Wednesday Evening- recap

I didn't get back here last night so will update now. We had dinner and then went to lecture about playing with our dogs and practiced the different dining room seatings in the snack room.

Lecture on playing with our dogs: Sebastian went over what toys you don't play with your dogs with- balls, especially tennis balls, cheap squeaky toys, stuffed toys that are very similar to kids toys, floss ropes (unless you supervise), and others. Never use a tennis ball with your large dog, as there has been many, many dogs that have suffocated from the ball bouncing up and the dog jumping up to get it, and the ball going down the throat of the dog and becoming stuck. It goes down so far that the handler cannot get their fingers behind it to get it out and the dog suffocates. :( No cheap squeaky toys, stuff toys or floss ropes, unless supervised because while the dogs like them, if not picked up and supervised, the dogs will shred and destroy them, swallowing bits and pieces of them, causing intestinal upsets for the dog. No balls for the dog because you don't want the dog to want to play with the ball when it goes out and is supposed to be working, and sees a child playing with a ball.

Toys you DO play with your dog with and ways to play with the dog: The KONG. The all time favorite of the dogs, in which it bounces in different directions when played with. You can also stuff a nylabone in the end of it to create a different dimension of playing with it. If you have a dog that doesn't want to settle down, stuff the Kong with Peanut Butter, put it in a bag, and freeze it over night. Give it to the dog and and voila, he'll be entertained for several hours. When playing with the dog, several games would be rolling the Kong across the floor, no over arm throwing, again so the dog doesn't think it's play time when you are out and working. Another is Hide N Seek, telling the dog to sit and stay, then go in the other room and hide the kong somewhere and tell the dog to go find it. Apparently this is a favorite for many of the dogs. Another toy would be the Nylabone and any other good indestructible toy for large dogs. :)

Then we went in small groups to the snack room and Jodie, the apprentice, had us each work at the different table arrangements to learn how to sit at these different types of seating areas we'll encounter with our dogs. The first was a bar stool seat, of which we put our dogs down on the floor laying across in front of us. Then was the booth, which we have the dogs go in, turning them around to face outward and then our legs go in with the dog facing out and underneath our legs. Then was the U shaped booth, which you do the same as a regular booth. Lastly was the table with 4 swiveling chairs, in which the dogs lay down sideways and facing out, underneath our feet.

Honey and I then headed back to our room for the night and conked out cold. :)