Wiggle - Day 2,378

Wiggle and Sofy have enjoyed the Christmas break.  We started the holidays with a chilly Christmas Eve walk, up on the Downs:

Wiggle was doing his own thing, wandering along, carrying his ball:

All three of us:

Wiggle, running to the sun:

Happy boy:

Sofy didn't mind the cold afternoon - not when it was so sunny:

Chilly, but sunny:

Christmas Day meant presents and roast turkey dinner leftovers for Wiggle and Sofy so by Boxing Day we were all looking forward to getting out for some more off-lead time.

We went up to Maud Heath which is always full of interesting smells:

Sofy was trying to tell me that she needed a treat:

Wiggle, meanwhile, was once again doing his own thing:

Sofy was happy when she found a muddy puddle:

Wiggle had his ball, as usual:

Enjoying the view:

Wiggle has always liked to be at the front of our walk, so now he is slowing down, I hang back to let him think he's got to wait for me:

Even though he didn't do much running, Wiggle still had a good time:

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Ask the Doga Instructor: Part 3

an interview with our doga instructor, Jess Wilson

Jess Explains Feeling the Exhale of the Breath

As Tanner, Oliver and I continue our journey in yoga practice, we'd like to help you get to know our instructor, Jess, a little bit better. We love her dog, Nikki B. Isn't she adorable wearing her All Things Dog Blog bandana? A limited number of these bandanas are available in 2 sizes for your dog. If you'd like one, simply RT this message and DM me with your address. I'll ship the bandanas out in early January, first come, first serve.

We're enjoying the Ask the #Doga Instructor interview series, learning more about #yoga w/my dog: http://t.co/7V9B1e3cbd
— Carrie Boyko (@AllThingsDog) December 18, 2014

I have asked Jess a few simple questions to help us better understand her philosophies and strategies. Today's question addresses making yoga easier for even the most challenged of us. You may also find our first two interview questions with Jess quite helpful:

• Ask the Doga Instructor, Part 1
• Ask the Doga Instructor, Part 2

CARRIE:  Some of my readers have indicated that most any pose they have tried has proven to be uncomfortable in any version. Are there any suggestions you can add to your earlier answers about making yoga easier for those of us who find it more challenging?

JESS:  As previously stated, it is with the exhale of the breath that our brains send a signal to our muscles to relax more, so if at first a pose does not feel that great, be patient, give it a few breaths, and see if it starts to feel better. A lot of people shy away from poses because they don’t feel great right away, but let me assure you that not all poses are supposed to feel great right away; in fact, some poses won’t feel great immediately because there is tightness in an area, most likely a joint area, or a large muscle group, that needs to be worked through. If the pose is not held for at least 3-5 slow, deep breaths, you won’t be giving your body the time it needs to work through those tense areas, which will hinder the amount of physical benefit you could be gaining from your practice. 

Take the Supine Spinal Twist Pose, for example. This is a pose that never feels great right away, regardless of how experienced you are with the practice of yoga, because of the fact that it is such a deep twist. With the assistance of blankets and pillows behind the back and between the knees, however, it can and will start to feel extremely enjoyable after a few deep breaths, once the hips relax and thereby allow the spine to more easily and comfortably twist. Please do be sure to warm up appropriately, and be aware that this is not a pose for those who have had back surgery or have been advised otherwise by their physician. 

With that said, however, if there is sharp pain felt while practicing a pose, that is your body’s way of telling you that it’s not ready to work through the tightness in that area of the body and you’ll have to work through some other poses first, targeting other muscle groups or joints, before attempting that particular pose again. 

Take the knee joint, for example. There are a lot of poses that could put a great deal of strain on the knees if the hips are tight. When the hips are open, however, there will be very little strain on the knees and the pose will feel good. This is because the hips are connected to the knees; so, the wider range of motion you have in your hips, the wider range of motion you will have in your knees.

The Eagle Pose is a great example of this. Some people absolutely cannot add in the ankle hook option to this pose because their hips are so tight. Without open, flexible hips, the knees cannot possibly be comfortable in the full Eagle Pose, which requires the ankle to hook around the standing leg. So, start the practice of the Eagle Pose with a different pose that helps to open the hips, like the Tree Pose, or start with an even more basic hip opener: Butterfly. Depending on how frequently you practice, and how consistently you practice, you will slowly, but surely, begin to notice an improvement in the flexibility of your hips, which will then make the practice of more challenging hip opener poses, like the Eagle Pose, not only more attainable, but more enjoyable.

