Heart Like a Dog

The Good, the Bad, and the Oh My God of living with dogs!

Mental Stimulation is a Good Thing

By

Winter brings its own set of challenges for exercising your dog.  Around these parts it’s dark by the time I get home.

Sometimes we get really icky weather (last night was misty and foggy.)  I’m pretty stalwart when it comes to walking the dogs but sometimes it’s just not possible to get out and walk them.

What do you do?

I’ve written in the past about how I like to deviate the dog’s exercise schedule.  Personally I feel it’s important that they not only get walks, but they get different types of physical and mental stimulation as well.

My dog is just as tired after an hour of obedience, agility or tricks class as she is after a nice long walk.

On weekends when we are home all day and Sampson and Delilah are awake more, or on holidays when we have family around they get less sleep than they do during the week, which means they are just as tired as if they’d walked for hours.

Mental stimulation can be equally tiring.

Just as I find exercising during the winter challenging, I find it equally challenging to squeeze training into my already busy day.

Which is why I try to add a little bit of training to our daily routine.

My dogs are really great at sitting.  We make them sit on the edges of the kitchen while we work in the kitchen either preparing their meals or ours.

We make them sit when a car approaches while on our walk.

Delilah’s always been a challenge when it comes to the down command, for some reason she’s reluctant to down and has a problem staying there as well.

I work her down, in the bathroom while I’m getting ready for work in the morning.

Fine, I'll lay here, but I don't have to like it.

Fine, I’ll lay here, but I don’t have to like it.

 

This past weekend I decided to try a paws up on one of the fallen logs on the trail.

I stood on the opposite side of the log as her, and held the treat down low.  She tried to grab the treat without putting her paws on the log, but I pulled it away.  We worked this for about a minute before she understood what I was requesting of her.

The next time we approached the log and I said, Paw’s Up, she actually held it so I could take a picture.

This is what you wanted? Well why didn't you say so?

This is what you wanted? Well why didn’t you say so?

 

I’m not quite sure what’s up with that expression, she doesn’t look happy to me, but then again paws up wasn’t HER idea.

How do you deviate your schedule when weather just won’t let you do what you want?

The Gift Every Dog Walker Needs for Christmas

By

There are many things I dislike about winter, but the one that has to rank right up there at the top is walking the dogs in the dark and trying to pick up poop.

Okay, so that was two things.

Picking up poop is hard in the dark.  Sometimes you can see the steam, but other times you can’t.

You try to hold onto your leash, open a poop bag with numb fingers and shine a flashlight on the poop at the same time, then pick it up and tie off the bag.

It’s next to impossible.

What every dog walker needs for Christmas

Besides a professional dog walker?

A cyclops.

No, not the one-eyed mystical giant.

Last year Hubby got me the best gift for walking the dogs at night.

IMG_3439

 

It’s made by Cyclops and clips onto your hat or visor.

IMG_3430

This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.

This is me rocking my cyclops hands free light on my ear muff visor.

I love this little light.

As soon as I step out the door I turn on the light.  When a car approaches and we stop to sit, I look down at Delilah and my light shines down on her, making sure the driver knows there is someone there.

When it’s time to bend down to pick up poop, the light shines right where I’m looking, and my hands are free to pick up my temporary hand warmer.

Did I mention the price?  Amazon.com has a five LED cyclops for only $10.99.

Okay, technically it’s a product review, except I didn’t receive any product and I’m not getting paid for it.  You can purchase the light through Amazon but I won’t get any money for it, because I haven’t signed up for their affiliation program yet.

Truthfully I just thought it was a great item and might make a good Christmas gift.

Have you ever received a great gift that you didn’t ask for?

‘Ello Fred

By

This is Fred.

Hello Fred

Hello Fred.

 

Fred’s mother was found as a pregnant stray by a friend of my daughter.  She took his mom in and cared for her and Fred and his siblings when they arrived. Fred will be 2 months old on December 20th.

Yesterday Fred went to his forever home, with my daughter, her husband and their cat, Ollie.

Last night we went over for dinner and had the opportunity to meet our newest grandkit.

You're supposed to play with the toys in the basket Fred, not eat it.

You’re supposed to play with the toys in the basket Fred, not eat it.

 

Playing tickle with Papi.

Playing tickle with Papi.

 

 

My son-in-law is adorable with Fred.  He was not raised with any pets, and by the time he met my daughter Ollie was already an older cat.

He won’t pick Fred up because he’s so tiny.  Instead he calls to my daughter, Fred’s on the stairs, Fred’s back in his bed.

We were in the kitchen when he said, Fred’s crying.

I said, he might want to use the litter box, sometimes when they are small they cry when they have to go because they’re not sure where to go.

My daughter said, Mom says he might need the litter box, put him in it.

But he won’t pick Fred up.

So my daughter put him in the box and sure enough, he tinkled.

A short time later he cried again and I put him back in the box, I stood there for a few minutes watching him sniff, scratch and squat until he finally pooped.

I was amazed that such a tiny guy could be so particular about where he pooped.

Welcome to the family Fred George (and yes, he’s named after the Weasley twins from Harry Potter, two of my daughters are twins.)

Have you ever watched an animal take great care with something fairly ordinary?  Please share.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...