Today we are joining in our first FitDog Friday Blog Hop sponsored by Slim Doggy. Fitness is a big topic at our house, so this is a great blog hop for us. We hope to participate in many more of them as we walk along keeping fit.
Dog fitness is finally starting to catch on in the US, but there is still a long way to go. Us dogs need exercise just as you humans do but lazy humans are creating lazy, overweight dogs. Some dogs are content to be couch potatoes, the ones that are not just chew up everything to keep themselves amused but really there is no excuse for a dog not to get exercise. We are real and not stuffed animals and there are so many ways we can get exercise. Lucky for my sister Katie and I, our mom keeps us up and walking 1-2 hrs or more every day, we have play dates and lots of fun adventures all of which keep us fit and happy.
There is not much that mom and us dogs miss about Germany, pretty much our friends, the North Sea and the dog culture. Here in the US dogs are rarely allowed to be dogs and this is not a good thing. We are always on leash, not allowed to sniff other dogs or play with them, we can’t go to stores and restaurants and often dogs are not even walked much. This is sad. We are social creatures that love being around other dogs. The dog parks are ok, but also scary since you have a whole bunch of not very socialized dogs being forced to socialize with each other, sometimes it works, sometimes not. Dogs playing with dogs is the best exercise that there is both physically and mentally! We have friends over to our yard quite often or we meet up with friends on walks and we just love it.
This week we met up with a friend from Missouri that had 2 GBGV pups with her and we had a fun play date in our yard. These two are from the litter I blogged about in my post Mischief Times Seven back in January. Since I am a rare breed, I haven’t been around another GBGV since June 2007, so this was really a special event for me with the mini-me’s! We all played and played and played and I can tell you that Monday night all the dogs and puppies were dead dog tired and super happy! Enjoy the photos of our fun in the yard! Fitness can be so much fun!
Wow! That snow sure looks fun! We don’t get that much down under!
-Kevin
Unfortunately, ours won’t quit this year, just got another 7 inches since yesterday but we are hoping spring will show up this weekend!
Sounds like the trouble we are having with the warm weather!!
Maybe we could meet in the middle?
Sounds like a great idea!!
I love all the photo’s Emma, I could never be a couch spud 🙂 Have a wonderful weekend xx00xx
Mollie and Alfie
Glad you are active like we are 🙂
Emma, Welcome to our Blog Hop – so glad you joined us. I must admit I had to google GBGV as I hadn’t heard that term before, but you are one very pretty dog. I’m glad to hear your mom is so dedicated to keeping you fit and finding creative outlets for you – that is so important. We’d love it if dogs could be integrated into society more like in your home country. That would be good for everyone, dogs & humans. Keep on moving!
Thanks for starting the blog hop…dog fitness really needs to be promoted 🙂
You have a good Mom making sure you get all that exercise.
Sometimes we think she is trying to kill us and some people thing we are really old because we aren’t very wild but it is just that we are content 🙂
Woof! Woof! YES SNOW my dad said he hard a hard time traveling to the airport but he got home on time. It is really hard when it snows a lot caused it can be cold for humans (all they need to do is bundle up). I’m with about unsocial dogs … it is sad that they do exist and I say its the fault of their owner. Enjoy your SNOW run … Happy Friday FitDog. Lots of Golden Woofs, Sugar
Thanks Sugar…glad your dad got out of town…just finished shoveling another 7 inches, hopefully the last time this season! Keep on moving 🙂
That looks a fun time. And we agree, play time is a great way to exercise, socialize, and basically have a great time.
Did someone say play time 🙂 I’m in!
Looks like you are having sooooo much fun with your mini-me’s! We love having other dogs over to play! We get some really good exercise when we have company!
Having friends over is the best!
It was sure fun to see you ripping and running like that!!!
I like that – ripping and running 🙂
Great photos! Looks like you had a blast in all that snow! We love our Havanese playdates so we know how much fun it is to play with your own kind. That must’ve been a really special day, with GBGVs being so rare and all!
Your pals,
Diane and Rocco
It was fun and fun for mom to see how similar we are. Hopefully I will see another one of my kind in less than 6 yrs this time!
Playing with other dogs is fun for sure, Emma. Unfortunately around here, we gotta be on leash “all the time” so Ma and I meet up for walks with either my girlfriend, Oatmeal or by best buddy in the neighborhood, Ghengis, an Irish Wolfhound (he is huge compared to me but we have great fun walking together).
*Cairn cuddles*
Oz
Walking together is fun too, we just have to be careful not to get to rowdy on the leash 😉
When I visited Germany a few years ago, it was the one thing that really stuck in my mind. It is such a wonderfully dog friendly country. I love the country and people as well but ended up doing a behavioural thesis on the benefits of the type of culture the Germans have when it comes to dogs.
You summed that up quite well! I think it is the number one place in the world for dogs!
Cute pictures. As you know, we mainly use training to exercise our dogs. We are lucky in that all of our dogs love to run marks. I have to admit that we do not let our dogs mix or play with other dogs. It really isn’t a good idea based on their breed temperament.
I think it also depends on the upbringing. If you are always around other dogs from puppyhood on then it is much easier. Yours do get lots of exercise physically and mentally with the training.
Looks like you had a blast – and got some good exercise, best of both worlds!
🙂
Wags! I don’t see any couch potato’s here! Love the photos and the snow – these dogs are having fun!
