*As of Feb 1, 2019 We’ve moved!*If you like this post please come on over to the new blog at https://www.maplewooddog.com/blog/Where you can find all the archives you’ve read here plus new posts nearly every week! Hope you’ll join me over at the Maplewood Dog Blog. Thanks!
Materials:
1 kitchen chair
1 bored corgi in need of entertainment
Handful of dog kibble or small treats
1 tired human
1 comfortable sitting place for tired human preferably warm and with cozy blankets
Goal: entertain corgi in silliness and fun with minimal energy out put from human
Execution:
Place kitchen chair in middle of room
Place dish of dog treats on table next to couch
Human sits on couch in a warm blanket
Mark and reward corgi with a tossed treat for doing interesting things primarily surrounding chair and quietly. Also intermittently toss treat to the silent black dog lying peacefully next to human on couch.
Result:
Wagging tail silent corgi moving in general figure 8 type pattern through and around legs and rungs of chair ending in a down with corgi head resting on rungs of chair while human remains comfortably snuggled in blanket on couch and black dog remains peacefully chill beside said human.
*As of Feb 1, 2019 We’ve moved!*If you like this post please come on over to the new blog at https://www.maplewooddog.com/blog/Where you can find all the archives you’ve read here plus new posts nearly every week! Hope you’ll join me over at the Maplewood Dog Blog. Thanks!
Tick Patrol reporting for duty!
5 black and white Magpie ducks ready to hunt bugs!
One of the draws for me to Magpie Ducks is their known foraging tendencies. They’ll eat just about any bug they can get their beaks on. Last year I watched one of them crunch an entire live cicada. And those buggers are HUGE!
This morning within 10 seconds of being let out, they were on the hunt. Ticks don’t stand a chance!
*As of Feb 1, 2019 We’ve moved!*If you like this post please come on over to the new blog at https://www.maplewooddog.com/blog/Where you can find all the archives you’ve read here plus new posts nearly every week! Hope you’ll join me over at the Maplewood Dog Blog. Thanks!
Because you know 65’F in mid February in New England is totally typical. So the creepy crawlers are out with a vengeance. That said besides the ticks, it is a lovely day to hang with the crew in the yard
I sent a little video to one of my clients of her dog having a great time playing while he was with me. She loved the video and seeing him have so much fun, then she said, “I heard you call him weird on the video. Is he weird?”
Um, yes. Her dog is indeed a tad bit of an odd ball as far as dogs go. But so aren’t the majority of dogs on my string. They’re all rather peculiar and a bit skewed on the normal scale for dogs.
Some of my favorite goofy guests Lena, Dulce, Beau & Zora
And I love them for it. I like working with the dogs that have quirks. I find it fun and challenging. I like that they make me think outside the box, they create a puzzle for how to best meet their needs and make them feel comfortable. I like striving to create opportunities for growth for each of them.
Right now, I 100% accept that in my life it wouldn’t be a great situation for me, the family or the dog if I had a dog 24/7/365 as my own a few clicks to the side of normal. Trust me I’ve had a number of them in my lifetime (to be honest Tom and Zora are as close to normal as any dogs I’ve ever had. I mean they are really easy dogs, Zora can be a bit of a nutter at times but all told she’s rather low on that scale. It shocks me often quite frankly). So I get my fix through my client dogs when they are here for boarding.
The boarding dogs and their peculiarities are really what prevents me from jonesing too bad for a puppy or a 3rd dog. I don’t really want a puppy. I don’t really want a 3rd dog. Ok I don’t want a 3rd dog at all. What I want, what I really crave is the challenge.
Now that Zora is 3 and pretty much grown up, and Tom is and always has been Mr Perfect, there isn’t really much challenge. I mean I can create training challenges and teaching them new skills. And that’s super fun. But there really isn’t much life challenge if you know what I mean. I don’t have to do much micromanaging, or hyper vigilance on a moment to moment basis. I don’t have to think about when the mail truck will arrive, or what windows are open at what time, or make sure all socks are in the hamper, or that the gate to the basement is shut, or remember to be prepared when I turn the tv on in case a dog appears on the screen, or even where the dogs are in the house at any given second. Which I mean all around yes is a good thing, but my controlling nature likes the excuse that a dog with challenges gives me for micromanaging. Tom and Zora don’t need me to do that anymore. They both are overall good at self regulating, and all the elbow grease I put into Zora as she was growing up has paid off.
