Spring Time Fun
- haidinyak
- May 5, 2019
- 6 min read
Spring time means a fresh year of festivals and fun here in Toronto Canada and one such festival is the Pet Expo. This year it was held in Mississauga and it was a first time going for me so I decided to take Zeus as he has proven to be very trustworthy around all people and dogs, and as always he did not let me down. Our day started at 10 am with our big road trip, it was about an hour drive (give or take) and Zeus was great the whole way there. He loves to stand between the driver and passenger on the console and monitor where we are going, but he stays calm for the whole trip just watching the scenery go by. I don’t know if we just got lucky or this breed is just super chill, either way I am loving this whole puppy experience with Zeus.
Once we got to Pet Expo we went into the convention center and we were greeted by staff with a free loot bag. It had water, a water dish, treats, and coupons for us to use for the day and from there you are ushered into one of the many different areas. The first one is a big show area where they do target races, lure races, a dock diving event, and agility courses you can try. I was not able to take Zeus through any of these because we did the shopping and socializing part first which tired him right out, but we are hopeful to try at the next event as I feel Zeus will do well with the lure course because he has such a high prey drive. The shopping was so much fun! Julius K9 harnesses were there so we were able to stop by and get Zeus fitted for a new one. The harness we got is also a no pull harness but instead of having one strap that goes around the chest and legs this one actually clips onto both sides where the shoulder blades are and has a thick piece that wraps under the stomach. It is much more secure and does not twist around if he tries to pull. That lovely harness came in at $100 and it is the 3rd we have gone through as Zeus grows. I am hopeful this one will last longer as his growing seems to have slowed down a lot.
Julius K9 Link: https://juliusk9.ca/?gclid=CjwKCAjwk7rmBRAaEiwAhDGhxBcm5qzRdSDCDJAX27iLOQd2PCJy1ZsEbXF53iLfqJR6V3o1uZqeYBoCNogQAvD_BwE
We also went to my favourite leash vendor Smoochy Poochy! They have very vibrant colours and great waterproof/easy to clean collars. I went specifically to get new leashes for the guys, green and red of course. The leash we currently have for Zeus works but did not have a handle close to the dog like the Smoochy Poochy leashes do. This makes for better handling when crossing a road or going by people. The Smoochy Poochy leashes are also very well made right here in Canada and are long lasting. Our Danes have really put these leashes and collars through the test and I am really happy with them still going strong 5 years later. That ran us about $40 for one leash but this is only our 2nd one for Zeus so far.
Smoochy Poochy Link: http://smoochypoochy.com/
The next stop, which I'm sure in Zeus' opinion was the best part, were the treat tables! This was fun as many of the vendors were giving out lots of free samples and of course Zeus was right up front with his big puppy dog eyes. No vendor could resist and he was very spoiled. We ended up picking up some sheep antlers, which are a little easier to eat than the deer antlers you get in stores as the sheep antlers are softer on the teeth. The dogs really liked these and they were cheaper then the other antlers, only $15. We also picked up some smoked bones and large bully sticks, favourites in our house. The rest of the time was spent checking out the photo booth area, which Zeus excelled at. He knows his command “Wait” so well and it was easy to take pictures of him in all the different rooms. We also did a lot of socialization and answered lots of questions about Zeus. Through it all Zeus was pleasant with everyone and loved getting pets and cuddles from everyone he met. He was good with the dogs there as well, but really just wanted the attention from people. He was particularly good with the elderly and kids. Whenever they wanted to pet him, he just sat quietly and didn’t try to jump up or push into their legs. I was a very proud dog mommy! We ended up staying for 4 hours and then Zeus told us he was ready to go home by passing out at one of the treat tables while we were talking to the vendor. He was so tired out that he slept the whole way home.
Spring time also means the little pests known as fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes start to come around. We have cottages we like to take the dogs to so it is a must that we have them on medication for this. We have to schedule a vet visit so they can do a blood test first and a weigh in. Zeus was great at the vet, saying hello to everyone and letting us put him up on the table. He did not like the part where he had to stay still for his blood work because he wanted to cuddle the vet, but he didn't cry out or seem to notice, as afterwards he went right back to visiting everyone with butt wiggles and kisses. Ares lost weight again and is at a lovely 170 lbs, but he still needs two boxes for his weight range. Zeus, however, has gained a bit of weight and is now at a nice muscular 76 lbs. Thankfully he is still small enough he only needed one box of medication, but this is still an expensive yet necessary yearly bill for us. The bill is broken down as follows for Zeus:
Heartworm/Lyme test: $58
Nexgard: $157.43
Our vet gives us Nexgard as that is the best product and price for our big guys. It is a chew-able treat which dogs are suppose to like (neither of mine do so I have to hide it in their food) and they get one dose a month for six months.
Speaking of food we have decided to slowly start switching Zeus over to a raw food diet. Now that Zeus is 9 months (where does the time go?!) it won't be long before he needs to go onto an adult food. He still gets his kibbles until he is a year old but we are adding some other stuff to get him used to a raw food diet. In his daily feeding he now gets blueberries, pumpkin, plain yogurt, fish oil, and a sprinkle of freeze dried beef liver crushed up to make everything taste and smell yummy. All the same as his big brother which has done wonders for Ares health and weight. I am very excited for this next step in Zeus' healthy diet future.
Spring time means we were able to celebrate Zeus' first Easter with the family! We ended up going out to my mom's for a wonderful turkey dinner, which of course Zeus and Ares were able to gobble some turkey dinner up too. Get it...gobble.....anyways! Zeus was very good about just laying nicely on the floor while we ate and didn't try to beg at the table from anyone. He is doing very well with his manners training. And of course he had an exciting day visiting the family and was tuckered out when it was time to go home. Lately Zeus has been staying in the back seat when we are with traveling with Ares, and we have noticed that Ares' car anxiety isn't as bad. The two really are helping each other, Zeus to calm Ares down in the car and Ares to be a wonderful pillow when Zeus is all tired out. We couldn't ask for better brothers!
Spring also means we get to work on more training outdoors and longer walks. We are preparing for an upcoming 5k walk with Zeus so he has been going a little further every day and he has been doing really well with his commands when out and about. At streets he has to sit and wait until we say it's okay to cross and of course he is not allowed to pull us on walks. He seems to really enjoy exploring the outside now, once we get him out that is. He still gives us a hard time and the pout face when trying to get him ready.
Zeus exploring on his walk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuhq6hV9UfU
Zeus' struggle with getting ready: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjlaWhs3vjw
Spring has been really fun for us so far and I can't wait to share our next adventures with you, some professional photoshoots and our 5k run. If you want to check it out go to:
Until our next update check out some other videos and pictures of what we have been up to this spring. Enjoy!
Zeus does not like to go out in the rain and blames me: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oQKGNEcpnc
Training fun: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lknqujAxZd4
Follow/Come and Wait: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJ2MyBJelig
Musketeers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qcnj658zBUc
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