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Last day to enter our Sun Shield Tee giveaway!  

A Dog's Guide to Rolling in Grass

Mr. N demonstrates the proper technique for rolling in grass for maximum enjoyment and dirtiness.

First, you sprawl out in the grass.

Then you get on your back and prepare to rub yourself against the grass. 

Make sure to kick out your legs and roll with the entire length of your body. Don't forget to get your head. 

Really work those core muscles. 

Add a little twist and roll in all directions just to make sure you're thoroughly covered in grass + dirt smell.

All four directions. If you're rolling in a circle, you're on the right track.

If you're not covered in grass and dirt by the time you're done, you did it wrong!

Final product. 

Mr. N is also giving away a shirt like his (minus the dirt and grass). 

Laptop Heating Pad

Have you entered our giveaway for a sun shield tee? 

The Many Uses for Canned Food

We recently got sent a case of  Merrick Backcountry Grain-Free 96% Real Beef Recipe Canned Dog Food by Chewy.com  to review and are discovering various uses for canned food. Mr. N primarily eats raw and he has only had canned food on special occasions previously. 

Mr. N says they're all his.

We've been using canned food for:

1. Stuffing the Kong: Easiest Kong ever. Just put a few spoonfuls of canned food in the Kong and freeze. 
2. Training: Spread thinly on a long-handled spoon (especially great for small dogs) or in a food tube. 
3. Palatability: Great for mixing in with kibble as a treat or coaxing dogs to eat. 
4. Adding more water to your dog's diet: Canned food has a high water content which is great for dogs that tend not to drink enough or during the summer when dogs get more easily dehydrated. 
5. Emergency backup food: For when you run out of kibble or forget to thaw raw food. 

Mr. N doing platform training and waiting to be rewarded 

The Merrick food is grain-free, protein-rich, made in the USA and the cans are BPA-free. And Mr. N eagerly eats it which is a big deciding factor. I'd prefer it  if the ingredients didn't include guar gum though. 

Do you feed your dog(s) canned food? What do you use it for?

This post was sponsored by Chewy. They are not responsible for the contents of this article. All opinions expressed are our own. 

Wordless Wednesday #90 - Sun Shield Tee Review and Giveaway

Mr. N practically lives in his Gold Paw fleeces for half the year. They are comfortable, warm and wash well. In the summer, he doesn't usually wear anything besides his cooling coat. Now Gold Paw has come out with a summer option: the Sun Shield Tee. We were sent one to review. 

They come in four colors (fuchsia, grey, royal blue and turquoise heather) and are made with a lightweight jersey that is UPF 50 rated (blocks 98 percent of the sun's UV rays). Because Mr. N is light-colored and sporting a summer cut, he is especially vulnerable to the sun. Pets can also get sunburn and other ailments from too much sun exposure. 

The tees are made in a wide range of sizes (2-30). Mr. N wears an eight. The tee is really thin and silky, it feels a bit like bathing suit fabric. Like Gold Paw's other products, they are sewn in the US and the tags are made with recycled materials. 

Mr. N had no trouble hiking, chasing after Sage or wading in the water while wearing the tee. It didn't chafe or bother him at all. The bright turquoise color also helped with visibility because he blends right into the landscape otherwise.

I probably would not put it on him in triple digit weather (or go out for that matter!) but in lower high temperatures, it didn't seem to make him warmer. We were out in the sun for three hours this hike. This will be a welcome addition to his summer wardrobe and I'll have to research some pet sunscreens for his face. 

What do you do to protect your dog from the sun? 

This post was sponsored by Gold Paw. They are not responsible for the contents of this article. All opinions expressed are our own. 

Monday Mischief #71 -Though He Be But Little, He is Fierce

Though he be but little, he is fierce (bonus points to anyone who can tell me where that adapted quotation comes from). Mr. N and Sage have a stare down battle over a stick. Guess who wins? 

