September has been designated Responsible Dog Ownership Month by the American Kennel Club. What does being a responsible dog owner mean to you, as a pet parent? We’ll bet that it means different things to different pet parents. Being a responsible dog owner is more than a month-long designation -- as all pet parents know -- it’s a lifetime commitment to the dog with whom you’re sharing your life.

What does responsible dog ownership mean to you?

When we think of it, here’s what comes to mind:

1. Feeding them properly
2. Making certain they get exercise so they stay healthy
3. Taking them to the veterinarian when they’re ill and for an annual visit
4. Socializing them with other dogs and humans
5. Caring for their pet separation anxiety if it is something they suffer. Not all dogs do, but if yours does, you want to address that

Pet separation anxiety is real. It has only recently been recognized as a real disorder that our dogs can face when left home alone. Pet separation anxiety can make a pet parent feel guilty, but what can you do? You can’t quit your job, right?

There are a few steps you can take to help ease your dog’s separation anxiety and if you haven’t already tried these steps, we urge you to do so during Responsible Dog Ownership Month. Remember, your dogs can’t talk or tell you what’s wrong. They can’t explain that the reason they’ve chewed your shoes, or scratched the door, chewed the windowsill or barked until it’s driven the neighbors crazy. It’s up to you to uncover the reason for your dog’s anxiety when you’re away from home and help ease it.

Tire him out. There’s nothing better than a tired dog when you have to leave him home alone for the day. Get up an hour earlier and take him for a long walk or play a long game of fetch. You’ll get in good shape and so will your dog!

Turn on the television. DOGTV offers scientifically proven programming to help relax your dog when you can’t be home.

Food puzzle toys. What more could your dog ask for? Something to keep his brain engaged (so he isn’t worrying about being home alone and chewing your shoes because of it) and to fill his belly. There are many varieties of food puzzle toys available and at varying degrees of difficulty.

Protect your home. You may need to accept the fact that your dog is going to scratch and he’s going to chew. Sometimes, no matter if you try to keep him entertained or even if you have a dog walker come over and take him out during the day, he just might still chew and scratch. Because we loved our first rescue, Foster, and we couldn’t break him of destroying our doors, we invented CLAWGUARD. Surrendering Foster was not an option, but he thwarted our attempts to keep him calm while we were away. We knew we needed a solution and we invented one. If your dog chews and claws and scratches, simply use our DIY pet hardware CLAWGUARD shield to protect your home and your door. We like to think that our invention will keep other dogs (and cats) from being surrendered because CLAWGUARD products protect the home from damage.

We’d love for you to #showusyourdoor (use the hashtag) and let us see the damage! We know that if you invest in a CLAWGUARD the next door you show us will be one with no damage!

CLAWGUARD builds shields that help protect homes from damage caused by dogs and cats. Products include door shields, couch guards, and universal protective tape that protects commonly scratched areas like window sills, furniture, banisters, weatherstripping and more.  Check us out on Amazon and read our many FIVE STAR reviews!

Follow us on Pinterest and Instagram to see and share pictures. #showusyourdoor

We love our pets, but we don’t love the damage they cause to our home. Unless you are a do-it-yourselfer and can repair or replace entry doors or window sills, you need to find a way to protect your home and stop the damage.

Shelter and rescue operators share that many pets are surrendered simply because the dog chewed shoes or the cat clawed the couch or the dog caused such damage to an interior or exterior door that the door had to be replaced. Imagine losing your rental deposit because your dog is so stricken with separation anxiety that he claws and claws trying to be reunited with you. We’ve been there, done that!

Pet parent anxiety is as real as pet separation anxiety.

Protect Your Home From Pet Damage

We are pet parents, too. We love our pets, but don’t love the damage they cause. Because we love our dogs and cats we knew we needed to find ways to protect the home. Here are our best DIY tips for using pet hardware.

1. Crate train. Some pet parents swear by crate training. Their dogs love the safety and security of the crate and happily spend the day there while “mom and dad” are at work. If crate training works for you, great! We recommend starting when your pup is young. Always make certain your puppy or dog associates the crate with happy events; don’t use the crate as a punishment tool. In fact, we only recommend positive reinforcement training methods. What about cats and crates...
2. Offer scratching alternatives. Chances are, you’re not going to crate a cat. Let’s face it, they don’t take kindly to being “caged” so this means you need to find another way to keep them from clawing the furniture LINK HERE. What can you do? Start by training your cat or kitten as soon as you bring them home to use a scratching post. If your cat or kitten starts scratching the couch, pick him up and put his paws on the scratching post. Give him a treat when he starts scratching on it. Positive reinforcement works for cat training as well as it does for dog training. Remember to try out various types of scratching posts. Some cats like scratching on sisal poles, others like corrugated scratching posts or pads, others like carpeted poles, others prefer wooden poles. Try several until you find one your cat likes.
3. Trim their nails. If you trim your dog’s and cat’s nails you can help prevent damage to your home. If you don’t know how to trim them, ask your vet or groomer for advice or take your pet to a local groomer who will usually trim nails on a walk in basis.
4. Provide toys and treats. Keep your dog and cat’s brains engaged by giving them toys and treats they only receive when you’re away. Give a treat puzzle toy or a “snuffle mat” in which your dog or cat can root around and uncover treats. This will keep her busy and entertained.
5. Exercise. Take your dog for a walk, jog or a rousing game of fetch before you leave for the day. A tired dog is a happy (and sleepy) dog. Play fetch with your cat. Grab that laser pointer and give your cat the opportunity to chase it around and tire him out before you leave for the day.

