Pinch Punch Post - July 2015

July... the month of my birthday. I wonder what the dogs have got me this year, haha! Well, this Friday, the 3rd, I will finally be able to find out! But there's much more to July than just this. We'll be breaking up for the summer holidays, Earl and I will be competing at a whole weekend double-day Agility Nuts show, and we'll be going on holiday, camping! We're even competing at an agility competition in Devon, whilst on holiday - it will be such an exciting, new experience!

June has also been a swell month, as far as we're concerned! Ethel celebrated her special 1st birthday, with an awesome weekend at our local All About Dogs Show, we competed at various other agility shows, and we experienced some of the hottest days of the year so far, which we celebrated with a dog-friendly Barbecue!

We hope you all have a brilliant month ahead - July 2015 everyone! What are your July plans?

We at Earl's World! are delighted to be hosting our own Pinch Punch Post Blog Hop, a fun and friendly monthly hop, alongside our cohosts My Dog Diaries and My Mutt Riley.We send many thanks to our lovely cohosts, and please join in with us below - you have 20 days!

get the InLinkz code

Hug Blooper #TongueOutTuesday

This is a blooper photo, from when we were practising Earl and Ethel's 'hug' command, which turned out like this...

Sometimes the blooper photos are the cutest (and more hilarious) ones of them all! Like this one, with Ethel's tongue shooting out as I wave the treat in front of them! Earl, of course, doesn't move a single hairy muscle on him. Ethel may come to learn his patience when photo shooting.

Happy #TongueOutTuesday everyone!

Ethel's Addicted To Skateboarding

Over the previous weekend, I decided my next trick training goal was to tech at least one of my dogs how to ride a skateboard. They can do so many awesome things, but now I knew it was time to raise the bar even higher than I was already set at. Yes, it sounds stupid, doesn't it? Well, I've seen it happen, so it IS possible! And it looks incredibly cool, too!

So, I decided to start with little Ethel. She loves getting stuck into things, and seems just about completely fearless with anything life throws at her. I knew she'd end up loving the stunt. I could already imagine her being the perfect skateboarding dog on the block, and I was becoming excited, pumped for some seriously awesome training.

Anyway, something I didn't expect at all on her first day learning the stunt - whilst taking breaks from training, she would walk up to, and get straight on the skateboard! As you can imagine, I was sat there, totally silent, dumbfounded even, as my little amateur skateboarder decided she'd become addicted to the board. She must have done this at least five tines, if not more, in between breaks. She'd stand on the board exactly in the right position. A natural! Sliding gracefully along the ground (we started on grass) the thrill on her face was just priceless. And it tired her out, too!

I just know she'll be a natural, radical and impressive skateboarding dog! I'm so excited to complete training this amazing stunt. Her confidence building is going swimmingly well, and this is just the beginning!

Videos coming soon!

We're joining our hosts Snoopy's Dogblog, Alfie's Blog and My Brown Newfies in the Monday Mischief Blog Hop. We send many thanks their way, and you can join in below.

Made Of Rosettes

Earl has that many rosettes, he must be made of them!

And there's more to come, I have no doubt! Soon, he'll be weighed down by them all!

We're joining our hosts Dachshund Nola and Sugar The Golden Retriever in the Black and White Sunday Blog Hop. We send many thanks their way, and you can join in below.

SS - Take Your Dog To... School?

Oh, I wish! This past week was Take Your Dog To Work Week, with yesterday being the official Take Your Dog To Work Day. However, my little ones had to miss out on all the fun - there's no such thing as a Take Your Dog To SCHOOL Day, now is there? All us hard working students, studying each gruelling day, deserve to have our working days brightened by our dogs, too, yes?

We want to come to school with you mum!

Poor pups, and poor me! Well, maybe one day, I'll be the one to create a Take Your Dog To School Day/Week, knowing just how it felt without one. Maybe, just maybe, it might happen!

We at Earl's World! are delighted to be cohosting the Sepia Saturday Blog Hop alongside Ruckus The Eskie. We send many thanks to our fellow host, and you can join in below.

It's Finally Time!

After months and months of puppy and junior dog foundation agility training with Ethel, she finally turned the big ONE, on the 7th June, which means now, her official agility career can safely begin! She will be able to soar over higher jumps, practice some weaves, brush up on her tunnels, and strut over the contact equipment with pride and pleasure! It's going to be such an exciting and thrilling learning journey for both of us as we progress. It's going to be quite a ride! But no matter how rough or smooth the road is on the way to success, we are going to have such FUN!

