Need Some Easter Fun for Your Agility Dog?

Easter is another holiday that has become synonymous with chocolate. Easter baskets full of chocolate bunnies, eggs and other shapes are expected.  However, those baskets can be deadly to your dogs so please keep chocolate our of reach of your dogs and keep an eye on little hands that may find great joy in giving the pup some yummy treats. And speaking of homes that are shared by youngsters as well as dogs, keep in mind many dogs will have not idea that fluffy bunny isn’t for them to chew up.

With the Easter Warnings done, let’s look at some ways to have fun with your dog this Easter while being safe and healthy.  Here’s a few ideas to Easter-ize your course!

• If you have a large front or backyard you can organize an Easter Agility Fun course. Or you can meet at a park to play. You can make each obstacle worth points and run it like a Wildcard game. Each team determines their own course and may repeat obstacles they want and exclude obstacles they don’t want to complete. Set a time and the one that accumulates the most points wins. Be creative with your obstacles, they don’t have to be regulation! For example they can perform a pause box in an actual box or walk along a raised boarder for a dog walk.
• No festivity is complete without a bobbing for hotdogs. For beginners keep the water shallow and hotdogs in bite sizes until they learn how to dive in for them.
• Be sure your friends know that they can dress up their dogs and themselves for the fun. If enough teams do, then you can have a costume contest.
• If you will be home with just your dogs you can have an Easter treat hunt around the house or yard. Go into another room or the yard without your dog and hide treats for them, then set them free. You may need to encourage them until they understand the game. Steer clear of any agility equipment if you have it as your dog may look for treats long after the game is over. Not good at a competition.
• A great homemade treat for dogs that you can make for their own Easter basket is to take homemade or store bought biscuits and dip them in melted carobs. You can also melt and mix 1/4 cup coconut oil with 1/4 cup melted carobs and a teaspoon of raw honey (more or less to taste). Pour into small rubber ice cube trays, refrigerate and serve. If you want some too you can add 1/2 tsp of vanilla if you like.
• What to do with leftover dyed eggs?  Eggs are very healthy for dogs – one a day ’til they’re gone (but please do follow USDA guidelines for spoilage).

So have some fun with your dog, invite your friends and have fun with them too. Most of all enjoy your Easter!