It doesn't matter how big the stick. Mr. N still snatches it and runs away. In this case, he almost whacked Sage in the head with it. He never steals anyone else's toys but he and Sage play this long convoluted game where Sage fetches the stick and drops it at the shoreline when Mr. N gives her a look and then runs away with it. We then have to play tug to get it back to throw it for Sage and the cycle begins anew. 

He loves playing with the big dogs. I guess he finds them more compatible speed and energy-wise. Sage is faster than him but Mr. N has outrun an Aussie, a Lab puppy, two Border Collie/Lab mixes and more. It's those long legs.

We also have two giveaways going on for a Solvit Travel Organizer Kit and a bottle of Rejeneril supplement. Both end this week!

BW Sunday #95 - On the Bridge

Rejeneril Review and Giveaway

When I first told the boyfriend that Mr. N was testing out an energy and mobility supplement, he was like oh great, that's exactly what he needs. Mr. N has ridiculous amounts of energy. He went hiking with a group of herding dogs ... and he was the least tired one out of the bunch afterwards. 

Mr. N is getting older and I was considering putting him on a joint supplement as a preventative (especially as he has had a leg fracture in his past) so when we were offered the opportunity to test Rejeneril, I took it. Rejeneril is a patented, clinically tested and veterinarian recommended longevity supplement. It promises the following benefits:

• Improving health and longevity
• Helping build a strong immune system
• Setting the foundation for a disease-free life
• Preventing and clearing skin problems
• Treating dry, itchy skin
• Reducing arthritis and joint pain

I wasn't sure what results I would see with Rejeneril because Mr. N is so bouncy and doesn't have any mobility problems (I was kind of hoping he wouldn't turn out to have more energy). He tested it out for about two months. For 5-20 pounds, 1-4 drops is recommended. He is six pounds so I gave him a drop daily. There is a slight odor but it didn't bother Mr. N when I put it on his food. 

I didn't see any dramatic changes in him but then I wasn't expecting to because he already has boundless amounts of energy. Several of our blogger friends have had good results with their dogs with mobility problems and/or senior dogs. Rejeneril is also safe to use with cats, puppies, nursing and pregnant dogs. 

If you'd like to try it with your own dog(s), Mr. N is giving away a bottle!

This post was sponsored by Ultimate Pet. They are not responsible for the contents of this article. All opinions expressed are our own. 

Wordless Wednesday #89 - Fairyland

Clackamas County Dog Services' Dog Sports Demo Day

Clackamas County Dog Services holds a dog sports demo day every year as a fundraiser for the shelter dogs. I was originally just going to spectate with Mr. N. After a two-hour class, I didn't expect him to want to do any more work. He seemed perky enough and there weren't that many other dogs there so I ended up signing him up. 

It's free to watch (dog treats or food donation encouraged). I brought along some Jones chews to donate. And five dollars to try out the various sports (scent work, carting, barn hunt, clicker training, flyball and agility). They also provide yellow ribbons for the dogs that need more space. 

We headed over to the carting booth where (as expected), we were told that there were no carts for Mr. N's size. Instead, one of the Bernese Mountain Dog Club volunteers pulled Mr. N around as he sat regally for his photo. 

The Berners were very sweet and mellow. I don't think they moved the entire time we were there. 

Mr. N's favorite booth was probably the scent work one. We had a discussion with the Pacific Truffle Dogs trainer about different methods of teaching scent work while Mr. N was rewarded with salmon treats for finding odor. 

At the clicker training booth, Mr. N decided he knew everything already and found the dog bed and took a nap.

 Mr. N ran through the chute and did some cavalettis at the agility booth.

He had a sudden burst of energy at the flyball booth and played some tug and did a jump.

 By the time we reached the Barn Hunt booth, he was done and just wandered around sniffing the ground.

Earlier, he was very interested in the rats cage. I think he finds Barn Hunt boring... he is like so I found the rats, now what? He can do it. He has a ribbon from a fun test but he much prefers lure coursing where there is the thrill of the chase. 

Does your dog have a favorite sport? Any new ones you want to try?

