Walking Together, Walking Apart and Finding Your Dog's Motivation

Although the photo above shows me walking both dogs as I so often do (my dad was the cameraman here, and if he joins us he walks Boca) but my goal for Walk Your Dog Week (October 1st-7th) was to do more one-on-one walking with The Ginger Sisters. I think they appreciate the focused attention, and they are two very different dogs with very different needs and motivations. 

This weekend I spent some time with Ruby and Boca individually. Ruby's solo walk was more of a solo play session using her long line and flying disc, but there is nothing she finds more rewarding than chasing, fetching and tugging, so I used that to our advantage to burn off some energy and also strengthen our bond through play. I've actually never tried using her long line with her flying disc before - we used to take it to the dog park or ball field but I decided to give it a whirl and it went spectacularly! Her line is only 15 feet and I now that I know how well this works, we have a 30 foot on the way. Being the paranoid helicopter dog parent that I am, I was sure to attach her little safety line (a toy dog coupler) from the base of the snap on the long line to her harness ring. 

I threw her disc gently so it wouldn't sail too far and then prepared myself to run as well so she didn't hit the end of the line. Ruby had a blast and even caught the disc mid-air a few times which is a big deal for my cautious, careful girl (she reminds me so much of myself in gym class, dodging the volleyball). After she caught it she would run gleefully in circles and even toss the disc up for herself to catch again. It filled my heart with joy to see her having so much fun. After she was sufficiently tired, we continued on a short walk around the neighborhood. You'll notice there is only one loose leash in the picture...I like to think less that Ruby pulls and more that I don't walk fast enough for her. The long line gave her room to explore and sniff while also coming back to me. Since Ruby will never be an off-leash dog, I need to utilize this tool more often to give her increased freedom. 

Boca is my easygoing, ambling girl. Individual walks with her are a pleasure; unless she is trying to snag a chicken bone off the ground she is always strolling at my side, mouth open in a smile, tail wagging. For her solo walk, I took along a pocketful of treats. Food is still the number one motivator for my former street dog. One of the things we struggled with in our beginning obedience class was a sit in different positions. Boca's tendency was to pivot and sit facing me rather than at my side. I was surprised to find that in our day-to-day informal walks and work on sit in the house, Boca has naturally picked up sitting at my side! She was eager to earn some tasty treats as we meandered around the neighborhood practicing that as well as some short-distance recalls. Since walking with a reactive dog (Ruby) requires constant vigilance and what I like to call "Defensive Dog Walking" skills, it's a wonderful break for me to be able to simply wander at will and not dart around the corner if we happen to see someone else coming. 

As the days grow shorter and colder, I know it will be harder to maintain my commitment to walking my dogs separately, but I'd like to make a point of doing so on at least one weekend day. Ruby would like to hone her skills as a disc-catching terrier and Boca clearly enjoys her snack-sprinkled saunters.

This post is part of the Positive Pet Training Blog Hop, hosted by Cascadian Nomads,Tenacious Little Terrier and Rubicon Days. The hop happens on the first Monday of every month, and is open for a full week - please join us in spreading the word about the rewards of positive training! 

B&W Sunday: Throw It!

Five Durable Dog Toys

We are pretty serious about toy safety around here, ever since an obstruction scare when Ruby ate part of a plush toy. Ruby and Boca love to play, love to chew, and Ruby delights in playing keep-away and down-the-hatch with any small morsel she manages to detach. This has resulted in a lot of toy-testing at my house, and at this point I have a fairly good idea of what works for us. I thought I would share my top five favorite tough toys:

Kyjen Hide-A-Squirrel XTreme

This is the most beloved toy and has been for quite a while. My very first blog post was a detailed review of it. Both dogs love to stick their heads in the Kyjen tree stump and fish out the squeaky squirrel. We are currently without a Hide-A-Squirrel because I will pitch toys with tears or pieces missing, but I think based on the amount of "love" this toy gets, two in ten months is not so bad.






West Paw Designs Zogoflex

We have two Hurleys and a Bumi from this West Paw Designs line, and I'm tempted to say they are indestructible as far as my dogs are concerned. They don't have a mark on them, they are made of non-toxic material. The girls play with the Hurleys, which are a nice size and shape for fetching, daily, and they play tug together with the Bumi.



Planet Dog Snowball

Planet Dog makes a great many fun toys, including balls shaped like vegetables, lumps of coal and this snowball. They all have a minty flavor and a soft texture, as well as a "treat spot" for turning them into treat-dispensing toys. This white ball is on Ruby's frequent fetcher list, and has almost no signs of wear except for the faded lettering.




Cycle Dog 3-Play Dino

Cycle Dog toys are made from recycled materials, and they are a fairly new, earth-friendly company. The dino toy is in high demand at my house, with Ruby and Boca vying for it regularly. It has a funny and unusual squeak, and is another toy that can double as a treat-dispenser since its belly is hollow. They have managed to amputate all of the dino's limbs, so it is not entirely chew-proof, but I think some of the other creatures with less pronounced appendages would hold up better.

