A Dog's Life

12/06/2010 13:57

July 2012
 

Belay those clippers!? 

It's SUMMER in Arkansas, isn't it? The time when we all think we live in a fishbowl when we go outside. With the scorching temps, a lot of us are tempted to shave our furry companions, but is that really the best thing to do for them? The following article shares some thought provoking ideas about shaving your pet. 

 

https://blog.aspca.org/content/heat-wave-should-you-shave-your-pet

 

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 Most dogs now live a different kind of life with humans, where their every need is taken care of by humans. But that doesn't take away their primal needs. Use various activities and toys to tap into those primal needs and make your dog think. They will love it! 

 

Few ideas: 

  • Fill a kiddie sized swimming pool with dirt or sand then hide one of their favorite toys and some highly scented filled food puzzles (like a kong) in the dirt so they have to dig it out. 
  • Portion out your dog's daily food in food puzzles so he has to work and think to get his food. 
  • If you feed kibble, scatter it in the grass so they have to search for it. 
  • Go to an agility or flyball class with your dog. They are SO much fun! If you can't afford to go to a class, then set up some obstacles in your house or in your yard using items from home (chairs, tables, towels, cardboard boxes, your kids toys, etc). Let your creative mind flow! 
  • Find a store that has poles in front of it and use those poles to weave in and out of with your dog. If you're local, the Wal-Green's on Salem is a great place to do this! There are also poles like this in front of Staples. 
  • Fill one of your food puzzles and then hide it underneath an old sheet or blanket. Let your dog watch you do it, then encourage them to "dig" it out. Always watch when you do this fun game, in case they decide to shred the cover. Don't need any doggies to eat the blanket! 
  • Use your imagination! You can come up with all sorts of fun things to do if you look around you with your inner child's eyes. I'd love to hear your ideas if you'll share - feel free to email me at smiling sox @ gmail.com (remove the spaces).

 

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