Durable, Chewable Dog toy Size: 3 - 4 " USDA Inspected and sterilized Completely natural, no chemicals or preservatives added.

About Natural Cow Hooves

• The dogs find them irresistible.
• Long-Lasting Chew
• High in Protein and Digestible
• Excellent for the Aggressive Chewer
• Great for Teeth and Gums
• Clean and Full Cut with Smooth Edges

Cow hooves are better than rawhide because they break down into smaller pieces and are much cheaper and more durable. Cow hooves are a great way to satisfy a dog's natural desire to chew! These durable hooves will keep your pet occupied for hours!

Many dogs seem to enjoy the taste of cow hooves, and they are relatively safe for the teeth. However, they might not be right for a really large dog who could easily swallow something 3 to 4 inches long. If your dog tends to swallow large pieces, cow hooves are not right for him.

Like organic bones, cow hoovew can cause gum and mouth injuries if they chip. (my dogs have been chewing on them for years, and I have never seen that happen). Hooves smell somewhat, and smoked hooves are available that don't smell as much. Some people have found that chewing on hooves may cause tooth wear–but "hello!" when a dog seriously chews, his teeth may wear!

The truth is that there are no completely safe chew toys. The key to safe use of cow hooves is to watch your dog at play with the hoof to make sure he doesn't swallow it. Pick out the largest, most solid hooves; replace when they are worn down to a small piece. Stop using them if your dog splinters large chunks off them.

In House Testing Comments

Testers:

Jamie, 35 # whippet-terrier mix, 2 years old.

Raymond, 50 # hound-husky mix, 3 years old.

Comments

The chew value of cow hooves is great. Neither dog will chew on standard dog toys without food as an incentive. If I smear peanut butter on a Kong, they will chew and lick away, but as soon as the peanut butter is gone, they lose interest. I've tried just about every chew toy available, with ho-hum results. But cow hooves are a different story. They are nuts about cow hooves–definitely their chew of choice. For Jamie, a hoof will last a week. Raymond, who is a pretty aggressive chewer, goes through a hoof in a couple of days.

I do have to be careful to take the chewed up hooves away when the dogs have them whittled down to small pieces. Jamie continues to chew on the little pieces with delicate precision and has never swallowed any (that I know of), but Raymond definitely does, so when the pieces get pretty small, I throw them away.

Stuff-A-Ball Features

• Durable, Stuffable, Chewable Dog toy
• Grooves — Fill with peanut butter or cheese spread
• Interactive - Engages and stimulates your dog, while reducing boredom, destructive behaviors, and separation anxiety.
• Cleans Teeth
• bounces in a random manner
• tough KONG rubber
• Designed to dispense food or treats for added fun

Sizes

Small - 2.5″ 3.5 oz.	For dogs up to 15 lbs	For small or toy breeds like toy poodles, chihuahuas, beagles, dachsunds, pugs
Medium - 3″ 6 oz	For dogs around 30 to 40 pound	For small to medium sized breeds like, Beagles, Cocker Spaniels, Shelties and similar sized dogs
Large - 3.5″ 10 ozr	For dogs up to 60 pounds	For large breeds such as Afghan Hound, Airedale Terrier, American Foxhound, American Staffordshire Terrier and other similarly sized dogs.
X-Large 4.0″ 14 oz	For dogs over 60 pounds	For extra large breeds such as Irish Wolfhound, Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, Great Pyrenese, Giant Schnauzer, Great Dane German Shepard, Doberman Pinscher, Bouvier de Flanders, Bullmastiff, and other very large dogs.

The size recommendations here are only suggestions. When selecting the appropriate sized toy for your dog, remember that choosing a toy for a dog is like choosing a toy for a child under the age of 3. Make sure he can easily play with it, and can't swallow it.

If your dog destroys a KONG in a short period of time, try a larger KONG and/or an Extreme KONG. Red KONGs - Very Strong, Very Bouncy, Extra Hard, For Power Chewers and Multiple dogs - Only provide KONGs sized for the largest and/or most tenacious chewer in the house. Jawrobics™ - Regular use of KONG will strengthen your dog’s jaw muscles. Eventually you may need to size up or switch to Extreme KONG.