No couch potatoes allowed at my house 😉
It looks like you had a ton of fun Emma. I can’t imagine not seeing another Dachshund for over 5 years! You guys look pretty against the snowy backdrop 🙂
Thank you but I would like to see a green backdrop for a change 🙂 It is odd never seeing any other dogs like me but I am used to it.
What pretty puppies! IMHO, your description of the dog parks is very much like public schools here in the US. Gah!
I think they are similar, those mini-humans fight and misbehave too 🙂
Your pictures are always pawesome!!!! Love, woofs and wags!!!!
Thanks, I have mom working on her camera skills!
Great pics!
We are not big fans of tiny dog parks. Too many dogs and if some aren’t well socialized it can lead to problems. We are lucky though to live by a huge (~100 acres) dog park/beach, so if there are some less-than-socialable dogs (or sometimes certain dogs just have issues with each other) there’s plenty of room to move to another spot. Rita is so spoiled! We go there 3 or 4 times a week!
Yep, we like the bigger ones too. Mom likes to walk so we go to ones where we can walk and occasionally stop to play, none of us like the ones where the humans just stand around waiting for us dogs to play.!
What super pictures you have here today Emma…That’s one fun playdate…You are so right about how restrictive it is for dawgs here in the US…Momz takes me everywhere she can…sometimes we just go into shops together and as long as I behave (and I always do) no one complains…I try to represent well everywhere I go
Good for you! You are smaller so it is easier for you to get away with it but if mom tries to put me in a tote bag or something, my 40 lbs is not real secretive 😉
Wow wow wow I’m so excited that you joined our blog hop! I must admit that I’ve been a fan of yours from afar, having decided that GBGV is about the cutest breed of dog ever (although I’ve never met one)! It looks like you have fun no matter if there’s snow or sun. I love the photos. Thanks for being a part of FitDog Friday!
Wow, thank you! Sorry I did not include you in the blog hop mention but it is all new and I was not sure who was sponsoring it besides slim doggy. Mom thinks we are pretty cute too 🙂 Thanks for stopping by and for admiring from afar!
Not a problem. What’s important is that we’re all spreading the word about getting fit with our dogs. I plan to stop by- and comment–a lot more often to get a dose of GBGV luv!
Adorable puppies!
Aren’t they! It was hard not to keep one!
Wow Emma!! I LOVED seeing you in action like that…I especially loved the little animated GIF that your Mom made of you running and tumbling with the little cutie mini you! I wonder how I’d be around other mini schnauzers…
Tell your Mommy she took AWESOME photos. And I am sad that I don’t get to see you in person at Blog Paws, sniff, sniff…but Mommy is super excited to meet your Mommy there!!! We will take photos together so Mommy Joy can show you.
Glad we both did our debut “Slim Doggy” blog hop together!
Love, Pixel
Hi Pixel! Thanks for hopping by. I get your posts a day or two later for some reason but I will stop by and check yours out. Wish I could meet you but maybe next year!
Looks like you guys had a lot of fun we love when we can just let go and play with other dogs. Your right they are too few places that can happen and it’s really a shame. Dogs need to be allowed to be dogs!!
Woof – 4 paws up on that!
I love the photos, Emma, those mini-yous are just adorable. It looks like you really had lots of fun. We used to have more play dates when our dogs were younger, but I’m afraid we don’t do that as much anymore, and we really should. At least having four of them means they do have each other to play with. I am glad you joined the FitDog blog hop this week, because your Mom is so great at keeping you fit, and always getting out and doing different things. I wonder if your snow will ever be gone??? 🙂
There is some hope on the snow front…temps in the 40’s this week and only one or two chances for some light snow. Maybe by May we will be snow free. Having 4 dogs that can hang out together is great! Even my big sis that is almost 11 still enjoys getting wild now and then 🙂 I love it when she does and I motivate her sometimes.
Those are great photos Emma; love the animted gif! 🙂 Yes, exercise is absolutely important for dogs too, plus, it’s great fun. I grew up in Germany and know exactly what you’re talking about in regards to the dog culture there. Dogs are all well behaved and go everywhere with their people – even restaurants. My parents, grandparents and I used to go out for Sunday dinner every week, our dogs in tow. They stayed quietly beside us or under the table. Going to the park, (a wide open park, for people and dogs – not a confined leash free park, as they have here), and letting them run around was a daily thing too. Hope you get some spring weather soon!
Germany is definitely a dog paradise but the US has its good things too 🙂
Can’t believe you still have snow!
I love playdates too, looks like you had loads of fun:-)
We just keep getting more of the white stuff and it is cold so it sticks around!
Wonderful that your mom keeps you all so fit, which is so important for your health and your happiness! Loved the pics of the mini-yous! How great that you got to meet them.
It was really hard not to keep Sawyer but one of these days I will get a little sister!
I think I like the dog policies in Germany far better than here in the states.
It’s great you have a mom who understands how important it is for you to be healthy. So many dog parents don’t.
Germany is really a dog paradise…they do have tough laws against certain breeds but for the most of us it is just a perfect environment!
So cute, oh my gosh! Those puppies! <3
It was hard for mom not to keep the little girl!
It looks as though you had lots of fun in the snow! I think it’s really sad when dogs are not taken out. It does them and their bipeds the world of good to go out and about.
Yep, we are always taking mom out for exercise!