2 Games Your Dog Will Love: Catch-Me-If-You-Can & Bobbing-For-Treats

<p>By Dave Swanborough

Catch-Me-If-You-Can

One of the most popular games dogs play with each other is the game of “catch-me”. They delight in being either the chaser or the chasee. Most dogs are more comfortable in the role of chasee when playing with people. Some trainers caution against play-chasing your dog for fear the dog will learn she can evade you. But most dogs already know you are as slow as a slug.

Before playing this game, you should teach your dog to come when called and you should use distinctive words to signal the beginning and end of the catch-me game. Begin the game with “I’m gonna get you!” and stalk your dog, pouncing at him. Give chase as best you can, but if he leaves you in the dust, either crouch down and wait for him to do a fly-by (when you can pounce at him once again) or turn around and run full blast the opposite way – a sure-fire way to get him headed back in your direction.

Some dogs like to see how close they can pass without hitting you. If you have one of these, stand perfectly still so you don’t run into the dog’s path. A high-speed collision with a dog is very dangerous for both of you. At the end of the game, give a game-over word such as “finished” and call the dog to you using his regular recall command. Give him a treat and take a break.

Bobbing-For-Treats

This game will give your dog the ability to pick up floating or sunken objects from water, plus it’s fun watch with other dogs that join the dog-party! It is basically the canine version of bobbing for apples. Since no self-respecting dog is going to get his muzzle wet for an apple, all you need to do is substitute dog biscuits, hot dog slices or other treats. Experiment to find some that float on top, some that float just below the surface and some that sink.

If you’re having a summer pool party, you can use a child’s wading pool and let each dog splash around after the treats. For more formal affairs you can use a large bowl or pot. There’s a reason you don’t just fill up your bathtub, though: One sight of it filled with water and all your doggy guests will head for the exit, sure you have a dreaded bath planned!

Fill your pool or bowl with lukewarm water. If you’re using a bowl or pot, change the water between contestants; if you’re using a pool just empty it after the entire contest. Let each dog have a practice bob until he gets one treat. Then start the clock and see how many he can grab in two minutes. Can anyone get them all?

A variation on the theme for ball-crazy dogs is to fill a kiddie pool with tennis balls. See how many balls each dog can pick up and give to his person in one minute. The person is allowed to get in the pool and encourage the dog in any way, and she can take each ball from the dog as soon as the ball is totally out of the water. The person can even help by picking up balls herself – of course, using only her teeth.

About the Author: Dave Swanborough is the Webmaster and owner of All About Dogs a website dedicated to supply resources and information to help all Dog owners better understand their pets needs. http://www.dogscatsdogs.com/

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Healthy Practices: When Should I Give Dog Treats to my Pet?

<p>By Kimberly Case

Tips for Dog Treats: Avoid Overfeeding with Proper Timing

Some pet owners take a very easy going approach to dog treats. While this can work out alright, your pet’s health should be a top priority. Dog treats can become a problem when they are fed too often. Although Fido may look adorable when he or she does certain things, avoid giving a treat every time you have the urge. Instead, consider putting your pet on a treat schedule. This will reduce the likeliness of obesity in your dog and ensure he or she will always eat their daily meals to get the vitamins and nutrients they need to remain strong and healthy.

When to Reward

Dog treats make excellent rewards because canines love to work for food. The key thing to remember is that you should not reward every little thing your pet does with something edible. Instead, reserve food rewards for the bigger achievements. For example, if you are housebreaking, it is not advised that you give your pet dog treats every time he or she goes outside. This will come be expected and can have the opposite effect should you suddenly stop rewarding once the dog seems housebroken. Instead, utilize praise for potty training. On the other hand, if you are teaching your pet basic obedience commands and he or she successfully executes one, by all means hurry and treat!

Treats as Snacks

Some humans like to snack during the day or evening, so naturally we assume our pets do too. While a snack is not a bad thing, giving dog treats many times throughout the day is. Too many biscuits could turn your pet off to his or her food. Instead, set a specific snack time each day. This could correspond with a convenient time for you, such as in the evening after dinner or later in the afternoon when you are done working. Your pet will soon learn the schedule and remind you when it is snack time. This will also help you control the amount of calories and fat your dog is taking in each day to avoid health issues later in life.

Adjusting Treat Habits

If you are reading this and already know your pet has developed some bad treating habits, do not worry. There are easy ways to correct the problem. The first is identifying it. Has your pet put on some weight in the last months? Does he or she suddenly seem less interested during actual meal times? Then you may need to reduce the amount of treats you are giving. It is important to point out that if you are not over treating, and these problems are occurring, exercise could also be an issue or something more serious. If you suspect a health problem, immediately take your pet to a vet!