Most people breathe a sigh of relief when they get to this point with their dogs. It’s their goal all along. I’m glad we are at this point but mostly it’s because I like how happy my dogs are when they are at this stage. Where they trust life is going to go well, and their needs will be met and they can respond appropriately with no to little stress to the various events of life, where they feel confident and safe, where they feel comfortable self regulating and that hyper arousal isn’t necessary. I like that they feel safe to relax and enjoy their life. That is the part that makes me happy. But I’d be lying if I didn’t say I miss the role I had in getting to this stage. There are times where a year ago Zora would have needed my help and now I start to go ‘oh!’ and she’s already taken care of it appropriately. Sigh, ok then.
Which is why I love my overnight guests. I love that they are all a little weird. That they all have different needs. That they all need me to think outside the box and plan and remember certain things to set them up for the most success possible. I love watching them feel safe, confident, relaxed, playful. I enjoy being a part of their positive growth. I enjoy giving them a safe place and outlets for their weirdness.
In part they help me to be grateful for Tom and Zora. But mostly they give my desire to be needed an outlet. And one that doesn’t require we get another dog. Which my husband, Tom and Zora (and ok honestly me too) all appreciate I’m sure.
Video of Ted (one of my favorite odd balls) and Zora swimming. Apparently it is an anomaly for a shih tzu to love swimming so much. Isn’t he adorable in his life vest?
Zora sitting waiting for me to fill her blue & orange Snuffle Mat with food
Snuffle mats seem to be all the rage lately in the dog world. If the term ‘snuffle mat’ hasn’t yet made it to your various social media or news feed, let me fill you in. A snuffle mat is essentially a mat with flaps of fleece that a dog owner (or cat owner) puts the dog’s food hidden within and the dog sniffs around (snuffles) finding all of the bits of food and crumbs hidden in the nooks and crannies of the mat. Snuffle mats are used to enable people yet another way to ditch the food bowl and feed their pets in an enriched environment. Meaning feeding time is more mindfully engaged for the animal using various senses than the mindless feeding straight out of a food dish. These are also great for dogs that gulp or inhale their food, helping them to slow down and find their food bit by bit.
The most common instructions for a snuffle mat involve using a plastic or rubber mat base that has holes throughout. Then knotting in strips of fleece to make something like in this photo:
The downside to using a rubber mat base is the things are a. challenging to clean (so you really can only feed dry dog food or other non messy treats in it), b. heavy (might not be a downside depending on your dog and lifestyle) and c. pretty set in their size meaning they won’t change shape much when you want to store them or travel with them (I like things that fold up smaller and are easy to transport).
So I’ve been thinking and thinking about how to make on that is lighter weight, easier to store and transport, and washable. And came up with the following plans.
The end size of the snuffle mat I’m making is approx 24.5″ x 17.5″ which seems to be a suitable size for both Tom and Zora to easily enjoy. If you had a dog that was larger or smaller, adjust your measurements and size accordingly. If I was just making it for Zora I could probably go down to about a foot square in size, but I have Tom and other larger dogs in and out of my life so I think for me the size I gave is most versatile.
Because this mat is light weight and made completely of fleece, it is intended to be used by your dog supervised by an adult human. After you’re done using it for that meal or snuffle period, please pick it up and store it out of your dog’s reach until you’re ready to supervise them using it once more.
DIY Washable Snuffle Mat for Enriched Dog Meal Times:
Materials:
1 18″x50″ piece of fleece for the base
2 pieces of at least 18″x 25″ fleece (can use the same color or a different color or pattern) for the snuffle flaps (if you want a denser mat of flaps, you will need more fleece)
sewing machine and thread
scissors
Step 1: Take the 18″x50″ piece of the fleece and fold it in half with top side facing in. So you now have a double layer fleece measuring 25″ x 18″ (you could do a single layer base if you wanted meaning you’d skip steps 1-3, but I found a double layer base to be a bit more sturdy and hold up better)
Fleece folded in half ready to sew into a double layer base for the snuffle mat.
