Tanner Gets the Weekly Preview!

by Tanner

© Carrie Boyko
Tanner Snuggles with his Treat Ball

Having a cut on your paw pad is not such a great thing. It really isn't that bad, but mom will absolutely not take me to the dog park or even let me swim. It's a super bummer.

I get to do stuff like chase a treat ball around the house, take walks on the sidewalk when it's cool outside, and do photo sessions for the blog. I actually like the photo sessions. I get treats for doing a good job.

Since I'm disabled, mom says I get to do this week's All Things Dog Blog Weekly Preview. She's gonna put Oliver on some other task like guarding the house or.....well, that's just nonsense!

Here's what's coming up this week over at All Things Dog Blog:

• Pup Profiles returns with a special reader's pup
• Mom's series on healthy dog food and the investigation into organic food continues, with 4 more posts this week. What do you suppose she has up her sleeve? Sounds like a big announcement or a giveaway. Oh, right. I do have a secret to keep. Oops.
• Product reviews are big fun this week--food and the opposite of food. LOL, Oliver had to do the dog potty review! I have to admit though, he got the hang of it really well. Good job Oliver!
• Our trainer has some suggestions for a Border Collie owner whose pup is in need of extra workouts. I think that's true of every Border Collie I ever met at agility--hyperactive and fast as lightening on the agility course!
• Did I forget the giveaway?  Toys, food, and a dog potty are all up for grabs. You can check mom's sidebar for links to the giveaway posts. Good luck!
• Finally, our Adoptable Pets Tour of States will take us across the ocean to Hawaii. I'm curious what sort of pets we'll find there. Do you suppose the dogs wear Hawaiin leis instead of bandanas?
• Next week? Money saving mania begins. Mom plans to show you how to make living organic a possibility, even on a tight budget. She's got all sorts of recipes and a guest post coming from her 20something Saver buddy, Lizzi. Don't miss these great tips for keeping your pet food budget in check.
• And Dr. Pat will be back next week...lots going on, huh?

I think I got a bit carried away with some peekaboos at the following week, but that's okay. Hope to see you all real soon.

Assistance Dog, Therapy Dog, Service Dog...We're so Confused

by Oliver

© Carrie Boyko
I Provide Lap Therapy

My momma's friend, Miss Joanne, tells her I should be a therapy dog. Does that mean I need to go to therapy? Well, apparently it does mean I need to go to more school. School is fun. I'd like to major in lunch and P.E.

But Assistance Dog and Service Dog sound like more work to me. Maybe we'll leave those jobs to the professionals like mom's friend Carolyn in Colorado and her 3 dogs, who all are involved in serving people. You can read all about Carolyn's Golden Retrievers at K9 Cares. Tanner is gaga over these beautiful dogs!

If you're interested in training a service dog, our trainer, Terry Lynn Cuyler, offers some tips for selecting the right dog in her post at All Things Dog Blog, Selecting a Train-it-Yourself Assistance Dog.

Loving My Crate....Please Tell the Schnauzer Mom that Crates are Great!

by Oliver

© Carrie Boyko
My Safe, Cozy Crate

Trainer Mike is a nice guy; he helps us with the Ask the Dog Trainer column at All Things Dog Blog. He's trying to help out a dog owner that is having trouble getting a Schnauzer to snooze. I hear the Schnauzer likes a crate, so what's the confusion? My crate is my bedroom--sort of--only better. I can see, but no one will step on me while I lay in my bed. What could be better?

Actually I don't call it a crate. I call it "Nite Nite". When Mom says go "Nite Nite", I scamper there so fast she's left in my dust. I always get a little treat for going there, and that's all it takes.

I also like to spend time in my crate when I'm sleepy. After a long walk or a visit to the dog park, I usually take a long nap in my crate, er Nite Nite. Ahhhh! It's sooo peaceful to sleep after running and playing. Don't you think?

There's a New Dog Trainer in Town: I've Got to Be on My Toes Now!

by Oliver

(c) Carrie Boyko

Did you hear the news? My CGC tester guy is now a staff-member of my mom's blog. I guess that means I have to be a perfect angel now. I'm not sure this CGC stuff is everything it's cracked up to be. I have all this pressure on me now. Every time we leave the house I have to be a good boy. What fun is that?

I suppose I'll just have to do my best to keep my nose clean. It would get worse if I'm naughty and mom took me back to get MORE training. I mean, really....he's a nice guy and all. But I'd rather go to the dog park than school. Wouldn't you?

Thunder? What's a Dog to Do?

by Tanner

(c) Carrie Boyko
Fetching Fun?
Not during Thunder.

I really don't get all the hoopla about thunder and fireworks. Xena retreats to her crate whenever this noisy stuff starts up. Oliver glues himself to mom, but seems to cope just fine. Me? I'm ready to celebrate in the rain or attend the fireworks display myself. What's all the fuss about?