Remember that every body type is different, and everyone carries stress in different areas of the body, so if it takes longer than you originally anticipated to release tension from the hips, for example, be patient and kind to yourself and always remain positive and hopeful.  How quickly you progress in each pose is entirely effected by how long you practice, how consistently you practice, and how you carry your stress and tension in your body.  This is where your dog can help a great deal; by joining you to help you relax, bond and stay on your mat just a little longer each time you practice.

Building the Bond

Another one of my favorite things about the practice of yoga is the fact that it is a never ending journey. There is no final destination, no milestone that marks the end; to the contrary, yoga is all about the journey and what we learn about ourselves along the way.

There will always be more poses to learn, more variations of poses to play with; more challenges physically, emotionally and spiritually. That’s what makes the practice of yoga so uniquely fabulous, so enjoy your journey and remember to stop to smell the roses, including your dog in that enjoyment. 

You may wish to simply start your journey by sitting comfortably on the mat with your dog(s), enjoying some petting, cuddling, tickling and deep belly breathing. If you start with the bonding aspect of doga, and get your furry companions comfortable with joining you on the mat, you may find that you will be more motivated to tackle new and different poses, all in good time.

If you're new to Doga or Yoga, please be sure to do these three things: (1) Get your doctor's permission to start a yoga workout, (2) Check with your vet to make sure your dog is able to participate in simple Doga exercises safely, and (3) visit our introductory post where I've outlined a few tips that will help your experience go more smoothly and enjoyable. Keep in mind that you can always stop if a pose is uncomfortable, returning to a relaxing pose.

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Merry Christmas from #FidosFreebieFriday

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

After a wonderful camping experience along the shores of the Atlantic ocean last weekend, I was just about ready to say "Let's move to the beach." It was chilly and perfect for walks on the sand and through the adorable town of Flagler Beach, enjoying three of my favorite boys. Next up we'll be squeezing in another trip during the holiday season, enjoying a distant destination. More later!

It just doesn't get any better than this, #CampingWithDogs

A photo posted by Carrie Boyko (@allthingsdogblog) on Dec 12, 2014 at 8:45am PST

Now let's get to today's Fido's Freebie Friday. Bloggers are invited to list below their currently open giveaways, freebies, and prizes for pets and pet lovers so that readers may visit and explore items to win. You can help to get more awareness by sharing the badge you see in the top of my post. Feel free to put it in your sidebar, if you wish, but don't feel obligated.

Fido's Freebie Friday opens each Thursday afternoon for linkups at 4:00 PM ET, and renews each week at the same time with a new listing.  Link up anytime during the week--24/7. We make it easy to be seen here by keeping our rules simple:

•You have up to 45 characters to describe your prize and include an expiration date.

•Fido's Freebie Friday Blog Hop is open to posts with prizes for pet products or services, including pet-related or pet-themed items for owners. Use your specific post url to link up.You'll find assistance at our HELP PAGE, where there is other useful information for bloggers doing giveaways and reviews. Your hosts are All Things Dog Blog, DogTipper and To Dog With Love. 

Happy shopping! 

Individual rules of entry and guidelines for winning may apply to each listing. All Things Dog Blog, DogTipper, and To Dog With Love take no responsibility for the legality of the rules governing the listings on other sites and giveaways that are posted here. We simply provide this forum as a gathering place for pet product giveaways to be offered. Please consult All Things Dog Blog's Giveaway and Contest Rules for more detail. Fulfillment of each giveaway is done by the blog conducting the giveaway, not by the hosts of this giveaway hop; please contact the giveaway host with any questions regarding a giveaway or giveaway prize.

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Merry Christmas!

We wish all of Wiggle's followers and supporters a Very Merry Christmas and look forward to sharing more of Wiggle in 2015.

Wiggle, Wendy & Sofy xx

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Dog Safety During the Holidays

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

© AllThingsDogBlog.com
Even Costumes Have their Dangers

It seems as though not a year goes by that I don't hear a horror story that involves an ER visit with Fido. Don't let this happen to you and your dog. If your pup wears clothing willingly, that's all good. But remember that adding a hat or other accessory can take his tolerance over the top. While this photo of Oliver may be cute, I will never leave him alone wearing the hat. It may end up in either his or Tanner's belly, potentially causing a blockage. 