Earl and Ethel are going to make such a fabulous agility pair, as they roll up to training and competitions together, and I finally have the chance to run both. I will have to learn how to switch in an instant from Earl running mode to Ethel running mode, as they are both different. I will have to train hard, just like I did with Earl, to make Ethel the amazing dog Earl is in this sport. I'm heavily looking forward to progressing!

We're joining our hosts, SlimDoggy, To Dog With Love and My GBGV Life, in the FitDog Friday Blog Hop. We send many thanks their way, and you can join in below.

Turn the TV on then!

When it comes to the Big Box, the pups have little patience. Sometimes, when a day has come to a close, the blessed TV is the one and only thing that can unwind one's soul. Sitting pretty on their watching chair, the pups tap their paws as precious watching seconds pass like a snail...

Come on, mum! Chop chop with that remote!

Do your dogs join in with TV evenings?

We're joining our hosts, Ruckus The Eskie, Love is Being Owned by a Husky! and Barking From the Bayou, in the Thoughtless Thursday Blog Hop. We send many thanks their way, and you can join in below.

Flappy Tongue

Ethel is officially the master of faces. She always has a happy and unique one in store!

Because, after plenty of running, playing and training, there is nothing left to do but stand, pose for the camera, and let that hot tongue flap around uncontrollably before your human!

We're joining our hosts, BlogPaws, in the Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop. We send many thanks their way, and you can join in below.

A Vet Tech Career

When you're an animal lover, working with animals is a dream come true. However, as with all career paths, there is more to it than just sunshine and rainbows. There are the thrills, and the spills, of all careers, including being a Veterinary Technician. It sure is an interesting job! So, I would like to welcome in out guest poster for today, Vet Tech Andrea Hupp, from veterinarytechnicianguide.com

Oh, how I love dog trainers. It's like welcoming a breath of fresh air into our pet clinic. I am certain the local animal care hospital feels the same when my host Earl Lover walks in.

It's almost always more peaceful for me to help our newly arrived patient than to take lunch.

That's right, I would rather skip lunch (AKA coffee) just so I could have a peaceful hour working (and learning!) from the trainer.

No surprise bites, no animal care neglect, and most definitely no last minute non-emergency emergencies.

Unfortunately that's just not the case with quite few of our patients. As a veterinary technician, I understand getting bitten is part of the job (still, probably less than my sister does as a paediatric nurse... don't ask!)

So if becoming a vet tech is a career choice you are interested in joining, then keep in mind that all is fair in pets and vets. Going home with a few bite marks, small and large, is just proof you went to work.

Interested in more, not so rosy, of what is becoming a vet tech all about? Then please check out the full list here.

We'd like to say another huge thanks to Andrea for guest posting on our blog today, and we hope you've learnt something new from this post!

Ethel's Present Won

As you will know, Ethel had her 1st birthday not long ago - on the 7th June, to be precise. We showed you a photo of what she got, and one of her presents - and, by far, one of her favourites - was the Little Rascals Butterfly Toy from their Garden Range of puppy Playtime toys. We won this from a competition run by Monster Pet Supplies not long before, and she is still loving it to this day!

Ethel and I say a huge thanks to Monster Pet Supplies for one of her favourite birthday presents! You can view MPS's Facebook page too, where they run cool competitors, and more! Little Rascals do a wonderful range of fun and cool products that your pup will love!

We're joining our hosts, Snoopy's Dogblog, Alfie's Blog and My Brown Newfies, in the Monday Mischief Blog Hop. We send many thanks their way, and you can join in below.

Dog Dads Rock

Happy Father's Day everyone! Father's Day is a very special day, as we get to celebrate the dads in our lives. I get to celebrate and enjoy a wonderful day with my human dad, but don't forget, dog dads should be celebrated too! Those males out there who share their lives with a doggy friend, you're a dog dad, and you should be proud! Earl and Ethel love their human daddy to bits. He makes an awesome playmate, and gives lovely cuddles, of course.

Are you a dog dad?

We're joining our hosts, Dachshund Nola and Sugar The Golden Retriever, in the Black and White Sunday Blog Hop. We send many thanks their way, and you can join in below.

SS - A Longer Game

What do puppies love more than a game with their beloved owner? A longer game with their beloved owner! When you're a puppy, you can never enjoy too many games!

We at Earl's World! are delighted to be cohosting the Sepia Saturday Blog Hop alongside Ruckus The Eskie. We send many thanks to our fellow host, and you can join in below.