BW Sunday #94 - Dog Treehouse

Have you entered our giveaway for a Solvit Travel Organizer Kit? 

Reviewing Wellness CORE Protein Bars (Chewy.com)

With Mr. N's size, the amount of calories he can safely consume is extremely limited. And he eats raw which is hard to train with so his treat calories have to do double duty. So either we're actively training or they keep him occupied when we're busy with other things (Kongs, bully sticks etc). 

The Wellness CORE Grain-Free Protein Bars Salmon & Whitefish with Pomegranates from Chewy.com remind me a lot of protein bars for humans texture and size and shape-wise. All of the ingredients are easily recognizable, they're made in the USA and contain no meat by-products, grains or artificial flavors, colors or preservatives. However, they're a little too hard and not breakable enough to use for training easily. And Mr. N can eat one pretty rapidly so they're not long-lasting. 

The bars have a distinct fish smell. I deliberately picked that protein because I thought the strong smell would entice Mr. N to eat them. He will eat them but they're not very high value for him. He has been extremely picky about treats lately... I had to give away two bags of different treats because he wouldn't touch them. His friend Sage thought the bars were delicious. 

I think they would work great for bigger dogs to take hiking as an energy boost or as a special treat. For small dogs though, they're not ideal. When we hike, Mr. N gets rewarded frequently for recall, not going crazy over other dogs or squirrels and checking in, and these bars are simply too unwieldy for that purpose.

What do you take for your dogs to eat when you go hiking?

This post was sponsored by Chewy. They are not responsible for the contents of this article. All opinions expressed are our own. 

We're also giving away a Solvit Travel Organizer Kit. 

Solvit Travel Organizer Kit Review and Giveaway

Going places with Mr. N is akin to going places with a baby. So much additional stuff to haul around. Especially when we're going to training class or Mr. N's therapy dog sessions. I'm pretty sure all his gear and treats and things weigh about as much as Mr. N does. I constantly tell Mr. N if he was any bigger, I'd make him wear a backpack and carry some of his own things.

Until that day, I use the Solvit HomeAway™ Travel Organizer Kit which comes with tons and tons of individual pockets and is sturdily built. It has dividers inside the bag so you can have one, two or three compartments. I usually go for the third option and keep water in one, treats in another and toys in the third.There's two mesh pockets on the side and a larger one on the back. I use those for damp or dirty or over-sized items like Mr. N's mat or his cooling vest. 

I keep clothes in one middle pocket and a poop bag dispenser (that pocket has a hole just for that purpose) in the other as well as other small miscellaneous items like a target stick. Mr. N knows all the good things live in the bag and will try to steal his only for training squirrel toy out of it. 

The organizer bag comes with a 1-liter water bottle, a 10-cup food storage bag, two collapsible travel bowls and a bag dispenser with bags. The bowls and storage bag are too big for Mr. N so I didn't test them out. I think his ears would probably get wet from drinking out of the bowls. They'd be a convenient option for bigger dogs though. 

The water bottle is unbreakable which is a handy feature. It doesn't seem to keep water cool for a long time though so I'd slip some ice cubes in if you're going to be out for a while. And I tore the poop bags trying to get them out (they're kind of flimsy) so I'd replace them with your own. 

Credit: Solvit

I really liked the bag for training class purposes. I think it would make a good emergency kit bag as well. It's a little small for road trips especially if you're not a minimalist packer. I am not and bring all the comforts of home for Mr. N like his blanket and polar bear and all the things. I think it would make a good emergency preparedness bag. In a pinch, Mr. N will fit inside the bag as well. 

This post was sponsored by Solvit. They are not responsible for the contents of this article. All opinions expressed are our own. 

Mr. N is giving one away to a lucky winner. Enter through the widget below.

Monday Mischief #69 - Dog DIY Cone

Mr. N was scratching and licking at himself so much a few weeks ago due to his flea allergy, I decided he needed a cone. And this was around ten pm so my options were severely limited. His last cone had cracked and been thrown away. 

