Getting your pet comfy in costume

With Halloween coming up, it’s the right time to find the perfect costume for your pet. However, dressing up your pet could cause a few problems. What happens if your dog absolutely hates the costume, and they end up shaking and shimming their way out of it? 

 

The answer is quite simple, prep your pet and desensitize them to the costume before they wear it for Halloween. If you follow these few simple steps, your pooch can proudly prance in their Halloween costume, and be comfortable while doing so!

1. Don’t force your dog to put on the costume the first time you present it to them. Start easy, present the costume to the dog with food on top of it. This gives the dog a positive introduction to the costume without being too invasive. Leave the costume on the floor or somewhere your dog can approach it freely and continue to reward them with food for any interaction with the costume. If they sniff it or approach it on their own, feed them. If you can get to the point where your dog sticks their head in the costume, that would be wonderful! They should be greatly rewarded for this behavior. 

2. Put your dog’s costume on for short periods of time once they grow comfortable around it. A great time to put the costume on would be when your pooch is about to eat dinner. When putting the costume over your dog’s head, always make sure you lure them and reward them with treats. Putting on a costume can be stressful for your dog, so do everything possible in order keep the experience positive. If you have a toy motivated dog, you can put the dog’s costume on and play with them. 

3. Reward, reward, reward. Once your dog gets used to wearing the costume for short time periods, you can start leaving it on for longer periods of time. Remember to always supervise your dog when they are wearing their costume. You never know what they could choose to eat off their costume or whether or not they may get stuck and hurt themselves.

Be sure to recognize when the costume is not working.  Don’t force your dog to wear something that they absolutely hate. If you try to get your dog acclimated to a costume and they still can’t seem to stand wearing it, don’t force them to wear it for your own satisfaction.

Remember to be safe and always watch over on your pooch on Halloween. Halloween can be fun and adorable for your dog, but all the activity can be scary and rambunctious, so keep an eye on your dog while you have trick-or-treaters.

Keep Your Dog Active With Puzzle Toys!

With the dog toy market constantly evolving, there is now a new trend - Puzzle Toys. These interactive toys work well at keeping your pooch’s mind agile. Not only will they keep your dog entertained but they will also complement your dog’s training.


Trainers at Morris K9 Campus recommend a variety of interactive toys that can keep your dog amused while you are away from them as well as games that you and your pooch should do together.

Ball in Ball/Rover Rescue

The concept of the ball in ball is simple. There is a tennis ball located inside a larger rubber ball, in which your dog must figure out the right configuration to remove the tennis ball from the larger ball. The toy encourages the dog to problem solve, and like all interactive toys, makes them work for their reward, which is a vital component of training.

A toy similar to the ball in ball, which is also available at Morris K9 Campus, is Rover Rescue, the concept is the same as the ball in ball, and the difference being that instead of a tennis ball it contains a squeaker toy. The change allows you to pick the toy that best suits your dog’s preferences.

Magic Mushroom/Kibble Nibble

The Magic Mushroom and the Kibble Nibble are both treat dispensing toys, that after an initial supervised play, you are able to leave the dog alone with the toy. The toy is designed to hold treats, and as your dog plays the treats will randomly fall out. The treat dispensing toys are great for dogs that suffer separation anxiety, as it can keep them entertained while you are away.

Star Spinner Dog Toy Puzzle

The Star Spinner is a treat-hiding game that has ten chambers, it’s a great mentally stimulating game for your dog, and can be a great way for you to bond with your pooch. The ten treat chambers within the three layers, means your dog has to find that proper rotation in order to get all the treats. The toy also has an adjustable knob, which allows you to increase or decrease the resistance, and adjust the toy accordingly. The toy should always be used under supervision, but that allows you and your dog to be able to work at solving the puzzle together.

Kong

The Kong is a great training tool, and has been used by dog owners for years. The toy, which made of rubber and is hollow, is designed to be stuffed with treats, and can be used to entertain high energy dog, as well as having the benefit of cleaning your dogs teeth. The toy can be stuffed with anything from, treats, to toothpaste, to peanut butter and will keep your dog busy and out of trouble for extended periods of time.

So perhaps you should consider puzzle toys to stimulating your dog’s brain. There are toys that can be beneficial to both you and your dog. You can find all of these toys for sale at Morris K9 Campus or if you need a recommendation for your dog, we will be happy to help.

Has your dog used a dog puzzle and did they like it?

The Eco-Conscious Canine

The green movement has unquestionably swept the nation and by now, you have probably jumped aboard the environmental band wagon and are doing your share to ensure the longevity of our planet for generations to come. Maybe you hang your clothes out to dry, carpool to work, and are tenacious about recycling. But did you also know that it’s possible to reduce your dog’s carbon paw print? We don’t expect your pup to start picking up litter on the sidewalk during your daily walks, (though we’ve heard it’s possible, Ruby a golden from Colorado does just that) but there are small lifestyle changes that can be made which are not only better for the planet but also your cuddly canine.  In honor of Earth Day, we have outlined some green-savvy tips to help you and Fido help the planet.

-Biodegradable Poop Bags: If you haven’t yet made the jump to canvas bags, use all those leftover plastic bags as poop bags on your dog’s walk. If you are already a canvas bag junkie, pat yourself on the back and use bio-degradable bags for your dog’s eliminations. These bags are compostable and can be flushed down the toilet so they don’t sit stagnant taking up space in landfills. 

-Donate dog toys: No one understands more than we do that your dog is your child. But having two toy boxes full of dog toys might be overwhelming for your dog, not to mention wasteful. Buy durable toys that won’t be destroyed an hour after your dog gets hold of them, and give them a quick wash when they get dirty. You can donate toys you no longer want to shelters where homeless dogs would be more than happy to play the day away with Fido’s hand-me downs.

-Green your dog products: As the environmental movement gains ground, so too do natural products ranging from your shampoo to the paper towels you use. The dog industry has seen its share of amazing innovative earth friendly products. From compostable dog food Becobowls, made from natural fibers like bamboo, to toys made at Planet Dog from leftover recycled materials.

-Spay or neuter: Spaying and/or neutering your dog not only fixes numerous behavioral problems but ensures we don’t continue to overpopulate our planet with canines that may wind up in shelters.

-Adopt a dog: Shelters across the country are overflowing with dogs that have come across hard times. Provide them with the loving warm family they desire and deserve. Let’s celebrate the lives of wonderful dogs already in this world!

These are only a few helpful tips. How have you and your dog gone green?

Sources: dogtime.com