NEW BED IS MORE THAN JUST A BED

At casual glance, you might think this is just a regular old bed lovingly being shared by two BFFs.  And to a degree, you're right.  But there's magic in 'dem 'dere hills - errr - well bed legs and this one simple thing can make all the difference in the world to a whole host of situations.

GO TO MAT / PLATFORM WORK is a skill I think every dog should have.

It stops so many issues in their tracks and literally saves dogs lives.  If your dog reliably knows how to go to their place (I recommend a raised bed of some sort) - you can change so many behaviors:

Gorgeous Giant Schnauzer pup - SIRIUS - practicing on his mini trampoline

* No more door dashing
* No more jumping on guests when they arrive
* No more going crazy at the sound of the doorbell / mailman / delivery drivers
* No more begging at the table
* No more chasing the cats
* Makes teaching Wait/Stay much easier
* Teaches impulse control and patience

Pups are never too young to learn and it is easy and fun to teach.  Luna already finds being on the bed reinforcing as she, like many Mastiffs and Danes, finds comfort to be of the utmost importance.  It is also important for her joints that she isn't lying on the hard floor.

I have old hardwood floors in this house and this ensures she doesn't have too much pressure on her growing limbs.  She will of course outgrow this one soon, but we have all the sizes up to her adult one on hand...LOL

Right now, it is not just a resting place, but it also is a spot she is choosing to go to for a variety of behavior choices.

Since I do a lot of my computer work in the kitchen, if I am having lunch - she chooses the bed over begging.  Great choice!

Wants to lay down and work on a Frozen KONG - she chooses the bed.  Another great choice.

Wants a break from Fizzy?  Bed again.  It is these choices that make matwork such a great compliment to training any basic behavior.

You can pair the behavior of going to the mat/bed/spot with a sound that may be triggering behaviors you don't want. Another gorgeous Luna I worked with this past year did really well with her first attempts at learning to Go To Mat when she heard a knocking sound.

Luna learning the mat is more rewarding than running to the door.

This is a great way to teach excited dogs an alternate behavior for when company comes over.  We are also using it to curtail her desire to rush out the door after the kitties when they are being fed.

I love these particular K&H Pet Cots - easy to put together, washable covers and durable as long as you don't leave them to be chewed on...LOL

The slightly raised platform not only gets them off the ground, but also gives a distinctive boundary edge to behaviors like Stay/Wait.  Here is ONYX, a Lab pup working on learning to Stay while toys are being thrown around for distraction.  When they can master this - they really can master changing any of the above mentioned behaviors!

HOW TO STUFF and USE A KONG or KONG WOBBLER

As I was prepping KONG toys for the furkids,  I realized not everyone knows about these great options for Doggie Brain Games and Mental Stimulation exercises.

WHAT IS A KONG EXACTLY?
KONG itself is a company that makes a great range of toys for dogs but many people refer to other types of similar toys by the same name. Generally these are made of rubber or a similar polymer and you can fill them with kibble or treats for a dog to get out.

WHY WOULD YOU STUFF ONE?
Stuffable toys like KONGS can serve many purposes:

• Mental Stimulation - dogs that are easily bored, hyper or need daily challenges can really benefit from this type of enrichment.
• Slow Down - some dogs eat far too quickly and inhale their food and this is one of many great options to slow them down, reducing the chances of complications like choking or bloat.
• Confidence Building - winning at this game can provide dogs that are insecure or anxious with a well deserved confidence boost for interacting with their environment.
• Crate Destressor - some dogs are stressed by their handlers leaving for the day and giving them a puzzle like this is a great way to take their mind off of the act of the handler leaving and refocus it to a positive - dogs with anxiety disorders may not be able to redirect, but a dog that is simply fussy can often come to see this "prize" as a real highlight and begin to look forward to their daily crate time.
• Variety - This type of toy breaks up the day for any dog and gives you a chance to offer different types of food/reward in a controlled exercise.

SO HOW DO YOU USE IT? WHAT DO YOU USE TO STUFF IT?
There are lots of recipes that you can use,  and a lot of Kong type toys, but the most basic process is to use it to feed meals with basic kibble and a stopper of something like peanut butter, canned dog food, cream cheese or canned pumpkin. Having said that, I know people who use banana, mashed potato or even raw meat pieces to fill the end. It depends on what your dog finds rewarding!

You can also mix things into the kibble part itself like dry treats,  apple or carrot slices or cheese cubes (but I will say the cheese tends to clump the kibble together and if your dog isn't determined enough it can just frustrate them).

GETTING SETUP
Toys to Fill
Kibble
Peanut Butter
Cream Cheese
Treats
Apple or Carrot
Cheese

Putting down a section of cling film makes this much easier.   It stops anything falling out and creating a mess in your freezer.

WHY FREEZE? 
A frozen Kong lasts longer, presents more of a challenge and can help teething puppies gums feel better.

FILLING
If the toy has a small hole on one end,  like a standard Kong,  you will not need to do anything except fill it with kibble and a stopper of your choice.

If you are using another type of toy like the Kong Dental or Dogzilla toys,  with a larger hole on both ends,  you want to cover one of the holes with your filler first. I am using peanut butter or cream cheese here. Once you fill that hole,  turn the toy upside down on the cling film and fill with kibble.   (If you are using apple or carrot,  put that in first then fill the kibble to the top around it.

Taking too long or making a mess with the kibble?  If it is small enough kibble,  use a funnel...
Don't have a funnel?  Take a sheet of paper and roll into a funnel-like shape...
Don't have a piece of paper?  Ummmmm... That is probably beyond the purview of this article.

So you have the Kong full - now just cap the remaining hole with your choice of filling, pull the cling film up/around it and freeze overnight.

You don't need to let them thaw first - the whole point is to have the dogs work for it so give it to them straight from the freezer. Check the specifics of each toy, but in general, hot soapy water is enough to clean them or a occasional run through the dishwasher is fine for most of them.

KONG WOBBLERS
Wobblers are like giant Weeble Wobbles - they weeble and they wobble and they throw food around...but that's half the fun!  Unlike the other KONG type toys, these are a hard plastic with a weighted bottom, not rubber.

All you need to do for this is twist off the bottom and fill the toy with kibble. They do come in a few sizes (the pink and blue are Puppy ones).  Make sure your kibble is small enough to come out of the hole otherwise you get a frustrated doggie slamming the toy into your walls!

Normally you wouldn't add anything over the hole in these but some dogs struggle with how to get started. When I first gave this to a recent boarding pup, he looked at me like - "What am I supposed to do with that"?  LOL 

I added some peanut butter to give him a headstart and after the first session, he didn't need any filler - just his kibble. Then there are other dogs, like Barrow here that get it straight away.


Either of these options can be a great way to help your dog learn some problem solving skills, keep them entertained for awhile and offer a novel approach to feeding time. They'll thank you for it!