Be prepared for damage to occur. Positive reinforcement training takes a while and you may have to brace for some chewed shoes and clawed doors. While you’re training, you can use CLAWGUARD products to protect the interior doors. Put CLAWGUARD Furniture Shields on the areas where your cat scratches and use that continuously until he learns to only scratch on the scratching post.

We’d love to see photos of any damage your pet has caused. We’d also love to see a CLAWGUARD in “action” in your home! Send us photos or videos and you could be featured on our website and Facebook page!

CLAWGUARD builds shields that help protect homes from damage caused by dogs and cats. Products include door shields, couch guards, and universal protective tape that protects commonly scratched areas like window sills, furniture, banisters, weatherstripping and more.  Check us out on Amazon and read our many FIVE STAR reviews!

Follow us on Pinterest and Instagram to see and share pictures. #showusyourdoor

Your dog has gotten accustomed to the children being home this summer and maybe you were home more frequently than you are during the rest of the year. Your dog sees the family every day, he gets more play and snuggle time. Then, all of a sudden everyone is rushing out the door and he's home alone. 

Don't forget, too that dogs sense excitement and anxiety and it makes them anxious. Have you ever wondered if your dog is impacted by back to school? He just may be. 

How Does Back To School Affect Your Dog? 

• Separation anxiety is real. Your dog will be lonely when he is left home alone. He may act out by clawing the doors, chewing the window sills and maybe even barking all day long. When this happens your pet parent anxiety kicks into high gear. You worry about what type damage you will come home to because your pup is acting out. 
• Pet parent anxiety is real. As mentioned, if your dog has acted out once by chewing your shoes or clawing the doors you worry every day what he will do when he's left alone. You don't want to crate him because he doesn't like it and that makes him more anxious. 

What's a pet parent to do? 

1. Hire a pet sitter or dog walker. Having someone visit your dog during the day to give him some playtime and take him for a walk may alleviate his separation anxiety. 
2. Give him a puzzle food toy and let him work his mind, keep him busy and give him treats while you're away. 
3. Leave him with an article of your clothing so he can have your scent when he's home alone. 
4. Get him slowly accustomed to the change that will be happening in your household. Make leaving a non-event. Resist the urge to hug him, kiss him and make a big fuss as you walk out the door. He will pick up on your anxiety when you leave and that will make him more anxious. 
5. Protect your home with CLAWGUARD products. If your pup is scratching the door and causing damage because he wants to get out to find you, using a CLAWGUARD on your door will protect it. Use CLAWGUARD Tape and Shield to protect furniture and window sills. 

Embrace the fun and excitement of a new school year but keep your pup's peace-of-mind front of mind and help alleviate that when you leave home. Give her a lot of love and attention when you return home and your family will enjoy a happy, healthy start to a new school year! 

CLAWGUARD builds shields that help protect homes from damage caused by dogs and cats. Products include door shields, couch guards, and universal protective tape that protects commonly scratched areas like window sills, furniture, banisters, weatherstripping and more.  Check us out on Amazon and read our many FIVE STAR reviews!

“Why does my dog chew my shoes?” “Why are our dogs scratching the doors as soon as we leave for work?” Why won’t my cat stop scratching the couch?” If you feel anxious when you leave for work because you simply don’t know what kind of destruction you will come home to, you have pet parent anxiety.

What’s a pet parent to do?

You certainly aren’t going to surrender your beloved pets, but you certainly can’t continue to replace doors, window sills and furniture. Who could? We had pet parent anxiety when we rescued Foster, our first dog. We didn’t know what his level of separation anxiety was until he came home to live with us. Foster caused us to lose a LOT of money in pet deposits in the homes we rented. When we bought a new home, we didn’t want to have to keep replacing doors because he was so nervous when we left him home alone. Because we loved him and because we had a lot of pet parent anxiety we created CLAWGUARD -- because of the love of our rescue dog.

Do You Have Pet Parent Anxiety?

1. When you leave for work do you hear your dog barking and scratching at the door and worry about the damage he will cause?
2. Do you feel guilty for having to leave him home alone?
3. When you pull into the driveway do you have to take a deep breath before you open the door because you’re not certain what type of damage or mess you will see?
4. Do your neighbors complain about the constant barking when you’re gone?
5. Have you ever wondered, “How much longer can we put up with this?”

If you’ve thought any of these -- you do have pet parent anxiety.

It is stressful -- for you and your dog.

How can you alleviate your pet parent stress?

1. Get your dog a friend -- another dog or a cat.
2. Hire a pet sitter or dog walker to stop by and visit and take your dog for a walk.
3. Protect your home with CLAWGUARD products.
4. Tire your dog out before you leave for work. A tired dog is a happy dog.
5. Give him food puzzle treats.
6. Turn on the television or the radio so he won’t be in a silent house all day.
7. Crate train him. Some dogs absolutely love their crate.

Living with, and loving a dog, means you will have times when your shoes get chewed and your dog barks a lot, but the good times always outweigh the bad. And who can resist the lure of a snuggle with your dog after a long, hard day at work? We know we can’t!

CLAWGUARD builds shields that help protect homes from damage caused by dogs and cats. Products include door shields, couch guards, and universal protective tape that protects commonly scratched areas like window sills, furniture, banisters, weatherstripping and more.  Check us out on Amazon and read our many FIVE STAR reviews!