All Things Dog Blog

Showing posts with label puppy playtime. Show all posts

Friday, November 12, 2010

New Dog Kit Goes to Lucky Facebook Fan!

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

Today's drawing is for the "New Dog Kit", a gift package of goodies that is perfect for a new puppy or toy dog, whichever the owner may have. The winner of the drawing will receive an Eco-Carrier for toy-dogs, made by Outward Hound, specially for the Blogpaws blogger conference held earlier this year. It comes emblazoned with screen-printed logos of many of your favorite pet products companies and pet websites, so Fido will always remember where to go for help. With a removable pad and lightweight construction, this carrier will easily fold up into your tote bag when not in use. If you're interested in one of these economical dog carriers, you can purchase them in a variety of colors by clicking the Amazon ad at the bottom of this post.

Bissell has provided an 8 oz. bottle of enzyme powered pet stain and odor remover, just what you need when house training a puppy.

You can thank the Iams folks for offering 2 rubber rimmed bowls with adorable pawprints--unbreakable and heavy duty for years of wear. Innova has included a sample of their small bite dog food, specially sized for your petite pup and there's also a Greenies dental treat for your little one to try.

Since our winner will be busy learning about dogcare and training, FoundAnimals has graciously given me a copy of their dog care manual, Caring For Your Dog.

While our winner is learning a bit about dog care, she'll also want to have some fun. Outside, she'll have a lanyard for her housekey from Hartz, when she walks little Rover, and a whistle to practice his "Come when Called" command, thanks to World Vets. Finally, our new pup owner will want to get her puppy busy with social networking, an easy task with my friends at Toki Poki. They have provided a starter pack of trading cards and I'll throw in Oliver and Tanner's cards as well. Have you guys visited their site? It's just too cool!

I suppose I should announce the winner now. Congratulations to Betty T. You'll be hearing from me in a few minutes. Be sure to reply with your address so we can get your package out early next week. Be sure to thank Oliver for guarding your goodies; he's exhausted from all that work and ready for a nap over at 5 Minutes for Fido. Congratulations Betty!

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Friday, July 16, 2010

An Interview with Xena, my Super Sweet, Senior, Retriever Mix, Rescued Rover

Xena

Showing off her Gray Snout

We'll call this an interview with Xena, an idea that came from one of our readers. Xena is clearly the senior citizen at 13 1/2, and I am often asked "How do you meld your dogs' various needs?" Today we'll get Xena's take on the pack atmosphere, living with an almost 4 year old Golden Retriever and a 2 year old Papillon:

Xena:

"I'm clearly the head of this household, and the matron (duh!). These kids need whipping into shape and I'm fulfilled by having this a part of my 'job' around here. Each time a new pup, kitten or rabbit has come into the house, I have taken it under my wing, washed its ears, cleaned its backside when needed, and generally let them know when their behavior needed some work. It's a momma dog's job, and I took on that role long ago. Such is the life of a rescue--spayed before my first litter. Tisk!"

"Growing up in this house was a very busy time. With two boys and a girl I always had plenty of kids around to play with. I loved going to the park for family gatherings and having my daily walks with different family members every day. Variety is the spice of life, right?"

"Now that I'm a senior citizen, I appreciate the consideration that my housemates give me. Tanner is bigger than me, but we still enjoy a good wrestling match. He is a nice playmate that seems to know how far to go with me; I do have my limits."

"Oliver is finally coming out of the adolescent stage and respects my space these days. I guess our mom taught him that, cuz I sure didn't. Well, maybe that's not true. I did ignore him when he tried to play with me. That's great because now he uses Tanner as a jungle gym, instead of me."

"I'm glad to get out for my walks, but also happy to be dropped off at home when we reach the halfway point. These youngsters I live with have lots more stamina than me these days. I like the sanctity of the senior citizen ward; that's what we call the front porch. Have a good walk, guys; it's Xena's nap time now."

Sometimes it's good to get the straight scoop from the dog herself. If you ever have a question for Xena, Tanner or Oliver, feel free to write to them with their name in the subject line. They love receiving mail. Their email address is LetsAdoptaDogPark@gmail.com. They'll answer your questions over at their new blog, 5 Minutes for Fido. Their site includes short tips and commentary from the dogs' point of view.

You can also find some of the most popular posts from All Things Dog Blog at the link below the header: Best of All Things Dog Blog. I suppose it's time for me to update that a bit. Thanks for reminding me. Happy tails!

Related Reading:

Senior Moments: Helping Your Dog Stay Young
Managing the Exercise Needs of Your Older and Younger Dogs

Watch for: An Interview with Oliver, coming soon to All Things Dog Blog

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Friday, May 21, 2010

Managing Your Puppy's Endless Energy

by Carrie Boyko

Let's face it, your first couple of months with a new puppy is going to be challenging, no matter how perfect your puppy may turn out to be. This post is designed to help you with just one of the many challenges a puppy will present: his seemingly endless energy. Here's some tips:

Physical exercise is key: Long walks, runs, and vigorous playtime will all result in a tired pup who needs to rest. This will be your chance to get something else done.
Mental energy needs to be drained also. This can be done with training exercises, practicing discipline like 'stay', and challenging toys that encourage your puppy to develop problem solving skills. In the photo above, Oliver tries to remove the ball from he tube; this is a wonderful problem solving toy that doubles as a chew toy--totally indestructible for Oliver's small teeth, yet soft and satisfying to chew on.
Treat balls are another form of problem solving that also will keep your pup following the ball around the floor, as he tries to figure out where the yummies are coming from, and how to get them flowing faster. And what a hoot to watch a pup with a treat ball. They never bore of this toy.
Leash training should begin as soon as your pup comes home. Walks will begin as short laps around the block, encouraging your little one to follow you with sweet talk and an occasional treat to keep him moving. Gradually add to the length as he begins to follow you eagerly.
Safe chewing toys such as Kongs, some ropes, Nylabones, and filled ceramic bones all serve the same purpose; I call these busy bones. Anything safe to chew that will occupy your puppy for 15 minutes or more is a good way to tire him out while he's in his crate or you need time away from him.
Always remember to reward and praise your puppy when he behaves appropriately. If you leave, and then return to find him quietly resting in his crate, make a big deal out of it. Lots of affection at these times will help to get the point across: this is what you want from him.

Related Reading:

Busy Bones and other Boredom Busters

More Ideas for Filling Busy Bones

Also, Check out my latest guest post at:

Dog Care Journey

Socializing Your Puppy or Dog: It's Never too Late

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