Trick Training

We love trick training - and recently, I've been focussing on Earl and Ethel's duo tricks and stunts, many with me involved, of course. In my opinion, they are coming along brilliantly, and are looking incredibly impressive. We had a couple of shots caught of our most recent trick training session, which was enjoyed in the sun and fresh air. Trick train, and you can reap the benefits. A stronger bond with your dog, a dog who listens to you, an able minded and bodied dog, and more.

Earl on my arm, on hind legs - Ethel circling Earl's hind legs.

The much adored hug! 

And these are just SOME of the many duo tricks we've been working on! I hope to get a video taken soon, so that you can see my amazing duo in real action! We've been having a go at many new ones, too - never be scared to just have a go at something brand new! Maybe you've seen in on the television, on the internet, or more, and would like your dogs to do it - there's nothing stopping you!

We want to set you a goal today - and that goal is to get out (you can even do it inside!) and do some trick training. Your dog can do it alone, but if you have multiple dogs, like me, try some duo/group tricks and stunts! They look amazingly impressive! Don't be afraid to get stuck in, have a go, and teach a new trick!

We're joining our hosts, SlimDoggy, To Dog With Love, and My GBGV Life, in the FitDog Friday Blog Hop. We send many thanks their way, and you can join in below.

More Than One is Good #MultiplePetMania

June is the month for Multiple Pet Mania! And we are delighted to be joining in. Being the owner of two dogs and twelve pond fish, I jumped at the chance of sharing my love of having a multi-pet household. So, I will put my conclusion in the opening paragraph, because I made up my mind when Ethel arrived. So, although it may not work or be an option for some people, having a multi-pet household, for us, is bliss, and we love every second.

Earl (right) and Ethel - my precious pups.

My two dogs, Earl and Ethel (as you will all already know) are my true and utter lives. They are the last things I think about as I drift off to sleep at night, and the first things I think about when I hazily awake the next morning. And having both of them just makes it all even more fun and exciting. I adore Earl; he is my best friend. Having Ethel has been like having another Earl - an amazing dog - but with a completely different character, which I like. They are both amazing dogs, in their different ways, and having a multi-pet household has just opened my heart up to even more.

Unfortunately, for many people, owners don't realise how fun and amazing having a multi-pet household can be. Owning more than one pet causes more stress, time, and effort. The two latter ones, yes, but in a good way. I adore spending time with both my fantastic dogs, who deserve every second of my time. The first one, not at all! It depends on how you look at it, and whether or not you are a naturally animal person. If you are, prepare to be blown away, because I am here today to break the stereotypes people have of multiple pets.

Let's start with me being honest. Having one pet takes time, money, effort, patience, and dedication. Pets can change your life; in a positive way. Therefore, it is an obvious fact that having two pets will take more of this, and three even more, and so on. However, I like to think that loving pet owners enjoy the time, money, effort, patience and dedication they put into their one pet. Therefore, why on earth would doubling, or maybe even tripling (or more!) these enjoyable aspects be a negative thing?

Earl is cuddly...

... And Ethel is mischievous! 

So open your hearts, homes, sofas, and fireplaces, and consider adding another pet into your household, if you haven't already. Of course, factors such as the time, money and space you have available to dedicate to a/another pet is something you should individually decide upon sensibly. However, in general, having a multi-pet household is a joy. And, when the dogs are flaked out after a play and walk (and/or their beloved and anticipated tea!) I can go down to the garden and watch my twelve fish, swimming around gracefully in our natural pond. Perfect!

P.S. The answer to yesterday's post, 'what's Ethel been munching on?', is TENNIS BALL! Well done to all those who guessed right, and thanks to those who hazarded a guess! It was great reading all your suggestions!

We're joining the month-long Multiple Pet Mania Event and Blog Hop kindly hosted by Cascadian Nomads, My GBGV Life and Wag 'n Woof Pets. You can join in anytime this June and share your multiple pet posts. Add the badge to your sidebar as well as your posts.

The Clue Is On The Beard

What's Ethel been munching on?

Tell us what you think below, and we'll announce the answer soon!

We're joining our hosts, BlogPaws, in the Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop. We send many thanks their way, and you can join in below.

Pet Munchies Premium Chicken and Cheese WINNING

Not long ago, we were lucky enough to win a competition run by Pet Munchies, to win a packet of their Premium Chicken and Cheese treats, and Earl and Ethel just LOVE them! We give them a 5/5 rating and a huge PAWS UP for this awesome product, and would recommend them to all doggy parents! They are ideal for training, as they are easily breakable and high value.

You can also find Pet Munchies on Facebook - we love them! Thanks again, Pet Munchies!

We're joining our hosts, Kol's Notes and Sugar The Golden Retriever, in the Tasty Tuesday Blog Hop. We send many thanks their way, and you can join in below.