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A new year is the perfect time to think about how we can give our dogs the best possible life in 2026. For many of us, that means setting goals—not just for ourselves, but for our four-legged family members too.

Get moving together.

Whether it’s daily walks, weekend hikes, or even jogging, exercising with your dog is one of the easiest ways to improve both your health and theirs. Regular movement helps maintain healthy joints, builds endurance, and strengthens the bond you share.

Focus on healthy weight and nutrition.

Proper diet and portion control play a huge role in your dog’s long-term health. Every dog is different, and finding the right balance can make a world of difference in energy, mobility, and overall well-being. Paws In Time’s owner and founder, Julie Nelson, is especially passionate about canine nutrition and is always happy to help guide you toward the right food choices and quantities for your dog.

Let your dog be a dog.

Dogs thrive when they’re given opportunities to play, socialize, and burn off energy. Daycare isn’t just fun—it supports mental stimulation, confidence, and healthy behavior. Time with other dogs allows them to do what they were born to do.

Plan ahead for travel and busy seasons.

Vacations, family events, and work trips are much easier when you plan early. Boarding spots fill up quickly, especially around holidays and peak travel times. Reserving ahead ensures your dog has a safe, familiar place to stay—and gives you peace of mind knowing they’re well cared for.

Make 2026 a year of intention.

Small, consistent choices add up. More movement, better nutrition, meaningful play, and thoughtful planning all contribute to a happier, healthier dog—and a stronger relationship with you.

Here’s to a new year filled with wagging tails, muddy paws, and lots of joy. 🐾

What is GOING ON RIGHT NOW????!!!!

Training NEVER ENDS!

When we have a little puppy, everything gets started on the right foot.  The crate is utilized to help with potty training. The puppy is likely kept on some sort of a schedule.  There is a big focus on training.  We’ve got to train the puppy to sit. CHECK. Done. We’ve got to train the puppy to come when called. CHECK. Done. We’ve got to be able to walk this dog so leash training begins. CHECK. Done. Oh yeah! If only my puppy would learn to stay, that would be great.  Hello, YouTube? Done. Puppy stays now until a treat is placed on the floor and then allowed to run and go get it.  CHECK and DONE.  Now let’s teach the puppy some fun tricks – roll over, shake hands, put a treat on the nose and flip it up and catch it. Done. Ok. So now your puppy is 6 months old and your training mission is complete, right? You’re done, right?  Well, not exactly.

Now let’s roll the clock forward 2 years and your young dog is over 2 years old and a long time ago you took the crate out of the house and the dog sleeps wherever it pleases and possibly even in someone’s bed.  Your walks have become a fight and struggle all the time.  You encounter other dogs on walks and all hell breaks loose with your dog.  Maybe it is jumping all around but at the very least its barking and lunging. Embarrassing at best, dangerous at worst.  But yet you finished your training when the puppy was a baby. What could possibly be happening here?  The inside of your house looks and sounds like a crazy dog lives in it.  There may be counter surfing, jumping all over the furniture, barking and lunging at the windows as dogs are walked past your home and crazy jumping on people when they come in for a visit.  What has happened?  I trained.  My dog is broken. My dog is stupid.  I’m a bad trainer.  STOP!!!

No your dog isn’t stupid, nor is it broken.  You aren’t a bad trainer. But you did take the wheels off the dog’s proverbial cart by removing the crate from the daily life and you stopped with that nice, predictable schedule you started that puppy on.  When you take the crate out of the dog’s life you actually do much more harm than good.  You then make the inside of your home like your dog’s crate and the dog is now free to run around and bounce off the walls at will and likely does when you aren’t around.  This begins the process of eroding your solid foundation of respect and healthy boundaries.  Begin by implementing the crate and a nice predictable schedule in the dog’s day, every day.  Go back to what was once working in your puppy’s early days.  It worked because dog’s (all dogs – young and old) thrive on consistency and solid, healthy boundaries.

