Five Games That Will Delight Your Dog

Fetch

This time-honored game requires nothing but a lightweight ball of relatively soft material (if it is too hard, the ball could damage your dog's teeth) and a willing dog. Make sure the ball isn't too small, otherwise he could accidentally swallow it while leaping. (Depending on the size of the dog, even a tennis ball could be too small.)

The object is of course to have your dog bring the ball back to you. That isn't always the case; sometimes the dog trains the owner to run after the ball.

Unless you don't mind running at your dog's whim, here are a few suggestions:

# Don't play if your dog pushes the ball at you then snatches it away as you reach for it, or if he dances around with the ball in his mouth, teasing you. You're just reinforcing the idea that he can give you orders.

# As the pack leader, YOU decide when to bring the ball out and when to throw it. Keep the ball in a special area that your dog is aware of, so when he sees you bring the ball out, he becomes excited and eager to please.

# Follow the practice of performers to "leave 'em begging for more." In canine parlance, that means quit the game while he's still interested, not when he becomes bored.

# Lavish praise on him immediately when he retrieves the ball and brings it to you.

You can substitute the ball with a Frisbee. To learn how to teach him the game, see the story Teaching Your Dog to Love Frisbee.

Hoops

What would you rather do, watch overpaid athletes strut around a basketball court or play hoops with your dog? Teaching him how isn't difficult, and he'll be grateful for the chance.

# Take a container such as a big cooking pot,laundry basket or large plastic pail and weight it down with a heavy object (so it won't get knocked over).

# Introduce your dog to the basket and the ball. As he watches, drop the ball into the bucket several times, while saying "drop."

# Give him the ball, then bring him over to the bucket and say "Drop." Do this until he drops the ball in the basket, then immediately praise him (you might give him a small treat as well). You'll have to repeat this several times before he makes the connection between the reward and the action.

# When the connection is made, roll or throw the ball to him and watch him doggie-dunk it!

Swimming

If there's a body of water nearby, your dog may want to go for a dip (only allow this if it's safe AND permitted). Most dogs take to the water like ducks, but if he's new to swimming, you'll want to make sure he can swim. Never just throw him into the water, and always supervise his water activities.

# Stand in shallow water and call to your dog. You may want to coax him with a toy or a treat.

# Your dog should use all four legs to doggie paddle. If he paddles with just his front paws, lift his rear legs to help him float. He'll quickly understand that he needs all his legs to swim.

# Swimming is strenuous to any creature not used to it, so don't let your dog swim for too long. If you're at the beach, watch out for strong tides, and don't let your dog drink saltwater. (You should also be aware that your dog is a target for sea lice and jellyfish.)

Incidentally, if you take your dog to the beach, you should bring along fresh water and shade. Dogs can get sunburned too.

Hula Hoop

Begin by holding a hula hoop (still available at most toy stores, believe it or not!) upright, but on the floor. Lead your dog through the hoop, then reward him with praise or a treat (or both). Repeat several times.

# Raise the hoop several inches off the ground and lead him through again. Then let him go at it!

# Keep raising the hoop a little more each time to make it more of a challenge, rewarding your dog each time he makes it through. Quit before he gets bored or no longer wants the treats.

Tug-of-War

Dogs like playing tug-of-war, but it is important not to let the game get out of hand. Because dogs are, by instinct, hunters, the game reminds them of catching prey. For that reason, stop playing when the game starts to appear too serious. If your dog starts to take winning seriously, it's time to play a less competitive game. And don't ever show off your dog's grip by picking him up with the rope in his teeth.

You should also be careful in choosing the material you should use. Don't use your socks or other clothing, even if your dog is still a puppy He'll associate your clothing with the game and you may wind up with lots of holes in your socks. The material shouldn't shred easily, either, because your dog could swallow pieces. Your best bet is to pick a rope that has been specifically designed as a dog toy.

The Benefits of Playing With Your Dog

Playing with your dog not only keeps him happy and healthy; it forges a special bond between you and your pet. To learn more about the benefits of play, see the story Why it's Important for Dogs to Play.

For more ideas...from our Petplace.com dog lovers, please read MORE Games That Delight Dogs.

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The American Kennel Club (AKC) recently released their 2008 registration numbers which we have used to determine the Top 10 Breeds of 2008.

Drum roll please....

For the 18th year in a row, the Labrador Retriever takes the top spot once again as America's favorite purebred dog!

So it is safe to say that America is in love with the Labrador Retriever ... and with good reason. Labs are friendly, loving and very playful. They are highly regarded for their good nature, easy trainability and intelligence.

This popular breed was not originally used as a companion dog. Instead, Retrievers were bred exclusively as hunters, a job for which they possessed superior talents. The Labrador Retriever was officially accepted into the English Kennel Club in 1903 and the American Kennel Club in 1917.

The Top 10 Breeds of 2008 are:

1. Labrador Retriever

2. Yorkshire Terrier

3. German Shepherd

4. Golden Retriever

5. Beagle

6. Boxer

7. Dachshund

8. Bulldog

9. Poodle

10. Shih Tzu



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Do Our Pets Really Love Us?

In the English language, we have just one word to describe the different types of love. The ancient Greeks were a bit smarter in this respect; they used different words to describe the love for a spouse, a sibling, a parent or a friend.

You have to wonder which word they used to describe the love between pets and people. We know how we feel towards our pets, but do they experience the same emotions toward us? Or is the bond simply a mixture of instinct, dependence and social role?

