2015 #SuperDogSunday Winners Score Big

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

© AllThingsDogBlog.com
Patches Photobombs our Shoot

#SuperDogSunday certainly did come off well last night. We all had fun, learned a lot, and our sponsors dished a bunch of prizes. Thank you to Zuke's for sponsoring! And finally, thank you to all of you who have supported this event for 5 years running. You guys rock!

If your were unfortunate enough to miss this fun event, you'll still be able to read some of our great tips on the Zuke's blog, posted here. You'll find more great tips and ideas on our blog  as well as our team's blogs: Dogtipper and To Dog With Love.

What's more, we all enjoyed seeing photos of your active pets. Even our Patches got into the mix, showing off her propensity to be a dog treat thief! While we were running a photo shoot for this event, Patches decided she was not going to be left out; participate is definitely what she did. Watch for our Photobomb video coming soon as an All Things Dog Blog bloopers reel.

While Patches was having her fun with Tanner and Oliver, one of our long time readers was creating a thank you note to our team and our Zuke's sponsor that I just have to share:

© S. Gilbert
Thanks to Sharon for Creating this Adorable
#SuperDogSunday Memory

Now, let's announce the winners of this year's event. Scoring more than $750 in Zuke's treats, our #SuperDogSunday winning Tweeters were: 

Pre-Party prize package included 10 bags of assorted treats: @Veetadog

Party prizes included 10 packages of assorted Zuke's treats: @NYHomeGrown,@nikki2kids, @beanparty, @BlondeTexan71, @Lilyurn, 

@MOMandSPORTS, @stephan94848598

Our Grand Prize winner scored 18 bags of Zuke's: @poomy_fl

© DogTipper.com
Prizes Included 5 Zuke's Product Lines 
in Multiple Flavors

These winners will receive their prizes directly from Zuke's while the Event Barkers team cleans up our photo shoot messes and prepares for the next event. Stay tuned for more fun coming your way and thanks again for joining us.

Didn't win? You can find the nearest retail store to you that carries the Zuke's products here: Zuke's Store Locator. To make sure you don't miss a single Twitter Party announcement, you can subscribe to our Event Barkers emails at this link.

As a member of the Event Barkers team, I'm offering this Twitter Party information as a part of our work with Zuke's to share information about their products. You'll find these details and more on our partners' websites: DogTipper.com and ToDogWithLove.com. These events are open to US households and entrants age 18 and older.Void where prohibited.

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#FidosFreebieFriday Does #SuperDogSunday!

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

We're all chomping at the bit to get to tonight's Twitter Party--#SuperDogSunday--sponsored by @ZukesPets and hosted by @EventBarkers. We'll open with a prize announcement at 8 PM ET sharp, so be sure you've checked out all the facts at this link and entered the pre-event giveaway, to be announced first.

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. 

As you peruse the listings below, be sure to take note that the #FidoSeeFidoDo treat giveaway has low entries. If your dog is Jonesing for some us-made treats, check that one out for sure!

Now let's play ball! 

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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#SuperDogSunday Twitter Party:Who to Follow and How to Win

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

© AllThingsDogBlog.com
Reach for the Treat, Oliver!

If there's one thing my dogs would tell you if they could, it's always important to know who has the treats and how they can score one. Today's Doga practice landed each of them a Z-Filet for effort. Oliver did a nice job dancing and twirling, while Tanner supervised Patches--no easy task during this photo session. 

Watch for more of our #SuperDogSunday antics after the party date. We'll be sure to share some bloopers as Patches photobombed our picture session in an effort to score her own Zuke's Z-filet. What a hoot she is!