About the Kong Stuff-A-Ball Dog Toy Dog Toy

The KONG Stuff-A-Ball is a tough natural rubber toy designed to hold food or treats and release them as your dog rolls the ball, chews, and plays. You can put soft cheese in the grooves to keep him interested or even fill the grooves with dog toothpaste to help clean teeth and gums as your dog chews and chomps. Click here to find out how to stuff a Kong.

The Stuff-A Ball's irregular shape means it will bounce and roll unpredictably to keep your dog interested longer than a standard ball.

Feeding your dog by bowl at regular intervals will satisfy your dog’s nutritional needs, but does nothing to address your dog’s psychological and intellectual needs. Adding interactive-feeding sessions to your dog’s normal feeding schedule will be a rewarding and educational, and decrease depression, and boredom.

KONG guarantees your satisfaction; if either you or your dog aren't happy with your purchase, return within 30 days for a full refund.

In House Testing Comments

Testers:

Jamie, 35 # whippet-terrier mix 2 years old.

Raymond, 50 # hound-husky mix 3 years old.

Here are my dogs Jamie and Raymond playing with their Kong Stuff-A-Balls in my kitchen. This toy is pretty much their favorite. What's not to like? It taste's good, it plays with them because it rolls in unpredictable directions, and it requires a little figuring out. From my perspective, it's great because it keeps them occupied and it challenges their minds which is a really good thing on days when the weather is lousy. Serving a meal in a Stuff-A-Ball is a great way to make mealtime interesting, and make it last a little longer, especially if, like Jamie, your dog is a food bolter.

On the down side, these are fairly messy, and are suitable only for tile. When I fill the cracks with cheeze whiz or peanut butter, both dogs lick the Stuff-A-Ball clean, and lick up the floor as well, but let's face it, a dog's tongue, even at it's best, is going to leave a little peanut butter or cheese film, so count on mopping up after. Even kibbles are a tad greasy, so when it's stuffed, this is definitely not a carpet toy.

My dogs are average chewers: diligent enough to go through rope toys, and they haven't made a dent in their Stuff-A-Balls.

Summing Up:

Pros	Cons
Challenges a dog's mind	Messy
Keeps dog occupied	Requires my time to stuff and maybe freeze
Can be offered in 2 ways: stuffed with kibble as a puzzle, or stuff the cracks with peanut butter for a good chew.
Easy to clean — dishwasher safe on the top rack
Great way to feed a meal for a food bolter, or just for fun.
Tough
SATISFACTION GUARANTEED! Kong says "Your dog will love our rubber products, or we will buy them back". More info on www.kongcompany.com

Here's how to stuff a KONG.

Dogs love games and puzzles. A puppy doesn't have to be motivated to play chase or pounce or tug of war. Food puzzles like Kong are some of the most popular dog toys. Human educators have found through a lot of trials that a student who is allowed to follow a path of discovery to an answer is far more likely to remember that answer. Even more important, a student learns faster when he is involved in the search for a solution to a puzzle or mystery—after all, it's fun to figure things out, a lot more fun than memorizing a list because “there will be a test on Friday”. Dogs aren't that different from humans when it comes to learning. Dogs love games and puzzles and joyfully participate in them, so when you train, why not use what they already like to do? The puzzle or game can be pretty much anything you want to the dog to do.

Remember Mary Poppins' song,
"In ev'ry job that must be done
There is an element of fun
you find the fun and snap!
The job's a game"

Here are the rules:

1. The way to make a job fun for a dog is to give him treats and lots of praise and attention. Make the treat something your dog really really likes-hot dog, or chicken.
2. The dog always has to be successful. Ask for things you are pretty sure you are going to get a "yes" to. If he starts to get frustrated, make the task simpler.
3. Hints and luring with a treat are a great way to show your dog what you want. Use them.
4. Don't give your dog a choice that would allow him to fail. For instance, if you are working on “come”, use a long leash. Call the dog. If he comes, he gets lots of attention and a treat. If he doesn't, keep calling in an excited manner while you reel him in, and when he gets to you, treat him as though it was all his idea—treats and praise. He wins when he gets to you no matter what.