In short, do our pets really "love" us, as we understand it? In a word, the answer is yes, according to clinical evidence. Food does play a large role in feelings of affection between pet and owner. But dog does not live by biscuit alone, and neither does a cat's affection depend solely on treats. The mere presence and/or touch of a preferred person has been shown to reduce the heart rate of these animals - a sign of bonding. (The same is true with horses.)

Puppy Love

Like people, dogs don't simply like or love someone just because they are there. The personality of the pet and the person makes a large difference. A dominant or independent dog, for instance, is less likely to become enamored with a submissive owner. But he may become attached to someone who is a strong leader. This same person may terrify a dog that has endured hard times. A dog like this is more likely to adore a comparatively gentle owner.

In his book, Dogs Don't Lie About Love, Jeffrey Masson wrote about his relationship with three rescued dogs. Presuming that these dogs were needy, and he is a kind person, the title makes sense. These dogs very likely wear their adoring hearts on their sleeves, so to speak. In my first book, The Dog Who Loved Too Much, I wrote about a needy, hyper-attached dog with separation anxiety. It was the dog's owner who came up with the title to describe her dog's apparent, total devotion and intolerance of separation.

Some dogs do become hopelessly devoted to their owners, greeting them so exuberantly that the owner has no doubt he or she is the center of the dog's universe. But this kind of love is fawning, pathetic and, in a way, self-serving to the dog. It is certainly not a healthy sort of love.

At the other end is a very dominant, confident and independent dog. These dogs may border on indifference, and their feelings are along the lines of tolerance than attachment. They tolerate the owners simply because they are fed.

What is far better is the love in which a dog has learned to trust and respect his owner without abject humility, fear or desperate need to be around all the time. The image this brings to mind is that of a mature Labrador or golden retriever, walking beside his beloved owners, perhaps on the beach. Such dogs have enough confidence to run off and play in the ocean, but enjoy returning to the social group that is the family. This can be described as a healthy love.

Of course, there are those special bonds we have all heard about when an owner dies, but his or her dog waits patiently for their return. Such was the case of Greyfriars Bobby, an Edinburg dog who sat by his master's grave for many years, until his death, waiting for his master's return. If that is not love, I don't know what is.

Love of a Cat

Cats are said to be independent, aloof, and not in need of company except on their terms. This is true only of some cats; certainly not all. Cats raised by people from an early age either think they are almost human, or that the human is almost a cat.

In fact, throughout a cat-person bond, the two may switch roles without realizing it. On occasion, a cat will bring home a dead or half-dead animal as a token of her love and respect (a touching, if gruesome, method of confirming the bond).

Bringing home "love offerings" of this type is a sign of attachment and belonging. There are others that require less clean up. When the bond is strong, a cat will:

# Tend to follow you around. She may not follow immediately, but after a moment or two she might casually saunter into the room where you're sitting (as if she's trying to play the whole thing down). Your cat may jump in your lap or may just find a chair nearby. Either way, she prefers to spend time with you.

# Become slightly depressed when you leave, and greet you enthusiastically upon your return. She may learn to recognize the sound of your car pulling up and run to the door, expecting your presence.

# Send subtle cat signals of affection to you throughout the day. These often take the form of classic "cat kisses" , staring at you adoringly, then squinting or slowly closing her eyes.

# Send not-so-subtle signals, such as rubbing her head upon you (marking you with her scent), and of course, purring.

# Lying on her back, with her stomach exposed. This is a sign of trust, because your cat is now in a vulnerable position. Many owners mistakenly think this is a request for a belly rub. It usually isn't.

This is a cat's affection at its most intense. They can't hold your hand, and they are not given to jumping up and kissing you. There's no difficulty to describe this sort of relationship as love.

Jealousy

If dogs and cats do love us, do they feel jealousy? The answer: not in the same way. They may perceive a change in hierarchy or status when a new person or animal comes in, which changes their behavior (this is particularly true of a new animal). Change in routine is upsetting to both dogs and cats, and they react accordingly.

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Why Do Dogs Eat Grass?

Dogs are not known for being fussy eaters. Put it in your dog's path and he'll gobble it up, whether it be table scraps, garbage ... or grass.

Dogs are primarily carnivores (meat-eaters). Although they like to eat meat, they can also survive on a well-balanced vegetarian diet: Cats, on the other hand, may die without animal protein. Like all living creatures, dogs need a combination of fats, carbohydrates, proteins,vitmins, minerals, and water in a balanced diet that provides enough calories to meet their daily needs.

Interestingly, carnivores tend to go for the stomach and its contents first, so it's likely that dogs may eat grass because they like it and it was once part of their normal diet.

Then there is the great mystery: Do dogs eat grass to make themselves vomit? Or do they vomit because they eat the grass? Most veterinarians believe that dogs eat grass simply because they like it, and vomiting just naturally follows. When dogs eat grass, the grass acts as an irritant and causes vomiting. However, they may not be smart enough to use grass as a medicine when they have an upset stomach. That said, one of us has seem a dog with burrs stuck in his throat pounce on a Ficus plant and voraciously start scoffing great scads of leaves until he threw up, presumably in an attempt to dislodge the foreign material.

Some veterinarians believe that dogs eat grass because their prepared diets are lacking in greens and so they eat grass. And as some support of this contention, dogs sometimes seek out a particular variety of grass to nibble.

No matter what the reason, your dog's "grass" habit is normal behavior and you need not be concerned about it. A note of caution, however: Take care that your pet does not eat grass that has been treated with fertilizer, pesticides or herbicides. This could cause stomach upset or even worse problems for your dog.