Now, back to the important messages for this post:

• Who to follow: As always, @EventBarkers will be handing out the prizes, so keep an eye out there and be sure to RT the winners. Just as important, please follow @ZukesPets and be sure to give them a high five for sponsoring this shindig. Without them, there would be no prizes. Finally, you'll want to follow our Event Barkers team members who will all have tips and messages of importance to your Super Bowl experience with your pups: @AllThingsDog, @5MinutesforFido, @DogTipper, @ToDogWithLove, @RoccoHavanese. More on our themes of discussion below.
• How to win: Winners are drawn from participation, so all you have to do to be in contention is chat the hour away. Be sure to bring some favorite photos of your active pups and be ready to share these too. Every few minutes we'll draw another winner from our "Chatty-Cathy's", and announce their handle along with the prize. If your handle is mentioned as a winner, double check that you are following @EventBarkers so you'll get your DM after the party. We'll need important information like your name and address, in order to ship your big box of prizes.
• Themes: Get your dog in the game - activities for a doggone good day! 

1.     Pre-game training tips — Games and training to condition your pup and keep them in top shape  (until 8:25)

2.     Ideas for game day activities — Activities for both physical and mental stimulation; your reward… a tired, happy pup! (until 8:45)
3.     Tips on how to keep pups happy around a house full of guests — training and tips to keep your dogs safe, relaxed and happy (until 9)

Remember to show up early and say hello to our team, using the #SuperDogSunday hashtag. Our opening will include the naming of the pre-game prize winner drawn from the #SuperDogSunday social media widget. Be sure you've jumped in for this one; you'll find it at the link. Finally, stick around for the naming of the Grand Prize winner, to be announced about 9 PM ET. All of the prize packages are large and tasty, but the Grand Prize will be super duper huge!

Happy #SuperDogSunday, 

As a member of the Event Barkers team, I'm offering this Twitter Party information as a part of our work with Zuke's to share information about their products. You'll find these details and more on our partners' websites: DogTipper.com and ToDogWithLove.com. These events are open to US households and entrants age 18 and older.Void where prohibited.

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#SuperDogSunday: Active Minds and Bodies

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

© AllThingsDogBlog.com
Doga Workout: Good for Us All!

Here at All Things Dog Blog we've got our own funky way of dealing with #SuperDogSunday. Many would say we're nuts, but the dogs and I enjoy our mental and physical activity in lots of fun ways--often with #doga--yoga with the dogs.

In order to share some of our silliness with you, hubs shots some pics of our adventure through two or three simple poses. Oliver did some great stretching, balancing and twirling, Tanner worked on his self restraint by leaving the treats alone, even when I placed them on the floor in front of his toes, and both boys practiced running in for the Doga session when I called "Come!". Football players do something similar at the opening of the Super Bowl, but they aren't so lucky as to be rewarded with Zuke's treats:

When the dogs and I are well worked out, we'll be ready for the big game and all that sitting. I'll admit I'm not one to jump up and cheer unless the Packers are playing, which sadly, they are not. They did come very close, but not close enough. Meanwhile, the dogs are all dressed out for the game and ready to run in and kick off some fun:

While we watch the game the dogs will likely be snoozing after their doga workout. Especially Oliver, whose balancing twirls can sometimes get a bit tiring. Tanner tires out more easily these days, pushing onward toward age 9 now. I like giving him treats that are good for his joints, since Retrievers are prone to hip displaysia. That's why one of his favorites is Hip Action with Glucosamine and Chondroitin. So far so good for this boy's hips. He continues to swim regularly and we keep his weight on the light side to assure there's no stress on those joints. Hip Hip Hurray for Zuke's Hip Action!

Watch for more doga fun, rewarded by Zuke's treats, coming soon. And don't forget to RSVP to join the party. We hope to see you all on Thursday evening at 8 PM ET, when we'll be handing out more than $750 in Zuke's treats. Be sure to bring your active pet pics to share. We love seeing your pups in action! In addition, you can enter our pre-game #giveaway here.

Here's to #SuperDogSunday,

As a member of the Event Barkers team, I'm offering this Twitter Party information as a part of our work with Zuke's to share information about their products. You'll find these details and more on our partners' websites: DogTipper.com and ToDogWithLove.com. These events are open to US households and entrants age 18 and older.Void where prohibited.

