This weekend has mostly been wet and windy!
So rather than photo's from our walk up at Maud Heath, here are a couple of video's which show's just how ear-flappingly windy it was:
Wiggle - Day 2,462
We've had some lovely spring sunshine today so this afternoon went up to the Downs to
stretch our legs and enjoy the beautiful weather.
Wiggle was especially perky, running in the sun, the wind in his ears:
Sofy also had a spring in her step but stayed closer to me than Wiggle who ran on ahead, as usual:
Quick stop for a rest:
And off again!
Sadly, Wiggle doesn't run as fast any more but he was still managing to trot along at a reasonable pace:
Sofy did some fast running:
Even though he can't go so fast, Wiggle still kept going, carrying his tennis ball:
Plodding on:
Happy, smiley Sofy:
Twelve and a half years young, my special, handsome boy:
Wiggle - Day 2,455
Despite being spring now, our weekend has been sort of chilly and dreary but Wiggle and Sofy didn't care about the weather when we walked in the field.
Wiggle went on ahead with Sofy not far behind:
Sofy, sitting nicely for a treat:
Wiggle, just being handsome:
And not wanting to stay in one place for too long, he was off again:
Together, just before the rain set in and we headed for home:
Dogs' Noses and How They Work
by Carrie Boyko, CEB
As a followup to our #SilverSlippers post on K9 nosework we'd like to share this educational and enjoyable #TedTalk video on how our dogs' noses work:
I hope you learned a few things about your dog's nose that are useful in helping you figure 
out his unique behaviors. Understanding one another helps us bond more closely. Have a great weekend, and be sure to get out and take a walk!
Grab those #SilverSlippers and let's get walking, 
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| ©Ted-Ed on Youtube |
#FidosFreebieFriday Shares Pet-Related Giveaways
by Carrie Boyko, CEB
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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Fido's Freebie Friday is back again, always opening by 4 PM on Thursdays to share an assortment of pet-related giveaways for both you and your furry friends. Look for goodies like pet-themed jewelry, books, treats, problem-solving tools for your pet household and more.
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.
•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.
#SilverSlippers: Theming a Dog Walk
by Carrie Boyko, CEB
Lately the boys and I have been testing out some new walking themes in our efforts to give Tanner a few new thrills in life as a senior. Don't get me wrong, Oliver enjoys these games as well. To be honest, I do too! It's always fun to change things up a bit, and plugging in a new theme for each walk--or even each week's walks--can be a fun way to teach your dog to reconnect with his senses, even if they may be lagging a bit behind their earlier abilities.
Since Tanner's ears and eyes are less acutely active these days, I'll be working to help him focus them to get better results. However, today's post is more about the first route we have recently tested--nosework. It seems that Tanner's nose is as keen as ever, now that we've had a chance to work this theme for a week and see how he performs.
Here's one method I tried: Oliver and I took a quick walk to place some markers for Tanner to find. I took an old rag and rubbed it around inside an empty bag from cheese we had used in breakfast eggs that morning. You could use most anything with a scent your dog will perk up for--peanut butter, a tiny dab of yogurt, or even chicken broth. I wouldn't recommend meat due to spoilage. Remember, your dog may not find all the plants you sow for him.
After I coated the rag with the cheese, I tore up the rag into small bits and dropped them in bushes, behind trees along our path, and even under large Sycamore leaves. Thankfully it wasn't a windy day, so they stayed put and Tanner had the opportunity to upturn them while following his nose. This game has been great fun!
We've tested each of the four scents I recommend and Tanner has approved them all, while finding cheese the most thrilling. Your dog will have his own favorites. Please let me know what he enjoyed best.
Placing Tanner on an extra-long leash, I set out with him after first offering a sniff of the cheese bag before discarding it in the trash can. I could immediately see his eyes perk up and his nose wiggle. I decided NOT to teach him the command "Find", since I'm not eager to train a hound. However, the message was clear as we left the yard. His nose was in high gear in search of cheese! If your dog IS a hound, go ahead and use that command. Why not let him enjoy performing his favorite game!
If you're using these themed activities to continue to extend your senior's training, by all means offer a treat when your Fido is successful. This can also aid in assuring that he doesn't eat the rag while licking the delicious taste from it. Simply make an exchange--the rag for the treat. Keep the snacks small to watch his weight, but do encourage his enthusiasm with this--or another--desired reward. If your dog is fighting a battle of the bulge, offer a favorite toy or a loving belly rub at the end of your expedition to let her know what a good job she did.
After four days of this Canine scent work game with Tanner, I'm pleased to report he has definitely earned an A in nosework. While I'm not expecting the same results in hearing, that's okay. My goal is to develop better focus on each of his senses, not to mope over their diminishing level of acuity. That's what #SilverSlippers is all about.
