Despite Shuttered Dog Park, Still Options for Fido

[Editor's note: The following article was written by Dorice Stancher, a certified dog trainer and therapy dog evaluator from Ridgewood.]

While dog runs are popular for entertaining Fido, there are many other ways to keep your dog happy. Remember, when starting a new activity, check with your vet if your pet has any underlying health conditions.
 
. Here are some ideas to make your time with your dog fun and educational:

• Invite your friends for a doggy play date. Choose a book on dog tricks and try some of them. Assign point values to some of the harder ones and compete for prizes.
• Meet-up for a stroll around the village and then finish it off with some casual outdoor dining at one of the many fine restaurants. 
• Set up your own indoor agility course using everyday items as obstacles.
• Read to your dog.
• Teach your dog the basics (Sit, Down, Stay, Come) using a foreign language or just hand signals.
• Play hide and seek with your dog indoors.
• Get plastic containers and cut holes in the lids for scent. Place a tasty treat in a special container and then see if your dog can find the right one.
• Take a muffin pan and fill the holes with tennis balls, hiding a special treat under some of the balls.
• Throw a party for your dog and play party games like Egg Race (heeling with a plastic Easter egg in a spoon), or Fido Says having the other dogs try to do what Fido does.
• Learn more about being qualified as a therapy dog team so that you can visit people who are in hospitals or nursing homes.
• Practice good safety and manners by having your dog sit and wait at every village street-crossing.

Every moment that we spend with our dogs is a "teachable moment". Make yours count and have fun!

Ridgewood dog trainer and therapy dog evaluator, Dorice Stancher is always looking for new ways to have fun with dogs. Her website is:caninescando.com and she can be reached at caninescando@me.com or 201.323.2514