When reviewing you pet’s snacking methods, you should have a good idea about whether that is truly the problem. If it is, start slow by reducing the number of times he or she gets dog treats each day. Make a schedule that works for you and be prepared to ignore your pet’s pleas for a snack. Also consider changing out dog treats for something lighter, such as carrot pieces or apple slices (minus seeds and core, of course). These are excellent alternatives that can help shrink your pet’s appetite.

About the Author: Article by Kimberly Case of dogtreatstogo.com- Where you can find a large selection of Dog Treats including Large Dog Treats and Training Dog Treats Online!

Source: www.isnare.com

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Dog Treat Jars and You and Your Dog

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How important is a dog treat jar? That is easy. Just think about your own treats. How important are they? Where do you keep them? If they are cookies, they are probably in a cookie jar of some cute design that corresponds with your kitchen dcor. Cake may be under a lid on a cake plate or in the refrigerator. Your mouth waters as you approach any of these because you know what is in them.

Your dog will recognize the fact that when you go to the dog treat jar you are about to produce a tasty morsel for them and there is no doubt that the excitement increases with each step and each movement. You approach the jar and there is pup. You remove the lid and he gets a little closer. Your hand goes into the jar and that is probably when the drooling begins. It is such fun to have a happy dog.

While treats are given for a variety of reasons, the most common is as a reward for some positive behavior. Maybe your dog is in the early stages of house breaking and has just come back from a successful venture outdoors. That is a great time for a treat. Perhaps your bell rang and due to your training the dog did not bark, snarl and growl and followed your command to stay when you told him too. This is another great time for a reward. A dog will learn more quickly to behave well if he is rewarded with every attempt at good behavior.

Perhaps you are feeding your dog RAW and you keep your dog treats in the refrigerator. If so that container is his dog treat jar. It doesn’t have to be fancy, just needs to be full. Unless you are planning on a photo shoot of your home, your dog could actually care less the conveyance that will produce a treat. He just knows it is coming if you are heading that way and he is totally ready.

Some treats do not keep well in dog treat jars. Homemade soft treats will mold more quickly if not refrigerated. In this case you may place a sealed container in the refrigerator and watch as you approach it if your dog is near. It has to bring a smile to your face.

Every dog wants to please their owner. So should every owner want to please their dog? Of course. It will elevate you to the leader status that you should have. By rewarding your dog’s good behavior, your production of rewards from the treat jar will be rewarded by a well behaved dog. It is also safe to consider that you will never go into the kitchen without the dog being close behind, but that is okay. As long as you set limits, it should not be a problem.

It all revolves around setting limits. Arbitrary rewards become meaningless after awhile and your dog expects you to produce at their will instead of yours. Be the leader and pass out treats from the dog treat jar with a conservative attitude. Your pet will reward you for it.

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Natural Dog Treats – Yummy and Nutritious

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A nutritious diet is essential for a healthy living! Yes, it is absolutely correct that a diet which provides all the requirements such as vitamins, minerals, proteins, to the body not only ensures physical fitness, but mental fitness too. This case is not only with humans, but animals too, as they require proper food for a healthy living. Is your dog eating the right food? You can decide which kind of food should be served to your doggy, since he is entirely dependent upon you, so be careful and provide food that proves to be best for your pooch. In order to boost your dog’s health profoundly, you can include natural dog treats in your dog’s diet which are not only delicious, but nourishing too. Enjoy the pleasure expressed by your sweet pup when offered natural dog treats!

While selecting natural dog treats for your pet dog, you need to consider many aspects like the activity level of your pooch, purpose of treats, medical condition of your pet, food allergies, size of the dog and above all, your budget. Dog treats would mostly be suitable for extremely active dogs that need high protein and fat whereas dog treats lower in protein, fat and overall calories can be served to dogs that are sedentary. If your pet dog is allergic to any ingredient then be careful and read the labels before choosing dog treats, since different treats will include different ingredients. It is wise to contact your vet if you further have any doubt on this.

Depending upon your pet’s requirement and your reason to give your dog treats, you can choose from a wide variety of natural dog treats, however treats can also be given for no reason at all. You may feel that your doggy deserves all the natural dog treats, but make sure that the treats selected, are the best products for your pet. If required you can consult your veterinarian and know exactly, what kind of treats and how frequently natural dog treats can be given to your dog. Dog treats like chewy treats can also help dogs to improve their teeth and gums and those without any preservatives or chemicals, like natural dog treats prove to be the best option where your dog’s health is concerned. Good quality and an adequate quantity of food shall keep your pet dog’s weight at a controlled level and will also enable him to be active. You will be taking care of your doggie’s daily diet which needs to be balanced, but along with it you can serve your doggy natural dog treats and make him happy as well as healthy, which in turn shall make you happy too. Dog treats are safe and nutritious if given to pet dogs in proper quantity and as per their requirement, so give yummy and nutritious food to your pooch because a healthy pet is a happy pet! Let your pet enjoy the best healthy treats!

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