I hope some of you will share your experiences with similar activities. What sort of themes have you tried? How did you employ these? Dish!
Grab those #SilverSlippers and let's get walking,
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| Tanner Found a Cat in Our Elm Tree |
Since Tanner's ears and eyes are less acutely active these days, I'll be working to help him focus them to get better results. However, today's post is more about the first route we have recently tested--nosework. It seems that Tanner's nose is as keen as ever, now that we've had a chance to work this theme for a week and see how he performs.
Here's one method I tried: Oliver and I took a quick walk to place some markers for Tanner to find. I took an old rag and rubbed it around inside an empty bag from cheese we had used in breakfast eggs that morning. You could use most anything with a scent your dog will perk up for--peanut butter, a tiny dab of yogurt, or even chicken broth. I wouldn't recommend meat due to spoilage. Remember, your dog may not find all the plants you sow for him.
 |
| Let's Do Some Nosework! |
After I coated the rag with the cheese, I tore up the rag into small bits and dropped them in bushes, behind trees along our path, and even under large Sycamore leaves. Thankfully it wasn't a windy day, so they stayed put and Tanner had the opportunity to upturn them while following his nose. This game has been great fun!
We've tested each of the four scents I recommend and Tanner has approved them all, while finding cheese the most thrilling. Your dog will have his own favorites. Please let me know what he enjoyed best.
Placing Tanner on an extra-long leash, I set out with him after first offering a sniff of the cheese bag before discarding it in the trash can. I could immediately see his eyes perk up and his nose wiggle. I decided NOT to teach him the command "Find", since I'm not eager to train a hound. However, the message was clear as we left the yard. His nose was in high gear in search of cheese! If your dog IS a hound, go ahead and use that command. Why not let him enjoy performing his favorite game!
If you're using these themed activities to continue to extend your senior's training, by all means offer a treat when your Fido is successful. This can also aid in assuring that he doesn't eat the rag while licking the delicious taste from it. Simply make an exchange--the rag for the treat. Keep the snacks small to watch his weight, but do encourage his enthusiasm with this--or another--desired reward. If your dog is fighting a battle of the bulge, offer a favorite toy or a loving belly rub at the end of your expedition to let her know what a good job she did.
After four days of this Canine scent work game with Tanner, I'm pleased to report he has definitely earned an A in nosework. While I'm not expecting the same results in hearing, that's okay. My goal is to develop better focus on each of his senses, not to mope over their diminishing level of acuity. That's what #SilverSlippers is all about.
I hope some of you will share your experiences with similar activities. What sort of themes have you tried? How did you employ these? Dish!
Grab those #SilverSlippers and let's get walking,
Wiggle - Day 2,448
Spring seems to have arrived at last! The birds have been visiting our garden and enjoying the feeder:
While Wiggle has been enjoying being outside, enjoying the fresh spring air and the warmth of the sun on his fur:
In other Wiggle News, he saw Malcolm the vet earlier in the week and after discussing his wobbly moments, he is taking medication called Aktivait. We agreed that Wiggle doesn't seem to be in pain but he has moments when his feet don't go the way he thinks they will which can be due to the small nerves in his legs and feet not sending messages to his brain. The drug works to help increase the ability of the brain to get the messages so hopefully in time, combined with the hydrotherapy, Wiggle we be a little steadier on his paws.
Stopping Leash Biting
By Kevin Duggan, CPDT-KA
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| © Kevin Duggan Read on If Your Dog Displays This Behavior |
Why do dogs even find this to be enjoyable? The simple answer is because the dog’s behavior is reinforced. The dog wants to play tug, and if he gets any sort of tug back, that causes more tugging. It’s a vicious cycle.
So what can we do to prevent this cycle from happening? My answer is to be proactive,
instead of reactive. What I mean by this is instead of waiting for the dog to do it, and then trying to figure out what to do, give him something to do. Some examples of things he can be doing are, looking at you, touching your hand, “leaving” the leash, and walking nicely by your side. These all sound pretty simple and in fact they are. All we have to do is practice cueing our dogs to do those things and reward those behaviors. This will cause those behaviors to happen more frequently in the future. In the video below I demonstrate how to do all these things.
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| © Kevin Duggan Now Chase's Focus is On Kevin |
Remember to stay patient, upbeat, and to have some high value treats. The combination of these three things will help you achieve your goal.
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| © K. Duggan Kevin Duggan |
Kevin Duggan is a certified professional dog trainer certified by the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers. He has been training professionally for 5 years.
Kevin loves working with dogs and helping them mesh better into their homes. He does this by teaching the dog what we would like it to do, and reinforcing the behavior. This is also known as Positive Reinforcement. Kevin specializes in building positive relationships between humans and their canine companions.