The “solve this puzzle” approach works really well for dogs who jump on you. Here's what you do. If the dog jumps, you turn your back to him, and look away. Ignoring him means no talking or yelling, or hitting – simply act like he isn't in your world. Talking, yelling, and hitting are attention, albeit bad attention, but to a dog, bad attention is better than no attention. He'll probably run around in front of you and try again. Again you turn away . Keep doing this until the dog has all four feet on the floor, then reward him by paying attention to him.

A fun puzzle game to play with your dog is Pick The Hand With The Treat. You close your fist around a small treat, then hold both your fists out to the dog, about 6 inches apart. He'll sniff your hands, and if he doesn't, just open your hand, then close it again. When his nose touches the hand with the treat, immediately open the hand and let him get the treat. If he sniffs the wrong hand, keep your hands closed At first, make this game really easy (after all, the dog should always win the game) by letting him see you take the treat in your hand. After he gets the idea of touching the “treat” hand with his nose (I look for 10 correct guesses in a row), make the game a little more difficult by picking up the treat behind your back so he can't see which hand it's in.

It will take a few times, but even the dimmest bulb will finally figure out that his actions are what control whether he gets attention or the treat. Some dogs catch on after only a couple of tries. Others can take 50, but eventually, every dog will have an “aha”! The first “aha” takes the longest. After that, learning comes much faster.

When it comes to stuffing your dog's KONG, there are just four things to consider:

1. What to put in–anything your dog likes (and that's safe for him) that you can fit or stuff in there.
2. How to get it in there–For soft fillings like peanut butter or honey, use a baggie with the corner cut out to squirt the stuff in similar to frosting a cake.

   For hard items that won't quite fit, squeeze the KONG to elongate the hole.

3. How to keep it in, since once they get the idea, dogs are really good at getting the treats out. Once your dog knows what he's doing, you can begin using sticky fillings, larger pieces that do not come out easily, and even freezing the KONG.
4. Where to put it–inside if you have a KONG original, or on the outside as well as the inside if you have a KONG Stuff-A-Ball. If your KONG has grooves like the Stuff-A-Ball, smear peanut butter or some other soft stuffing in the grooves, then put other goodies inside.

Soft KONG Stuffings

The soft products used to stuff KONGs provide immediate gratification (great for a dog new to KONG chewing). The work well spread in the outer ridges of the KONG Stuff-A-Ball and when used this way, the toy provides a different kind of entertainment than when the treats have to be gotten out of the inside.

Some soft stuffings to consider:

Kong Stuff'N Liver Paste Kong Stuff'N Peanut Butter Paste Kong Mint Paste Kong Puppy Paste Hounds 27 Sauce

Canned dog food Peanut Butter Honey Cheese Whiz Fat Free Yogurt

Firm Kong Stuffings

Firm items are more of a challenge for your dog since they have to be knocked out, pulled out, or rolled out. Kibbles are easy as they are smaller than the hole in the KONG, and they are a great thing to use when you introduce your dog to his KONG. Your dog will quickly figure out how to get small items out, and you will be looking for larger items that are more of a challenge. Official Kong treats are sized perfectly –bigger on one end and smaller on the other–so they're likely to stick out of the Kong toy at times, yet not come all the way out.
Some hard stuffings to consider:

• Kong Stuff'N Liver Snaps
• Kong Stuff'N Beef and Liver Treats
• Kong Stuff'N Tail Mix
• Kong Tots
• Dog Biscuits
• Kong Tots

Check out our KONG recipes

Here's a list of foods toxic to dogsfoods toxic to dogs.

My KONG recipes are organized by how difficult the treats are for your dog to get out. Level 1 is for KONG beginners. Gratification is instantaneous to get and keep your dog's attention. Level 2 is for dogs who have the idea, and are entertained by the challenge, but may lose interest if the puzzle is too hard. Level 3 is for the dog who has a phd in KONG! He's up to the challenge, and will stay with it until he finally cashes in on the goodies.

Level 1 - Beginner

1. The simplest Kong treat is just a little peanut butter or honey smeared around the inside of the Kong, or smeared into the grooves of a KONG Stuff-A-Ball. Your dog will work at this simple little treat, chewing and licking for a long time.
2. Spread peanut butter or honey on a piece of bread and stuff it in the KONG. At first try just rolling the bread up and sliding it in so that part of it is sticking out.
3. Fill the KONG with kibble that will easily come out when your dog shoves the KONG around.

