On Saturday, we had the opportunity to demo Cardboard Chaos for the pet lovers attending the @greatlakespetx ! We had an absolute blast and hope we shared some easy ways you can keep your dogs engaged at home with items you may already have around the house.
Thank you to Princess and the pups of Good Dogs Go Home, INC. for helping us out. The last three dogs featured (Bootsie, Dozer and Riot) are currently available for adoption.
And, thank you again to the @greatlakespetx for having us, we're already excited for the prospect of 2024!
#greatlakespetexpo #nonprofitorganization #keepingpetsinhomes #petnonprofit #petlovers #dogenrichment #dogengagement
Watch this video a few times over! This sweet girl visited us at Bark in the Park last Saturday and we caught her modeling a beautiful “shake off”.
A “shake off” is a canine body movement used to reduce stress. Stress can include distress such as fear or anxiety OR eustress such as excitement, arousal, or anticipation. When a dog who is fully dry shakes from head to tail, he/she is literally shaking off stress! It is comparable to us humans taking a deep breath or saying “phew”.
Now, watch the video again. What differences do you see in her face before and after the shake off?
Prior to the shake off, her mouth is closed. She puts her head into the box, so that the cardboard flap touches the top of her head. Her ears are held up and to the side.
Once she shakes off, her mouth immediately opens into a soft pant. She blinks. Her eyes and ears soften. You can even see her tail wagging in wide, loose side-to-side movements. This is a wiggly, relaxed pup!
You may be wondering what you should do when your dog shakes off. Acknowledge and praise the action! Try, “Nice shake off!” or, “Good job, bud!” when you notice your pup shaking off. The ability to regulate stress and calm oneself is an important life skill. You can even reward your dog with a treat if you have food on you!
You can also use this in stressful situations. If you notice your dog is uncomfortable with a very stiff, slow moving body, ask him/her to walk away with you. Allow him/her to sniff or walk until you see a shake off. Praise him/her! And pat yourself on the back for a great job advocating for your dog! :)
(We did not catch this girl's information, so if you're her human please let us know so we can tag you!)
Check out these articles if you want to learn more.
https://www.dogtrainingnation.com/dog-behavior-2/what-is-a-dog-shake-off/
https://dogtime.com/reference/dogspeak/3342-shake-dog-speak-colleen-safford
https://www.silentconversations.com/shake-off-dog-body-language/
Sorry the sound isn't working, but we're all set up at Island Park in Racine! Come say hi and grab some food or supplies for your pup today!
Next up in our co-founder intros is Mary-Agnes!
She is a Milwaukee native, pet lover at heart and the human for two pups - Cola & Leo (who some of you may already know).
She's passionate about Pets Of Our Future's mission to support pets and their humans during hard times because she has experience with just that. Growing up she felt the heartbreak of her family having to surrender a pet when it felt like they had no other options.
She knows how special the human-pet bond is and is hopeful that Pets Of Our Future can help break stereotypes and support pet lovers no matter their situations.
#petnonprofit #nonprofitcofounder #meetourteam #supportingpetsandtheirhumans #keepingpetsinhomes