So I googled and one website suggested putting a paper plate on small dogs. Didn't have those either. I looked around and spotted a cardboard box and cut that up. Mr. N didn't mind too much as the cardboard was fairly flexible and went back to sleep. The next day, I borrowed a real cone from a friend.

I thought he looked like he was in a pillory while the boyfriend said it reminded him of the cat breading meme. 

What emergency or DIY solutions have you put together for your dog? 

BW Sunday #93 - Loves the Camera

Mr. N loves the camera so much, he cuddles with it.

FitDog Friday #79 - How to Find a Good Groomer

A Golden died recently at Petco in a drying cage after being groomed.  I can only imagine how devastating it must have been for Colby's owner. That and Mr. N's most recent groom at a new groomer made me think about how to find a good groomer. The grooming industry is unregulated and groomers are not required to be certified. And for Mr. N, it's the most amount of time he spends away from me so finding a good groomer is key.

Here's what I do.

• I read Google, Yelp and Facebook reviews (if they have a Facebook presence, they'll also usually have pictures of grooms). I ask other dog people about their groomer. I google the groomer/business owner's name.
• Ask if they have experience grooming your breed. Yorkies and Maltese (Mr. N's breed mix) are both very common at groomers so I don't particularly worry about the groomer knowing how to groom them but if you have a more uncommon breed, ask or if you want a show groom.
• Ask about their grooming experience. How long have they been doing this, where did they train, and do they have any certifications? The most recent groomer Mr. N has been to is preparing to do competition grooming. 
• Visit to see is their facility clean and safe? Are all the dogs cared for and supervised during the entire grooming process? 
• Watch how they interact with the dogs. Groomers will never be Mr. N's favorite people but he likes some better than others. 
• Ask how do they dry the dogs? I only take Mr. N to places that will hand dry him. 
• See if they ask for your vaccination records? I wouldn't want to take Mr. N to a place full of un-vaccinated dogs. 
• Ask what is their matting policy? Some shops will not demat and will shave the dogs down and some will charge for the extra time de-matting the dogs. 
• Ask how do they handle aggressive dogs and shy dogs? Mr. N is very tolerant and stoic about grooming (several groomers have told me so) so I didn't ask but some groomers will not take aggressive dogs and I'd want to know if they wanted to muzzle my dog so I could get him used to it first. And shy dogs need special handling. 

Do you have any tips to find a good groomer? 

Wordless Wednesday #87 - Visit to Oz

Artwork by John Teply

Positive Pet Training #16 - Training with Multiple Dogs

Mr. N is perfectly happy being the sole pet of the household but previously we had a foster dog for six months. The dogs got along fine. They never became BFFs or anything but they would play together occasionally and they never got into a fight.

Training time became difficult though as Mr. N would get very upset when I trained Onyxx and he wasn't included. My workaround was to have Mr. N do all the tricks with Onyxx as Onyxx was learning them. This worked because Mr. N already knew all the tricks/behavior and I didn't have to concentrate on training both dogs. Normally, I would suggest training the dogs separately.

Photo posing is an important skill to learn in our household. The dogs with a visiting friend.

When I trained Mr. N, Onyxx was content being tossed the odd treat for watching and being calm or in the crate with a chew. If I had to do it over again, I'd probably do mat training so the non-working dog would settle on the mat while the other dog worked.

I think several more rounds of training class and watching the other dogs train and having to wait his turn has made Mr. N a bit more patient since then. When we were over at Sage's house and I was teaching her how to wave, he wandered off and found his own entertainment. I made sure to treat him after we were done for being good.

How do you train with multiple pets?

Welcome to First Monday's Positive Pet Training Blog Hop hosted by Cascadian Nomads, Tenacious Little Terrier and Rubicon Days. Please share your responsible pet owner positive pet training tips by linking a blog post or leaving a comment below. Any positive reinforcement training posts or comments are also always welcome. The Positive Pet Training Blog Hop goes all week long. Our next hop will begin Monday, July 6th and continues for a week. The July theme is training sins.

The dogs waiting for Thanksgiving dinner