Level 2 - Intermediate

1. Smear peanut butter or something else sticky around the inside of the KONG and fill it with treats that do not come out easily. To make this even more of a challenge for your dog, only fill it part way then freeze it first.

   NOTE: If you fill the KONG completely, the pieces may freeze together into a block and be too difficult for a dog who is still just figuring out how to solve the puzzle.

2. Put some Cheese Whiz or some other soft stuffing in the small hole first. Then toss in some dry dog food and/or small dog treats — broken in pieces — Bil-Jac works well. Top with some canned dog food mixed with dry dogfood and/or peanut butter smeared around the entire inside of the larger hole. Place a dog biscuit into the large opening, and leave about 1/3 of it sticking out.
3. Stuff a small piece of dog biscuit (or freeze-dried liver) into the small hole of the Kong. Smear a little honey (or Kong Stuff 'n product) around the inside. Fill it up with dry dog food. Then block the big hole with dog biscuits placed sideways inside.
4. Fill the KONG with one of the soft filling recipes below. Don't freeze.

Level 3 - Advanced

1. Freezing whatever recipe you used will make it last much longer
2. Layering sticky stuff with some other filling makes it hard to get out, especially if it is then frozen. See the recipe list below for some great ideas.

Some Great Recipes Using Human Food

• Tuna Salad: Mix together well: 1 6oz can of light tuna, 2 T. plain non fat yogurt, and 1/4 C. grated carrot. Spoon into KONG toy and freeze.
• Layer kibbles or Bil-Jac or broken treats with peanut butter or cream cheese. Freeze it to make it more challenging.
• Baby Food: Mix together some fat-free cream cheese, peanut butter, and either sugarfree applesauce or a jar of baby food (like bananas or carrots). Cram a solid food item into the small hole at the end of the Kong, then fill with the mixture. Seal the large hole with either more cream cheese or peanut butter.
  Note: Baby food often contains onion powder which isn't good for dogs. Always check!
• Instant mashed potatoes (without the salt) — or leftover mashed potatoes from dinner — mixed with crushed dog biscuits.
• bran cereal or cheerios with some peanut butter.

What Else Can I Put In A KONG?

When it comes to entertaining dogs, change is good. Instead of filling your dog's KONG with the same old kibble or biscuits and peanut butter, here are some human food ideas that will provide a new taste treat every day!

When you give your dog human food, think "no salt" and "no or low fat". Be sure and cook any meat or fish.

Apples	Applesauce	Apricots	Baby Food (bananas, carrots)
Bananas	Beef (cooked)	Beef Jerky	Black Olives
Bouillon	Bran Cereal	Bread	Broccoli (raw)
Carrots	Cashews	Cauliflower (raw)	Celery
Cheerios	Cheese (American, Cheddar)	Cheese Whiz	Chicken meat (cooked or canned)
Chicken Broth	Cream Cheese	Croutons (plain)	Dried Fruit (bananas, apricots, apples)
Eggs (cooked)	Fish	Hamburger	Honey
Liver (Cooked or Freeze dried)	Macaroni &Cheese (leftovers)	Nectarines	Nut Butter
Oatmeal	Orange Slices	Pasta Noodles (cooked)	Peaches
Peanut Butter	Potatoes (instant mashed, no skins)	Pumpkin (canned)	Ravioli
Rice	Rice Cakes	Steak (scraps)	Tomatoes (no greens or stems)
Tortellini	Tuna	Turkey	Velveeta
Wheat Germ	Yogurt (plain, lowfat, unsweetened, unflavored)

Here's a list of foods NOT to feed your dog

Dogs can eat a lot of what we humans eat, which is pretty convenient if you don't want to have to scrape that last little bit of food left over from a meal into the trash. However, some of the things we commonly eat like onions and garlic are harmful to dogs, so it pays to know what not to feed them. Here's a list from the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center:

