Dooce has just published the Best Post Ever, as she does, about her family’s rejuvenated relationship with Chuck. We all know dogs need daily walking, but Lordy, it’s hard to do it every single day of your life. And I can just imagine how much harder it gets when you throw young kids and busy jobs and health issues into the mix.

But still, it’s worth remembering the ratio between dog behaviour problems and daily walks. Pretty much anything “bad” that dogs do – barking, digging, anxiety, aggression, escaping and even moping around and ignoring you all day – will disappear if the pooch is walked more frequently.

Around here our motto is: “A tired puppy is a good puppy”. And it’s true that working off excess energy is good for Jack. But the benefits don’t stop there. As Miss T says, it’s good for dogs to play together and get back in touch with their “dogginess”. But I think the most important thing about the daily walk is what it does to the bond between you. Dogs really do seem to understand that you put aside this time in your life just for them – and they really will pay you back with lots more love and loyalty.

You’ve seen the photos.  Proof that Benny loves his off leash parks.  But as you may recall I threw a pink fit when Benny was first introduced to the dogs in the park across the road.    Here he was, this little bundle of fur and light one minute — and the incarnation of the wolf devil himself the next. 

All that park! All that dog!  All that freedom!

For a Terrier from the wrong side of the tracks it was a heady mix.  And he lost the plot when a charming young pup presented her tummy and he chose to go for the throat instead.

Eep!

Sadly, while Benny and I have been back to the park twice a day ever since, I’ve never seen the poor pup or her owner again.

At the time, I called my vet, a dog walker I knew, Benny’s foster parents and even broken down to have a teary chat with our local pet store owner.  And between all their advice I worked out a few ways to work with my feisty young dog such as popping him on the leash when he misbehaved and walking away, offering treats when he behaved well and a number of other little tricks that have worked out okay.

But I wish like buggery I’d had “Meet and Greet - An Etiquette Guide for Off Leash Dog Park Behaviour” in my library when we’d brought Benny home.

Published by Gwen McArthur last year, “Meet and Greet” doesn’t just cover responsible dog ownership in the park (although it does that well), but also information tht covers all kinds of handy tips and information outside the park such as how to select the right dog for your life and whether you should you then desex it or not.

But the majority of the book covers most of what you’ll need to know to help you and your dog be both responsible and well liked in the park, all the while showing off your “canine know how” by pointing out what certain doggy behaviours mean and following through with managing your dog beautifully while sharing the space with others.

And while Benny has certainly become better socialised and is quite loved in the park, he can still behave like a little upstart.

Believe me, I’m reading this book thoroughly and I’m reading it all the way through.  He’s got the potential to be not just a good dog, but a GREAT dog and I reckon that this book is going to help realise that.

RATING:
BUY IT: Meet and Greet - Off Leash Dog Park Etiquette
COST: AUS - $29.95 (Currently only available in Australia, but if it gets enough interest from overseas, it will be made available)

Ricki over at Super Cool Pets has just posted a roundup of big savings on pet products. Most of the companies listed are US-based, but even with shipping fees for us foreigners, it looks like there are bargains to be had. Bargains! Go check ‘em out.

I was hoping I could post you a great story about our success at grooming Jack ourselves. But when we factored in time, stress, and dog fur everywhere, it was just better to outsource. Dog grooming is like a mini war between the dog and the clippers, so really, your range of hairstyles is limited. The groomer warned us not to laugh when we saw Jack. Or make lawnmower jokes.

Bringing up a bouncy pup while running a home business has made me quite the fiend for time management. My latest method for putting together a frozen Kong is fast — even if I do say so myself. A frozen Kong turns a hot dog into a cool customer – and keeps him occupied for nearly as long as a bone.

First – plop two Kongs in mugs to hold them upright.

Then speedily gather together: some kibble; some frozen natural yoghurt (sugar free); a chopstick or other pokey thing, your trusty plastic-funnel-with-the-end-chopped-off; and a spoon.

Right. Spoon the yoghurt and kibble in yer funnel (I’ll leave it to you to work out your quantities. You just need enough yoghurt to act as a binder.) This is where your chopstick comes in handy for poking the mixture into the Kong.

Now wrap your Kong in plastic or whatever, and freeze.

An hour or two later you’ll have a frozen-solid Kong and a happy dog! If you’re leery of giving your dog bones (some people fear bowel perforations, broken teeth, grossness etc) this is a great alternative. We’re having a bone shortage around here lately, so I’m making these all the time and feeling no pain.

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