Since I have a lot of “jobs” (shop greeter, artist, guard dog, farm dog, sidekick, super hero….) sometimes it’s nice to enjoy a few extra curricular activities at the end of the day. One of my favorites right now is agility class.
I still have a lot of training to do before I’m ready to compete, but right now I’m just having a lot of fun! Just see for yourself….
P.S. I like Tunnels about as much as this boy likes Turtles. 🙂
One of the rules when taking your Therapy Dog Test through TDI is that dogs must be tested on a plain buckle collar or harness. Training collars, training harnesses, halties, or any other corrective training devices are not permitted during testing or visiting as a TDI-registered Therapy Dog. And on their website they make note that Therapy Dogs don’t wear vests, so as not to be confused with service dogs, and also for the fact that they cut down on the area where people can pet you.
Even though I ended up taking my test in a plain buckle collar, mom knew that were I to become an official Therapy Dog I would need to wear a different harness when I was making visits.
Mom ended up ordering me a custom made harness from Arja’s Art all the way in Finland!
These harnesses come in a variety of colors that all include reflective piping with each one being handmade to your own dog’s measurements. Designed to fit any breed, they are especially great for dachshunds as they put less stress on our sensitive necks and chest.
I chose the grey color in super soft sheep napa and mom helped me get my measurements sent over to Arja.
When my new harness arrived from Finland a couple weeks later Arja had even included a sweet little gift for me in the package. While I personally don’t have a use for a coin purse (being that I’m a dog and also I am not a girl) it was a super sweet gesture – and mom was happy to keep it for herself.
I suggested storing cookies inside the coin purse, but mom didn’t seem too thrilled by that.
After a week of wearing my harness out and about I’m loving it. It’s great to for the hot summer weather too as it gives me a little more breathability. I still love my custom made harnesses from Kalyxcornucopia (that I wear with my Super Hero capes), but they just won’t work as well for my therapy dog work. 
If you are interested in ordering a harness from Arja, you can check out the website and Facebook page – and they are available to ship to the US.
I was such a good boy at my Canine Good Citizen and Therapy Dog Test on Sunday that Mom made me an extra special treat when I got home.
You might remember the Polka Dog Bakery DIY Sweet Potato Dog Cookie Recipe I posted about a few weeks ago – well Mom decided to make me some as a reward for all my hard work!
First Mom sliced up some sweet potatoes for me.
Then we let them soak in a bowl of chicken broth for about 1/2 hour.
While they soaked I sat on my bed in the kitchen just counting the minutes until they would be ready. It was a whole lot of minutes.
Then after baking them for 15 minutes at 400 Degrees I had to wait a whole bunch more minutes for them to cool.
Finally my good dog treats were ready for their taste test!
Of course wouldn’t you know that mom made me practice my leave it command before I was allowed to eat them!
In the end it was worth the wait, because they were yum! Perhaps I should be a good boy all the time.
You can find the entire recipe for DIY Healthy Sweet Potato Dog Cookies HERE.Â
If you follow along with my adventures on Facebook, then you probably already heard that on Sunday I became a Certified Therapy Dog! Yippee!
For the past 6 weeks I have been taking classes at the Dog Training Center of Chester County to prepare to take my Canine Good Citizen and Therapy Dog International tests. One of my goals this year was to pass both tests and my Mom was super happy when I did so on my very first try!
As you can see in my testing video I was SUPER excited to be performing. What can I say, I’m just an overly happy guy! I may have forgotten a bit of my heeling a few times, but I was just so pumped to be meeting new people.
One of the hardest parts of the Therapy Dog test is to walk past a pile of cookies and not eat them! Do you know how hard that is when your nose is 2″ off the ground!? I was very tempted to eat those cookies when I walked by them in the beginning of my test, but when my Mom said leave it I happily obliged and didn’t eat a single one. (Phew, close call, because mom said I would have failed had I eaten one).
Even though I’ve passed my tests, my training will never be done. Mom and I continue to take agility classes and I know I’ll never stop learning and improving. I’m excited to see what comes next for me – I just hope that for any future tests they let me wear my Super Hero Cape – because we all know I look WAY cooler with my cape on!
If you would like to check out all the requirements to pass a CGC and TDI test, you can check it out here.
P.S. Thanks to all my pals on my Facebook page who congratulated me on passing my tests, you guys totally make me blush!
I like to think I’m a pretty smart guy, so when I came across a line of Interactive Dog Toys from Trixie (sold online only at Petsmart) it had me wondering if they could really stump me.
Designed to test your dog’s intelligence and keep them thinking, these line of Interactive Dog Toys look like so much fun! With levers, nobs and hidden flaps the goal is to find the hidden treats by completing tasks that get your dog thinking. Each toy is rated by difficulty from Level 1 (the easiest) through Level 3. This is one product that is definitely on my wish list!