• Chocolate, Coffee, Caffeine–These products all contain substances called methylxanthines, which are found in cacao seeds, the fruit of the plant used to make coffee and in the nuts of an extract used in some sodas. When ingested by pets, methylxanthines can cause vomiting and diarrhea, panting, excessive thirst and urination, hyperactivity, abnormal heart rhythm, tremors, seizures and even death. Note that darker chocolate is more dangerous than milk chocolate. White chocolate has the lowest level of methylxanthines, while baking chocolate contains the highest.
  Your dog can probably eat a little bit of chocolate safely, but if he eats more than about an ounce of milk chocolate per kilogram of body weight or as little as a couple of mouthfuls of cocoa mulch, he may experience seizures.
• Alcohol–Alcoholic beverages and food products containing alcohol can cause vomiting, diarrhea, decreased coordination, central nervous system depression, difficulty breathing, tremors, abnormal blood acidity, coma and even death. (..Just like in humans, only it takes a lot less alcohol to adversely affect a dog)
• Avocado–The leaves, fruit, seeds and bark of avocados contain Persin, which can cause vomiting and diarrhea in dogs.
• Macadamia Nuts–Macadamia nuts have caused weakness, depression, vomiting, tremors and hyperthermia in dogs. Signs usually appear within 12 hours of ingestion and last approximately 12 to 48 hours.
• Grapes & Raisins–Although the toxic substance within grapes and raisins is unknown, these fruits can cause kidney failure. As few as 7 grapes or just a handfull of raisins can be fatal.
• Yeast Dough–Yeast dough can rise and cause gas to accumulate in your pet’s digestive system. This can be painful and can cause the stomach or intestines to rupture. After the yeast has fully risen and the dough is cooked pets there is no issue.
• Raw Meat, and Eggs–Raw meat and raw eggs are not toxic, and canines in the wild eat them frequently. However, uncooked meat and eggs can contain bacteria such as Salmonella and E. coli that can be harmful to pets (and humans). In addition, raw eggs contain an enzyme called avidin that decreases the absorption of biotin (a B vitamin), which can lead to skin and coat problems.
• Xylitol–Xylitol is used as a sweetener in many products, including gum, candy, baked goods and toothpaste. It can cause insulin release in most species, which can lead to liver failure. The increase in insulin leads to hypoglycemia (lowered sugar levels). Initial signs of toxicosis include vomiting, lethargy and loss of coordination. Signs can progress to recumbancy and seizures. Elevated liver enzymes and liver failure can be seen within a few days.
• Onions, Garlic, Chives–These can cause gastrointestinal irritation and over a period of time could lead to red blood cell damage. Again, if a large enough amount is consumed. Toxicity is normally diagnosed through history, clinical signs and microscopic confirmation of Heinz bodies. An occasional low dose, such as what might be found in pet foods or treats, or a small amount of left over stew likely will not cause a problem.
• Milk–Because pets do not possess significant amounts of lactase (the enzyme that breaks down lactose in milk), milk and other milk-based products cause them diarrhea or other digestive upset.
• Salt–Large amounts of salt can produce excessive thirst and urination, or even sodium ion poisoning in pets. Signs of too many salty foods include vomiting, diarrhea, depression, tremors, elevated body temperature, seizures and even death.

Poisoning in dogs more often occurs when a dog gains access to something toxic that tastes really good, and consumes a large amount. Dogs have a sweet tooth and like raisins and foods that contain sweeteners like Xylitol. Dogs like salty french fries, although my dogs have stolen entire orders of french fries from MacDonalds, with no ill effects. Dogs unfortunately love chocolate. Dogs will also eat pretty much anything left out, so think like a parent of a 2 year old who will put anything in his mouth. Don't leave food or chemicals out. Make sure whatever goes into your dog's mouth comes from you!

Pet Zone Biodegradable Pik-Up Bags come in rolls sized to be used alone or with a doggie pick-up bag dispenser such as the Bags On Board Blue BoneDispenser, Skoop-n-Pak, Pik-Up-Pak, or Bone Pik-Up-Pak Size: rolls of 15 bags are a compact 2” x 1 3/8” which is fits easily in a pocket or fanny pack if you don't want to use a baggie dispenser. The package contains 4 rolls of 15 bags each, a total of 60 bags. Bag Size 9 “ wide, 14 “ high Biodegradable

About The Pet Zone Biodegradable Pik-Up Bags

In order to be a responsible doggie owner and in some locations avoid getting a ticket, you need to carry something with you to pick up your dog's poop. You can of course, carry plastic grocery bags, but these are bulky and inconvenient, and it only takes one walk to realize that a single grocery store bag stuffed in your back pocket won't do the job. A far better choice is a bag made specifically for the purpose like the Pet Zone Biodegradable Pik-Up Bags. They are small enough to carry with you, and are ready when you need one.

