Dog Tuning You Out?

 I see this all the time at our dog park.  

The dog, let's call him Buddy, is off the leash, walking in the grass and through the trees, sniffing around and exploring.  The owner, let's call him Jim, is walking along the path.  Buddy is moving in the same direction as Jim, and is consistently about 20 feet from him.  All is how it should be.

Then why is it that I hear Jim call Buddy over and over again for no reason?

"Buddy.  Buddy.  Buddy.  Buddy.  Buddy.  Buddy.  Buddy........"

Now, Buddy is not doing anything wrong.  He is aware of Jim's location and is within direct line of sight at all times.  So why does Jim feel the need to call Buddy's name over and over?  Does Jim want Buddy to come to him?  Doesn't look that way. Is it because he expects Buddy to walk right beside him?  Probably not.  Is it because Buddy is not looking at him?  Maybe.  Does he NEED buddy to look at him?  No.

And yet the calling continues.

"Buddy.  Buddy.  Buddy.  Buddy.  Buddy.  Buddy.  Buddy.  Buddy.  Buddy........"

It's like Jim is the proverbial nagging wife, and Buddy is the beer swigging, football watching husband who completely ignores her.

"Buddy.  Buddy.  Buddy.  Buddy.  Buddy.  Buddy.  Buddy........"

Unfortunately all Jim is doing is teaching Buddy to tune him out.  If he suddenly has a reason for calling Buddy over to him, he will get no response.  Furthermore, Buddy no longer has to see where Jim is, because he can hear him.  This allows Buddy to wander farther away.

"Buddy.  Buddy.  Buddy. Buddy.  Buddy.  Buddy.  Buddy.  Buddy........"

I hike with my dogs all the time.  I let them run all over the forest, and chase squirrels and bunnies.  There are many times when I don't see them or hear them.  But they hear me.  They hear my foot steps.  How do I know?  Because I've never seen two more concerned faces running towards me at top speed as I did the day I had to stop to adjust my sock and re-tie my shoe.

So resist the urge to call your dog's name repeatedly.  Recognize that you are doing it for your own comfort and not the dog's.  And don't worry, your dog knows where you are and will not let you get away.  After all, you're the one who serves up the delicious meals, and yummy treats!

H2O4K9 Water Bottle Review

As the weather heats up, it's very important to have water available for your furballs.  And when it comes to doggie outdoor hydration, there is nothing better than the H204K9 water bottle.  I picked one up at the Toronto All About Pets Show and loved it.  Well worth the $20 I paid for it. Unfortunately, someone at the dog park loved it too, and it disappeared from the bench while we were playing fetch.   When I contacted the company for information on who carries these bottles in my area, they were super sweet and sent me a replacement!  And I got to pick a color - pink of course.  They also sent the neoprene sling for carrying.  YAY!

I have been using this bottle almost every day for the last month or so, and we love it.  My dogs really like drinking from it, I don't waste as much water as I did with other water bottles, and the drinking vessel is built right into the cap, so I don't have to carry any extra pieces.  And the whole thing is stainless steel, so I don't have to worry about BPAs or any other plastic nasties contaminating the girls' water.  It even comes with a carabiner, which I use to hang the bottle from my Timbuk2 dog park bag.

Here is Amelia, having a drink at the dog park.  

 The cap actually holds a good amount of water, so you don't have to keep refilling it.  And the sides keep the water contained so the dog doesn't slosh it around.  We don't waste as much water with the H204K9 as we did with a standard sports water bottle.  Nothing more annoying than carrying fresh water only to have it end up on the trail.

And whatever water is left, is easily transferred from the cap back into the bottle.

There is a gasket in the lid that keeps the water in the bottle and not all over your stuff.  I have not had any problems with leakage, even when I've had some sand stuck in the lid.

The neoprene sling is very comfortable for carrying the bottle around and still have your hands free for fetch.  The neoprene is very soft, and the strap is adjustable, so it's very comfy.  It's also great for carrying a standard bottle of water and some sunscreen, as we found out on our last trip to the forest. 

My sister joined us, but forgot to bring her own water.  Didn't bring sunscreen.  And didn't bring a pack.  Dummeh!  So we hooked her up with a water bottle, a tube of sunscreen, and the sling.  A nice walk in the woods, and not a single complaint about it being uncomfortable, or rubbing, or anything.  And she's high maintenance, so if it wasn't comfy, we'd hear about it.  Probably more than once.

 

So if you're in the market for a bottle that your dog can drink from, then pick up a H204K9 bottle.  I think you and your furry friends will like it as much as we do.  And if you don't carry a bag at the dog park, the sling is great for carrying the bottle and keeping your hands free.

It was so hot today that we had to stop so everyone could lie on the cool sand in the shade for a bit.

 

 Hey internet people, don't judge!  Chasing squirrels and chipmunks all over the forest ain't easy, especially when it's hot!

The Cutest Bowl Stand

I have been looking for some cute bowl stands for a long time.  Everything is either too modern or too boxy, or just plain ugly. 

But then I saw this:

Perfect. 

I'm now going to be on the lookout for two small chairs.

Or maybe I'll repurpose a different piece of furniture for a bowl stand.

This would be good...

Then you get some storage too!

Dog Park in the Rain

It was drizzling slightly when we went to the dog park the other day.  But it was still warm and bright outside. 

Unfortunately, we only saw one other doggie family.  We joked around that the dogs that come to our dog park don't poo when it's raining.  Or on Friday evenings - but that's another story.

The girls were a little sad that they were the only ones in the park when we got there.  They just walked side by side, moping.  This was SO not the dog park adventure they had envisioned.

They were all squinty so that the rain didn't get in their eyes.

And at first, they weren't too thrilled about getting wet.

They didn't want anything to do with their favorite swimming spot.

So what's left to do?

  

Wrestle around and play of course!

So next time you look out the window and the weather is not cooperating, ignore it and make a rainy day doggie play date.  Your dogs will love it!

What do you do with your dogs when it's raining?