k9 university 14. fun things to bark about

All dogs like to learn new things, and why not teach your dog something that will not only benefit him or her mentally but also physically?

Teaching a dog with cookies works best. Make sure you are training your dog before a meal with a treat that he or she really enjoys. With this trick the most important thing to focus on is small movements in the dog’s backend. If your dog is over 10 years old or has hip issues, I don’t recommend this trick.

Lure your dog into a down position.

While providing licking access (but not eating access) to a soft treat such as a small piece of cheese or a hot dog, try to lure your dog forward one inch. If your dog is very small, you may have to lure him or her forward only a centimeter at first. If your dog doesn’t shift forward at all, try moving the cookie out a little farther from their nose. You want the dog to know you have the cookie and gently urge him or her to make the smallest movement forward. The closer your dog’s backend remains to the ground, the more benefit this trick will provide. Reward any attempt forward at first.

Once your dog offers a small movement forward, see if your dog can keep crawling forward a wee bit more. I wouldn’t ask for more than one foot of progress per session because your dog will be using muscles they aren’t accustomed to using very regularly.

If your dog is consistently following the treat, then you can start to label the behavior. I don’t typically label or name a trick early on in the learning stages because the dog isn’t truly doing the end behavior yet. Once your dog is crawling an entire body length forward, I would then say, “Good crawl!” so your dog starts to associate this type of movement with that word.

When your dog is proficient at all of the steps above, you can start cueing (i.e. saying) “crawl” when your dog first lays down.

As soon as your dog will follow the hand signal and/or verbal cue, you should put the treat down! This is called fading the lure. You will still reward your dog for following your cue, but you don't need to (and shouldn't!) always practice with that reward in your hand. HAPPY CRAWLING!

Jess Williams and her husband Scott own Beyond The Leash dog training business in southern Maine. They also co-host a podcast together called The Quirky Dog which you can find on most major podcast platforms including YouTube. If you would like video access to this trick as well as additional tricks, they are discounting their course to $27 EXCLUSIVELY for Seacoast Bark readers via this link which will be valid through 9/5/22:

www.beyondtheleash.com

Run for the Dogs NHSPCA Paws Walk

Run for the Dogs Get your running (or walking) shoes out to help raise funds for Mary’s Dogs with this year’s annual 5K Run for the Dogs on Sunday, May 29th at the Deerfield Fairgrounds. The event kicks off at 8:30 a.m. and leashed dogs are welcome to participate as well. Established in 2011 by Mary and John Doane, and later becoming a nonprofit organization in 2016, Mary’s Dogs rescues approximately 600 dogs annually from kill shelters in the south and rehomes dogs in New England. You may register online via Mary’s Dogs website. And be sure to check out the adorable dogs that are looking for their fur-ever homes. (MarysDogs.org)

Mark your calendar for Sunday, June 5th for the New Hampshire SPCA’s 30th annual Paws Walk at Stratham Hill Park and help homeless animals every step of the way. This event is their largest community fundraiser and helps save the lives of thousands of animals each year. It promises to be a fun day with the fundraising walk, outdoor festival and vendor village as well as Meet & Greets with adoptable pets. The festival kicks off at 10:00 a.m., and the walk begins at noon. Register online to participate or simply stop by to enjoy the festivities. (nhspca.org)

Hampton-based Smuttynose Brewing Co. has launched a Be KIND initiative designed to give back to the community by supporting local nonprofit organizations. One of their 2022 initiatives is “Be Kind to Animals,” and the brewing company will be hosting a dog-friendly event on Saturday, May 21st in support of the NHSPCA, Operation Delta Dog, Pope Memorial Humane Society and Darbster Foundation. At this event you can meet adoptable dogs, visit with local vendors offering services from training to treats and enjoy a brew with friends and pups at their beautiful dog-friendly Hampton campus. Visit the Smuttynose website for more information. (smuttynose.com)

Friendship Collars We love this website’s tagline: Because best friends should match! Friendship Collar offers an array of great collar designs. And the best part? Each collar comes with a matching bracelet for the pups’ peep! They also offer cat collars, leashes and a collection of slide-on charms, many with a beach theme. Friendship Collar has truly put a unique new twist on doggie style! As they say, “Designs that you and your bestie just can’t keep your paws off!” (FriendshipCollar.com)

Photo by Jill Brady; Portland Press Herald

Photo by WJBQ

Friendship Collars Hero Pups Photo Benefit

Horsing Around Friends who recently visited the Old Port area of Portland came across a horse tied up outside of a restaurant accompanied by a yellow Lab. It turns out that Hercules (a 10-yearold Friesian) and Molly (the Lab) belong to Gerry Scott of Saco, Maine who began visiting local towns when Covid started. When Scott “adopts” a town, he takes Hercules and Molly and speaks with the police chief to schedule “mental health days” for the community, three to six times a year per town. He lets the chief decide where a visit from the trio would be most appreciated, and stops at 10 places such as nursing homes, hospitals and homeless shelters. So far his adopted towns include Portland, Bath, Kennebunk, Brunswick, Boothbay Harbor and Saco; Portsmouth, Wolfeboro and North Conway, New Hampshire; and Stowe, Vermont. In addition to his scheduled visits, Gerry often rides around towns unescorted, mingling with locals and tourists…adding a bit of happiness to everyone’s day.

Say-Cheese Benefit for Hero Pups Sit.Stay.Smile. Pet Photography is hosting a fundraising Catchapalooza photo event on Saturday, June 11th at the Barking Dog daycare in Exeter to raise money for Hero Pups. Established in 2016 by Exeter resident Laura Barker, Hero Pups provides support dogs to veterans and first responders in New England who are dealing with post-traumatic stress (PTSD) challenges. Laura started the nonprofit after her son was wounded in Afghanistan, and Hero Pups was founded on the belief that since our Heroes have already given so much, it’s the least we can do to provide them a companion to help them lead a happier life, free of charge. 100% of the event’s registration fee of $40 will go to Hero Pups, and 10% of any photo sales after the event will be donated, as well. Each photo session is 10 to 15 minutes and offers lots of fun and cheese for your pup. Or feel free to bring your own treats if cheese isn’t on your dog’s list of good eats! You will receive a complimentary 5” x 5” custom print and can order additional photos at the follow up image-review appointment. Space is limited, so reserve your space ASAP at the Sit.Stay.Smile website: SitStaySmile.pet. (HeroPups.com)