If you have ever been cought on a walk with your dog without a pick up bag, and needed one, because after all, pottying is one of the reasons you take your dog outside, you probably faced some disapproving stares from your neighbors. Yikes! The Pet Zone Biodegradable Pik-Up Bags are neighborhood friendly. There are a lot of bags on a roll, so you won't be ready to take your dog for a walk and suddenly find that you have no plastic grocery bags handy. When you can whip out a doggie pick up bag, Your neighbors will greet you and your dog happily as they realize that you aren't going to leave any doggie signs on their yards.

In House Testing Comments

Tester: Jane

Test Subjects:

Jamie, 35 pound whippet / terrier mix 2 years old.	Raymond, 50 pound hound / husky mix 3 years old.

I usually just stick a roll of Pet Zone Biodegradable Pik-Up Bags in my pocket, so I am ready for anything my two dogs put out. (pun intended) I usually use 2 or 3 per walk. They are tall enough that once I have picked up the doggie poop, there is ample length left to tie in a knot.

I like the idea of a biodegradable bag, because why pick up poop, which is after all biodegradable, in plastic, which is not. The only issue I have with the Pet Zone Biodegradable Pik-Up Bags is that while they do not leak, and do a good job of containing poop (important since I usually stick the full bags in my fanny pack), they do not do a great job of containing odor.

Summing Up:

Pros:	Cons:
Biodegradable	Somewhat Smelly
Small roll is convenient to carry
Tall enough to easily tie.

More on Pet Zone Biodegradable Pik-Up Bags      

Bags on Board Blue Bone Dispenser for doggie pick-up bags is a compact refillable dispenser which houses a roll of 15 doggie clean up bags. Size: 3 1/4” X 2 1/8” X 1 7/8 “ Easy to fasten loop attaches to any kind of leash-standard or retractable Comes with 30 biodegradable bags. Bag Size 9 “ wide, 14 “ high Fits any standard roll of pick up bags.

About The Bags on Board Blue Bone Dispenser for Doggie Pick-Up Bags

Good manners, and in some places city ordinances require that a dog owner pick up after his dog. This leaves the problem of where to carry the pick up bags. It only takes one walk to realize that a single grocery store bag stuffed in your back pocket won't do the job. So, how do you carry several pick-up-bags conveniently? This dispenser solves the problem of carrying doggie pick-up bags with you when you walk your dog. The dispenser is loaded by unscrewing one end and inserting the bags. The bags are dispensed through a hole in the side of the dispenser. They are ready when you need one, just pull it out, tear off, and the next one is waiting for you. The dispenser itself can be attached to the handle of the leash or to the clip that attaches to your dog's collar, leaving your hands for other things, like holding onto your dog…

In House Testing Comments

Tester: Jane

Test Subjects:

Jamie, 35 pound whippet / terrier mix 2 years old.	Raymond, 50 pound hound / husky mix, 3 years old.

The Bags on Board Blue Bone Dispenser for Doggie Pick-Up Bags works well. I have been carrying a roll of pick up bags in my jeans pocket, and it was a relief not to worry about unrolling the entire roll when I got them out of my pocket. I attached the dispenser to the handle of my 6' leash. While having the dispenser hanging on the handle, which I keep looped around my wrist, is a bit bothersome, the convenience of having the bags readily available is worth it.

I tried hanging the dispenser from the clip used to attach the leash to the collar, and that worked well, and is cute (but too klunky for a smallish dog — even looks klunky on Jamie, but it worked great on Raymond who is larger). It didn't bother my leash holding hand, but it only took Jamie 10 seconds to reach over to Raymond's dispenser and start pulling out the pick-up-bags! If you only have one dog, hanging it on the leash clip would probably be fine.                                                                                                                        

I tried hanging it from the leash clip to Jamie's halter, and that worked fairly well. The dispenser is heavy enough to pull the halter to the side a little. Jamie didn't seem to mind. When we jogged though, it banged against his side with every step, which he did mind.

