behavior and BE GENEROUS! This is the fastest way to get your dog to understand what you want them to do. When you notice them lying calmly, walk by (quietly) and place a treat right before their nose. Do this A LOT, and you’ll have a dog that offers to lay calmly and quietly way more often.

Spend quality time: Spend time bonding with your new dog through playtime, walks, and cuddles.

Feed the new dog meals in the crate and/or pen, so they are separated from other pets. It also helps them associate the confinement spaces with positive experiences. It would help if you also tossed treats into the crate and pen throughout the day to reward the dog for going inside.

Consult a veterinarian: Take your new dog to the vet for a check-up and to establish a healthcare plan.

Start training: Begin training your new dog right away to establish rules and boundaries. Start with basic commands such as “sit,” “stay,” and “come.”

Most importantly, if you struggle with a new dog’s behavior, get some help from a professional! The sooner you get help, the less time your dog has to practice unwanted behavior, and the easier it is to get back on track!

Puppy Training Treasure Coast Chewing Biting How to Stop Puppies Chewing Shoes Objects Crates Cages

Puppy Training Treasure Coast

Puppy training is an essential part of ensuring that your furry friend grows up to be a well-behaved and obedient dog.

Here are some first steps for puppy training:

  1. House training: The first step is to house-train your puppy. Start by establishing a regular routine for feeding and taking your puppy outside to eliminate waste. Praise your puppy when they go outside, and be patient if they have an accident indoors. Be consistent in your training and give your puppy plenty of opportunities to go outside.

  2. Socialization: Socialization is crucial for your puppy’s development. Introduce your puppy to different people, dogs, and environments to help them become comfortable with new experiences. Puppy classes can also be a great way to socialize your puppy and teach them basic obedience.

  3. Basic obedience: Start teaching your puppy basic obedience commands such as “sit,” “stay,” “come,” and “heel.” Use positive reinforcement techniques, such as treats and praise, to encourage your puppy to obey your commands.

  4. Crate training: Crate training can help your puppy feel safe and secure, and can also aid in house training. Introduce your puppy to the crate gradually and make it a positive experience by giving them treats and toys inside the crate.

  5. Exercise: Puppies have a lot of energy and need regular exercise to stay healthy and happy. Take your puppy for walks and play games with them to help burn off excess energy.

Remember, puppy training takes time and patience, but it’s worth it to have a well-behaved and happy dog.