Celebrating Mother's Day with your pooch

Happy Mother’s Day to all of our pooch mums!
Why not celebrate Mother’s day with your favourite four-legged friend? What could be better than a day full of fun doggy activities!?

Breakfast in bed
What better excuse for breakfast in bed than Mother’s Day?!

To keep your pooch entertained while you do this, you can give them a lick mat which can be spread with peanut butter (one which does not contain xylitol which is toxic to dogs), cottage cheese, natural yoghurt or sweet potato mash. To make it last longer, you can freeze it.

Another option to keep them entertained would be a rubber ‘Kong’ toy which can be filled with layers of food. For the first layer, use something easy to reach with a doggy tongue such as Pooch & Mutt’s mini bone treats. The next layer can be cooked pieces of chicken, turkey or white fish. On top, use something extra tasty to entice your dog in, such as some low-fat cream cheese. Experiment with different ingredients and, just like lick matts, Kongs can also be frozen to last longer.

Mother’s Day baking
Fancy rolling up your sleeves for some baking this Mother’s Day? Why not whip up some homemade pupcakes, click here for a banana and peanut butter pupcake recipe.

Explore a new walking route
Make the most of your walks by exploring new and different routes and allowing your dog to sniff along the way. While many owners find it frustrating to stop at every weed and tree for a good ole sniff, this is actually one of the most exciting parts of the walk for dogs, so try not to deprive them.
Remember that a dog’s exercise requirements (and capabilities) will depend on their age and breed, so be sure not to push your dog too far. Working breeds such as Spaniels, Retrievers and Collies will be delighted with a few hours of exercise every day, while lap dogs such as Shih Tzus may simply raise their eyebrow and sit down if you suggest anything more than their usual half hour!

New tricks
Why not incorporate some new and fun learning into Mother’s Day by teaching your pooch a new trick or 2! Learning new tricks are a great way to give your dog some mental stimulation.
If your dog is still getting to grips with basic commands such as “sit”, “lie down” and “paw”, you might want to focus on these before moving on to more advanced tricks.
Remember to keep the training sessions fun and be sure to have treats at the ready. Our Meaty Treats are the perfect treat to help with this, but remember, treats should never make up more than 10% of your furry friend’s diet.

Scenting games
If you want to put your feet up for a while, why not create a scenting game for your pooch?

Scenting games are fun for any dog and are a great way to burn off some steam. Why not hide some kibble and doggy treats around the garden or around the house? Sprinkle some about on the ground (these are the ‘easy’ finds to spark interest) and then also place some in ‘trickier’ places such as on benches or beside plant pots. Let your dog watch you place the treats while on a lead and then set him free and watch that tail wag! Of course, before you get started, do double check your back garden is free from any toxins such as lawn feed, weed killer or slug bait.