I'm not certain that I'm a fan of my new dog walker (a family friend who is out of work). I might be jealous.
Don't get me wrong, I love my dog walker as a human and a friend. I'm not sure that I'm a fan of him stealing all my Copley lovin'.
My most favorite time of days is the 30 seconds between my getting out of my car and walking to the front door. Every afternoon, when I pull up outside of my house and step out of my car - silence. Then, wait for it...1, 2, 3 seconds and "WOOF". The little "woofs" and pitter patter on the hardwood floor moves from my bedroom to the front door where I'm always met with so much enthusiasm. Copley wiggles and is so excited for my attention.
But, today, after the first day with our new dog walker...I got a "hey ma, nice to see ya. going to take a nap." Then, the familiar sound of a snoring puppy passed out on the kitchen floor! As the evening has gone on, she's migrated to her crate where is snuggled up and snoozing.
I know a dog walker is best for both of us as I experienced quite a bit of anxiety leaving her home all day by herself. But, I'm missing getting chased around with a Frisbee. It's only day one...I guess we'll see how it goes.
I know this sounds totally silly but do you get jealous of your dog walker and feel like your puppy lovin' got all used up?
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Monday, August 9, 2010
Do you give your dog "human food"?
I'll admit it, I do.
As I talk to more puppy mamas one of the reoccurring themes is "begging". It is a real issue and can make dinner time or when you have guests over extremely unpleasant. And, often, the more treats you sneak under-the-table, the worse that whiny, "but mom...I'd like some too" puppy face gets.
While some people are violently against table scraps, I believe that everything in moderation is OK. And, dogs like rules so if you give them "human food" on your terms it can be a very powerful tool. Here are a few guidelines...
Use it as a treat substitute
I don't advocate dumping a pile of left over mac & cheese with broccoli into your dog's bowl after dinner. But, I do believe that fresh, human food does have value. For dogs that are over weight, baby carrots make a great low-calorie treat. Copley absolutely loves snow peas, blueberries, and carrots. I substitute these all-natural, organic treats for biscuits you can get in the store. Cost effective and all-natural.
I like my food too much to share it
In my opinion, dinner time is one of the most important hours in a day for the family or with a significant other. It is one of the only times you get to stop, relax, and converse about something other than if the email blast went out on time. You can avoid begging by training your dog to "go to your place". Copley knows that when I sit down to eat - she needs to go somewhere else and lay down. I'll either ask her to do a down stay (nice way to practice long down stays), give her a bed, or sometimes she'll get her own special bone to chew on. Either way, she has her own personal time and I have mine: eating in silence with out a whiny puppy under my feet.
Make it a special command
Every time I give Copley a small piece of rotisserie chicken or cheese, I give it to her in the same bowl that she eats her dinner out of. This helped her learn that human food is only given in a controlled environment. A.K.A, don't come looking for it under the table. I paired the word "madame" with this very special reward. Over time, she learned to come running when she hears the word "madame". Honestly, this has helped me in emergency situations. I can yell "madame" and she'll stop whatever she's doing and come back to me looking for a special treat.
Copley's Recommendations:
Hot dogs
Popcorn
String Cheese
Blueberries
Peas
Chicken
Sweet Potato
Carrots
What are your pups favorite foods?
P.S. not all human foods are safe for dogs. Chocolate, Onions, and Grapes are a few of them. If you aren't sure if an item is dog friendly, consult your vet or trainer.
As I talk to more puppy mamas one of the reoccurring themes is "begging". It is a real issue and can make dinner time or when you have guests over extremely unpleasant. And, often, the more treats you sneak under-the-table, the worse that whiny, "but mom...I'd like some too" puppy face gets.
While some people are violently against table scraps, I believe that everything in moderation is OK. And, dogs like rules so if you give them "human food" on your terms it can be a very powerful tool. Here are a few guidelines...
Use it as a treat substitute
I don't advocate dumping a pile of left over mac & cheese with broccoli into your dog's bowl after dinner. But, I do believe that fresh, human food does have value. For dogs that are over weight, baby carrots make a great low-calorie treat. Copley absolutely loves snow peas, blueberries, and carrots. I substitute these all-natural, organic treats for biscuits you can get in the store. Cost effective and all-natural.
I like my food too much to share it
In my opinion, dinner time is one of the most important hours in a day for the family or with a significant other. It is one of the only times you get to stop, relax, and converse about something other than if the email blast went out on time. You can avoid begging by training your dog to "go to your place". Copley knows that when I sit down to eat - she needs to go somewhere else and lay down. I'll either ask her to do a down stay (nice way to practice long down stays), give her a bed, or sometimes she'll get her own special bone to chew on. Either way, she has her own personal time and I have mine: eating in silence with out a whiny puppy under my feet.
Make it a special command
Every time I give Copley a small piece of rotisserie chicken or cheese, I give it to her in the same bowl that she eats her dinner out of. This helped her learn that human food is only given in a controlled environment. A.K.A, don't come looking for it under the table. I paired the word "madame" with this very special reward. Over time, she learned to come running when she hears the word "madame". Honestly, this has helped me in emergency situations. I can yell "madame" and she'll stop whatever she's doing and come back to me looking for a special treat.
Copley's Recommendations:
Hot dogs
Popcorn
String Cheese
Blueberries
Peas
Chicken
Sweet Potato
Carrots
What are your pups favorite foods?
P.S. not all human foods are safe for dogs. Chocolate, Onions, and Grapes are a few of them. If you aren't sure if an item is dog friendly, consult your vet or trainer.
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