The Darling Dog Company

How to make a parcel for your little four legged elf friend

With the Christmas holidays approaching and lots of going out, parties, mulled wine and socialising going on, I thought it might be nice to make a little gift for your dog. It's great to buy them some yum treats and chews but you can also utilise things you have at home to create a present that keeps on giving. And buys you some time to sit back and sip another mulled cider!

You will need:

Smelly, yummy dog treats (I've used some garlic roasted chicken)

A toy that can hold treats and that your dog loves

A box 

Couple of sheets of paper, newspaper or similar

Piece of material

Ribbon, rope or twine

The ingredients you will need

Next cut up the food into chunks that will fit into the toy. The smellier, wetter the better as before you have cut it up and placed in the toy, rub the treats all over the outside of the box. 

Third step is to wrap your toy with treats in it in the wrapping paper. I used sellotape to totally encapsulate it.

Can you guess what it is yet?

Then place your wrapped toy into the box and seal it shut. If your dog is a quick speed box destroyer I would make this a more hardcore box. Heavier duty cardboard from the fruit and grocery store could work.

Next wrap your box in the material you have. I have used some hessian that is quite easy for a dog to move around. Again if your dog loves a challenge I'd put some denser, tougher fabric and wrap it really very tight. I used an old shoe lace to wrap it up. If you have a dog like a terrier I'd make the string that you tie it up with no movement so they reallly have to work at it. If you aren't sure about your dog, I'd start easier and make it tougher the next time.

I agree this doesn't look like a gift I'd like to receive!!

And then all that is left to do is bestow your darling dog with the gift that keeps on giving! As they unwrap each layer they will be delighted. You can even do like you do at kids parties, hiding a treat within each layer of wrapping. 

And then let them get stuck in

Check out my Instagram for a short video on Cookie Dog getting invovled @darlingdog and please do tag me if you make something for your dog. 

Great toy for a rainy day

I'm always on the look out for great interactive toys for different clients and this is one that I really like the idea of. It is so simple and if you have a dog that likes looking for its food then this could be a great addition to your repetoire.

The idea is that you use the toy to scatter feed their treats or meal allowance and they have to sniff them out and retrieve them from the plastic strands of grass. Which is why its a great toy for a rainy day or even for a day when you fancy a bit more time on the sofa!

Great mental stimulation game for your doglet

I love mental stimulation games for dogs, it really does enhance a dog's life and it provides entertainment whilst also teaching them some independence as its a solo game. Unless you fancy searching for your supper in this way too!

So if you have a sniffy terrier, a food loving working breed or a dog that just generally likes to be doing something, give this a go. To order follow this link, at the moment its retailing for £25.

Don't Chuck away your old Tennis balls

Any owner who has a dog that loves tennis balls and who loves to 'chank' them will understand the need for this post. If like me you despair with the amount of useless balls you have lying around then here is the game for you. I seem to get through a lot of them so I decided there had to be more ways to use them once they have given up the ghost! So here is one of my ideas that your dog might enjoy too.

Take a tired old tennis ball, some treats and a sharp knife

Cut a hole in the ball that the treats will be able to fit out of

Stuff with the treats or food that you want to use. Make sure its quite smelly as rubber tennis balls have a strong scent of their own

Then give it to your dog to roll around, pick up and drop and use their paws to get the treats to drop out. If your dog finds this easy peasy then once you have filled with food, tie an old piece of fabric around the ball and let your dog undo and pull that apart to get to the treat dispensing hole. 

 

The Importance of Play for Dogs

Many years ago I used to work as a senior children's researcher, looking at how children's lives have changed, how they interact and one of the topics to investigate was the importance of play. Yesterday I was talking to someone on the phone about their dog and they said it wouldn't play with them, it was a rescue dog. The new owner had only tried the ball and then given up when the dog wasn't interested.

Having the conversation got me thinking back to the days when I worked on this topic with kids, although a different species in my eyes the importance and relevance is exactly the same. Children and dogs use play to learn about the world, to understand the rules and boundaries. If you look at many of the tasks children and dogs do in the early stages its all about improving cognitive behaviour and co-ordination such as grip, hand/paw and eye co-ordination. Then as time progresses its role reversal, testing the boundaries and then there is a lot of running in there, as their curosity and interest in the world means that everything must be done at a really fast pace! Are you seeing the similarities now?

