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Purely Puppy is the perfect blog for puppy parents. It is written by Dr. Lisa Radosta, a board certified veterinary behaviorist in southeastern Florida, who has a great love of dogs, and a special fondness for Rottweilers.
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When Your Puppy Goes from Friendly to Reactive

Maverick, my 10-month-old Labrador Retriever puppy attends multiple classes a week and also participates in a puppy play group. It is fun for me to watch the puppies develop. There are two puppies, including my own, who are at risk for developing a behavior called leash reactivity. Leash reactivity... READ MORE

Oct 03, 2012 / (2) comments

Who the Heck is Premack?

Maverick, my puppy, went to the beach with me not too long ago. While there, he learned that I didn’t exist and that he shouldn’t pay attention to me. How in the world did he learn that? Let me tell you a story… My friend Mindy, her Border Collie Zander, Maverick, and I went to... READ MORE

Sep 26, 2012 / (2) comments

Fear vs. Respect

The other day, I saw Sam, a German Shorthaired Pointer, who has Separation Anxiety. When the male owner comes home each day, he yells at Sam for the destruction that he has caused in the owner’s absence. I spent some time explaining that this just makes Sam afraid of him, which is very unproductive. Generally,... READ MORE

Sep 19, 2012 / (2) comments

Dogs Will Bark at You. Deal with It.

When I first adopted Maverick, my Labrador Retriever puppy, I started to bring him to work with me for lots of reasons. One of those reasons was so that he could learn certain valuable lessons:   Dogs will bark at you. You can stay safe.   These lessons are extremely... READ MORE

Sep 12, 2012 / (13) comments

My Worst Nightmare...

The other day, I was walking down my street to go out for a run when a large, intact male Rottweiler ran out toward me. He didn’t have friendly body posture. I did what I have always taught children to do — stood still like a statue. He muzzle punched me a couple of times and jumped on me.... READ MORE

Sep 05, 2012 / (5) comments

Juvenile Cataracts

Not that long ago, my cousin called me to tell me that his young American Bulldog had been diagnosed with cataracts. It is always especially upsetting when a young animal gets ill, because it is unexpected. Who expects their puppy to get cataracts? This week, we explore the causes, presentation and possible... READ MORE

Aug 29, 2012 / (4) comments

Go to Class!

When I told my mother that Maverick was enrolled in a puppy class, she responded with, "Don’t you already know how to train a dog?" This reminds me of the time that she was at my house and asked, “Do you want me to pass the vacuum?” To which I responded, "YES!" As... READ MORE

Aug 22, 2012 / (8) comments

Noise and Storm Phobia

I have noticed lately that Maverick stops and stares at certain loud sounds such as motorcycles. I know him well enough to know that if he is alerting to something, he is worried about it. Maverick’s tail wags almost all of the time so when his tail stops wagging, I pay attention.   READ MORE

Aug 08, 2012 / (5) comments

What Will You Do if Your Puppy Gets Sick?

I have been blessed with pets that have lived a long time, which means that eventually each of them has required long-term, intensive medical care.   READ MORE

Aug 01, 2012 / (5) comments

Ignore Behaviors and Watch Them Disappear

My daughter and I are done with breakfast, but we are still seated at the table. We can’t get up because Maverick is in his crate and he is barking. If we move from the table, he will see us. If he sees us, he will be rewarded for barking. If we reward him for barking today, he will learn to bark... READ MORE

Jul 25, 2012 / (4) comments

ABOUT PURELY PUPPY

LISA RADOSTA, DVM, DACVB

Photo of Lisa Radosta

…is a board certified veterinary behaviorist. Haven’t ever heard of one? You’re in good company, because many people don’t know they exist. After all, there are only 54 of them. After veterinary school at the University of Florida and some time in primary care practice, Dr. Radosta completed a 3-year residency in behavioral medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. She treats dogs, cats and birds with serious behavior problems, like aggression, separation anxiety, elimination outside of the litter box, and storm phobia. But please don’t ask her if dogs lie on a couch and bark at her!

She spends her off time writing textbook chapters and articles for veterinarians and clients, as well as lecturing nationally and internationally. Oh, yeah - she is also an overscheduled, stressed, tired, working mom. If you are itching to know lots more about her, go to her website at www.flvetbehavior.com, and join her weekly for your puppy fix.

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