Step 2: Using your sewing machine, sew a 5/8″ seam around the 3 open sides, stopping about 5″ short on the 3rd side so you have an opening.
Orange fleece base with 3 sides sewn and opening
Step 3: Invert it, so the top side is now facing out and the seams are inside the bag you have now created. Tuck in the open seam and sew it shut. You should now have a piece of double layer fleece approx 17.5″x24.5″ Set this aside for now.
Step 4: Take your other 2 pieces of fleece and cut strips ranging from 6-10″ wide. You should now have a bunch of strips 6-10″ wide x 18″ long.
Blue and orange fleece strips cut with the fleece base also shown
Step 5: Fold each of these strips in half the long way (so you have them 3″ w x 18″ lor 4″ w x 18″ l or 5″ w x 18″ l) and if you’d like mark the half point with a bit of chalk.
Blue strips folded in half, ready to sew on
Step 6: Unfold each strip, and place them on your double sided fleece base that you completed in the earlier steps. Place them evenly spaced on 1 side of the fleece. If you are using different colored or patterned strips arrange them in which ever order side by side you’d like. Depending on how thick or spares you’d like this fleece hunting area for your dog to be, space the strips so they will have fabric overlapping tightly or loosely. If you want a really thick mat, you are likely going to need more fleece to cut a greater number of fabric strips.
Step 7: Sew down the middle of each strip, long wise, attaching each strip to the double sided fleece. In the end you should have long flaps of fleece sewn to the base.
Sewing down the center of the fleece strip
Fleece strip sewn on
Sewing the 2nd fleece strip on
Step 8: Now that you’ve finished all of the sewing parts, go around the mat and cut off any hanging threads. We don’t want a dog to get those!
Mat with blue and orange strips sewn on
Step 9: Cut into each long sewn on flap cutting toward the sewn line to make flaps from 1.5-3″ wide. You want to create many smaller flaps to hide the kibble and treats in.
Cut into the sewn on strips, cutting flaps toward the center sewn line
Complete mat with flaps all cut
Step 10: Lay the completed mat on the floor and bury some treats or kibble in it! Call your dog over and have a great time enjoying them snuffle around in their brand new Snuffle Mat!
My hand with treats in it ready to hide them in the snuffle mat
Zora snuffling the treats out of the mat
Zora stating looking at me as if to say, “That’s it?! Any more?”
Step 11: When your dog is done, pick up the mat, shake out any crumbs they may have missed and put it away until the next meal. Or if you’ve put any messy, gooey or raw food in it for your dog to find, toss it in the laundry to clean.
Zora standing on a line of 3 completed snuffle mats, one pink and blue, one blue and multicolored and one blue and orange.
Every once in a while someone, like a taxi driver, or waitress or random person on the T will ask me, “Does he ever get to be just a dog?” Does Tom ever get to be just a dog?
A sandy and wet Tom having just come out of a swim in the lake. He sitting and smiling, happy dog.
That answer is both yes and no. And I guess depends on what you mean by “just a dog.”
Does he get to have play time? And social time? And family time? And lots of love and attention with his harness off? Yes. Quite often actually. Being a guide dog in public can be stressful, so I feel it’s not only important but critical to my guide dog’s overall well being to have time when he’s ‘not on the clock’ so to speak and can do doggie things like sniff and run and swim and get petted by my family. Tom has learned when his harness is on he needs to keep is focus on his guide work and ignore others except me, and when it’s off and I cue “ok go play” or “ok go visit” he is free to be social and do his own thing. To a degree.
