So the story that’s being passed around with this is that the homeowners couldn’t figure out why the pool furniture, etc were all soaked with water when they came home, and thought neighbor kids were sneaking in while they were gone and using the pool. They set up a camera. Whether or not this is true or they just filmed the dogs having fun with the pool, it’s still a riot. Happy Summer!
seriously – if you’re having a bad day, watch this video and the one I posted before it. You’ll have to crack some sort of smile.
I imagine any mother would be envious of this duo – baby’s happy, dog is happy and getting exercise, mom gets a rest and a dose of entertainment. What’s not to love? Make sure to turn up the volume!
I needed a little something funny today – check out this funny video
Check out this funny video
Happy Halloween!
Fun Stuff
check out this link to cute dog breed stencils for your pumpkin carving.
The “real” link is here, but I can’t figure out where the stencils are for that one. Maybe you can.
Beware of Toxic Things on Halloween
Don’t forget to be on guard for dogs getting into that Halloween Candy stash! Chocolate isn’t the only thing that’s toxic to dogs; macadamia nuts, raisins, and the sweetener xylitol are all on the list of things that can be poisonous to dogs, but the wrappers and other decorations can also cause problems when ingested. Check out this link to other household items that are toxic to dogs, and what to do if your dog gets into them.
Behavioral Tips
Behaviorally, make sure that if your dog is stressed out by strangers, to have him in a secure area of the house where he won’t be plagued by constant scary monsters ringing the doorbell. Conversely, if you’re up for it this is a great time to work on door manners with a dog that isn’t frightened just excited. Doorbell rings, dog on leash sits, door opens, dog and costumed kid both get their own treats. Lots of repetitions available on Halloween equals lots of chances to practice how to act when people come to the door.
Hints:
-Practice this a day or two beforehand with someone familiar that rings the doorbell, rehearsing the sit quietly while the door opens routine 8 or 10 times (first time is hard, then it gets easy as it’s the same person over and over. This lets the dog get better and better at the behavior because you’ve removed the novelty of someone at the door)
- work on a leash for control, but reward the sitting calmly without lots of yanking. The familiar person can hang out on the step for a few minutes while you work on that.
- on Halloween, have two people work the door, one for kid treats and one for working with the dog
- when the doorbell rings, don’t jump up. Walk calmly to the door.
If you have a new puppy this can be a good socialization exercise – monsters = good treats for puppy! Encourage them to say hi to the funny monsters, but don’t force them into it – you want socialization exercises to be positive. If you feel like it’s safe, have the monsters offer the puppy yummy dog jerky or pieces of cheese. Soon the puppy will think people in costume are a good thing!
You might have seen this on SNL – we often think this is the rationale used by companies that make many grocery store brands of dog food
