Taste Testing and the Kibble Nibble

Last week was very busy what with tracking, drill team, Pets on the Patio and other activities. Unfortunately it has rained the last two days and I was very bored. I thrashed my stuffies and did some counter surfing but it just wasn't enough to keep me occupied. So Barbara decided that we would complete the taste test of all my new treats. Finally!



Now Barbara has been known to joke that if she cut up cardboard into bite size pieces I would eat them as treats. This is a complete lie and very rude of her to say. I have a discriminating palate and have devised a rating system to identify the best treats.

4 PAWS: Scrumptious - will eat them even when I see squirrels

3 PAWS Delicious - will eat them most of the time

2 PAWS Tasty - will eat them when there are no distractions

1 PAW slightly better than cardboard


I tried to do this in a very scientific manner by comparing treats of similar types and then pitting the best of each type against each other. We put the treats on paper plates. I had to do a sit stay and when she said "OK" I ran to pick which one I liked better. To take in account a left or right bias the treats were switched after a few trials.



Once I selected the most delicious treats we tried them during my training practice.

I know that you have all been waiting anxiously for the results of this very important scientific experiment and here they are:

4 PAWS

Cloud Star Tender Jerky Strips - Pork


3 PAWS

Buddy Biscuits Soft & Chewy - Bacon & Cheese Madness
Buddy Biscuits Soft & Chewy - Beef Madness
Cloud Star Muttos - Duck & Sweet Potato


2 PAWS

Buddy Biscuits Soft & Chewy - Peanut Butter Madness
Vida - Chicken
Train-Me - Beef

1 PAW

Liver Biscotti
Benny Bully's

Now for this to be statistically significant I would have had have done many more repetitions of eating the treats. This sounded like a fine idea to me but Barbara was afraid I would get sick. Also this is my opinion only. It is our responsibility as blogging dogs to taste test as many treats as possible and share the results with the world. Of course your people must read the labels on the treat packages carefully so they don't give you a treat that will cause you problems. Fortunately I don't have any allergies or protein sensitivities but I know that some of my friends do. So test some treats and let us know your favorities.

I also wanted to let you know about a treat dispensing toy called the Kibble Nibble. Barbara bought it for me at the APDT Conference and I have been having a lot of fun with it.



It opens up and your person can put your kibbles and treats in it.



Then they screw it back together and give it to you to play with. As you roll it around on the floor, the food falls out!



Here are a few pictures of me pushing it around the APS training center. Barbara likes it because the purple lines on the side are rubber which means it doesn't make much noise when I roll it around.







Since I am pretty good at getting stuff out of a Kong and a Twist & Treat, the Kibble Nibble wasn't very challenging but it was still fun and of course I got good things to eat!

All this scientific research and product testing is quite exhausting so I must go take a long nap now.

The Association of Pet Dog Trainers Conference

I am sorry that I haven't been able to blog for quite awhile. I was in the kennel at K9 Kindercare for 10 days while Barbara went to the Association of Pet Dog Trainers Conference. This is a huge 5 day conference for dog trainers to learn the latest in positive reinforcement, dog behavior and training. Barbara goes every year so she can learn things to help more dogs. Over 1000 trainers came to the conference. Barbara is on the Board of APDT and on the conference committee so she had to go early and stay late to help with the set up and the planning for next year.

They had an entire day about dog play at the conference. I could have taught that class myself as I have very good play skills. But the best part of the conference, as far as I am concerned, is the trade show. Lots of vendors come and sell treats and toys and training equipment.

Kong gives every attendee a conference tote bag. There are lots of free treats from the vendors inside. Then Barbara goes around the trade show and buys more.



You can see that I am very anxious to get into that bag.





Look at this great pile of treats and toys. Some treats are duck and potato, some are peanut butter and many other delicious flavors. I will be doing some taste tests this week to determine the best kinds.





I thought that all these great toys were just for me but it seems some are for her students' dogs. This is not fair as they look like a lot of fun.



This is a special fox toy that is all mine!



I missed my person a lot while she was at the conference but I'm very glad that she went and I wish all dog trainers would educate themselves about the dog friendly training methods. There are too many people out there that call themselves dog trainers who don't know the first thing about training and shouldn't be training a gold fish never mind a dog. So I am going to learn lots of new things, play with new toys and get delicious treats!

Phydeaux

I was so pleased to get the "I Love Your Blog" Award from my Field Spaniel friend, Hero.


And then I was doubly pleased to get it awarded to me again by those three wild heelers, Gus, Louie and Callie.

Thanks so much guys. I'm glad you enjoy my blog. I love reading yours too.


Phydeaux (pronounced "Fido") is a cool independent pet supply store. They only sell food, toys, treats and all sorts of good stuff for dogs and cats but never any live animals. I would not patronize them if they did! They recently moved to a big new space and I wanted to visit and check it out.


Just look at the great assortment of delicious treats.



One corner is all beds. I bet Agatha and Archie would love this place.



The Wall of Toys!



I had to inspect my favorite treat dispensing toys.



I helped Barbara check out our purchases. She paid of course, but I made sure she was charged the correct amount.

We bought some of my favorite Solid Gold kibble and a moo stick which I have already buried in the yard.

Wow!

I've been totally bored lately because it has been too hot to go tracking. So I was very excited to find this box on the patio this afternoon. I knew it was for me because it had a paw print stamped on it.



"Hurry up and help me open this box!"



It was my International Goody Exchange package from Skye and the Moondance Huskies!! Yeah! It was wrapped all nicely with tissue paper and there was a beautiful card of a wolf from the Huskies and their kitties.


Look at all these terrific goodies! All kinds of great cookies including peanut butter, fillet mignon, berry flavored and iced cookies with sprinkles! I wanted to try every kind immediately but Barbara only let me have a few of the berry flavored ones which were delish.



There was also a squeaky bone and a wonderful stuffed rabbit that squeaks. I am in heaven because I love stuffed toys.



I can't thank the Moondance Huskie Sled Dog Team enough. This really made my day. To Skye, Lakota, Dave, Angel, Velvet, Jasmine, Blaze and Becky and their kitties Misty, Starr and Diana, I will think of you every time I squeak my new rabbit or chow down on those cookies. Thank you.

National Stuffie Appreciation Day

My terrier friend, Mr. T-bone Beasley, decided that we dogs need to show attention to our stuffed toys and declared May 8th as National Stuffie Appreciation Day. I love my stuffed toys so here are a few photos of some of my stuffies.


This is the new stuffed toy that Barbara got me in honor of National Stuffie Appreciation Day.



Here I am examining some of my toys. Do you see what a good job I've done removing the legs from the clown?


I exhumed these 2 toys especially for National Stuffie Appreciation Day. They spent the winter under the leaves. I think they look lovely and filthy now and their smell is delightful.



As I was leaving the dog park this morning I saw several abandoned stuffies on the ground. I really wanted to take one home with me but Barbara said "Niamh you don't know where those toys have been. They could have cooties!" Cooties must be some dread disease of stuffies that would be contagious to my own stuffed toys so, sadly, I left them at the dog park.