Kong Genius Mike

Kong is well known for its heavy duty interactive toys, and the Mike is one of the few toys I trust to be down when I'm not home. Its shape makes it an interesting fetch toy as well as a challenging puzzle when filled with treats.


Disclaimer: I was not compensated in any way for this review and purchased all of these toys myself. Dogs should always be supervised when introducing new toys and toys should be replaced when damaged. Cycle Dog, Planet Dog, Kong and West Paw Designs toys are made in the U.S.A.

Creative Dog Toy Storage

Although Ruby is only allowed plush and rope toys under strict supervision, between subscription boxes and giveaways, we've still amassed quite a collection. They are still nice to have now that Boca has joined the family, because when I play tug with Ruby I toss a plush over the dog gate for Boca to play with. So far she has not demonstrated the appetite for stuffing that Ruby has. These tugs and stuffies used to reside in "toy jail," - Ruby's seldom-used crate - but I decided that was a waste of a perfectly good dog kennel, and that I'd like to make it available for use if I needed to separate the dogs or work with them one on one. 

I already had this vinyl shoe holder behind the door of my downstairs coat closet, and have been using it for hats, gloves and scarves. I consolidated the winter items and made room for the dog toys in the bottom two rows. I love how accessible and organized they are now! I'm waiting for Ruby to make the connection and start pawing at the door when she wants to play tug. 

Since I'm on the topic of toys and games, I want to share how proud I am of Little Rubes that her bravery for catching the ball mid-air has increased immensely thanks to the red Sprong ball visible in the upper right hand pocket. We received this ball in one of the subscription boxes, and while it is quite delicate and would not hold up to the slightest amount of chewing, it is soft and lightweight making it perfect for catch! Ruby has gotten so much better about releasing the ball to my hand, too. 

Where do you keep your dog toys?

Reactive Follies, Smart Dog is Smart and Managed Playtime

On this Ruby Tuesday I have a trio of unrelated tales to tell as life continues in a temporarily two-dog household.  The ginger dogs have settled into a comfortable routine, with Boca showing more of her sweet, funny, playful self every day. Last night I was sitting in the center of the loveseat bookended by matching red-and-white dogs. I love preparing their breakfast in the morning and then being entertained by their accompanying wrestling on my bed like two monkeys while I get ready for work. 

All these fun and games are not without their snafus; however, as I was reminded on our evening walk last night, the sun having finally emerged after a freak May snowstorm that had camped out over Colorado for more than 24 hours. Just about the time that Boca made a pitstop on the townhouse complex lawn, another person walking a dog came into view about 100 feet away. Boca does not seem to care one way or another about other dogs but Ruby is of course another story. As I had poop to scoop, I couldn't make my usual fast exit, so I did my best to wrangle Ruby with one hand encased in a pink, citrus-scented bag. In Ruby's frantic leaping about she managed to twirl right into the pile with one lovely white hind foot. I took a deep breath and tried to think of the funny story it would make on my blog instead of seeing red. The other dog eventually disappeared from view and I completed my pick-up job and untangled leashes. Luckily the five inches of slushy spring snow that blanketed the lawn returned Ruby's paw to its pristine condition before we got home. The whole experience was a reminder that walking two dogs is far more than twice as hard when one of those dogs is reactive. 

All was soon forgotten, especially when Ruby surprised me with a cute example of her cleverness. This cold, wet weather gave me the opportunity to try out the Tall Tails pocket towel that was included in a Bugsy's Box that I won in a giveaway. It was probably the third time I used the towel, so I was astonished when Ruby remained expectantly still after I removed her harness and collar. She was most definitely waiting to be dried off! Ruby is not a dog that likes to be fussed with, and normally she is weaseling away before I have her gear unlatched, but she clearly enjoyed getting rubbed down with the soft towel. So sweet and smart!

One of the things that realized I was missing in my short time as a multi-dog household was one-on-one playtime with Ruby. While the girls generally play well together, I still have to do a lot of policing so that things don't get out of hand. I've learned which toys they share well, and which ones cause problems. Last night I decided to play tug with Ruby in the living room as per our previous daily routine, but I did not want Boca to feel left out. My solution was to put Boca behind the dog gate in the kitchen and toss the purple dragon toy that I won recently over for her. I would tug with Ruby, ask for a release, put her in a down-stay and retrieve and toss the dragon for Boca. Both dogs had so much fun, and it was a great exercise in patience for Ruby. Boca has a very soft mouth and gave me the dragon willingly, bounding after it exuberantly each time. I'll be employing this routine regularly!

After our play session, I worked with both girls in the kitchen and got some great pictures of them posing together, with Ruby being her usual over-achieving, show-off self. Look for some of the shots tomorrow for Wordless Wednesday, or take a peek on Instagram!

Forever Is Composed of Nows*

Evening walk

Saturday afternoon fetch

Monday morning blues

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* Title quote attributed to Emily Dickinson