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Wiggle - Day 2,406

This weekend we ended up going to London so Wiggle and Sofy came to work with me on Friday to save time on our journey east.  After saying hello to everyone, they slept:

Sofy and Cato were very excited to be reunited and quickly got down to some playing:

On Saturday Wiggle went to work with Mindy so I took Sofy, Cato and Haggis to Wimbledon:

And today, we were blessed with another lovely morning so went to Richmond Park:

Sofy was trying really hard to be a Good Girl:

But quickly found a puddle to get muddy:

Wiggle was happy to carry his ball for all of our walk:

And after a hastily planned but lovely weekend, time to catch up on some sleep...

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Ask the Doga Instructor: Part 4

Nikki B. and Jess Pass the Test

Welcome back to our Ask the Doga Instructor interview. Today I'm asking Jess for more help on getting our dogs comfortable with and involved in our practice. Let's see what she has to say:

CARRIE:  Till now, I’ve more or less taken charge of helping my readers try various methods of getting their dogs involved. Aside from luring Fido with a treat, what are your top tips for getting a pup comfortable with the activity happening on the mat, and further, getting involved in it along with us?

JESS: Nothing is more reassuring and comforting to animals than routine and consistency. Nikki B. has been joining me for yoga for such a long time that she is not anxious when watching me. The keys are frequency of practice and trust. If you begin practicing yoga once a month, or just once in a great while, your dog will not respond appropriately because he or she will not understand what’s going on; it will be too new and too different than your usual routine. 

If you begin practicing yoga every day for 15 minutes, however, and then gradually add more time to your daily practice, your dog will recognize this as a new routine and will be more apt to join in, because with routine and consistency comes comfort and trust. Start your practice by changing the entire ambience of the room; dim the lights, soften the music, open the windows (weather permitting), maybe even light some candles—out of reach of your dogs. Anything that you consistently do to begin your practice will help your dog understand that this is time for yoga; it is time to be on the mat and bond with you.  This sets the stage for your new routine.

© AllThingsDogBlog.com
We Finally Did It!

Once you have set the tone for yoga, gently set up your mat and your props (with some of your furry friends’ favorite treats nearby) and get yourself into a comfortable position for establishing that deep belly breathing pattern. This will all help to reassure your dog that this a happy, enjoyable time, and that you are welcoming him or her to join you. Start with simple, flowing poses that require little movement. Gradually move onto more challenging, physically involved poses that require more movement and involvement from your dog(s); then end your practice with more simple, resting poses. Keep in mind that some days, your dog will want to be more involved in your practice and on other days, he or she may not want to be very involved in your practice at all; that’s perfectly okay! Dogs have their moods and their attitudes change just like you and I do, and we have to honor that and respect that, or we will not get their respect in return.

Never force your dog into a pose, either; instead, always offer a place on your mat for your dog to lie down or sit, and reward them for participating in your practice, but never punish them for not participating. The key is in waiting for your dog to be ready. When he or she is completely comfortable with your activity, and trusts that this is a safe, happy experience, they’ll surprise you and join in without an invitation. That’s when you know you have truly gained a doga partner! 

Notes from Carrie:

Don't forget to offer a treat when your dog joins in, to cement the memory with a positive reinforcer. With #SuperDogSunday right around the corner, Tanner and Oliver are looking forward to noshing on a Z-Filet from @ZukesPets! Check out our Event Barkers Twitter Party and ways to win US-made natural treats at the link.

Also, be sure to check out our series of short, instructional doga videos and other helpful posts that share tips on modifying your practice to suit your needs. You'll find all this and more at our Doga page, where our focus is on helping you bond with your dog through yoga.

If you're new to Doga or Yoga, please be sure to do these three things: (1) Get your doctor's permission to start this or any other 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 more relaxing pose for you.

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