The buzz at the dog park is that thunder is dangerous. I'm not so sure about that, but I guess that's why mom won't let me swim when it gets stormy outside. Oh well. I get to have my daily wet fetch game after it passes over.

So, what's my philosophy on fear? It's best said in a verse my mom likes:

Grant me the serenity

To accept the things I cannot change;

Courage to change the things I can;

And wisdom to know the difference.

Does that make me a wise dog?

Free Help for Fido

by Tanner

(c) Bow Wow Resort

I hear mom talking about folks having money problems a lot these days. She says that some families have a tough time keeping their dogs, because they can't afford their food or healthcare. That's why she supports our local dog food pantry for families who need a little help. Central Florida Animal Pantry, among others, offer free food and pet supplies to families in need.


But what about health questions or assistance with training problems? Not all dogs are as perfectly well behaved as I am. "Ouch! Stop it Oliver! Just because you got your CGC doesn't mean you're the only well-behaved dog in the house."


Anyway, I just wanted to remind you that over at All Things Dog Blog you can Ask the Vet about your dog's health, and you an also get training advice from Judy, our Ask the Dog Trainer columnist. The best part is that this is all FREE. Unlike some of those ads you see on Internet pet sites, our advice is totally FREE. Write to LetsAdoptaDogPark@gmail.com with your questions. Happy tails! 

Since When do Bulldogs Retrieve?

by Tanner

I guess I have to admit something today. Apparently it is not just Retrievers that can learn to retrieve stuff. At All Things Dog Blog, our Ask the Dog Trainer columnist, Judy, has trained her American Bulldog to go Fetch the newspaper. I would have bet big kibble that he couldn't learn to do that. She must be pretty good.


Seeing Judy's video of FatBoy made my mom want to work more with Oliver. He's  sorta Fetch-challenged, if you know what I mean. Of course, the biggest problem is he can't pick up most toys. He has the teenie-tiniest mouth, so he has to have special, baby-dog toys. He would have to drag to newspaper to the house; it probably weighs as much as he does.


I could pick up our newspaper, if only the paper guy would throw it into our yard. It usually lands next to the mailbox, a place I can't go because of my fence. That's not fair. I'd really like to show FatBoy that I, Tanner, am up to the task. I can Fetch big sticks, balls, floating toys in the pool, Frisbees--most anything. I need a chance to prove myself to him. I'm bummed.


I suppose if mom moved the newspaper to the yard, I could learn to retrieve it--no problem. She says that defeats the purpose. Not for me!  :(

I've Got the Show Dog Prance!

by Xena

Apparently I have a natural talent. Folks have always commented on my lady-like prance. I am a lady, after all.


Today, the trainer at All Things Dog Blog, is giving some tips to a reader whose dog doesn't have the right moves. I'm sure his Saluki will figure it out. Doesn't walking come naturally to us dogs?


If you're interested in showing dogs, there's a lot of help in this article. Me, I think I'll go take a nap. Then I'll be trying to get the early bird special (wink, wink....early dinner!). See ya next time.

Exercising Us Dogs Appropriately for Our Age and Health

by Xena

It didn't get past me that today's post at All Things Dog Blog was all about exercising the younger crowd. That's right, Mom. I noticed. More Exercise Options for Your Dog was geared to the young and the energetic--sounds like a soap opera, huh?

Well, I need to get my two cents in. I may be a senior citizen but I need my exercise too. And lucky for me, you walk me regularly--always have. Thanks for doing that Mom. Thank the rest of the family too. They helped a lot.

I'm in my golden years now and taking a long walk with Tanner and Oliver is sometimes a bit more than I can handle. I'm glad Mom has realized that she can swing by the house and drop me off halfway through the walk. That works for me.

If you have a a senior dog, or one with health issues that interfere with exercise, you might want to read a couple of helpful posts:

Too Much Exercise?
ASK THE DOG TRAINER: Managing the Exercise Needs of Your Older and Younger Dogs, by Judith Joseph

Neighbor Troubles: Tanner, Did You Read That?

by Xena

Judy, the All Things Dog Blog's ASK THE DOG TRAINER Columnist, is trying to help some lady keep her neighbors happy. We really don't understand what's not to like about a dog, especially a friendly one. Maybe we're just a little prejudiced.

Tanner may be sometimes a bit too friendly, when pups walk by with their owners. I have to remind him to hush up so he doesn't wake everyone from their afternoon naps on Saturdays. He's such a juvenile...can't stand anyone to walk by without coming over to visit with him. You'd think he was a celebrity or something. Geez!

The good news is that we stay in our yard. We sorta have to, cuz we have an underground fence, and WE KNOW IT. Our house is just off a main road, so my mom says it was necessary to keep us safe. My favorite kitty, Corey Lou, got hit on the road when we moved here. That was that; we got a fence. No visiting the neighbors for us, except when we're on a walk. That's my favorite thing to do, right behind riding in the car. You?