Once you have the crate back in the dog’s life, stop free feeding.  In other words, stop allowing your dog to eat whenever it wants.   Teach your dog to eat when you feed it.  Give your dog its food and in 10 minutes take the bowl away whether the dog has eaten or not.  This process may take a couple of days but soon enough the dog will learn to eat when you feed it.  This will have such wonderful benefits for your home balance and for your dog.  With these two pieces in place you are now ready to fully jump back in to training.  But if you skip these two pieces your training will be like a house built on sand.  You will not have a solid foundation so despite what you are thinking, believe me, don’t skip these first two steps.  Now on to training. Training is never done.

Yes you got a good start when the dog was a puppy but you are never actually done with training.  Dogs need to be worked with every day to promote a healthy, sound relationship between you and the dog and to keep up on their skills.  Remember to mix in plenty of fun walks in the warm sunshine and maybe some swimming in a pond.  All good fun for both of you.  Or grab a ball and play fetch for a bit.  Sit down and read a book to your dog.  Your dog loves to hear your voice and this can be sweet bonding time as well.  The quality time you spend with your dog whether training or playing will really help to strengthen your relationship.

How Can I Assist You With Training?

Julie Nelson

Owner, Paws In Time and Lifestyle Dog Training

What is MY Dog’s Play Style?

Do you know your dog actually has a play style?  Your dog absolutely has a preferred manner of play.  What does this mean?

I have learned through years of observing dogs and their natural play, there are three primary forms of play for our friends.  Often I hear from people something like, “I have all of these wonderful toys for my dog and he/she never really seems to play with them.”  Or maybe it sounds something like this, “I take my dog to the dog park to play with other dogs and she doesn’t seem too interested in playing with the dogs but is all over loving on the people in the park.” Or maybe you’ve observed that your dog is always picking up toys and carrying them around, squeaking them or tossing a ball your way encouraging you to come play.  How can this be?  Don’t all dogs like to play with other dogs?  Don’t all dogs enjoy a good game of fetch?  Isn’t snuggle time important to all dogs? NO is the answer to all of these questions.

Each dog has its own personality and its own preferred manner of playing.  If your dog prefers to play with people you will know it because you will be involved in lots of games and your dog will seek your attention.  Let’s say your dog is one who prefers to play with toys as their primary choice. You may find yourself ancillary to the toys because you make them fly or you hide them.  But overall, your dog will seek to play with toys over anything else.  If your dog is a dog who really prefers to play with other dogs then very likely you will find yourself seeking fun dog parks or dropping off regularly at doggy daycare.

Now let me say that all of the different dogs can and will usually have a good time at the parks and certainly doggy daycare if there are people to play with them and toys and balls to play with.  If there are people there to play then your dog who prefers to play with people will be more than satisfied.  If your dog prefers to play with toys and balls then they will have a rockin’ good time running and playing ball all day.  Lastly if your dog prefers to run and chase with other dogs, then the good parks and daycares will be just right for this guy or girl.

The most important thing for you to do is to learn about your individual dog and put aside your desires for how to wile away the time together.  Best to plan to go with your dog’s natural inclinations as far as play and simply enjoy your time together.

Paws In Time Celebrates 22 Years In Business

Check Out How We Have Evolved!

Thanks to you, our clients, Paws In Time is celebrating 22 years in business! We couldn’t have done it without you, our loyal clients, your special dogs and, of course, our amazing staff. For those who may not know me, my name is Julie Nelson. I am the founder and owner of Paws In Time. I had some time to sit and reflect on these past 22 years. No business can stay in business without evolving, improving, keeping up with the times, etc.  Here’s a fascinating history of our organization. I hope you enjoy it!

