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We have all experienced it, the inevitable rainy day that can literally bring parents to their knees if they happen to live with a group of active kids and dogs.

The key to remember is that mental exercise is as draining of excess energy as physical exercise in both kids and dogs.

As a parent you will need to dig into the creativity level of your mind because the more creative you can be the longer the attention span for the kids and the dog. You will also benefit in many ways from their focused attention.

One way to be creative is to use your kid’s creativity. By this I mean engage the kids, if they are old enough, to come up with interesting games to play with the dog. Make it a game in itself. You could have prizes in different categories that would inspire them to do their best. An idea for a prize might be a gift certificate for the kids’ favorite place to shop for the dog.

The social interaction between you and your dog is as important as it is with your kids. Do your kids like to play games? You can bet that your dog likes to play them as well. They are critical in your dog’s development. The best thing you can do to make game playing a success is to keep in mind to just have fun. If you take it too seriously the kids will get frustrated and so will the dog. When the dog and the kids do a good job, they will both need to be rewarded. The rewards do not always have to be food or money related. Showing affection verbally or with a hug and kiss can be worth a lot more. Building self esteem and the memories of having a good time together will last a lifetime.

Cooking for the dog is a great activity that would be fun for the kids and very enjoyable for the dog. The mental exercise for the dog in this pastime would be to have the dog stay out of the kitchen while the cooking is taking place. This is a great training technique so the dog can learn to “work” for his food.
You will also be teaching your kids that nutrition is just as important to the dog as it is to them.
For great healthy recipes for dogs click here:  Rover’s Recipes

“Find the toy” is a great game that can be played simultaneously with your kids and the dog.
Start with the kids gathering some of their favorite smaller toys along with containers that would be large enough to cover the toys. Have the kids and the dog leave the room while you hide the toys under the containers. Set a timer and let each child one at a time guide the dog to the different containers. When the dog finds the toy, either have the dog, or it might have to be your child, put the toy into a basket or toy bin. When the timer goes off whoever has the most toys collected wins the prize.

Be creative on the prize that is given. One great idea for the prize could be to donate time or money to a dog rescue foundation. Here again engage your child in choosing the type of giving that he or she would want to be a part of. This way they will learn more from the experience. It is a win win situation.

A suggestion for an excellent rescue organization is The Dr. Jane’s HealthyPetNet Foundation. It is a non-profit organization absolutely committed to supporting a variety of animal rescue groups, all of which are dedicated to helping to rescue neglected and unwanted animals.

When the rain stops and the sun comes out again the absolute best exercise for parents, kids and the dog is to walk together as a pack. The bonding that takes place will fulfill the needs of the dog and the entire family. Be in the moment and enjoy your kids and dog, rain or shine!

Here’s to unleashing your child’s creativity!
Audie

http://KidsPetTales.com

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Tags: child, creative, creativity, dog, Dr. Jane’s HealthyPetNet Foundation, kid, kids and dogs, Parents, Rover's Recipes

This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 2nd, 2008 at 12:11 am and is filed under Be Inspired by the Latest Pet Tales. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.