In my eyes, with the work that I do, play has a huge role, in fact I try to make most of my training about play and games. As usually it keeps the dogs interested and motivated. On top of that play is good for us adults, playing with our dogs calms us down, soothes us and makes us happy plus the benefits for your dog. Some dogs have been deprived so do not know how to play or some may have been controlled so tightly that they dare not play. This can be changed but it takes time and patience.

Below I've put a list why in my eyes play is so very crucial for our dogs and I'm not referring to dog on dog play I'm talking about the games and fun they have with us because in my opinion, if a puppy is from a decent breeder with a good mother, much of their dog on dog socialisation will be learnt by the time they arrive with  you at 7/8 weeks. The mother will have taught them when enough is enough, how hard to bite, when to stop and litter mates should have played a role in creating boundaries, role reversal and so forth. So your job as an owner is to continue this play and teach them the ways of the world that they are now going to live in as a dog in a human world.

The benefits of play to your dog:

• It will make your dog happy
• It will build confidence in a nervous dog and maintain confidence in a balanced dog
• As an energy outlet, play is a wonderful way to mentally & physically stimulate your dog
• To learn the rules - i.e. dogs teeth & human skin don't make contact, not to jump up
• As a recall reward
• To make your dog want to be with you and hang out with you, if you are dull and dogs are more fun why would they hang around with you?! Harsh but true I'm afraid.
• As a way to train an exercise or task
• It can be a great motivator. If you do this you get to play this game
• To release stress and anxiety in a dog
• To keep the brain active which is especially important in older dogs
• Balance, co-ordination and life skills such as hunting, fighting etc.
• Because its fun, for everyone involved

The other thing to remember is, don't get caught up on what you 'think' your dog should play with. If you are obsessed with your dog retrieving a ball and it doesn't seem interested, don't worry about it. Move on and find something that they do love playing with. Find out what motivates your dog as every dog is not the same even if they are from the same breed group, there will be similarities but also differences.

Fun & Games for your Dog Workshop - March 21st

I have a couple of places left on the March workshop of the 'Fun & Games for your Dog'. The idea of the workshop is to discuss breed traits and your dogs specifically and then go through some ideas I've created to keep them entertained and mentally stimulated. You will leave the class with a toy that you have made!!

Mental stimulation is key to a dogs happiness alongside exercise, they require both, a bit like us. The workshop is for dog owners only as dogs aren't allowed on site at the venue I'm afraid. If you would like one of the last couple of  places left please get in touch. Its only £10 per person.

Venue: Hackney City Farm, E2

Time: 7-8pm

Cost: £10

Date: March 21st (Wednesday)

To reserve a place please email me on [email protected]

Deer Deer Me - a great new dog chew

Whether you have a teething crocodile of a puppy or a senior that just loves to chew, we are all constantly looking for ideas of how to channel the chewing. Puppies need to chew to relieve the pain of teething and many adult dogs either just enjoy the activity or it can be a stress reliever or a way to while away the time. Whatever way you look at it, chewing serves a purpose. 

At Christmas a few of my clients bought from me and tested some deer antlers. A variety of dogs tried them, varying ages, backgrounds and breeds. The feedback was great, I only had one dog not use the antler, all of the others loved them. 

The great thing about the antler chews is that the dogs have to grind them down, they can't just snap pieces off. So the antler slowly gets smaller and smaller and the dogs enjoy the stimulation and activity. The thing I love about these are that they are ethically sourced from free range Venison living up in Yorkshire. They also last, so they are no one minute wonder! Plus because the antlers are effectively a bone, they are very rich in calcium and magnesium.

The antlers come in varying sizes from small up to extra large with prices starting from 3 - 10 pounds. I now have stock of these antlers at my office. If you want to buy, take a look or see what other goodies I have available, get in touch. You can either drop by or order and collect.

Wrapping Up Game for Dogs - Perfect for Christmas Paws!!

This is a great game to play all year round but if you want to give your dog a Christmas present you can make it into a fun game too.

What you will need:

Treats, a toy, wrapping paper or paper bags

A willing doglet..

Then take your toy, stuff it with the treats and wrap it up in the paper. Then place it in your paper bag.

Give it to your dog to unwrap, tear, shred and find the toy and then the treats

Henry gets rid of the bag and discovers the toy

Mrs Poodle doesn't look too impressed at Henry's antics!



Have fun!

 

Adapting the Game for Different Dogs

Cookie & Henry are such fun to be around but they are both totally different which from my point of view is brilliant. Cookie is an English Bulldog and Henry is made up of who knows what, but one thing is for sure they both have differing strengths and things that they enjoy doing.