• On day one Paws In Time had 3 employees, now we average 34
• Opened in a small 3000 sf building with 200 sf of outdoor play space. Now we have 20,000 sf of play space in both West Chicago and Oswego including indoor and outdoor space
• Originally when I opened, I had furniture for the dogs to sit on as well as soft, plush toys to play with in addition to balls etc. These both quickly went away but not until I personally sat and repaired 100’s of torn apart soft, plush toys with needle and thread in my office. What was I thinking!?
• When I first opened, I thought I would be filling a need in the Fox Valley if I could play with 25 dogs per day. We now can accommodate 100 per day in West Chicago and 75 per day in Oswego.
• Originally, I would write all of the dogs names that were there for play in an appointment book. When I got to 25 each day, dogs would be put on a waitlist to come play.
• I prayed hard that maybe I would someday get to 25 dogs per day. We were playing with 40 per day within 3 months. I struggled to turn people away and I was going to have mutiny on my hands if I didn’t figure this out fast.
• I didn’t have grooming facilities in my first building. So we would bathe dogs for people on the floor in the bathroom and I would dry them on one of my grooming tables with my own dryer.
• For those who know me, you know I don’t make changes easily. Eventually I HAD to go to a software system to run the business. I invested in Kennel Connection when it was just a baby system and my business was just a baby business. We still use the Kennel Connection software as it really accommodates all facets of the business. The transition from index cards and the appointment book was tough for me but it was well worth it.
• Originally I ran the entire business on my personal laptop. At first it was only the accounting portion but then I put Kennel Connection on it. That poor laptop gave me all it had until it finally crashed completely 3 days prior to moving to our big building in West Chicago. Can you imagine the stress?????!!!!!
• I would handle all of the accounting myself at first until things got way over my head and I sought out the services of a very capable CPA. Following that was a team of attorneys and then the addition of my wonderful bookkeeper, Paula.
• Initially, I would hand write my staff’s paychecks. I would deduct the payroll taxes and make the payments to the Federal government and the state government by check in an actual envelope with a stamp on it. Finally after a few years of these shenanigans, my tough as nails first CPA said she would not work for me one more day if I didn’t employ the services of a payroll service.
• Remember change is hard for me? Enter ADP. WOW! I was really adulting now. Tough to make the change but again, well worth it. I remain a loyal fan of my relationship with ADP and I think my employees appreciate all of the services they provide.
• Initially the only service we provided was daycare, simply daycare. There was no shuttle, no boarding and no grooming (except the rudimentary baths I would do). I did, however, do dog’s nails for $5 but I would do them myself because, remember, I was pushing my staff to the point of mutiny by letting in more and more dogs every day and they didn’t have time to also do nails.
• I bought my first shuttle van for $2,000. It was good enough for me to try out the idea of doing shuttle and it worked. I have had several vans since then and they have all been purchased brand new (with fully functioning heat and air conditioning). The idea of shuttle was a success! Now you see our vans running all over the community.
• I had a new dream of building my own building. So I bought land and through the generosity of many loyal clients in the Fox Valley, I raised almost enough money to build my dream building. I couldn’t find financing anywhere to finish out the total amount needed to build so I gave everyone back their money after a year of doing some of the hardest fund raising I had ever done. Paws In Time was going to have to close its doors because my initial lease was up in 6 months and I had nowhere to move the business to. This was 3 years after opening. My dream was coming to a close before my very eyes. I was devastated and felt I was letting so many people down. Through the assistance of my friend, Steve Morken commercial real estate agent, he located the building on Fabyan and took me to see it. I knew the minute I walked in that it was perfect. Through lots and lots of miracles six months later, we opened.
• I ran the front office every day for the first 3 years and couldn’t imagine having someone work for me that would be only in the office.
• My first front office person was Jo and she was amazing. She was a client looking for a job and I was an employer drowning in the explosion of growth in the new building but I still could not imagine how to afford paying someone to only be in the office. She started only part time. After 2 weeks, I hired her for full time and couldn’t imagine life without her. She was amazing and set up many of the same procedures we use today.
• Now we were ready to offer boarding and it was just before Christmas when we moved to the big building. Though we didn’t have the kennels installed yet, we had every space filled to the rafters and we sailed through that first Christmas smoothly.
• Catherine, my first groomer, began in March of 2006. Grooming really took off right away and just in time for spring break. No more bathing the dogs on the bathroom floor. Now I had an official bathing system installed and an official bathing room. But I hadn’t developed the grooming room as it is today.
• Catherine would bathe the dogs and then have to walk all the way through the building with a wet dog, past all of the daycare dogs to what was the original grooming room – the spa room now as we call it in West Chicago. This was cumbersome and we needed more boarding space and a quieter environment for Catherine to be in. Through the help of my faithful friend, Joe we built out the formerly large kitchen to a break room separated by a wall to a nice private, quiet grooming room in the back of the building right next to the bathing room. This gave me room to develop the small dog (spa room) into 14 additional boarding spaces.
• We have gone from one 2-drawer file cabinet for client files to many large 2 drawer metal cabinets that get thinned out on a regular basis.
• Website and Social Media- Thanks to my husband Mark, who ran a web marketing agency for 15 years, we have a first class website and he also created our Facebook and Instagram accounts. Gail now handles the social media accounts for us and we are always amazed by her ability to come up with new, fun, topical and funny material. The photos, videos and more, she’s a star.
• I had always dreamed of what it would be like to have 2 locations and I wondered if I had systems that could be replicated. Enter Oswego 10 years ago. Set up of the building went quickly and smoothly since I had already learned so much from West Chicago. Initially it was just Lyn and myself there running it every day. Now Oswego is fully sustaining on its own with a full staff including grooming, shuttle, boarding and daycare.

