Feeding Your Dog’s Happiness With Exercise And Rest

This special blog post is brought to you by Tall Tails! Buy a blanket, give a blanket! For every blanket sold on the Tall Tails website thru November, they will donate a blanket to a rescue or foster dog!

As dog parents, we know that not one thing on its own can make our dog happy. It’s not just one food or treat that they love. It’s not just one toy. It’s not just one activity. It takes a variety of components to give our dogs the lives they deserve. Sure, it takes work and extra planning to make our dogs happy. But when they are happy, oh, we are so very happy.

Our main mission has always been, and will continue to be “Make Rescues The Breed Of Choice”. Yes, we are animal rescue advocates. But we don’t go about working for animals in the usual ways. Eight years ago, we decided to use our social media channels and blog to show the wonderful life you can have when you rescue a pet. Yes! You! Animals change our lives, save our lives. That’s been the case for us. Travel, outdoor activities, fun recipes and taking care of our dogs in the best way we can is what we want to show the world.

So how do we feed a dog’s happiness? Every dog is an individual, just like we are all individuals. But we have seen the happiest dogs in rescue and outside of rescue who have two things taken care of.

Exercise

A dog who is allowed to be a dog is beyond beautiful. Walking is a necessary part of your dog’s daily routine. When dogs do not have enough exercise, that energy gets released into undesirable habits like barking, destructive behavior and depression. How do we give Brickle and Digby the exercise they need?

Even though we are full time travelers, our exercise commitment to them doesn’t change, even on the days we are on the road.

We walk for at least 45 minutes in the morning and carry a snack! Exercise doesn’t have to mean being deprived! We have to fuel their bodies! We carry Brickle and Digby’s favorite snacks in their Tall Tails Treat Bag!

Great for treats on the go. It holds 2 cups of Brickle and Digby’s favorites.

Our favorite trail treat recipes?

Brickle’s Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup of no salt, no sugar peanut butter (do NOT use peanut butters with artificial sweeteners either!)

4 tablespoons of organic honey

1 egg

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together until well combined. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Roll mixture into bite size balls and place on sheet. Press with the back of a fork and then press the opposite direction to make a criss cross design. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let cool completely before serving to you or your dog.

Store in an air-tight container in refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Digby’s Pancakes

Recipe makes 20 silver dollar size pancakes.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup organic tapioca flour

1/2 cup organic coconut flour

2 tablespoons organic ground flaxseed

1 tsp baking powder

Directions:

Mix one cup or water or unsalted broth with all ingredients. Stir just until lumps disappear with a wire whisk or spoon.

Lightly grease pan or skillet with non-stick cooking spray. Heat pan or skillet over medium high heat. Pan or skillet is ready when drops of water sizzle on the surface. Use tablespoon or melon baller to drop batter onto pan. Turn the pancakes when they begin to bubble and the bottoms are golden brown.

Let cool completely. Refrigerate unused portions immediately. May be refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 2 months.

And don’t forget the water. Dehydration is a real problem for dogs. Even on the roads, we use the Tall Tails Travel Bowl for road stop breaks and carry it in our backpack for a quick campsite setup.

It holds 6 cups of water or food.

And don’t forget one of the most important parts of being a responsible dog parent. Cleaning up after your dog. We like to use the Tall Tails Waste Bag Dispenser.

It attaches to most leash types, bags and belts. And it includes two rolls of bags. Super cool!

Rest

Rest is an often overlooked part of dog parenting.

We may think our dogs know when to rest. But that’s not always the case. Just like no activity can bring undesirable habits, so can lack of rest. In order for a dog to sleep peacefully, just like us, they need their own space. Even in our RV, Digby’s favorite spot is his spot. His spot is his own with his favorite Tall Tails blanket!

Brickle is also a fan of his Tall Tails blanket on cold days. And we have had many of those lately! Life in an RV can be drafty. Life in an RV can be stressful. So giving him his own blanket is important to him. Yes. He even likes his blanket outside! What’s important to your dog?

We all do our best in taking care of our dogs. But we all can do better! Why? We will never be able to repay them for what they add to our lives. When we learn about ways to improve our methods, embrace them!

Does your dog need more exercise? Start increasing slowly. Consult your veterinarian and know your dog’s health and activity level. Plan a trip somewhere new and see your dog come alive!