Henry on the hunt

I try to do sole walks with each of them, Cookie is deaf so its important for me to do individual work and play with her. Henry is very much still learning the ropes so its equally important for me to go out alone with him. But I also do walks with them together and its making sure that the walk is enjoyable for the pair of them. People often take a look at a dog and make a decision about it, that it can't do this and can't do that. I'd personally recommend that you are led by what they enjoy, if they don't like retrieving balls but would rather be foraging, work to their strengths.

Cookie trying to dig out the tennis ball

So one of the ways that I work a big walk like today is to go to somewhere like the marshes. We do a bit of swimming (I don't get in obviously!) then walk through the forest bit. We then head to the other side of the marshes where its long grass and shrubbery. I walk both dogs into the middle of it and we play hide and seek with the balls. Henry has a great nose so I use a ball launcher to chuck them far away into somewhere that I can't even see. He then goes off hunting and putting his snout and brain to work. Cookie also loves hide and seek but isn't exactly sniffer dog material! So with her, I hide it under leaves, in muddy holes or at the bottom of trees so she has to search it and find it.

He's found the ball!

Both dogs adore the game and it allows me to tailor the game to their strengths. It also exhausts them because of the focus they need to put into it. Plus its relationship building because you are the key to the game. It also means that they work around each other without bothering the other one and I remain the focus.

Look at the concentration on her face, trying to sniff that ball out in the grass

Its one of the reasons I can never understand why people take their dog to the park and then just put their ipod in or talk on the phone, you can have so much fun with your dog and you return from a walk happy with two tired dogs ready for bed when they get home!

 

The Point of Scatter Feeding?

This morning I paid a visit to a lovely little spaniel who among other things loved to gulp his food down, they said it was gone within seconds. Then he had a mad energy spurt. Granted the food was highly processed, full of sugar, salt and preservatives which would have contributed to his sugar rush after eating. But with a change of food and some other tweaks you can very simply adjust your dog's eating habits quite quickly.

For me, the idea of scatter feeding is a great one. When I mention it to clients, they either love the idea or hate the idea - its usually dependent on how house proud they are!

The premise behind scatter feeding is to make the dogs meal time last longer, make them eat slower, make them work for their meal which in turn acts as a mentally stimulating activity. So it is great for dogs that are high energy, dogs that gulp their food, dogs that get bored and need entertaining but most of all as an owner, it gives you some breathing space from your dog without them hassling you for a walk!

Many of the dogs rehoming kennels use scatter feeding in the kennels to make their meal time last that bit longer. I use it with Henry at the moment, he's the type of dog that is raring to go from the moment I wake him up. So I use scatter feeding to buy me some time to get ready before I take him out on a walk.

The ideal with scatter feeding is some kind of dry food although you can use wet or raw, you just need to do more of a hide and seek scatter. I don't feed dry food, I'm not really an advocate of it but I do have some kibble for this very purpose. Depending on the size of your dog will depend on how much you use. For Mr Happy Henry I take a cup and a half and fill it up with the biscuits. I then make him sit and wait at the door whilst I scatter it on the patio, on the decking, under the table and around the kitchen floor. I then release him and let him go searching for it. He loves this game.

I have a teeny tiny garden but if you are lucky enough to have a big one then you can scatter it in grass and the flowerbeds if your dogs are allowed in those bits. Make it as hard or easy your dog can manage. When you are first starting out with doing it, make it simple, so your dog understands what you want from him.

You don't have to restrict it to the garden, you can do this in the park or if you have wooden floors like I do, you can scatter around the house so they have to be a detective and hunt it all out. It is a brilliant game for anyone who owns a dog with a fair bit of brain power or for a dog that never sits still!

Remember, if you have a dog that is aggressive around food do not do this type of feeding around other dogs. Even with Cookie and Henry I do Henry outside and Cookie in the living room. Better to be safe than sorry and prevent a problem forming or dogs competing over food.

If your Dog Loves Food & Balls - This is the Game for Them!

This game is just one of the ideas that I show you in the 'Fun and Games free workshop'. If you own or know a dog that adores food and balls, then this is most definitely the game for them.

You can use a game like this to feed their breakfast/lunch/supper - it makes meal times last longer, it challenges their grey matter and it keeps them occupied. Have a go and let me know what you think. Pictures and videos always gratefully received.

Some of it has had to be compressed so appears a little blurry...sorry!