A Fun Diversion - Day 6

Hey Tribe,

This K9 Challenge day, Day 6, is appropriate since by now everyone's dogs need their nails trimmed.

Fly has always been good about letting me trim her nails, but Rex used to fight me.  I was patient and we worked on it not being a bad experience for him.  Now, he's all about letting me do his nails so he can get treats.  Here's a quick time lapse video of both Karelians getting their nails trimmed:

I'll write a 'how-to' post that will go into greater detail about clipping the dogs' nails.

A Fun Diversion - Day 4

Hey Tribe,

It's Day 4 of the challenge:

Unfortunately, Fly and Rex are not toy motivated.  Usually a "favorite" toy is one that is destroyed in a matter of minutes and then left for dead: be it a stuffed animal, a real mouse (those usually get eaten though), or a Kong.

I had to think about this one for awhile and nearly despaired, but then realization came to me: Fly's favorite toy is actually Rex.

She adores him.  He has made her so much happier since he came into our lives.

Their play is rough, looks painful, and usually leaves them both panting with huge, tongue lolling grins on their faces.

They both have insurance policies, because I know, one day, someone is going to get hurt.  Karelian Bear Dog play is not for the faint of heart.

A Fun Diversion - Day 3

Hey Tribe,

So, this day of the challenge is a little dull.

I imagine other participants may be more engaged with this day because they feed raw.  I would love to feed raw, but do not want to develop my own recipes and concoctions: I want pre-made portions.

If you have any suggestions for me or recommendations about where I can source raw food from a company I can access in Alaska, please let me know!!!

A Fun Diversion - Day 2

Hey Tribe,

Ready for Day 2 of the Lockdown K9 Challenge?

Day 2: Quick Puzzle

I don't have any of those fancy store bought puzzle things for dogs, nor am I crafty enough to want to make a homemade version of a puzzle.  So, Fly's quick puzzle is a simple game of "which hand" that I taught her as a baby:

Of course, after the video, I saw that the viewer can see part of Fly's ear around the corner and I didn't want folks to think that she cheated, so I tried to get another video.  Rex, who was sitting behind me watching all of this, decided he wanted to play the game too:

I guess I should teach him the rules!  Sweet, silly boy - I can see he is going to be the comic relief and/or steal the show during these challenges.

A Fun Diversion - Day 1

Hey Tribe,

If you aren't following @flyexplores on Instagram, you're missing out on some fun right now, but don't fret, I decided to share our story posts here as well!

A fellow Alaskan account that I follow, @akhellhounds, is hosting a "Lockdown K9 Challenge" and tagged us in the challenge.  We accepted!

For the next 14 days I will be sharing posts about how we are stepping up to the tasks.  Most of the content will be video, so those of you reading this from your email may need to click over to the actual blog site to watch the fun.

Okay, let's get started!

Day 1: How many downs can your dog do in 60 seconds?

Fly managed 14.  She barked the entire time, excited and demanding treats, and was interfered with and bumped by a clueless Rex.  I think she also questioned my sanity.  Here's the video:

I am actually happy with Fly's achievement with this: last year, Fly did not understand what I was asking when I wanted her to go from a down to a sit and would stare at me blankly.  Now, she can make the transition.  Good progress!

Check back tomorrow or click here for Day 2.