Join our Weekly Wag: A New Years Resolution to Bond with Fido

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

Motivation has arrived! Once a week I'll share an activity--sometimes indoor, sometimes outdoor--that you can do to bond with your dog. You can find the find the first installment at the link above. Some will work Fido's mind, while others will keep his body active and agile. The cool part is that you'll be working right along side him, taking the lead, coaching, encouraging, and most of all enjoying some one-on-one time with your best friend.


It will only take a few minutes to do the activity once. You can continue with it to become more proficient if you find it useful. The activities are designed to work mind, body and the dog/owner bond. Join me every Saturday for the Weekly Wag, and watch your relationship flourish.


Care to join the Weekly Wag Group? Add your name to the linky below so we can all help one another stay motivated, ask questions, and perhaps just get a few tips--via Twitter. Follow one another. Add the badge to your  blog, if you're a blogger, and you get an extra entry in the prize drawing. Prizes? Read on....


Once you've joined the group, here's what you get:

• A Quarterly prize will be drawn from the names of those who check in at this post with an update at the end of March, June, September and December. You can find this post by clicking the badge in the sidebar. Check in is simple--just tell me how it's going. Which types of "Wags" do you enjoy the most? Do you look forward to more outdoor or indoor "Wags". Is your bond with Fido growing?
• One grand prize will go to the winner of a year-end drawing. 
• Post about the Weekly Wag only if the spirit moves you. Post anywhere on social media--Blog, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr, etc. There is no requirement to do so. However, if you do post, leave a comment here with the post link and you'll get an extra entry for the quarterly and grand prizes.
• Finally, be sure to let me know with a comment that you have added the badge to your blog, and include your blog url. After all, we all want to come and see! Grab the code from the sidebar.

I'm excited about this regular opportunity to bond with Tanner and Oliver, and to hear about how you are bonding with your dog. If you have problems with any of the "Wags", just modify them to suit you and your dog. It's all about fun and bonding, not perfection. Finally, if you have questions or need help, drop me a DM via @AllThingsDog or an email to AllThingsDogBlog@gmail.com. I'll do what I can to help. I look forward to many happy Wags this year!

UPDATE for 2013: With the popularity of The Weekly Wag, this regular Saturday post has been extended into 2013. While the sign up form below is closed, you can enter our quarterly giveaways for 2013 by simply commenting on any Weekly Wag post during the year. Drawings will be held April 1, July 1, October 1 and January 1, 2014. Enjoy!

Easy RSVP Instructions: If you don't already have a Twitter account, you'll need to start there. Sign up at http://Twitter.com. When you return here, follow these instructions for adding your name to our guest list by using the linky list below the instructions. 

1. Scroll to the bottom of these instructions and find the blue lettering that says "Click here to enter". If you do not see these words, simply click on the post title to refresh the page, and they will appear below these instructions. Good luck!
2. Click the blue link and a new screen will open. 
3. Type your name, blog name, or twitter handle(with @sign) in the first box that says "Link Title or Blog Title". Mine will look like this: Carrie Boyko, All Things Dog Blog, or @AllThingsDog. 
4. In the next box that is labeled "Link", include the url that corresponds with the information you placed in the first box. If you used your name, you can include a link to your facebook page or your Twitter handle. It will start with "http://twitter.com/" and you include your handle after the slash, without the @symbol. Mine looks like this: http://twitter.com/allthingsdog/.
5. Scroll down to hit "Enter your link" and you're done. 
6. Finally enter your name and email address. This is needed in case your RSVP does not get entered properly. We'll need to get in touch to fix it.

Introducing a New Feature: All Things Dog Blog's Weekly Wag

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

© Carrie Boyko
Scentwork: Great Fun for Fido!

It's almost the New Year and I'm ready to add something to my repertoire. One of my favorite ways to interact with dog owners is by sharing fun activities to keep Fido's mental and physical muscles working. My new feature will do just that. 


Each Saturday you'll find another way to add some puppy punch to your weekend. Sometimes I'll show you how to work the brain indoors on a rainy day. Other posts will offer tips on variety for active play. 


From walking on leash to games for wide open spaces, I'll have something fun for you to share with your dog each and every Saturday. Join me. You won't regret it. Your dog will love you for the time you spend with her. Bonding will happen for both of you.


We'll start at the beginning, with Fido's first sense--SMELL! Scentwork is so basic to a dog's nature that you'll hardly have to offer instruction or reward. The game will be its own incentive. Let's get started:

• Grab a rag and rub some peanut butter on it. 
• Leave your dog behind and choose a contained location to hide the rag--a fenced back yard, gated area, or even an indoor location where you can hide the rag without staining any furniture.
• Allow your dog to smell the peanut butter jar, or sniff a dab from your finger, and then send him off to "Find".
• Offer plenty of praise and encouragement as Fido grows warmer. Throw a "party" when she locates the rag, offering treats and praise and plenty of warm hugs.
• Keep the game easy at first, gradually building the difficulty of the hiding locations. 
• Stop the game before Fido tires of the challenge; it should always end on a high note. A few minutes of Find will go a long way to tiring your dog's mind and assuring a great night's sleep.
• Change up the smells--cheese, steak, chicken, broth, your own body oil, and many more will work. Also use different items to locate. Many dogs will enjoy a game of "find the toy." Be sure to allow your pup to smell the toy before hiding it.
• Most of all, remember to keep it fun.

See you next week for a new idea to add to your weekly wag.