I own two beautiful dogs, a mix that we rescued, Honey (6) and our Rottweiler from Europe, Rocco (4). I also am a mother of two little girls. All of this combined could make for quite a crazy home! Lucky for me, I am married to celebrity dog trainer Ty Brown.

Our dogs mean everything to us and are close members of our family, we work hard to take the best care of them.

These are some of the ESSENTIAL things I have found that as a “dog mommy” I have to do to have a happy and functional home:

1. Training

My dogs and I have a healthy relationship because we have taken the time to train them to high levels of obedience. It creates happy dogs, happy dog owners and a good environment for everyone. Be sure to check out my husband’s national website with FREE dog training articles and videos at dogbehavioronline.com.

2. High Quality Food

When we were beginning dog owners we spent tons of money on food and the WRONG type of food. After much research we have found a healthy, affordable, organic and high quality of dog food.  This food comes delivered to your home for free! My dogs are healthier, they actually eat LESS, poop LESS and have much healthier coats. To read more about this dog food you can go to, Flint River Ranch.

3. Exercise

Dogs deserve to live in a healthy loving home where they are taken care of. Owning a dog and caring for it properly is a lot of work, but we would not be able to live without our wonderful dogs. Making sure your dogs get enough exercise through playing games, going on walks/runs, and obedience training will result in a well behaved dog and calmer home.

4. Dog Etiquette

To ensure the safety of others and ourselves I am a huge advocate for proper dog etiquette in public. Dogs should not be allowed to go anywhere on their own and need to be kept on a leash while in public. It is a huge liability for others and yourself when proper dog etiquette is not followed.

5. Dog Proofing

You can have a perfectly trained dog but you also have to realize they are animals! Make sure you have a safe home for your pets to live in. Dogs are allergic to a huge list of human foods, be careful with what food you leave out around the house. Buy safe bedding items and toys for your beloved canines as dogs can accidental or purposefully eat their things that can lead to a trip to the vet ER!

6. Veterinarian Care

Make sure your animals are having check ups with their Veterinarian on a regular basis and are up to date on all of their medication and shots!

Vanessa blogs over at I Never Grew Up with ideas to entertain your children. Her dog training husband blogs over at Dog Behavior Online.