Dog Training Tips for Our Costa Rica Climate and Tropical Environments

Costa Rica has some of the most diverse micro-climates in the world along with the densest population of flora and fauna. Exploring with our dogs is one of our favorite things, but our dogs can come across and come up against wildlife and the environment on a daily basis. Here are some helpful tips to make enjoying Costa Rica with your dog a Pura Vida pleasure:

• Always have water with you. The heat and humidity can affect each dog differently.
• Carry a sturdy leash with you even if you’re not using it at the moment. And a heads up, leather tends to mold, crack and stiffen in our climate. Bio-thane is a reliable option.
• Invest in a belt buckle style collar so that the collar can’t slide off over the top of their head or snap off when pressure is applied to their collar.
• Make sure your dog is current on their flea/tick/worm preventives. Tick fever and parasites are nothing to take lightly here.
• Dogs love to chase Iguanas and Raccoons. Both are fierce adversaries, so make sure you have trained a long distance, 100% effective bond-based recall or ‘Leave It’ command that can cut through their prey drive. We are experts in helping you and your dog train for that.

* When defending themselves against predators, Cane Toads emit a poisonous white secretion from their skin. The poison can be deadly if not treated promptly. Your dog might have foam at their mouth. Always have on hand charcoal pills or liquid activated charcoal. Clean your dog’s mouth out with water making sure to scrape under the tongue and along gum lines. Give charcoal pills. If your dog continues to foam at the mouth, vomits, is disoriented, has diarrhea and/or is convulsing, rush to the nearest vet office. Some dogs love to get high off the secretion while other dogs are attracted to the prey aspect of the toads. Be mindful, before sunrise and after sunset are prime opportunities for your dog to encounter Cane Toads.

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