Archive for the ‘Socialization’ Category

Who doesn’t like a rousing game of fetch out in the yard with their beloved pet?  Part of the reason we own dogs is because of the joy they give us with a simple game of frisbee and tag out in the yard or a rousing game of tug in the living room.  Over the years, the games that we play with our dogs have morphed into something more.  Puzzle games that challenge us to challenge them have become all the rage.  Helping your dog learn to problem solve and have fun while doing it has become yet another way for us to enjoy our canine companions.  It seems now that games are moving to yet another level – board games that you and your dog actually play with other people and their dogs!  Game nights that include us and our four legged companions – what a cool concept THAT is!

Do You Mind pits team against team in a fast paced game where the team consists of you and your pooch!  Roll the dice, pick a card and get your pup to do the activity listed before the timer runs out.  Each activity completed gives you a certain amount of points – the team with the most points in the end WINS!  There are several variations which makes Do You Mind 4 games in one – there is even a Solitaire game where you can practice with your dog getting ready for the day when the competition shows up!

Funagle is the game that will make you belly laugh until everything hurts!  The object is to “funagle” your dog into doing wild and crazy activities like a moonwalk or crawling or sticking out their tongue.  Every time you succeed you get a tag – person and dog with the most tags at the end of the game win!  It doesn’t require any training or skill – its just plain old silly fun!

MuttHeads is the game that requires that not only your dog do activities but that YOU do as well!  Depending on the card you pick, your dog may be the one balancing a treat on his nose or it just might be you!  You can imagine the hilarity that will ensue as the tasks get goofier and goofier!  This card game helps you to form a real bond with your dog – because after all, you both look pretty silly but its ALWAYS better to look silly together with the one you love!

Take your relationship with your dog and move it on up to the next level!  Better than Monopoly or Scrabble, at least you won’t have to worry about your dog cheating or stealing from the bank!  Have a fun night with friends and family and at the same time deepen the bond between you and your pooch!  Playing a board game with your dog is not just a silly idea – its a reality and probably one of the best times you’ve ever had!

In this, the age of computers and the internet, its the norm for people to head to “google” or the web in general when they have a question about something or need information.  Sometimes it can be hard to sort through all the muck and come up with the answer that you want.  For this reason, we would love to share those sites that we have found useful and informative or just plain fun!

Raw feeding websites are varied and diverse.  It seems that everyone has an opinion and really, that’s okay!  We may not all agree with what a particular site says – we may think its silly, but sometimes its nice to be able to review differing opinions and ideas and to, from that, come up with our own way of doing things, our own variations and our own opinions.  Below is a list of raw feeding sites that YOU might find helpful and/or interesting:

The internet has become one of our main resources for answering any manner of question about our canine companions

A Place For Paws – Had to do it!  Our site offers not only food BUT information.  Our blog, FAQ’s and articles are a great resource for anyone thinking of feeding raw

Top 50 FAQ’s For Raw Feeders – This is one of our favorite sites.  Very comprehensive, easy to read, easy to understand and fantastic whether you are new to raw or have been doing it for awhile

Raw Learning and Raw Feeding FAQ – This site has a long list of FAQ’s that cover a myriad of topics.  The author of this site is primarily a prey model feeder and states her opinions accordingly BUT be that as it may, many general topics are covered as well regardless of raw feeding style

Tom Lonsdale’s Raw Meaty Bones – You will find Lonsdale’s book on this site as well as many articles that he has written and lectures he has given as well as those by others.

Caber Feidh Natural Diets and Holistic Care – this comprehensive website, built by a Scottish Deerhound enthusiast, has very useful diet information as well as a wealth of information regarding holistic care in general

Health issues are yet another HUGE internet search topic when it comes to our pets.  What to do, what to feed, what to supplement – anything and everything we can find out that may be the key to keeping our animals healthier.

Dog Aware – Probably THE most comprehensive site for health information as well as diet and raw feeding resources.  This is the go-to site for many ailments that are prevalent in our furry friends such as kidney disease, liver failure, heart problems, skin issues, hypothyroidism….the list goes on and on!

Dr. Jean Dodd’s Vaccine Protocols – a succinct look at Dr. Dodd’s vaccine protocols for puppies and adult dogs

B-Naturals Newsletter – A huge list of newsletters relevant to many aspects of your dog’s life concentrating mainly on health and diet

Training articles are also in high demand – google a problem and see what solutions you get online.  Here are a few to consider:

Clicker Solutions – positive training techniques centering primarily on using a clicker.  Divides training problems into categories so you can find what you need to concentrate on quickly

Dr. P’s Training Articles – a HUGE library of training articles including some basics on responsible dog ownership and acquiring a new pet

Patricia McConnell’s Blog – Training from a slightly different perspective centering on behaviors and the relationship between humans and dogs

Shirley Chong – Leading the Dance – This website offers many solutions and steps to follow to make sure your relationship with your dog is a fulfilling one

Karen Pryor and the Clicker – One of the leading clicker trainers in the world, this site gives you quick and easy answers as to just what this thing called “clicker training” is about

Included above are only a FEW of the wonderful sites that exist on the web from which we can gain insight and answers – or at the very least, opinions that may make us think…We’ll make sure to add more favorites as time goes by – that’s a promise!

After a bit of wandering around, getting off track, missing the boat – and all that good stuff, we FINALLY have a handle on the photo contest!  From now on it will be on time and current – I promise!  Go to our Enter To Win page on the

Any action shot will do - playing in the water is always a good bet for summertime fun!

website for all the directions for entering.  Hey, the prizes ROCK!!!

Each month we will have a different theme – for the month of August we want you to catch your pet in action – playing, running, hunting, swimming etc.  Any sort of action shot will do.  Being that its the end of the summer, its time we all got out and enjoyed ourselves before Old Man Winter rears his ugly head (then again, action shots in the snow will be a great theme……).  If your pup has a favorite toy – snap a shot of him playing with it.  Loves to run in the fields looking for bunnies?  Get a pic and send it in.  Make sure to tell us who your pets are in the photos so we can list their names in our gallery and know to whom we are awarding the prize!  First, second and third prizes will be awarded to three lucky players. Send in as many pics as you wish – any photo could be a winner!  Photos for the August contest must be submitted on or before August 30th with prizes to be awarded by the 6th of September.  September first will start our next contest – this time I mean it!

So take a chance – show us the photos!  You never know when you might win!