Mom Forgot Agility!

by Tanner

© Carrie Boyko
Tanner, Go Tire!

I can hardly believe it. My mom posted on all the different ways she likes to exercise us pups today on her blog. You know, that's the one called All Things Dog Blog.

Funny thing is, she completely left agility courses off the list. How could she have forgotten about agility? I love jumps, tires, and dog walks; they're sort of like long bridges or balance beams to walk over--fun! Sometimes I balk at the A-frame, and I'm not altogether crazy about the teeter, but all-in-all, I love going. We haven't been in a while. Maybe we should go visit again, huh?

Diets for Dogs? Oh no!

by Tanner

© T. Boyko
Puppy School Graduation
My Skinny Days

Well, I suppose the tape measure will be coming out soon and mom will be watching our waistlines. Poor Oliver. He's so small that there isn't much chance of him getting a full bowl of chow. As much as we enjoy a green bean, carrot, apple or banana as a treat, we're not looking forward to a daily diet of them.

Mom says as long as we continue to exercise regularly, we can stay on our usual food regimen. Whew! Dr. Pat's diet is okay for a Chihuahua, but I'm a big 70-lb. Golden Retriever that needs a sizable amount of calories for all my fetching, running, swimming, dog parking, long walks and even the visits to the pet store. I used to be really skinny when I was a pup, but I've finally reached my goal weight--sounds fancy huh. That's what doc calls 70 lbs., so I guess it's good.

 I don't want to give up a scoop of chow if she's worried about my Halloween costume fitting me. Oh, that reminds me, we do need to get that ready, huh? Oliver and I are going to dress up in honor of Xena. Can you guess what we're going to be? Watch for photos here on Friday, so you can see our tribute to our favorite girl. See ya soon!

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

The "Goodest Dog" is in Trouble!

by Oliver

Tanner is in trouble...haha! Between you and me, it's no big deal. So, he chewed up a cardboard hanger and plastic snappy gadget--big deal!


Me? I was being a perfect angel, napping in my crate until I heard the ruckus and woke up.


Dad and Mom had a pow wow about why Tanner chewed a hanger, when he hadn't done that since he was a puppy. Maybe he just missed doing it....duh! You can read all about mom's big revelation at The Hardest Lesson for a Dog Owner. She was mumbling stuff to herself about "I should have known" all the while she was writing it. She's so funny!


Well, her conclusion was that we need more walks, and I'm all for that. I can never get out too much. I love meeting the neighbors and the dogs, cats and other critters we see when we go hiking. Let the walking begin!

Exercising on a Rainy Day

by Oliver

Some of us pups don't really like rain, and this is our rainy season in Florida. Tanner thinks rain is loads of fun, but Xena and I pretty much stick to the house during showers.

Mom plays a cool game with us, using a laser light. We chase it all over the house, inside closets, under things and even up some steps. Funny thing is that the cat, Patches, joins in sometimes and she can even chase it up the windows. She's talented! Try this game with your dogs when it rains outside. We love it, even though we don't seem to ever catch it! Got any ideas for us? You can write to us at AllThingsDogBlog@gmail.com with "Rainy Day Ideas" in the Subject line. Hope to hear from you soon!

First Priority

by Xena

First things first, in this first post from 5 Minutes for Fido. All dogs--even me, a 13 1/2 year old senior citizen--need regular, exercise. I'll stick to walks, but my two younger housemates like running, agility, biking, hiking, swimming, and dog park visits, and that's the short list! I like to go to the dog park too. That's where I get to hobknob with all the other older fidos. Come join us; it's lots of fun to run off-leash.


See you soon at the dog park or at All Things Dog Blog.