All Things Dog Blog

Monday, January 24, 2011

Indoor Games for Fido's Cold and Wet Weather Days

by Carol Bryant,
Social Media and PR Director, Writer/Blogger
FIDO Friendly magazine

(c) courtesy FIDO Friendly

Cold weather and rain go away, come again another day, especially when Fido wants to play. Unto each life a little rain must fall, but that doesn’t mean a day of boredom and/or mischief for Fido. Using a little ingenuity, a bit of resourcefulness and some new technologies, Fido won’t mind the cold or wet weather. Indoors means fun time, too.

Where’s Fido?

Hide and go seek is a perfect year-round game for dogs of all
ages. Not only does this game work perfectly on rainy days, but it heightens a dog’s sense of smell in a fun and rewarding
manner. Start out with a few of your pooch’s favorite treats.
This game will require two people initially. One person stays with Fido in a room while the other hides. When ready to be sought, the hidee lets out a “come, Fido” or “whoo hoo” sound to initiate the game. As Fido scours room to room, occasionally let out a verbal signal. Once found, praise him like he just won an Olympic medal and reward with a treat. Repeat. One caveat: Be sure the favorite Limoges vase or grandma’s heirloom plates are removed first.

"Bored" Games

Fido can’t fire up the PSP or Nintendo and play video games but he can engage in some good old-fashioned game play. The Nina
Ottosson Collection of games is designed to exercise the brain. These activity toys encourage problem solving in a multitude of ways: finding hidden treats via lifting and pushing blocks, pushing pieces and turning discs. The Kong line of mind-stimulating toys fit the bill on a rainy day. Stuff treats inside the opening and Fido must problem solve to access the reward inside. Patience and persistence means puppy puddles of fun!

Trick Training

Have a pooch who gets cabin fever when stuck inside? Canine Fitness Trainer Gail Miller Bisher encourages her clients to commit to Fido’s exercise even on rainy days. “To live a healthy canine lifestyle, a dog should be getting 20 to 60 minutes of exercise each day and whether he needs to lose weight or is simply maintaining a healthy fitness level that means consistency,” she told FIDO Friendly magazine.

Sitting Up to beg for 10 reps will help strengthen your dog’s core muscles improving balance and stability. Those core muscles are used for walking, trotting, jumping and many other actions so it is important to strengthen them regularly.

Rolling Over is another good exercise for core muscles. Do four to five rolls each direction so you are targeting muscles equally.

Shaking Hands is a nice stretch for the shoulder muscles but be sure to do both front paws 5 to 10 reps for a balanced workout.

Commando Crawling on his belly for 10 feet following a healthy, low-fat treat. This is good for rear end, shoulders and core muscles.

Tug-of-War with a toy or towel is a great indoor exercise for strengthening the rear end, shoulders and abdomen. Remember not to lift the dog’s head back when playing tug of war. Fido can engage in these activities on road trips as well, so be sure to pack these essentials when going on a vacation or overnight venture. Let the games begin; Fido’s ready!

For more FIDO Friendly content, subscribe to the magazine at www.fidofriendly.com and visit our blog at http://blog.fidofriendly.com”. Now entering our 11th year of publication in 2011, FIDO Friendly magazine includes the very latest hotel and destination reviews along with health and wellness topics, dog training advice, rescue and feel-good stories, contests, and the latest pooch products to hit the market.

Related Reading:

Exercising Fido When you Can't Join In
Busy Bones and Other Boredom Busters

Kyjen Puzzle Toy Review
More Ideas for Busy Bones and Kong Stuffing

Follow All Things Dog at Twitter Find me at Facebook

Bookmark this on Delicious

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Two Dogs vs. Two Puzzle Toys: Kyjen Puzzle Review and Holiday Giveaway

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

The challenge is on. Kyjen, the dog toy manufacturer, has sent us two of our favorite puzzle toys to try out with Oliver and Tanner. Given a 10-pound, toy-sized dog, Oliver, and a 70-lb Golden Retriever, the question is which toy will challenge each dog the most.

I evaluated both toys and hypothesized that Tanner would quickly figure out both, but wondered how Oliver's diminutive mouth would factor into his success. I hoped the tiny holes in the Treat Wheel would help Oliver sniff out the goods, but was concerned about his ability to get the yellow paws out of the holes. Using a few tidbits of good-smelling stuff like cheese mixed in with healthy, organic kibble, I had great success once I tipped a yellow paw cap to show him how it opened. He was able to catch the small hole with his canines to lift the cap out, finally exposing the goodies underneath.

What's really cool about this toy, that is not obvious on the packaging, is that once all the yellow paws are removed, the inner compartment spins and holds more areas for treat exposure. This adds a whole new level of fun and exploration for the dog, keeping his interest for quite a long while. Oliver spent nearly a half hour eating his breakfast from this toy, which for some dogs could be a real advantage in feeding.

Once exposed, the inner compartments were more easily manipulated by Oliver's small mouth and tongue. Tanner found this toy more difficult for his much bigger snout, although he was able to manage and enjoy the treats by using just his long tongue. While not a toy for your Mastiff or Great Dane, it should be fine for any dog of Tanner's size or smaller.

Tanner was a quick study for the Star Spinner toy, while Oliver needed a little help with the swivel the first time. He's wary of using his snout as a tool, while Tanner's snout was probably made by Craftsman tools. Tanner plowed through the Star Spinner, slowed only by the small compartments, which once again made him use his tongue. With ten tiny bowls to find, this toy kept him busy for a good while, and slowed his eating pace a good bit.

Oliver's approach to the Star Spinner was more methodical, working from one section to the next one in a circular motion. It was sort of cute, almost like he was working a buffet! He didn't miss a single morsel, as his smaller snout fit nicely into the opening between the levels.

When it comes to using problem solving skills, these two toys can hardly be topped. Both Tanner and Oliver took a nap after breakfast, something that generally waits till after a morning walk. I suppose you can guess that this was because of mental fatigue, not simply the physical effort of eating. This is one great way to give your dog a job--finding his dinner!

Now comes the real fun. I'm going to give these great Kyjen toy samples away to two lucky winners. All you have to do to win is be one of the first two people to solve this puzzle:

Both my small and large dogs enjoyed each of these Kyjen puzzle toys. If I were to recommend one to you, I would suggest that you choose the ________________ for a toy-sized dog, and the ___________________ for your large dog. Let the guessing begin! And don't miss the hints over at 5 Minutes for Fido. Oliver and Tanner have strict instructions to be very subtle!

Answers will be accepted through comments below, on our Facebook page, or by email to LetsAdoptaDogPark@gmail.com. The contest will close when 2 correct answers (to both blank spaces) are received, or on December 14, 2010. Prizes will be shipped immediately; however, arrival before Christmas Day cannot be guaranteed. This offer good only to U.S. addresses.

Are there other ways to get Kyjen's great toys? Of course! They are currently running a toy-a-day giveaway through Christmas. You can sign up here for their "Boycott Boring Dog Toys" program. You could even become a toy reviewer for Kyjen and be entered to win a grand prize drawing that will include all of their toys! Sounds like fun, huh?!!!

Can't wait? Gotta, hafta, coulda, woulda....buy it here:

Full disclosure: The Kyjen products described in this post have been donated to All Things Dog Blog for an independent review. I have not been paid to provide my opinion of these products, and the opinion provided is my own.