October Newsletter

AWS OCTOBER NEWSLETTER

BECOME A GARDEN SUPPORTER

The Garden Supporters Program is a way to thank, honor, celebrate or memorialize a pet, relative, friend, business or colleague.

You can choose to add a customized engraved plate to our plaque or dedicate a bench or tree located on the beautiful grounds of Animal Welfare Society, Inc.

Garden Supporters Sponsorship Levels

$50 - Gardener

$100 - Green Thumb

$250 - Botanist

$500 - Horticulturist

$750 – Arborist* (three trees available)

$1,000 - Master Garden Supporter* (one bench available)

Plates are 1"x 3" and have space for one, two or three lines of text of up to thirty characters each (including punctuation and spaces).

Visit the AWS Website to learn more and become a Garden Supporter today!

Act quickly! This opportunity closes October 25th!

*For Arborist or Master Garden Supporter donors, please contact Diane Saraceni directly.

The AWS Pet Thrift Store

October 10th, 10 AM - 1 PM

Last chance to shop the Thrift Store until 2021!

Please be sure to wear your mask and practice social distancing while on the property.

Proceeds help our rescued pets.

24 of the Best Indoor Games for Dogs

From DogClinic.com

1. Trick Training Using Positive Reinforcement

Why not teach your dog a new trick on a rainy day? Picking a simple trick, like ‘shake hands’ or ‘spin,’ can be a great place to start. If you both enjoy training, you can move onto something more challenging like ‘rollover’, ‘play dead’ or ‘sit pretty.’

2. Interactive Food Toys

For those times when you can’t play with your dog directly, interactive treat toys can be a great option. They encourage your dog to use their natural skills in foraging, nose work and problem-solving. A bonus is that food toys slow down your dog’s eating – which is useful if your pet usually gulps down his dinner!

3. Which Hand?

The “Which Hand?” trick harnesses your dog’s natural scenting abilities. The idea is that your dog should signal which hand contains the treat – and get a reward when correct.

4. Snuffle Mats

Did you know studies have shown that dogs who get increased opportunities to sniff are more “optimistic” when faced with new tasks? Snuffle mats are a great option for encouraging your dog to use their nose. They are typically small mats with interwoven pieces of material that are designed to mimic grass. The pieces of food can be hidden amongst the ‘grass’ for your dog to find. Some also have treat pockets.

5. Tug-Of-War

A 2003 study suggested that playing tug can help dogs feel more confident and that it encourages a bond of trust between the owner and their dog. It also showed that playing “tug” doesn’t make your dog more dominant or aggressive. If you have an easily over-aroused dog, playing tug politely can be a great way to teach impulse control. Always wait for calm behavior before initiating the game and reward whenever they release the toy on cue (you’ll need to teach “give” first.)

6. The Cup Game

Once your dog has mastered the ‘Which Hand?’ game, you can introduce the same premise but with cups. Use one cup initially and teach your dog to find the treat, then move onto two and three for an extra challenge.

7. Flirt Poles

A flirt pole looks a bit like an oversized cat toy, with a toy attached via a rope. This acts as a lure for your dog. It’s a wonderful way to give your dog indoor exercise – although you’ll need to teach a strong release command before you use one.

Flirt Pole Fun- Training with a flirt pole

8. Treat Hunts

Playing a game of treasure hunt is another way to harness your dog’s sense of smell. You can use high-value treats or kibble, or, if you want to watch their waistline and they are very toy motivated, you could hide their favourite toys instead.

9. Teach Your Dog to Put His Toy’s Away

If your dog already knows cues for ‘take it’ and ‘drop it’, then you could up the ante and get them to tidy away their toys.

10. Teach Toy Names

If you’ve ever seen Chaser, the famous Border Collie, you’ll know it’s possible to teach a dog the names of their toys. Chaser knew the names of over 1,000 individual toys!

11. Hide and Seek

“Hide and Seek” is a fun indoor game that many dogs love. It can also strengthen your bond and even improve your pet’s recall.

12. Grooming

This may seem like an unusual choice! But introducing a regular grooming schedule, even if you have a short-haired dog, can be a great bonding experience. It can also help your pet to relax during physical contact.

13. Play Tag

You’ll need two people for this game – but it can be a lot of fun!

14. Bring Out High-Value Toys

It’s a good idea to rotate your dog’s toys to help keep them stimulated and engaged.

15. Reinforce Basic Obedience Commands

Sometimes it’s easy to overlook basic commands. Without regular practice, these can get a little rusty.

16. Indoor Obstacle Courses

Even if your dog has never tried an agility class, you can create a fun little course in your home. This can build confidence, work on balance and body awareness and, above all, it can be great fun for your dog.

17. Make Cardboard Toys

Toys from cardboard can be a source of endless fun and entertainment for your dog. A simple example is hiding kibble in an old cereal box, toilet roll inner or egg box. Many dogs will have lots of fun throwing or tearing the cardboard to access the treat.

18. Relax on the Couch

Too much activity and adrenaline can release cortisol, which is stress-inducing and can make it difficult for your dog to relax fully. For this reason, it’s important to look out for signs that your dog is being over-aroused.

19. Pup Play Dates

If your dog enjoys the company of other dogs, and they already have doggy friends, a pup play date could provide enrichment during bad weather conditions.

20. Indoor Fetch

Fetch doesn’t need to be limited to outdoors – as long as you have enough space. Chuckit, for example, has a range of soft balls designed for indoor play.

21. Pup Photography Sessions

Getting some sweet photos of your dog can be great for your social media accounts, but it can also be a fun training session for your pup. Practice basic commands like “sit” and “stay” before snapping some cute shots, making sure to give plenty of rewards.

22. The Muffin Tray Game

If you want to create an interactive treat game without spending money on a puzzle feeder, the muffin game could be a great alternative. Put a yummy treat or piece of kibble in the tray’s holders, and then cover them with balls.

The Muffin Tin Game - Mental Enrichment for Your Dog

23. Practice Clicker Training

A clicker is a little hand-held training tool that makes a sound when you press it. This sound is used to mark desired behavior when your dog offers it. Immediately after the clicker sound, your dog gets a tasty reward.

24. Take a Training Class

If you’re both going stir crazy indoors, or are looking for some additional training tips and guidance, then why not consider enrolling in a local indoor dog training class?