After my recent injury, long walks are difficult, I can’t quite bend over to pick up a toy, and my shoulder isn’t ready to throw a ball. So, Dash is bursting with unspent energy.
In desperation, I bought a Chuckit
As I write this, my tired dog is sleeping at my feet, rather than bouncing off the walls!
It’s already dark when I get home from work, but Dash still goes right to the back door for a play session. I’ve taken a flashlight outside and thrown toys for him to retrieve, but that can be awkward. So, I dug around in the toy basket and found several glow-in-the-dark balls. After exposing them to the light for a few minutes, we’re ready to go.
Now that he can see the ball, we can play like we do in the daylight. I can toss the ball from hand to hand or throw it in an unexpected direction, and he doesn’t miss a beat.
I love watching Dash return to me with the ball in his mouth. All I see is this green orb, bouncing toward me out of the darkness. After a long day at work, that always makes me laugh!
Do you need to conquer the dark evenings with glow-in-the-dark toys? You can sometimes find flying discs that glow in toy departments or some sporting goods stores. Check at your local pet supply store, online, or in catalogs for glow-in-the-dark dog toys.
Most dog toys glow after a brief exposure to light. Others use a small battery, and generally flash or glow when bounced or shaken.
Caveats:
Enjoy those winter evenings!
In pools across the country, end-of-season dog swims are being held to benefit shelters, humane societies, dog parks, and pro-animal legislation.
In St. Louis, dogs and their owners attended pool parties that began in early August and continued through Labor Day. St. Louis’ U City pool party celebrated it’s fourth year and welcomed more then 300 dogs and their owners into the water. (See the “Snouts in Your Town” video in Windows Media Format or Quick Time.)
In Pittsburgh, 300 dogs swam in Sandcastle Water Park’s wave pool, kiddie pool, and beach area. These lucky dogs were served snowcones with a choice of beef or chicken broth.
A pool party in Salt Lake City included an adoption fair, a vaccination event, and even a long jump contest.
A sense of humor abounded in the names…Bloomington Indiana’s Bryant Park pool christened the event “Drool in the Pool”. Many pools had contests and games for the dogs.
Most pools provided fresh water and some provided shade for the dogs. Veterinarians and humane society officials were on hand in some locations. Lifeguards were present when the owners were allowed to swim with their dogs.
The average cost of a day at the pool was a bargain at $5-$10.
In general, the rules were:
Check your local paper and mark your calendar for next summer’s swims!
Americans spend billions of dollars on their pets every year. Toys are a major player in the pet market. There are some budget buys, though. How about browsing the dollar stores for inexpensive toys for your dog?
In the pet section, I found tennis balls in various sizes, and name brand chew ropes. There are also lightweight latex squeaky toys that would be suitable only for non-chewers. Be mindful of your dog’s habits and decide what would be a suitable toy.
In the children’s toy section, I found a funny-feeling porcupine ball that I selected as a supervised toy. I wanted Dash to experience that funny, tickly feeling of this toy. I bought some water toys…some “water bombs”, a package of foam rubber balls covered in fabric that soak up water. Dash loves these in his wading pool. They also had long, flexible foam “noodles” for the pool which would have many uses for fun games and training.
Petco had a the “Squirt Ball” in their clearance aisle this summer that was a big hit with Dash. It’s a flexible blue ball you fill with water. When the dog bites the filled ball, it squirts water through tiny holes. Fun!
You can make your own tug/chew toy with a length of rope you braid and twist and tie into just the right size for your dog. Cotton rope would be gentler to your dog’s mouth than polypropylene. Alternatively, you could use old, washed tee shirts or blue jeans if you’re not worried about the dog thinking your clothes are chew toys. Your choice.
Do you need some things to do inside when it’s really hot outside? It’s tough to burn mental and physical energy, keep your dog learning, and have fun indoors while staying cool! Here are a few of my favorites:
