WIN Tools for Positive Dog Training #HoundsAndHolidays
Having positively and well trained dogs is kind of like wearing pants. You probably shouldn’t go out in public without them. I believe so strongly in the importance and value in developing a positive working relationship with your dog, I don’t view it as an option, I view it as a necessity. It’s a contract that you should plan on signing with your dog as your commitment to their happiness and health. By continually engaging in positive training throughout your time with your dog, you help to give them a sense of consistency, comfort, enrichment and reward. It helps to enhance your relationship with each other and your trust in each other.
This week, I’ll be posting specifically about training recall and I’ll be providing you with an opportunity to win some interactive puzzles that will be great to use when it’s too gross outside so you have to find ways to entertain and engage your pup indoors. It’s an incredibly important skill to train for safety reasons but also for fun like playing games with your dog, and even participating in activities like agility and hunting.
In the meantime, let’s talk about how some of the items in the Training prize pack for our #HoundsAndHolidays Holiday Gift Guide and Giveaway can help you achieve your training goals and, equally as important, have a BLAST with each other!
Ruffwear Roamer Leash
Leash work is an important subject that we will most certainly be addressing in the future. It’s never fun to be on the receiving end of the quip (normally from a total stranger) of “Who’s walking whom?!” As they chuckle “ayukayukayuk” and bound down the sidewalk in their judgey pants. You want to view the leash as an extension of yourself that helps to ensure your dog’s safety. Not a tool to wield control.
The Ruffwear Roamer Leash is pretty amazing. Aside from the typical traits of items which is, of course, incredibly high quality and thoughtfully crafted products it is also a great representation of that “extension” of each other. The leash has stretch webbing, which provides some give without being a retractable leash. It helps to reduce tension on you and your dog and allows your dog to safely roam without being jolted back. Additionally, if you plan on wrapping the leash around your waist to go for a jog or hike, the webbing helps your abdomen from not being pulled uncomfortably at the sighting of an occasional squirrel. It’s the leash equivalent of “give and take.”
American Dog
Play is important for training in so many ways. Dogs, like many animals, use play to understand how to communicate with each other, how to develop a variety of skills, even how to share. It should come as no surprise then that toys help play to be even more engaging and enriching. We are always on the lookout for different types of toys that enhance our dog’s play experience. I also continually seek well-made toys that can sustain the wear and tear of two very energetic Boston Terriers. I never expected them to be so destructive!
We fell in love with the incredibly creative, funny and well made toys that American Dog offers! We were able to receive and play with the Lips and the Chili Pepper. You’ll notice they also have a goat, a turtle, a pig, a fish and so many more to choose from.
If you win this prize, you’ll receive tons of toys from American Dog that your dog will thoroughly enjoy. You’ll be happy to know that their toys are manufactured in the United States and are super durable.
Kong
The name Kong has been associated with durable toys for what seems like forever. If you pull up the wish list for any animal rescue organization like Best Friends Animal Sanctuary (the rescue organization that will be receiving donations from many of the generous brands participating in our Holiday Gift Guide), and you’ll notice “classic Kong” listed as a desirable item. Their toys are always in demand because they can provide enrichment and can withstand the heavy chewer without falling apart. The Classic Kong can be used as a treat dispenser, or can be filled with frozen banana or peanut butter to keep a dog entertained for long periods of time.
Kong recently added to their toy lineup by including Squeezz toys. These toys squeak when squeezed and help to satisfy a dog’s natural desire to chew. You have a chance at winning Squeezz Zoo toys if you are chosen for this prize pack. It’s comprised of cute zoo animals that come in a variety of bright colors and sizes. It’s guaranteed to continue to squeak even when the squeaker is punctured so I’m sure it will entertain your dogs for a long time to come.
Soda Pup
We heard of Soda Pup when researching dog brands that frequently donate to animal rescue organizations and shelters. We found out that Soda Pup regularly ships their factory seconds, toys that have slight cosmetic blips but are still perfectly useable, to animal shelters. We reached out to them to ask if they’d provide a donation to our local shelter when we heard of them over the summer. They promptly shipped an entire crate of toys to the pups at our local shelter. I am still blown away by their generosity.