Both dogs thought the dispenser was a dog toy. After all it looks like a dog toy, and it's hanging right there! The three of us came to an easy agreement though, that they would ignore the dispenser. Just a note though—the dispenser is made of tough plastic, and it handled being dropped, and even chewed on by Jamie after he pulled the bags out!. (Boy, I didn't see that one coming, but Jamie agreed not to do that any more, and that was our one and only foofarah with this product.) I didn't put it to the test of seeing what a serious chewer would do to it. .

If you have just adopted a shelter dog, you and he don't know each other very well. He doesn't know what is expected of him, and you don't know how he acts in a house. One of the easiest ways to train your dog is to play dog games with him. A great way to get to know each other, and to reassure him, monitor him just to make sure he doesn't potty in the house, and instill some basic good behaviors is the follow-me game.

The game is that you keep the dog with you everywhere you go. If you sit and watch TV, he is right there with you. If you get up to cycle the laundry, he goes with you. If you go to the kitchen to fix dinner, he is there with you. Dogs love to be involved with you, and quickly come to see their role of accompanying you to the laundry and the kitchen, and the garden as an important job. I wear a carpenter's apron and keep treats available in the pockets so I can reward my dog for all his good behaviors.

While the dog is accompanying you as you do your daily chores, you have the opportunity to teach him some basic behaviors and vocabulary in a low stress environment. The "come" command is easy. Every time you get up, tell your dog to come, and start off on your household errand. Make sure you reward him when he comes. Going around with you will seem a lot more interesting to him than just lying around, and he will quickly begin watching you for signs that the two of you are about to get up and do something. Dogs love a job, and the follow me game gives him one.

As you watch TV, your dog can practice the "place" command. Designate a spot for your dog, in his crate, or on a doggie bed, someplace fairly close to you, and guide him over to it as you tell him "place". Don't expect him to stay there for more than a few seconds at first, so let him up by calling him before he gets up himself. It won't take long for him to get the idea that while you are watching TV, he can go to his place and chill out. Make sure he has some toys to chew on so he won't be bored.

When you're in the kitchen, chances are he'll provide an opportunity (or possibly several opportunities) to practice the "off" command. If he puts his feet on the counter, just say "off" and lure him off with a treat. This is NOT an opportunity to punish him for standing up and putting his feet on the counter. This is an opportunity to reward him for getting down. About the 5 or 6th time, he'll begin to get the idea. Be patient, and realize that you may not get supper fixed as efficiently as you would have without the dog, but that could be said of practically anything else in your life as well. If you want efficiency, don't have pets. I find it hard to concentrate on putting something in the oven and keeping an eye on my dog at the same time. It works well for me to keep my dog on a leash at first while I'm in the kitchen so I don't have to worry about him dumpster diving in the garbage.

Doing the laundry is an opportunity to practice "down" while he waits for you to load the washer or dryer. You might get the opportunity to practice "leave it" if he happens to want to do some comfort chewing on one of your socks.

As you move through your house with your dog in close attendance, it works well to keep the doors closed. This is so that you have lots of opportunities to practice going through doors. A door inside the house isn't nearly as exciting as the door going outside, so your dog gets to practice waiting for you to go first. This process will quickly become habitual, and all this calm practice will help a lot when you get to the far more exciting door to the outside.

It won't take long and your dog will joyfully accompany you everywhere you go, and wait attentively for you to let him know that the two of you are going off to do something else!

Eight Ways To Get Your Dog Undepressed

Any dog can get depressed, but most dogs, even those who find themselves in less than wonderful circumstances, such as living in a shelter, retain their resilient and positive natures. Most dog owners go their entire lives, and never meet a depressed dog. Even owners who have adopted several shelter dogs, probably haven't encountered a case of doggie depression. But, when you adopt a shelter dog, depression, although rare, is something to be on the lookout for.

