Animal Behavior and Nature
Animal Behavior and Nature

Dr. Kim’s views on dog behavior and nature

Animal Behavior and Nature

Dr. Kim’s views on dog behavior and nature

The Howling Game

The Howling Game with the Kingster

About three months ago King (my American Bully) began playing a game with me that is not only funny but a lot of fun for me – and a nice release for him I am sure. I call it the Howling Game – even though it starts with a whole bunch of barking.

King will sometimes initiate the play by running to get a toy and have me play tuggie wit him. His primary aim isn’t to play with me but to entice Schatzie (my Carolina Dog aka American Dingo girl) to play with him lol. That’s fine, my ego isn’t a bit hurt by that.

Then I begin to bark mimicking Schatzie’s really loud and higher bark, and King’s low, more growly bark. I will howl too. There is a lot of wrestling going on at the same time between the two of them which is King’s favorite game to play with Schatzie. One day King howled back, a long, low howl. It surprised the heck out of me so I did it again and he kept it up with me for a few, good howls then went back to wrestling with Schatzie.

Once I realized this was a new thing he was going to do, I wrote this one morning in a private Facebook message to my friend Jeannie, after it appeared to me that King was either in competition with me on the howling OR he simply joined me like a wolf pack chorus (this is what I prefer to think he was doing): “King cracked me up this morning after Donnie left. We played our game, and Schatzie got rather annoyed with the two of us since she won’t howl LOL! King howled so long I wondered if he were going to stop. I wished I could have recorded it. I’d howl longer and he’d wait and then do it and then look at me as if to say, ‘Your turn’ and that’s how it went. And then later he came to get my attention and was standing up with his front legs on my recliner letting me hug him! Schatzie said, ‘Well what about ME?’ So she came to the other side, knocked my mouse off the recliner ON PURPOSE so she could get her love. Then she came and got King to get down and then jumped up to get HER love. These dogs crack me up! February 11, 2015.”

The audio with this post is one of the times I was able to record us doing the Howling Game – it’s a little over a minute long as we also do some barking – lol. It’s a LOT of fun for me getting to play with my dogs as a dog instead of expecting them to play like a human. Here is Part Two of the Howling Game on video this time.

Here are two videos with me playing with both King and our former sweet boy, Meshach:
https://www.aspenbloompetcare.com/2013/04/25/the-giddy-game/ – with King

https://www.aspenbloompetcare.com/2013/05/03/the-stalking-game/ – with Meshach

Until next time, have a NATUROPATHICALLY healthy day – WOOF! 🙂

PHOTO ATTRIBUTION: King the American Bully by Dr. Kim Bloomer, Copyright 2015 All Rights Reserved.

 

DISCLAIMER – PLEASE READ

Kim Bloomer, V.N.D., N.D. is an animal naturopath as well as being certified in small animal nutrition, with years of experience in animal wellness. Dr. Kim is a published author, writer, and blogger. Subscribe to her BE Well Revelations Newsletter to learn the truth. Copyright ©2005-2025 Aspenbloom Pet Care, Dr. Kim Bloomer, All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the Author/Publisher. This article is intended to be educational. However, it is not intended to be a substitute for diagnosis or treatment from a qualified animal health professional. Dr. Kim Bloomer and Aspenbloom Pet Care, do not assume any legal responsibility for misuse of the products discussed in this article. The only essential oils referenced on this website are Young Living.

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Irondog Triathlon Training

American Bully dog sitting at his fenceOkay I REALLY don’t have all this extra time but I thought this little spoof video on the “Ironman Triathlon” as “IronDOG Triathlon” could potentially be used to inspire people a bit. https://youtu.be/uJRBoj5LcYM

How you ask?

Well, because of King I have had to REALLY get out of my comfort zone again. I used to run 5-6 miles per day for years. But after we moved out here to the high desert and I left the park where I ran with others, and Shadrach was getting old and slowing WAY down, it was easy for me to slip into a “lazy” run daily. About a 1/3 of my original run.

But then Meshach came along and well I had to start taking him for walk/runs twice a day. Then I decided well we’d just have play dates for him with neighbor dogs for the “second” workout of the day…while I stood watch. Notice I said, “stood“. Then, sadly, Meshach’s seizures began and he would overheat easily as his blood pressure would skyrocket during a seizure. So the play dates had to be with those who were out early in the morning since by now it was late spring (which means HOT in NM). We only have one friend who does that so Meshach’s play dates were once a week instead of about 5 days per week. I had to find a way to keep Meshach in shape and so I began taking him on those long walks through the natural arroyos and hills out here. He would run and zoom all over the place but always stayed close and he never ventured toward the dirt roads either. That’s because I taught him about that when he was still little…and stayed consistent with it.

So Meshach got his needed exercise and in the late evenings (summer) we’d go play ball and frisbee with him which he loved. After we had to put him down, we went five long months just walking those lonely hills without our boy.

We slowed down in the walk. We took our time. About four months later, we decided we needed to walk our neighbor’s dog, Stella – she has another dog living with her now and so she is no longer alone. THAT was the catalyst to ME getting back into shape as it was more of a run/sprint/jog than a walk with Stella lol.

Then enter King. He is not good off-leash as Meshach was so I can’t let him go off-lead. BUT he is VERY high energy, so what to do? You guessed, I had to get my behind in gear. So I began running with him through those hills. The 50 minute or hour long walk has now become a 35 minute RUN! I run with hiking boots on through mostly sand with King. The first half is all uphill and the second half is all downhill. But ALL of it is in sand.

The Giddy Game involves ME having to play, run, hide, etc. now. ALL of King’s activities require my involvement. When I filmed him in the pool I was in a bathing suit getting fresh air and sunshine myself.

I have definitely dropped weight and gotten back into running shape. I am running faster than I have in years. I have weight lifted for years and also done pilates for the last four years. So you see, my dogs help motivate ME to be in and stay in shape. I have always exercised all my life, but my dogs motivate me to be better. They motivate me to rise above my limitations and improve.

If you aren’t doing likewise, I hope this will encourage you to give it a go. And if you are, I hope you will share your comments here on how your dogs help you be the best you, you can be!

Until next time…

Have a pawsitively, tail waggin’, NATUROPATHICALLY healthy day!

 

 

DISCLAIMER – PLEASE READ

Kim Bloomer, V.N.D., N.D. is an animal naturopath as well as being certified in small animal nutrition, with years of experience in animal wellness. Dr. Kim is a published author, writer, and blogger. Subscribe to her BE Well Revelations Newsletter to learn the truth. Copyright ©2005-2025 Aspenbloom Pet Care, Dr. Kim Bloomer, All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the Author/Publisher. This article is intended to be educational. However, it is not intended to be a substitute for diagnosis or treatment from a qualified animal health professional. Dr. Kim Bloomer and Aspenbloom Pet Care, do not assume any legal responsibility for misuse of the products discussed in this article. The only essential oils referenced on this website are Young Living.

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Animal Behavior and Nature Canine Naturopathy Dog Nutrition Dr. Kim's Views Feature Raw Feeding

Dogs Are Adaptive Not Omnivores

There is also no definitive proof dogs have evolved from the wolf and have possibly always been dogs all along. Yes, That does not mean to say dogs are not carnivores. They are in FACT carnivores. This “study” doesn’t prove otherwise by any stretch of the imagination, funded or not. In FACT dogs DNA is so close to the wolf as to be nearly indiscernible by even the trained expert. But that isn’t what this argument is really about at all.