sutton077

My son's puppy (he's 18 months old, but still a puppy!) Zeke gets bored when he's home alone. So what does a bored puppy do? This: Zeke ate a shoe. and this: Zeke ate an electric shaver. So I've been recommending to my son that he leave Zeke with some challenging, treat dispensing toys. What are the advantages? 1. Provides mental stimulation 2. Provides physical activity 3. Reduces boredom 4. May reduce boredom-related behaviors such as barking and ripping apart the furniture. Recently Chewy.com sent us a PetSafe Busy Buddy Twist 'n Treat treat dispensing toy to try out. The Twist 'n Treat looks like a flying saucer, and consists of two halves that are adjustable and able to be filled with small treats.  Twist the halves far apart to give your dog a quick reward, or twist the halves closer together for more of a challenge. Add small treats or smear with cheese or peanut butter for even more playtime options. The toy is durable, but not intended for vigorous che

Hi. Ike here. If you read my post last week, you know that I'm going to school. Mom says that I'm going to be a therapy dog. I am so excited, because I know Mom and Dad were both helped by therapy dogs, and I want to help others too. Last week there were only three dogs--me, a Bernese Mt. Dog, and a pit bull. This week school was much more crowded--4 golden retrievers, 3 labradoodles, 1 Bernese Mt. Dog, 1 pit bull, and a partridge in a pear tree. Just kidding about the partridge. Here's me and my pal Moses. And a new friend, Dixie. She came from Tennessee. Things got a little crowded with the whole gang. But everyone is so focused on trying to learn, we all got along together fine. Her we are practicing our sit-stays. Hi Dad! (He's taking the pictures!) Moses is learning his recall. At first he got so excited, he bounded up to his handler, bouncing like a (HUGE!) bunny! The trainer helped him learn to calm down a bit. I'm supposed to SIT in front of Mom when I do my

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You're never too old for comics! Have you checked out MUTTS yet? The comic strip MUTTS appears in more than 700 newspapers in 20 countries.  I love the Mutts Comics because of the way creator Patrick McDonnell champions animal and rescue causes. Some of my favorite comics are those that make a statement about animal treatment. Here is a sample from the new book, The MUTTS Winter Diaries, making a subtle statement about the plight of chained dogs.  Awww sweet Earl was concerned about the poor chained dog who was left outside in the cold. MUTTS even won awards for its environmental and animal advocacy: two Genesis Awards from The Ark Trust, The HSUS Hollywood Genesis Award for Ongoing Commitment, the PETA Humanitarian Award, and a Sierra Club award. McDonnell’s website promotes his animal-and earth-friendly philosophy. I was excited to receive a copy of the new book, The MUTTS Winter Diaries, and an adorable pink MUTTS sleep shirt. Aren't they cute? McDonnell and his wife r

Ike wanted to step in today to tell you all about his new venture, therapy dog classes. So, here he is! Ike: Last week a funny thing happened. Mom and Dad brought me to a new place--a big building with lots of doggy smells. That's okay, I like new places. Especially if I'm going to get treats when I'm there. And I'm pretty sure I was going to get treats, because I could smell them in Mom's pocket. Mom said I was going to school. Even though I'm 9, I guess I'm not too old to learn new tricks. The teacher's name is Sylvia. She looks nice. Several other dogs came into the building.  One was a Bernese Mountain Dog named Moses. He was huge, even though his mom said he was only a year old. And there was a pit bull named Lola. I barked at her and she barked at me and Moses. Moses didn't bark at anyone. I guess we're all just trying to get to know each other. Right now, the teacher said, we're here to learn and we'll have time to meet and greet l

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Meet my pal Bocker. He is one really inspiring dog. Here's Bocker reading Faithfully Yours !  Zeke, Ike and Kelly enjoyed reading his book, Chasing Bocker's Tale . I thought you'd like to learn some more about him. Eight Fun Facts about Bocker 1. He's a model. His first ad was for Tommy Hilfiger. 2. He's famous for his adorable head tilt. 3. His name came from his mom's favorite basketball team, the New York Knickerbockers. 4. He played a role on the movie Eat, Pray, Love. 5. He's a certified therapy dog. 6. He listens to children read as a "Tail Wagging Tutor." 7.  He's active in causes helping people and animal advocacy. 8. He was recently diagnosed with cancer and is now three months post-chemo and is kicking cancer's butt! Visit Bocker's website .