A dog who ends up in a shelter may feels like he is at the end of his tether. At the very least, his owner has abandoned By the time he got to the shelter, this dog may have simply run out of resilience. It may be that the dog who seemed to relate so well to you at the shelter, was in fact barely holding it together, and the changes associated with leaving the shelter and facing a completely new home environment is just more than he can deal with. If this happens, he probably isn't going to be “just a little down”. He's likely to dive into full blown depression and simply turn off. He may lose his appetite even for treats, stop smiling, stop playing, lost interest in toys and other dogs, take little notice of things around him including you, and hide out in of the way spots such as under the stairs. He may refuse to make eye contact with you, going so far as to turn away from you when you approach him. He may refuse to come when you call. He may sleep an unusual amount, and even become growly toward anyone who disturbs him. This will probably have you wondering if you made a really bad mistake when you adopted this dog (Duh!).

Not to worry: if the dog related well to you at the shelter, he'll relate well to you again once he gets his positive doggie nature back. It will take a little time and some specific actions on your part to help him get back to normal.

Some of the signs of doggie depression, excessive shedding, dull coat, excessive sleeping, growling if disturbed, lack of appetite, disinterest in toys, and listlessness can be signs of illness. Before you rush off to the vet and spend the money to have him run tests only to tell you that your dog is healthy, but likely depressed, do a little analysis.Was the dog healthy at the shelter? If so, he's probably fine, especially if he isn't showing other signs of illness such as a runny nose and eyes, or fever.

When we adopted Raymond, he fell into a serious depression. I have owned dogs all my life, 5 of them adopted from shelters, and Raymond is the only depressed dog I have ever met. Here's what we found that worked.

Do:

1. Get him eating. Forget about feeding him only dog food. Right now just find something to tempt him and get his system started up again. Raymond didn't eat for the first 12 days he was at our house! Raymond ignored all dog food, wet and dry, but tuna got his attention. Once you find something your dog really likes, you can slowly add kibbles to it. Make sure the portions are small enough that he finishes them.
2. Hand feed him. This is a great way to get your dog to bond with you. Right now, any interaction you can have with him is a good thing.
3. Get him walking. Take him on at least one 30 to 40 minute walk every day. Twice a day is even better. You are trying to get him into the state of just trucking along beside you. That state is one in which endorphins (the upbeat hormones) are produced. Also, walking helps the dogs digestive system to get in gear. If you are a jogger, even better. Take your dog running with you.
4. Find ways to relate to him:
   • Find reasons to give him treats. Ask him to do simple things – 'sit' is a good place to start because he doesn't have to take initiative, just move his butt when you push on it.
   • Give him unearned treats–just because.
   • Keep him in contact with you—on a leash if necessary. Leash him and let him accompany you while you do your chores – the laundry, the dishes, walk to the mailbox, picking up the house, running errands, working on the car, or to the yard. Dogs love a job, and “helping” you do whatever you do will seem like a great job to him.
   • Pet him frequently – brush him, stroke him, whatever's pleasant for him. Acknowledge him: whenever you see him. Talk to him.
   • Give him something he will chew on. Like walking, chewing gets a dog into a good place emotionally and alleviates stress. Dogs like things that smell, like cattle hooves, or a real soup bone . He's likely not to pay much attention to toys while he's depressed, so find something really really yummy. Some dogs love squeeky toys. If you're not sure, take him to PetSmart and find out what he likes.
   • Schedule his day. Knowing when things will happen is comforting. Feed him at the same time. Walk him at the same time. Take him out to potty at the same time. Let him potty in the same place each time. Let him have a chew toy at the same time. Allow him to come and watch tv with you at the same time. Life won't always have to be so rigorously structured, but for now, your dog needs it.

Don'ts:

1. Don't Punish. No matter what. A closely supervised dog won't have much chance to get into trouble.
2. Don't add stress. Leave training classes till later.

Dealing with a depressed dog is challenging. Don't expect quick results. Raymond didn't smile until he had been with us 5 months. It was 6 months before he consistently ate, and then we usually had to add a little touch of something good to the kibble before he would show much enthusiasm. It was a year before he started demanding our attention by giving us those soulful looks, gazing right into our eyes. At this point, we've owned him for 15 months, and he is happy, playful, and well socialized—He's showing us the personality we thought we were adopting.