Category: Views & Ramblings

1. How To Train Your Dog To Relax On Long Car Journeys

   Posted on 12:00pm Thursday 11th Jun 2020

   My youngest daughter is desperate for us to have a dog, although I am not sure that the cat would be so happy about it. She takes every opportunity to walk her friends dogs or "train" our neighbours dog and I am quite sure that she would actually take great care of a new canine friend but there is more to consider than daily walks and holding a paw.

   

   Any experienced dog owner can tell you that, while there are few joys in life as great as taking your dog out for an adventure in the great outdoors, not every dog enjoys the car journey needed to get there. Some dogs can’t even make it to the vet without kicking up a fuss.

   Below are some simple tips for training your dog to relax more on long car journeys.

   Prepare Them For The Experience

   Before you begin training your dog in any regard, you first need to make sure that both you and they are prepared for the experience. Training your dog to stay calm and relaxed on long car journeys will inevitably require you to put your pet in the car at some point. No matter how careful or skilled you are as a driver, having your pet in the vehicle with you exposes them to the risk of injury[1].

   Because of this, it is vital that you have dog insurance in place before you take your dog on any car journeys. You can use a service like Everypaw to compare dog insurance quotes online. Everypaw lets you compare different types of cover, including Lifetime Pet Insurance and Maximum Benefit, to find the right cover for your dog.

   You can begin acclimating your dog to car journeys by having them enter and exit your vehicle while it is stationary. This lets them get used to climbing in and out of the car and will make the space feel more familiar to them. This will also give you the opportunity to ensure that you have a suitable space for your dig while the vehicle is in motion.

   Begin With Shorter Trips

   There are a number of reasons that dogs might become anxious on a car journey, taking shorter trips will help you to assess how your dog responds to being in the car while you are driving. For example, some dogs, like people, suffer from motion sickness, which can turn into a source of anxiety for them during a journey. Signs of a nauseous dog include excessive drooling, yawning, or whining. If your dog actually vomits during the journey, motion sickness is likely a problem for them[2].

   Taking shorter trips before you try to put your dog through the stress of longer journeys enables them to acclimatise to conditions in the car, while also providing you with the opportunity to observe their behaviour and make a plan for transporting them accordingly.

   

   Keep Your Dog Under Control

   When you’re driving with your dog, it is essential that you keep them under control, either in a crate in the boot or using a harness.

   The law in the UK[3] requires drivers to secure their dog, so that it does not distract the driver. As such, you need to find a harness or crate that your dog will feel comfortable in and then get them used to spending time in it.

   Foster A Positive Association

   Not every dog will naturally take to car rides; some dogs really don’t want to get in the car and go anywhere. However, you can change your dog’s conditioning and turn a negative response into a positive one with the right training. The trick here is positive reinforcement - you can use rewards to encourage your dog to form a positive association with your car and to view getting in it as a rewarding act.

   As you begin to take your dog on longer and longer car rides, make sure that you are constantly providing them with positive reinforcement. Speak to them in a cheerful tone as you drive along and make sure that they have access to their favourite toys and treats - these will help them to relax and develop a positive association with being in your car.

   Keep The Temperature Cool

   Every dog owner understands the importance of ensuring that their pet is never left alone in a hot vehicle. This can easily lead to the death of a dog if they are alone for too long[4]. While the majority of dog owners are good at following this simple rule, many are much less alert to the dangers of a dog overheating during a long car journey.

   Remember, dogs are not people and they will react differently to the same circumstances. Just because you and your family feel fine in a hot vehicle, it doesn't necessarily mean that your dog is going to be ok with the same conditions. You should always have the air conditioning running whenever possible, and you should ideally keep windows open as well when your dog is travelling with you but avoid opening them all the way. It is also essential that you keep water in your car, use a special water bowl to enable your dog to drink while the car is in motion.

   With the right approach to training and a little patience, you can teach your dog to at least tolerate a long journey in your car. Having a stressed-out dog in the back seat is enough to stress any driver, it is worth taking the time to properly prepare and train your dog beforehand.

   

   This is a collaborative post

   [1] https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/ask-trainers-get-dog-ride-car/

   [2] https://wagwalking.com/behavior/why-do-dogs-get-anxious-in-cars

   [3] https://www.clenthillsvets.co.uk/did-you-know-it-is-a-legal-requirement-to-restrain-your-dog-in-the-car/

   [4] https://www.vets-now.com/2017/01/dogs-travelling-in-cars-seven-dos-donts/

    

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2. Fun Summer Activities For The Whole Family

   Posted on 12:00pm Friday 22nd May 2020

   When the kids have time off of school (or home schooling), take advantage of some of those gorgeous summer afternoons to plan activities together as a family. Not only will everyone have fun along the way, but you’ll end the day with some lasting memories and maybe some good old-fashion family bonding. Here are a few ideas for fun summer activities for the whole family.

   

   Fruit Picking

   Find a local farm that is close by or use the internet to find one a little further away. If the farm is close, it can be a day trip. If not, why not make a mini family vacation out of this adventure? Kids will love seeing where strawberries come from, and picking their own is a great way to get them involved with their own nutrition.

   During the Covid-19 pandemic we have seen pick your own farms offering a Drive Thru service, which is very innovative!

   The best part is that when they’re all done, you can all pitch in to make some great strawberry jam or even a strawberry pie.

   Kite Flying

   If you like gettnig outside for your daily exercise, younger children will love the exhilaration that comes from controlling something darting and dancing around the sky. Older kids and adults might like to try their hand at a trick kite for a more challenging part of this family outing. Once everyone has a kite up and flying, hold some family contests, like who can get their kite the highest and who can make theirs dive the furthest and still rise back up to the sky.

