Twosday Training Tip

TIP #1: FADE OUT FOOD REWARDS
Once your dog knows a behavior well, and can perform it in many locations and with many distractions, you can fade the use of your marker signal and rewards. In other words, you don't need to click and treat every time your dog sits for you. However, it's also important to pay off every now and then to keep your dog in the game and gambling.

Once you have decided to use fewer treats, bear in mind that never using treats again would be like asking yourself to give up ice cream, cake, or other goodies. There is nothing wrong with using food to reward your dog, just use it to your advantage - to help him get better with his skills. Sometimes it is fun to give your dog a treat, just like it is fun for us to get unexpected rewards. Also, if your dog does something really amazing that you would like repeated, then food is the best paycheck you can give him to keep him in your employment.
- excerpted from Chill Out Fido!

TIP #2: BAD BREATH COULD BE MORE THAN BAD BREATH
Bad breath is usually the result of periodontal disease, or it can be related to diet, especially if your dog is on a fish-based food or likes to eat poop (coprophagia). But sometimes, bad breath can be the result of more serious medical conditions: bacterial infections, fungal overgrowth, diabetes, kidney disease, or cancer. If your dog's bad breath is enough to bother you, it's time for a veterinary exam.

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