I say that with plenty of resistance as neither one of them are chewers. But often those stories I hear come from owners who tell me their dogs were not power chewers either. So play it safe and keep tabs of your dog when he's got anything new, whether it be a toy, clothing item, or new chewy toy.

If you'll be hosting family Fidos, you may wish to protect their safety by dog proofing your house further. Just the same, if you're moving during the holidays, do take time to dog proof your new home. Here are my dog proofing tips.

All of us here at the All Things Dog Blog wish you and yours a happy holiday, no matter what holiday you choose to celebrate. For us, family is first. We'll be spending some quality time bonding and will return after the New Year to bring you our fifth annual Super Dog Sunday™.

Meanwhile, #FidosFreebieFriday continues 24/7/365. Each Thursday by 4 PM ET you'll find a new edition of this #giveaway event with all your favorite blogs joining in. Be sure to visit several times a week to see what's new. Best wishes to you all!

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Wiggle's Fundraising Calendar Auction - Update!

Thank you for the bids so far to win one of the three Wiggle 2015 calendars.  I realised we hadn't left much time for bidding so we've extended the deadline to midnight on Christmas Eve.

All of the money raised goes to helping Labrador's just like Wiggle who are in the care of LRSE&C, so please bid generously and good luck!

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#FidosFreebieFriday Counts Down to Christmas

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

There's only one week till the big day when Santa arrives for all you Christmas fans. Tanner and Oliver, along with other family members, are soaking up the excitement. There's just one problem. Tanner wants to swim and we're actually experiencing a bit of a chilly few days here in Florida. Ever since Tanner had Drop Tail, I've been careful not to let him swim long during cooler weather. He looked very sad with his flag unfurled last Winter. Can you help me tell him I'm just trying to keep him healthy:

His toy Gator is not soothing his desire to go in the pool. Who cares if it was 48 this morning! #RetrieversOfInstagram

A photo posted by Carrie Boyko (@allthingsdogblog) on Dec 12, 2014 at 8:37am PST

Now let's get to today's Fido's Freebie Friday. Bloggers are invited to list below 

their currently open giveaways, freebies, and prizes for pets and pet lovers so that readers may visit and explore items to win. You can help to get more awareness by sharing the badge you see in the top of my post. Feel free to put it in your sidebar, if you wish, but don't feel obligated.

Fido's Freebie Friday opens each Thursday afternoon for linkups at 4:00 PM ET, and renews each week at the same time with a new listing.  Link up anytime during the week--24/7. We make it easy to be seen here by keeping our rules simple:

•You have up to 45 characters to describe your prize and include an expiration date.

•Fido's Freebie Friday Blog Hop is open to posts with prizes for pet products or services, including pet-related or pet-themed items for owners. Use your specific post url to link up.You'll find assistance at our HELP PAGE, where there is other useful information for bloggers doing giveaways and reviews. Your hosts are All Things Dog Blog, DogTipper and To Dog With Love. 

Happy shopping! 

Individual rules of entry and guidelines for winning may apply to each listing. All Things Dog Blog, DogTipper, and To Dog With Love take no responsibility for the legality of the rules governing the listings on other sites and giveaways that are posted here. We simply provide this forum as a gathering place for pet product giveaways to be offered. Please consult All Things Dog Blog's Giveaway and Contest Rules for more detail. Fulfillment of each giveaway is done by the blog conducting the giveaway, not by the hosts of this giveaway hop; please contact the giveaway host with any questions regarding a giveaway or giveaway prize.

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Wiggle's Official 2015 Fundraising Calendar

There are only 3 of these fabbie calendars up for grabs - to raise funds for Wiggle's charity, Labrador Rescue South East & Central.

For next year's calendar, I have chosen photo's from Wiggle's first 18 months here, celebrating how the previously sad, bald and skinny boy transformed into the happy, fun loving dog we know today.

The calendars are offered on an auction basis, to the three highest bidders.

To be in with a chance of purchasing a whole year of Wiggle while also helping a wonderful charity, email your best offer bid to wiggle.the.dog@gmail.com

The 3 highest bids at midnight (GMT) on Sunday 21st December 2014 will receive the calendars.

Postage & packaging, to any location in the UK or Worldwide will be paid by me. Once the winners have been notified, electronic payment is preferred, directly to LRSE&C's Just Giving account, details of which will be provided.

Good luck and please bid generously!

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