Ritual Sacrifice

Mr. N wanders into the wrong part of the beach...

The Bunny and The Lion

The lure operator said it was like watching a bunny chase a bunny!

Mr. N doing his best skulking lion impression.

Photos by Polis Photography.

How Could You?

Mr. N still can't believe I went to the cat cafe and didn't take him. He may not speak to me for a week!

Small Dog Outdoor Adventures with the Wrapsit Crate

If you're anything like me, it takes more time and effort to pack for the dog than for yourself. And he always has more stuff than I do. Anything to reduce the amount of things I have to lug around is super welcome.

We went to a lure coursing trial over the weekend. I packed a book, snacks and water for me. Mr. N's packing list was more extensive (treats, toys, towels, rain coat, fleeces, water etc) and filled two bags. I normally bring a soft carrier for him as well but on this trip, I brought the Wrapsit instead which meant I had one less (bulky) thing to carry.

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

The Wrapsit is a 5 cubic foot soft slipcover that goes on a folding quad chair and acts as a fully enclosed crate and/or storage area. The four sides are mesh allowing for ventilation and the pet to look out. And there's a shoulder strap that serves as a lead. Installation is quick and easy, you put a few velcro straps together and attach some clips.

Lure coursing is a high arousal sport and many of the dogs were screaming and lunging towards the lure like maniacs while waiting for their turn. Mr. N does not approve of this behavior. He will shake from excitement but generally he's quietly intense while waiting for his turn. And while he's running.

Photo by Polis Photography.

In the absence of a plastic bag to chase, a couple of the dogs were eyeing Mr. N in a "you look like a fluffy bunny and I want to eat you" way. He decided to pop into the Wrapsit of his own volition a couple of times to get away. 

His favorite feature is probably the waterproof base as it rains here the majority of the year and rain is always a risk at outdoor trials. The rest of us might get wet but he'll stay dry. If your dog is a texture snob like Mr. N, I would bring a towel or something else to put on the floor of the crate as it is not padded.

As for me, I like the pockets (storage space) and that you can just fold it up with the chair and it becomes the carrying case complete with padded handle. No repacking. 

Several people at the trial asked me about the crate and lamented the fact that their dogs were too big to go under the seat.  Wrapsit recommends it for dogs under 16 inches. Mr. N is small but leggy (11.5 inches) and he had no trouble popping in and popping out.

 The chair that I used is on the smaller side. Mr. N found it roomy enough but bigger dogs may want more space. Wrapsit adjusts to fit most popular size chairs up to 22 inches in length and 18 inches in height and the company suggests chairs close to the limit for maximum space and full functionality. 

Keep in mind this is a soft crate with velcro fasteners and it will not prevent a determined dog from getting out. I would not use this unsupervised or with dogs that are bad with crating. Mr. N is OK with soft crates as long as I am right there with him. 

If you have a small dog who goes with you on outdoor adventures, I highly recommend the Wrapsit. Your dog will have a safe space wherever you go. It's lightweight and convenient and one less thing to carry!

Wrapsit has generously provided a Wrapsit for one of our readers. Enter below!

Halloween Dog Trick: Hold

Going to grandmother's house. 

I freely admit it. I taught Mr. N a "hold" purely for photo purposes. Now he's quite good at holding things in his mouth for photos although he still doesn't like metal objects. 

I had a bit of trouble getting him to do it originally as he kept trying to retrieve the item instead of holding it in his mouth. What helped was having him do it in a down as then he couldn't move to retrieve the item. I think I taught it backwards and most people start with the hold so this is probably not a common problem. 

Basically, I rewarded him for any interaction with the object and then mouthing. Once he started holding it his mouth, we built up duration slowly. And Mr. N is super non-mouthy so if he can do it, any dog can! I had to teach him how to fetch using a bully stick. 

Originally, I was going to have him hold a toy saw but I have no idea where we stowed it in the basement and I couldn't find it. So we improvised and did a Red Riding Hood-themed hold instead. Other objects that could work: bones, zombies (the stuffed kind), pumpkins, and treat baskets.

Do you have a favorite Halloween-themed trick?

Welcome to First Monday's Positive Pet Training Blog Hop hosted by 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.  Our theme for this month is Halloween-themed tricks but 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 November 7th and continues for a week. November's theme is indoor activities and games and December's is training gifts (a training gift you have given your dog, such as working slowly through something scary like nail trimming, or conversely, a training gift your dog has given YOU!)