Fun articles for dog lovers.

Gift Ideas for Dog Lovers: Fun Dog Puzzles

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Photo by svadilfari on Flickr

Looking for a gift for a dog parent in your life? Or maybe some stocking stuffers for your own special pup? Here are some of Your Dog’s Friend’s favorite things…

Nina Ottosson Dog Puzzles

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Earlier this week, we mentioned how much fun Kong (and other treat toys) can be for your dog… and how they can help give a dog a job so they’re less likely to engage in behaviors you don’t like. Another fun and useful option for the smarty dog is the puzzle toy.

Treat balls are easy; roll the ball and treats come out. Treat puzzles are harder since your dog has to manipulate the various pieces of the puzzle to find the treats. They’re a great choice for a dog that can empty a treat ball in record time.

Nina Ottosson puzzles are the best! We sell several of them at the training center, so if you’d like to buy one from us directly, please let us know.

What is it?

An interactive toy that lets your dog use his nose, paws, and mouth to solve a puzzle and get treats!

How much does it cost?

$12+, depending on the size and materials

 

Other Puzzles

If you’re looking for other dog puzzles to amuse and tire out your pup, they come in all sizes, shapes, and difficulty levels.

Help Your Dog’s Friend When You Shop at Amazon

Your Dog’s Friend is a nonprofit and we are always grateful for donations to help us fulfill our mission. We have a way you can help us while you do your holiday shopping.

Amazon Smile is a program that donates a portion of Amazon’s profits to organizations like ours. Please click here and select Your Dog’s Friend as your charity of choice. Then, whenever you shop at smile.amazon.com, a portion of the money will be sent to Your Dog’s Friend.

Thank you for your support!

 

Holiday Gift Guide photo credit: Svadilfari on Flickr

Gift Ideas for Dog Lovers: Kong (and Other Treat Toys)

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Photo by svadilfari on Flickr

Looking for a gift for a dog parent in your life? Or maybe some stocking stuffers for your own special pup? Here are some of Your Dog’s Friend’s favorite things…

Kong

kong
A busy dog is a happy dog! And a busy, happy dog is less likely to chew on shoes, go counter-surfing, or any number of no-no behaviors. Today, we feature our favorite way to keep a dog busy and happy.

What is it?

The best way to keep a dog busy for… minutes to hours, depending on how hard you stuff it!

How much does it cost?

$5-12, depending on the size

What do I stuff in a Kong?

Anything and everything! Here are some of our dogs’ favorites:

  • Wet dog food & kibble mixture
  • Leftover people food (mashed potatoes, low-fat cuts of meat, vegetables, a bit of cheese)
  • Canned pumpkin (this works best if you freeze the pumpkin-filled Kong overnight)
  • Peanut butter (a little bit mixed in with other ingredients)
  • Cheese (a  little bit mixed in with other ingredients)
  • Fat-free plain  yogurt or fat-free cream cheese (another one that is good for freezing)

 

Other Stuffables

If you’re looking for other treat-dispensing toys to amuse and tire out your pup, they come in all sizes, shapes, and difficulty levels.

Help Your Dog’s Friend When You Shop at Amazon

Your Dog’s Friend is a nonprofit and we are always grateful for donations to help us fulfill our mission. We have a way you can help us while you do your holiday shopping.

Amazon Smile is a program that donates a portion of Amazon’s profits to organizations like ours. Please click here and select Your Dog’s Friend as your charity of choice. Then, whenever you shop at smile.amazon.com, a portion of the money will be sent to Your Dog’s Friend.

Thank you for your support!

 

Holiday Gift Guide photo credit: Svadilfari on Flickr

Gift Ideas for Dog Lovers: Fruitables Treats

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Photo by svadilfari on Flickr

Looking for a gift for a dog parent in your life? Or maybe some stocking stuffers for your own special pup? Here are some of Your Dog’s Friend’s favorite things…

Fruitables

Looking for a yummy treat that smells good to both human and dog? This stocking stuffer is perfect!

fruitables

What is it?

Delicious, fruity treats for your pup! Fruitables are available in crunchy cookie or chewy treat forms. The Pumpkin & Blueberry flavor smells exactly like a fresh blueberry muffin.

How much does it cost?

$3.74 – 5.99 per bag.

Are the treats made in the USA?

Yes! No worries there!

 

Help Your Dog’s Friend When You Shop at Amazon

Your Dog’s Friend is a nonprofit and we are always grateful for donations to help us fulfill our mission. We have a way you can help us while you do your holiday shopping.

Amazon Smile is a program that donates a portion of Amazon’s profits to organizations like ours. Please click here and select Your Dog’s Friend as your charity of choice. Then, whenever you shop at smile.amazon.com, a portion of the money will be sent to Your Dog’s Friend.

Thank you for your support!

 

Holiday Gift Guide photo credit: Svadilfari on Flickr

Gift Ideas for Dog Lovers: BarkBox

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Photo by svadilfari on Flickr

Looking for a gift for a dog parent in your life? Or maybe some stocking stuffers for your own special pup? Here are some of Your Dog’s Friend’s favorite things…

BarkBox

Our webmaster, E. Foley, has been getting BarkBox for her pup for over a year and loves it. In fact, Titania the cocker spaniel now assumes that ALL boxes that arrive at the house are BarkBoxes and that she should get to inspect everything the mailman drops off.