You can fetch these neat Interactive Dog Toys from Trixie online at Petsmart, they range in price from $15.99 – $35.99.
Any of my pals tested out the Trixie line of Dog Toys? Were you stumped? Do tell!
A couple of weeks ago mom ordered me a new dog crate made by EliteField
Honestly, I wasn’t super thrilled about this purchase because I’m not really a “crate” type of dog.
I especially hate being zipped inside, but sadly mom has decided that I need to learn to be in a crate now – even though I’ve survived for 3 years just fine without one. During my agility classes I’m required to go inside my crate while the other dogs get a turn on the course – this is like pure torture. But on the plus side because mom is training me to like the crate more I get lots and lots of treats for being quiet when I’m inside.
My new crate came from Amazon
The very best part about my new crate though – it folds completely flat! Mom likes it because it’s easy to take places, I like it because when it’s flat it means I don’t have to go inside it!
Now if I could just figure out where to hide it so mom can’t find it……
Disclosure: I was not paid or perked to write about this product. Post contains affiliate links to my amazon affiliate shop.
On Tuesday evenings I attend two dog training classes. First I make my way to class at the Dog Training Center of Chester County where I’m learning to be a Canine Good Citizen and Therapy Dog. Then it’s off to Wagsworth Manor where I’m in the Intermediate Agility Class.
This week there was a big storm rolling in when mom and I pulled up to Wagsworth Manor, so instead of running around outside like normal we headed inside. I was kind of unsure about the whole situation, considering there was thunder and lightning, strange barking dogs, and a whole new environment to contend with. But soon I was put to ease, because my dad was waiting there to watch me get my Agility on!
Mom says I have to work on paying attention better, even when there are distractions, but how can you not be excited when your Dad comes to watch!?Â
While on one of my many searches to find a cool and new product to show you for my Friday Fetch installment on the blog I came across a super fun site that sells some unique pet products. And because I couldn’t decide on just one item to share I decided why not share all my favorites!
Here’s the story behind the pet products sold on The Life of Ryley…
The Life of Ryley was born out of frustration! Over a decade ago, designer Tracy Stillman was trying to find a collar for her soft-coated wheaten terrier named Ryley. How could it be that no collar existed that effectively showcased Ryley’s unique personality? Much less a collar that appealed to Tracy’s level of style and sophistication? This was one spectacular duo that needed more than just an ordinary old collar.
So Tracy created her own collar just for Ryley…and from there The Life of Ryley blossomed.
The company took a little catnap for a few years. But things kicked up again when The Life of Ryley was introduced to Colin Cuneo, a business developer and dog-lover drawn to the sense of adventure and go-gettum’ attitude that dogs bring about.
Together, Tracy and Colin have brought The Life of Ryley back with a full line of products that boast style, class and quality for pet owners who understand that sensible accessories can still be fashionable accessories.
Sadly, Ryley passed on June 8, 2010. But the rebirth of this company serves as a tribute to this angel who will be forever loved.
Check out these fun products from The Life of Ryley:
Dog Agility necklace (for the humans) to keep your clicker and whistle right where you need it – such a fun idea!
Faux Bois Ceramic dog bowl, comes in white or brown
Night Owl Reflector Collar
Rugby Leash
Park Bag Necklace – a “prettier” way to carry those doggie bags to the park
You can fetch these fun products and more on The Life of Ryley Website, also be sure to check out their Facebook page!Â
So today when I got to work there was a surprise package for me waiting at the shop. I’m no stranger to getting mail at the shop, but this was an unexpected package.
When I opened it up it was filled with goodies from the Polka Dog Bakery at Target! And there was a letter from Bullseye the Target Dog saying he noticed my post online and wanted to send me a couple of his favorite Polka Dog Products.
I was totally blushing that Bullseye even knew my name!! And then I realized there was really only one thing to do when a package of goodies arrives at the shop……FASHION SHOW!
Somehow Bullseye knew that all the Polka Dog products would match perfectly with my Super Hero Cape too.
Of course I broke into the box of cookies before anything else!
Every Super Hero needs to accessorize and these Polka Dog items are just so fun and vibrant that they make me the happiest Hero around.
Thanks for making my day Bullseye, and you are always welcome to come over and play Super Heroes with me anytime!
You can check out all the cool new products from the Polka Dog Bakery at Target HERE!Â
Today my bestest pony pal Minnow is putting Workout Barbie to shame. See Minnow is training for a new performance for this year’s Chincoteague Pony Swim down on Chincoteague Island at the end of July.
I’ve seen it first hand and trust me, this:
…is way cooler than this:
And if that weren’t enough, Minnow is even letting me be his workout partner!
You can call me Workout Puppy!
So me and Workout Pony here are going to be spending the next couple months working on our muscles. You probably won’t even recognize us by the end of it!
So make sure you head over to the Painting Pony Blog to keep up to date on our workout progress. Minnow even promised to show me how to do push-ups soon! Yipee!Â