Archive for the ‘Dog Toys’ Category
Let’s Play!
I started working with Dogs and Horses at a very young age. Was taught to ride a horse and how to barrel race, which was a blast. Had some of those horses that, I will just say, were a challenge. But, whether it was training a horse or a dog the agility was the most important part.I will talk about the very first dogs I trained for agility, Duke and Dolly. Duke was a mix and Dolly was a german shepherd. They were so patient with me.
I started out with wooden poles and blocks of wood and tires. I didn’t have the great equipment they we have now. It probably took me a little longer than normal to get them to do things because all I wanted to do was play with them and pet them. It was really hard for me to be stern about anything, especially at a young age. But when they did what they were expected to do it was the most amazing and thrilling experience. Using the products that I do know makes it a little easier because they don’t cause the injury, to me or my dogs, as my old equipment did.
Charlie’s Chair Needs A Home
I have written about Charlie before, but I wanted to elaborate further on what his condition is and the wonderful people, besides my family, that helped me through it. Let me first tell you about Charlie. He was a bouncy, furry, loveable little boy. He was always up for chasing a ball or, of course, the squirrels. He would always squeak with joy when you came home. When he turned 8 we noticed that he was dragging his back paws. Then he started tripping over nothing. When we took him to vet he was, basically, “diagnosed” with something call Degenerative Myeolopathy (DM for short). It is a condition that affects the spinal column and basically breaks down the body and systems of the body. We were told that there was no cure. He would gradually deteriorate. The vet gave him a few months until he would have to be “put down”.
Well, I found the best website, www.mzjf.com, that contained a lot of information for me and everyone else going through this. I never realized that it was happening to so many. Their forums were wonderful support and had recipes and medicine (through a Pharmaceutical company) to help slow down the progression.
We bought him a wheelchair in February 2008. That was about 6 months after he was diagnosed. He was in doggie diapers and we used a sling to move him around in the house. He happily used the wheelchair for a year before it was his time to cross the rainbow bridge. I wanted to share this information in case you thought you were alone in this. Feel free to contact me through my website to get information on Charlie’s wheelchair as I have it sitting in my garage waiting for someone who may need it.
I have already found homes for his dog harnesses, orthopedic dog bed and other supplies and his dog toys have been handed down to his sister and “cousins”.
Charlie’s Memorial to the Indestructible Ball
I have to say I have had many pets in my life but none touched my heart as much as Charlie III. We had Charlie’s mother, Sheba, and his Aunt Sable. Both crossed the Rainbow Bridge last year.
Charlie was supposed to be my sons companion, however, when Charlie developed DM (Degenerative Myeolopathy) at the young age of 9, it was a difficult time. If you don’t know about DM it gradually decreases your pets ability to walk and have normal functions of the body. The first sign for Charlie was knuckle dragging of the hind end. He would still run and play, chase the balls, play with his toys and chase squirrels of, course.
I wanted to share the ball that Charlie loved to play with, because he still played with it while he was in his wheelchair. It had to be an indestructible ball as he was a very good chewer and ran things over with his wheelchair.
Unfortunately Charlie crossed over the Rainbow Bridge to be with his mom and his aunt so his ball has been passed down to his sister.
Are Your Dogs Smart?
Do you want to see how really smart your dog is and keep them entertained at the same time?
Toys can teach old dogs new tricks! They can also teach the pups as well. Some toys can test you dogs and show you just how smart they actually are. Let your pet show you.
I always want to make sure that the toys are both challenging and fun for my dogs! The puzzle toys that are available can be the best thing I have ever provided my dog. Of course, if you are testing and challenging your dogs’ intelligence you want to watch them. You don’t want your pet to get frustrated with a toy. That is not what they are made for. They are there to help develop skills. If your dog gets frustrated by a toy they may just want to chew on it and ruin the toy and its purpose. So supervision is advised. Once they get the rings off the bone or the balls out of the cube you want to be there to put them back so that they are constantly being challenged during your time together. But I do think my dogs, Marina, Baby and Miracle are the smartest dogs in the world.
Put the toy away once playtime is over to preserve the challenge of the game.
A Puppy Problem to Chew On
Like many dogs, my Siberian husky seeks comfort through chewing. When she was still a puppy, she had no sense of discipline and would chew on any household item that was unlucky enough to cross her path. After going through two pairs of tennis shoes and several Playstation controllers, I started training her to only chew on intended toys and bones. I bought a bunch of rawhide strips and assumed that things would get better.
Unfortunately, my dog demonstrates no intention to actually eat the bones and rawhide strips after chewing them to pieces. She takes special care to hide the evidence all over the house, and on more than one occasion I’ve sat down on top of a sharp wedge of debris that’s partially buried in the couch cushions. That’s when I finally put my foot down and bought some indestructible dog toys online. She can chew and bury those toys to her heart’s content – it’s practically impossible to make a mess.