What is it?

A subscription service that delivers a box of dog goodies monthly.

How much does it cost?

Plans are as low as $18 per month.  If you were to purchase the items in the box separately, they would be closer to $30-35 total.

What comes in the box?

titaniabiscuit

Titania says, “Yes, please!”

Each box contains 1-2 toys, 2-3 edibles (treats, chews), and the occasional extra, like an extra absorbent towel for rainy days.

What if my dog hates an item / has allergies / etc?

BarkBox allows exchanges if your dog turns up their nose at a treat or toy. You can also put in special requests if your dog has food allergies.

Are the treats made in the USA?

Yes! No worries there!

Can I try just one box? Or gift one box to a friend?

Yes! A single box is $29 and you can ship it to yourself or a friend.

How can I help Your Dog’s Friend by subscribing to BarkBox?

Use coupon code YDFBBX1 when you sign up. You’ll get $10 off and our Foster Dog Alliance program will get a $10 donation from BarkBox.

Use code YDFBBX1 for $10 off!

Use code YDFBBX1 for $10 off!

Help Your Dog’s Friend When You Shop at Amazon

Your Dog’s Friend is a nonprofit and we are always grateful for donations to help us fulfill our mission. We have a way you can help us while you do your holiday shopping.

Amazon Smile is a program that donates a portion of Amazon’s profits to organizations like ours. Please click here and select Your Dog’s Friend as your charity of choice. Then, whenever you shop at smile.amazon.com, a portion of the money will be sent to Your Dog’s Friend.

Thank you for your support!

 

Holiday Gift Guide photo credit: Svadilfari on Flickr

Review: What’s In A BarkBox?

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titaniabiscuitYour Dog’s Friend has partnered with a monthly dog goodies delivery service called BarkBox. For every new BarkBox customer that uses the code YDFBBX1, our Foster Dog Alliance program gets a $10 donation. But that’s not all! You also get $10 off your first BarkBox.

YDF student, Titania the Cocker Spaniel, would like to tell you a little about what she received in her BarkBox this month (with a little help from her Mom):

The Box for September 2013

barkboxinside

Titania says: So many smells when Mama opened the box this month! I smelled cheese and deer and beef. No duck though. There was duck last month and it was soooooo good.

Mom says: I love BarkBox’s presentation. The wrapping paper folds over the goodies so it’s like opening a present every month! There’s also a card that tells you a bit about each product along with a link to the vendor’s website in case your dog falls in love with something and you need more.

barkboxchews

Two Chews

Mom says: This month we got two stick-shaped chews. The first was a beef tendon from Barkworthies. These contain joint-friendly nutrients and are 100% natural and digestible. The second was a deer stick, which contains venison and a bit of rawhide for the crunch factor.

Titania says: On first sniff, I chose the beef tendon. I love bully sticks and this smelled a lot like one of those. It was very chewy so I had a lot of time to savor the delicious flavors. The deer stick was good, too, but more of a three bites and I’m still hungry kind of thing.
barkboxfirstaid

First Aid Liquid Bandage

Mom says: This is an alcohol-free spray that serves as a liquid bandage for any cuts and scrapes a dog may get while out and about. It disinfects and protects and is a good bandaid option for small injuries that don’t need a vet’s attention. We’re throwing this in our agility trial bag!

Titania says: I can’t eat this. Why is this in my box?

 
barkboxbiscuits

Pizza Biscuits

Mom says: These smell so good that I want to snack on them! 100% USDA organic ingredients and no wheat, corn, or soy. In essence, they’re a small cheesy biscuit with Italian seasonings.

Titania says: YUM! Cheesy biscuits are the best, even if they don’t have any meat in them. I like to take my cheesy biscuit, throw it across the room, and then pounce on it! Then I bite it in half and toss around the pieces. When I’m done, it’s time for eating them.

 
barkboxdeerear

Venison Chew (aka Deer Ear)

Mom says: I have a feeling Titania may be much more interested in the deer out behind our fence now that she’s had a taste for their ears. Superior Farms products are free of chemicals: they’re washed, rinsed, and dried — that’s it!

Titania says: Deer ear was also tasty! They’re a little smaller than the pig ears Mama buys at the farmers market, so they’re easier to eat. Of course, they don’t taste like bacon… but deer is pretty tasty.

 
barkboxtreatball

Treat Ball

Mom says: Titania loves treat balls. As a fearful dog, they were invaluable in teaching her that good stuff can come out of “scary” new things. They’re also handy for keeping her busy if I need a little time to get things done. This particular ball has an adjustable opening so you can make the difficulty level harder as your dog gets better at using it.

Titania says: I roll around the ball with my foot or my nose and it drops out kibbles! Check out my video below.

 

Treat Ball Video

Here’s a quick video I shot with my cell phone of Titania trying out her new treat ball for the first time. Notice that at first, she’s unsure of what to do with it… but once she notices that it pays in treats, she’s on board!

Get Your BarkBox

Use code YDFBBX1 for $10 off!