Pure Dog Talk

Winter workouts: Keep your dog fit in January Kristin Sandstede, certified canine conditioning coach. Kristin Sandstede, certified canine conditioning coach, says winter workouts featuring mental stimulation will help keep your dogs sane during dreary weather. Sandstede offers concrete projects you can do to have dogs use their brains, when it is rainy, gray, cold or nasty, without having to brave the winter elements outdoors. Scavenger hunt for dinner Snuffle mats like this one allow owners to hide a dogs entire meal in a "game" that makes them earn their supper. Meal time offers lots of ways to multitask for brain time, Sandstede said. Meal puzzle toys make the dog work for food, she noted. The Boggle ball and buster cube are two options Sandstede recommends. These toys force the dog to push them around to get food. The toys makes a lot of noise, Sandstede said. The upside is she can hear where the dog is in the kitchen and know she is safely occupied. Sandstede said shaping behavior is a great tool, bu