We also had a chance to receive and learn more about the variety of toys they offer in their lineup. As a blogger who has an affinity for beer, I’m sure it doesn’t come as much of a surprise that we got a kick out of the beer bottle treat dispenser toy. Toys that can dispense treats are excellent for challenging your dogs and entertaining them while rewarding them for solving puzzles. If you include some of the high value treats we’ll be mentioning in a second, your dog will be entertained for long periods of time.
Caru
If you have followed our adventures for a little bit, you have probably learned of our struggles with Bean’s allergies and sensitive stomach. We have been on a constant search for treats that won’t impact Bean’s allergies and won’t make her tummy grumble and result in loose stool. We, of course, also want high quality treats that are tasty for the pups to enjoy. When we had a chance to try treats from Caru, we were excited to give them a try.
When you take a look at their listing of treat options, you’ll notice their variety of protein sources. For a dog who has sensitivities to poultry we were thrilled to try their venison and lamb treat options. The dogs simply go bonkers for these treats! They can sense when I open the bag and they lose their minds (in a fun “I want to eat those treats,” way).
If you win this prize pack, you’ll get treats to try along with one of their natural stews that you can use to mix with dry food but it can be served as its own meal. It honestly looks like something made for humans. It smells great, you can see the healthy ingredients, and it’s great for dogs with allergies, are picky eaters, or have food sensitivities.
Red Barn Pet Products
Bean and Yoda have been featured on the Red Barn instagram account tons of times. We appreciate the relationship we’ve forged with the company so we were absolutely thrilled when they joined in on the fun of our gift guide and giveaway! We have had the opportunity to try a variety of their products over the years, and have always been impressed by their range of products to choose from, their treats that can entertain dogs for hours, and their quality.
When you win this prize pack, your dog will have a chance to try their Bully Slices, which are flavored and roasted cowhide. They are coated with vitamin E and natural flavoring, like real maple syrup. The treats can entertain dogs for longer periods of time which is great for times when you need to get projects done but also want your dogs to be engaged in an activity. Note, don’t leave dogs unattended when playing with toys or chewing on treats.
I didn’t know about their food rolls until we received them for the giveaway. These grain free rolls are easy to serve by simply slicing the roll and cubing. They contain over 50% meat and have lots of other healthy ingredients and vitamins. They would also be great to use as training treats, as they are high value, easy to break up, can be added to toys, and can even be used to roll a pill in if you need to give your dog medication.
Down Dog Snacks
What do yoga, dogs, and treats have in common? The answer is Down Dog Snacks! These snacks are grain free, gluten free and plant based. They don’t include soy, eggs, corn, wheat sugar or salt! They come in delicious flavors like “Banana Bliss, “Sweet Pawtato Pups” “Peas,Love & Carrots,” and “Peanut Buddha Bones!” This small business is based in Colorado and their treats are made in small batches.
Bean and Yoda had an opportunity to try some Banana Bliss treats and they thoroughly enjoyed them! They were easy to break up to use for training so we practiced some Sit, Stays and Downs. I tried to teach Bean to “bow” and she’s super close to getting it, but I couldn’t capture it on the camera. We’ll keep trying.
Good Reasons Dog Treats
We, as you already know, are passionate about giving back to other dogs and humans in need. That’s why we were excited to learn about Good Reasons Dog Treats! They are a not-for-profit dog company that creates tasty treats and provide employment opportunities for individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities.
They have a variety of treat flavors and they also have fun swag like bandanas, treat containers, and clothing for humans! The treats included in your prize pack are “Gracie’s Good Too Chews.” They include molasses, peanut butter, blueberries, Green Peas and Sunflower Seeds. Yum!! What an amazing company! We look forward to supporting them in the future. It would be great if we could interview some of their staff and resident taste testers for a blog post down the road.
So there you have it. This prize pack is simply amazing! You’ll be well stocked to have an opportunity to practice a variety of skills with your dog and rewarding them for their efforts.
Look below for links to fellow blogger’s posts about some of the other prize packs you could win. Also, be sure to enter the giveaway! It ends on December, 9th!!