What are some things that have not changed from the beginning?

• The staff of both Paws In Time in West Chicago and Oswego are some of the most amazing people on earth.
• We serve our amazingly loyal clients from all over the greater Fox Valley every day.
• We love your dogs so deeply – as if they are our own.
• We have all day play… every day. We do not put the dogs away in crates or kennels during the day. You know they are playing.
• We do not charge for the 6 hours of wide open play the dogs get when they board with us on Sundays.
• We do not charge you to pick up on Sunday.
• Our star staffer Gail has not changed. She joined us after 6 months in business. Gail has been our poster girl, Facebook/Instagram girl and all around promoter of all things cute and funny that happen at Paws In Time.

I have not changed. Me, Julie Nelson. Ownership of this company remains 100% mine. I take

tremendous pride in being able to serve you every day and your loyalty has meant everything to me over these 22 years. Thank you simply doesn’t seem to be enough but I want you to know how grateful I am for you and our fantastic team. Cheers to 22+ more years!

The Christmas holiday season is magical for the whole family, including your dog! While it can be fun for your dog, there are some things to be careful about. Here’s how to navigate Christmas with your dog in mind:

Things to Be Careful About

1. Holiday Foods: Many festive treats are unsafe for dogs. Avoid chocolate, raisins, nuts, and anything with artificial sweeteners like xylitol. Instead, keep your dog on their regular diet to avoid digestive upset.
2. Decorations: Tinsel, ornaments, and lights can be tempting for curious dogs. Keep breakables out of reach, and secure the tree to prevent tipping. Use pet-safe cords to avoid chewing hazards.
3. Gifts Under the Tree: If gifts include food or scented items, your dog might investigate. Keep them wrapped and elevated to avoid accidental “unwrapping.”
4. Holiday Plants: Mistletoe, holly, and poinsettias are toxic to dogs. Opt for faux alternatives or place plants where your dog can’t reach. Poinsettias have a bad reputation but this is mostly an urban myth. If eaten they will cause mild symptoms like vomiting, drooling and runny stools. More serious symptoms are rare as the toxicity is generally low.

Fun Things to Do with Your Dog

1. Festive Walks: Take your dog for a walk to see holiday lights. It’s great exercise and a chance for them to enjoy new sights and smells and to practice your meet and greets (ask Julie Nelson how to best meet others on a walk, and see her past blogs at www.lifestyledogtraining.com)
2. Doggy Christmas Stockings: Fill a stocking with dog-safe treats, toys, and chews for your pet to enjoy on Christmas morning. They love to join in on the present opening fun!
3. Photos with Santa: Many pet-friendly venues offer Santa photos for pets. It’s a fun way to capture holiday memories.
4. Homemade Treats: Bake holiday-themed dog treats, like peanut butter cookies or pumpkin snacks, for your pet to enjoy. Recipes may be found online.