   Museums

   Many museums and attractions are now offering virtual tours, so look for museums that have children’s sections in addition to their main museum. That way kids will have fun with hands-on activities, but older kids and adults can still browse exhibits that they find interesting. If all kids are younger (age 8 or younger) try to see if there is a children’s museum nearby. They will love using their minds and imaginations to explore the exhibits, and parents might just find some fun activities too.

   Beaches

   If you live in an area that lets you take advantage of a beautiful beach, grab the opportunity. Beaches might be a bit of a cliché summer destination, but there’s good reason. Kids and can splash in the water and build sandcastles with parental supervision, and older kids or teens can relax on the sand and read a book or listen to music. There are lots of discussions about the use of beaches and open spaces during the Covid-19 pandemic and therefore this option should be considered with discretion and consideration of others.

   There are many fun summer activities that your whole family can enjoy. So this year take advantage of some of those sunny afternoons to make some lasting memories, at a safe distance of course.

   

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3. A card game for every day of the week

   Posted on 9:00pm Tuesday 7th Apr 2020

   There is no escaping that corona virus (or Covid-19) is the main topic in everyone's news feed at the moment and for all the negativity that surrounds it, there are definitely some positives to be found.

   It has meant that there has been more family time as no one has to be anywhere but present at home. We were talking recently about family rituals and one of ours has been playing card games after our evening meal.

   

   There are so many games out there, here are our top picks!

   Pontoon ( or sometimes called Black Jack or 21)

   The Aim - To hit a total of 21 (or as close as possible beneath it)

   This is a game that all ages can play with a regular deck of cards and is quite a quick game. Each player is dealt 2 cards and the winner is the player that gets a total of 21 or the closest to it. If you hit 22 - you are out! 

   UNO

   The Aim : To be the first player to score 500 points, achieved (usually over several rounds of play) by being the first to play all of one's own cards and scoring points for the cards still held by the other players.

   To be honest, we don't ever play for points but to be the first person to get rid of all their cards. It is designed for children aged 7+ and can get quite competitive. It can also go on for a while!

   Crazy Eights

   Aim : The first player to get rid of all their cards and to reach 500 points.

   This game is VERY similiar to UNO but can be played with a regular deck of cards. Each player is dealt 5 cards and they need to put down a playable card (same number or suit) until they have none left. The 8 card can be used as anything.

   Monopoly Deal

   Aim : The first player to collect 3 complete Property Card sets in different colours to win.

   The Monopoly Brand Deal Card Game is all the fun of the Monopoly game in a quick-playing card game and is a great game to play if you are short on time as you can play in just 15 minutes. Ideal for age 8+

   

   Image credit :Emma and 3 blog

   Old Maid

   Aim : The objective of the game is to continue to take cards, discarding pairs, until no more pairs can be made.

   The player with the card that has no match is "stuck with the old maid" and loses. When playing with more than two players, the game is somewhat unusual in that it has one distinct loser rather than one distinct winner.

   Go Fish

   Aim - To be the person with the most sets of four at the end of the game.

   Go Fish is a classic children’s card game that can be played with any deck of cards. While there are sets of cards that are specifically designed to play Go Fish – often with fewer cards and numbers than a standard deck of cards – in reality specialised card decks are not necessary to play this game. 

   Snap

   Aim - To match the other players card and be the first to shout snap!

   This game is the perfect introduction to cards for little children and even as an adult, there is nothing more satisfying than shouting SNAP! 

    

   Do you have any favourites that we haven't mentioned?

    

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4. 6 Family Ritual Ideas to Get Started on During the Lockdown

   Posted on 12:00pm Friday 3rd Apr 2020

   “And the people stayed home. And read books, and listened, and rested, and exercised, and made art, and played games, and learned new ways of being, and were still.” 

   This line from the recent poem by Kitty O’meara can have a profound impact, and encourages us to make the best out of a bad situation. Let’s be honest, we all neglect family time in the daily hustle bustle of our lives. If anything, we can use the lockdown to our advantage by revitalizing it. What better way to do it than with a family ritual? Here’s 6 ideas to get you started:

   Family Dinner

   Smartphones, despite being supposed to keep us in touch with everyone, are taking us apart from the person right next to us. The importance of a family dinner sans cell phones, TV and any electronic device cannot be underestimated. Everyone can talk about their day, the important and not-so-important stuff. Certain people go as far as to claim that Family dinners have a therapeutic effect as you can reflect, observe and talk about everything that happened.

   

   Memory Jars

   Memory Jars serve as a ritual that turns the nature of our abstract memories into something a bit more concrete. Memory Jars involve writing down memorable things that happened throughout the year on cards and putting them in a jar. This can also lead to another family ritual which could involve something along the lines of opening all of them on Christmas and voting the most funny one, the most exciting one, the best trip of the year... you get the gist.

   Yearly Family Photo + Footprint Keepsakes

   Why keep a proper family photo restricted to a time that was ages ago? Having one every year adds a super sweet memory, and can be started right away! You can also mix it up with a footprint keepsake to make it more interesting!

   Commitment Jar

   Following the concept of a swear jar, a commitment jar is made for an aspect of your family that all of you would want to change. Maybe you’d like yelling to stop, or maybe you’d want to stop people from checking phones during dinners. Whatever it is, a commitment jar can have people add a certain amount of money to the jar as a custom which can then be given to charity.

   

   The Family TV Show

   A good take on everyone being glued to watching TV shows can be watching a TV show that everyone likes, together. Discussing the same TV show during dinner can also be productive as you get to take a look at the different perspectives about the same show, and this also teaches the kids on being media critics.

   Game Night

   Lastly, the best family rituals are sometimes the ones that have been tried and tested by everyone. Game nights are fun, allows you to bond with your kid much better and makes for some interesting Instagram stories!

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