FDL #goals – Issue 8

Best of FDL 11/9-11/15: Backyard playgrounds, Canine Christmas, feeding schedules, "Wait, where's my dog?", genius hacks

Nov 16, 2020

Welcome to the Fine Dog Living weekly newsletter – curated content from the FDL Facebook group + a little editorial riffing by me, Lisa Murnan.

#Goals

This post from Anna L. squeaked under the wire late Sunday and I’m so glad I saw it in time to include it in this week’s newsletter. Because it’s amazing.

Anna writes: “FDL is giving your dogs 2 playgrounds in the backyard 🥰❤️🐾”

Some of the comments:

This is like FDL elevated! 😍

You could get a job landscaping backyards for dog owners. 😁

I won’t show this one to my pups. They would be so jealous.

This is my dream!!

Anna lives in Pensacola, Florida if any of you guys want a landscaping consult.

(Maybe I should fly her out to Colorado… Here are a couple of our dogs having a blast in our backyard playground. 😐🙃)

Yes we’re talking about Christmas already

Marci R. asked the group, “Anyone else do full Christmas for your dogs? We are 31, no children, and I still love buying for Christmas. I usually do a ton of little things but this year I want to get each of my pack a “big” gift. Looking for ideas. The Malinois is our only working dog and she’s getting a new collar for her FastCAT Trials. Trying to figure out what to get the 11-year-old spaniel and 6-year-old Shepherd/Husky mix.”

Ideas:

I always get a few new things (toys, treats, collars whatever) and then wrap some of the dogs' existing toys. My oldest loves unwrapping and doesn't care what is actually inside 😂

A goodie box from Grimms Goodies! That’s what’s on our list at least

Oh yes the whippets get stockings! This year I’ll probably do a large box of pizzle sticks and Cozy Caves when they restock.

I want to do an Advent calendar for them 🤷‍♀️😂

I'm 33. No kids. No partner. My dogs get their own stockings which I fill with toys and treats. They each get at least one present under the tree from myself and my mom buys them each one present to put under the tree. They get to unwrap everything themselves. I also prepare their own special Christmas lunch. They are very much treated the same as a child on Christmas and they love it. Total fur Mommy status. They even get included in the Christmas family photos and wear Christmas jammies with the rest of us

Yes..... I love dog Christmas. It is my fav. Last year we did paw print ornaments with my litter. Big dogs got gifts, puppies all got new toys. It’s like watching littles and Santa - pure joy.

Always! New beds or fancy collars are fun. I got my one girl a super soft heated blanket a couple years ago for her ‘big’ gift because she LOVES when I use a heating pad. And she went crazy over the blanket. Of course, we only use it when we are home with her !

I bought my dog a trampoline for Christmas. Took advantage of the sale at Walmart. I go big when celebrating. My pups LOVE opening presents.

Search tennis ball lots on eBay. We bought 200 tennis balls and gave them to them on Xmas they loved it!

(Hilariously, Marci already did this idea for Aella’s birthday!)

“I feel like something’s missing but I don’t know what…”

Last week’s newsletter had this meme about forgetting to bring your dog with you to the vet:

This week, we have a real-life story from Karin C., who left her dog at flyball practice:

“Fine dog living is when you get home from flyball practice, go to unload dogs, and realize one is still in his crate at the building, right?? 😳😬🤣🤣”

This is Karin’s very very sad pathetic very sad boy making her feel guilty

The comments on this post were hilarious (and Karin, you are definitely not alone)

Been there, done that! Once, we forgot two of them after a tournament and had to get security to come open the building. Another time, we left one at the hotel in a soft side crate, wasn't until we were unloading dogs at the tournament that we realized we had an empty crate in the van!

I left my dog at a tournament once and had to call the county to let me come get him. He was quietly asleep in his kennel there 🤦

My vet tech students text me to remind me to take my dogs home 🤣. I have a habit of forgetting them

Been there, done that, felt real dumb….one Can-Am I left our A team height dog in the hotel room Saturday morning 🤦

One time my boyfriend packed the wrong dog for class 😂 he was trying to be helpful! And luckily it wasn’t a show, just class.

My husband, a fellow SAR canine handler, showed up at K9 training without his dog. Took him a while to live that down. 😂

Went to the bathroom. Left my service dog with my hubby, under the table. I walked out of the restaurant because hubby was gone. The waitress came outside to give us my dog.

In case anybody was worried, Karin’s dog has forgiven her.

How often do you feed your dog?

Thuan T. asked the group, “Just curious...how many times do you feed your dog (mealtime)? And when do they get snacks?”

Apparently people love to talk about this, because Thuan’s post had 173 comments last time I checked. I didn’t tally up all the responses, but it looked like they were overwhelmingly for “twice a day.” Most of those that fed once a day supplemented with treats.

Twice a day. They only get treats really when we’re training.

Feed twice a day. Usually a small treat when they go into their kennels when I leave for work. And then a dental chew after dinner/before bed.

When COVID started and my classes got canceled I started feeding my dogs 2x a day. No set schedule on snacks. Just whenever I feel like giving them some

Twice a day. They don't get snacks, they get treats during training, which happens throughout the day.

I feed mine twice a day. I don't consider treats for training "snacks", so I guess I'd say that they get actual snacks when I'm done eating, because I let them "pre-wash" my plate. And whenever I've bought them something like a bully stick or turkey neck or something I've bought on a whim, lol.

I feed my two bassets and min pin twice a day. The min pin sometimes needs another small meal because he’s so tiny and active and cold-sensitive. He isn’t always the greatest eater and his blood sugar can crash if he doesn’t eat enough. They all get bedtime biscuits. The overnight gap between meals is 12 to 14 hours and the bassets have a habit of puking if their tummies get too empty. They all also get generous amounts of treats during training. I keep a really close eye on their weights to make it all balance out.

Once a day, not on a schedule- sometimes at 10 am, sometimes 8 pm, and anywhere in between! Multiple treats and snacks during the day via training or raw bones or other chews, etc.

I feed one meal a day but snacks happen all day long/at random

Meals are twice a day at no specific times as I do not want my dogs on a schedule. They get snacks whenever I feel like it.

Morning and Evening. Treats happen when their Dad comes home from work. If I tried to only feed one time a day I believe I would be smothered in my sleep! 😂😂😂

👆👆👆 That last comment - ME TOO!!

(In fact, here are mine right this minute waiting for me to finish this newsletter so they can eat)

More genius FDL hacks

Heather A. posted: “FDL is when you can't find a hair tie, but you know exactly where your clicker complete with wrist band is 😂”

(Also loved this response from Jacob P.: “This should be part of the uniform to ClickerExpo”)

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Aly J. posted: “#FDL....making a barrier out of a Chewy box to attach to your walker to prevent your wrecking ball of a cattle dog from jumping up and pawing at your knee replacement incision.”