Holiday Pet Safety Tips

• Monitor guests to ensure doors and gates stay closed to prevent your dog from escaping.
• Give your dog a quiet space for retreat if the festivities get overwhelming. Often the best option is to bring them to Paws In Time for daycare, and boarding is always a great option as well.
• Supervise interactions between children and your dog to ensure everyone stays safe and happy.

With a little preparation, Christmas can be a joyful and safe time for you and your dog. Including your pup in the holiday fun strengthens your bond and makes the season even more special! Merry Christmas!

Night Heron in algae water.

Have you seen the tragic news stories about the dogs who have died this week after swimming in toxic fresh water?  I am so sad about it because it’s a preventable death if the owner would have known the dangers that live in our fresh water lakes during summer months (but mostly August and September).

I am writing this post simply to help get the word out about the importance of keeping your dog(s) away from our lakes during this time.  Instead, take them swimming in a pool that is properly maintained or play with them in your yard with the garden hose.  Please do not take the chance and think that the water looks safe so it’s ok.

If you want more detailed information, check out this article or Google, ‘blue green algae danger with dogs’.

Play Safe!

Julie

Two dogs ready to play safe in a pool.

Come to HELP’s booth

(located in front of Sweet Natalie’s Gluten Free Bakery, corner of 3rd & Fulton St.)

and see

Julie Nelson

(owner of Lifestyle Dog Training and Paws In Time)

doing FREE dog training demonstrations!

Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday

11-11:30 am

We truly appreciate dog owners who bring their puppies in at about 12 weeks of age for grooming.  At this point it’s more about training them that grooming is a good thing. A basic bath, light blow dry and clip with a little nail trim goes a long way towards helping them learn to trust a groomer.  In order to make sure every grooming experience feels like a spa day; your dog needs to learn to tolerate grooming when he/she is a puppy.

If you wait to begin grooming sessions when your dog is older, he or she may make it almost impossible to complete grooming routines, especially nail clipping and ear cleaning.  Around 6 months of age your dog has developed a few fears and may not embrace this new experience as easily.  Also, around this age their coat starts to change from puppy to adult.  If the dog has not been properly brushed out and kept clean their coat could already be in trouble which will make the first experience more stressful than it needs to be.

Long-haired breeds are especially in need of early exposure to grooming. Their long hair requires more intense grooming sessions than short-haired breeds. By keeping them on a strict 4-6-week grooming schedule, they will learn to stand still from a young age, making it easier on them and the groomer.  Hair build up and underlying mats can cause major skin problems if they are not removed.  Not to mention it can cause your fur baby extreme discomfort.

Another challenge in grooming is realistic expectations, especially if a regular routine is not in place.  Many people love the ‘fluffy’ look, but they don’t realize how much work goes into having a nice full coat.  If the client wants fluffy but the dog has hair mats in their undercoat, we have to shave the dog and start from scratch.  This look is considered ‘non fluffy’ and usually not very appealing on a longer haired breed.  An example of a dog that needs daily brushing with a regular grooming routine is a doodle.  Their routine should be a combination of complete service and baths to keep the coat very clean.

A good grooming routine of about every 4-6 weeks also gives the groomer a chance to check for any physical abnormalities (such as skin infections, hot spots and sores).  When found early, many of these common health problems can be treated right away, before they have a chance to become more serious (and could include an expensive treatment).

In conclusion, grooming your puppy regularly is about more than just keeping him/her looking and smelling nice (although those are important benefits too!). Regular grooming is important for maintaining your puppy’s overall physical health. I hope this article encourages you to talk to us or a professional groomer about your dog’s grooming needs.

Written by Tatyana Romero, one of Paws In Time’s expert groomers.

Paws In Time works with Lifestyle Dog Training to provide exceptional small group classes to help dog owners achieve excellence.  Both facilities host classes throughout the year, offering all 3 levels of training.

Are you planning a summer vacation with the family? Many of us like to take nice vacations in the summer and we look forward to it for a long time. We plan everything out so no detail is missed, no excursion over looked. However, how many of us take the time to think about what the family dog is going to be doing while we are on vacation?