The to a degree is the no portion of the answer because even when he’s off the clock there are some rules Tom is asked to follow that maybe other people don’t have for their dogs. Like he’s not permitted to take food from other people unless I specifically cue him that it’s ok to do so, if they tell him it’s ok to take it but I haven’t he isn’t allowed to take it. And he’s not permitted to take food off the floor if someone drops it, or if someone calls him over to ‘help clean up the floor’ he isn’t to listen to them. And if I’ve asked him not to cross a boundary, like at my aunt’s lake house when we arrive before I take his leash off I remind him he’s not allowed to go up the stairs that lead off the deck, he’s not to go there even if another person tells him it’s ok. Basically the ‘no’ portion of Tom having time to be just a dog involves him ignoring other people telling him to do things and remembering what I asked him to do or not do even if someone else is telling him something contrary. And it involves his behavior around food.
The other part of that is even when he’s off the clock, Tom prefers to keep an eye on me himself. For example last night we were at a family gathering at the lake house. Tom and Zora came too, and were off leash roaming around the deck area with us all. Being social, swimming, getting petted, visiting with people and the like. But anytime I moved, Tom checked where I was and where I was going. When I was in the lake, he wanted to know where I was. When I came out, he wanted to know where I was. If I changed seats he wanted to know where I was. He checks in with me, gets a bit of a pet, and then goes wandering off to socialize with others once more. And when he’s done with socializing, he comes and finds me.
So yes, Tom gets to be just a dog. A civilized dog with healthy boundaries, but time to be just a dog all the same.
We were in the grocery store a while back and my husband always likes to check the clearance rack. Where a can of spray squeeze cheese was sitting on discount. Shockingly he had yet to experience the hysterics of dogs eating spray cheese from a can. An event I told him he had not yet lived if he hadn’t yet experienced.
So much fun. So silly. The faces, oh the faces.
I know it’s disgusting nasty to put cheese in a can. All manner of gross. Blah blah blah. And it’s not something I’d give the dogs regularly. But a once in a while afternoon filled with laughter is worth it to us.
I love tromping around in the woods. Any time of year. In the fall leaves, in the winter snow, in the summer bugs (ok my least favorite to be quite honest), in the spring mud. It’s all good and beats the sound of pavement slapping under my shoes and traffic rushing by.
I’m grateful that I have a couple of consistent walking friends who enjoy tromping around in the woods with their dogs as much as I do. This morning was such a walk. The dogs all seemed to have a great time as did the humans.
Presently I have a sacked out puppy pile at my feet as I type. Hopefully dreaming the dreams of happy, contented dogs. It is a good start to the day.
Today we have a couple of visitors who joined us on our walk! It was great fun. And for those who ask me if Tom ever just gets to ‘be a dog.’ The answer is of course yes. Walks like today are one such time. I am comfortable enough on this property and walk that I cane it and Tom gets to be a free dog running and swimming. Though I always end up with few photos or videos of him since is preferred place to be is usually close at my side. Unlike the girls, he prefers to keep a close eye on me at all times.
Spaniel water fun
“I really want that ball”
The lake is awesome!
Smiling Tommy in the water
2 spaniels and a guide dog swimming
Cute Lucy spaniel with the ball
Hopped up in the car and ready to head home. Dulce, Tom, Zora, Lucy and Rosie in the way back
Practicing our Whistle Recalls. Good girls turning on a dime!
And the corgi who puts the whole group of field dogs to shame! The spaniels, standard poodle and labrador cross ain’t got ‘nuttin on the retrieving corgi
And to end the walk some fun running running running in the field
What a great way to start the weekend! And I now have a houseful of happy tired dogs. This is the life.
Well, not very for humans but the ducks thought their 1st ears of wormy corn were fantastic!
My pretty birds Spot & Stickie with an ear of fresh corn
A last night treat after being cooped up all day since I was off visiting puppies! No, not for us, just for fun. Holly, who is a friend and Zora’s breeder had a litter of corgi pups, so a local friend and I drove out to see them before they all went to their new homes this weekend (all pups are spoken for).
Life has been very stressful lately, so when Jules emailed me about going to NY for the day, I jumped at the chance. Also because well OMG PUPPIES! It was great to catch up with Jules on the drive, visit with Holly, and the puppies were a wonderful distraction from life at present. I hope the pup’s new owners all adore and cherish these little guys, I think they’re going to be a lot of fun for their new families.