Happy Birthday Shania

We celebrated Shania’s birthday as well as Halloween yesterday.

Siberian Shania having fun with her box-within-a-box Birthday present.

The day started with the ever popular opening of presents. This year Shania received the special box within another box Birthday surprise.

I put some boiled chicken in a small box (dog toothpaste box) and put that box inside a bigger box together with some kibble. As you can see, Shania had a lot of fun tearing the boxes apart.

Happy Birthday Siberian Husky Shania!

Once the boxes were properly ripped, we had a Birthday Chewing session with a brand new bully stick. I am currently using the Paw Naturaw Bully Stick. I just got my second packet and so far, I have been happy with the brand. It is not overly smelly, the dogs love it, and so far, it hasn’t been too hard for their teeth.

It is interesting though that Shiba Sephy does not like working on new bully sticks and will only work on sticks that have been pre-chewed by Shania.

Siberian Husky Shania chewing on her bully stick.

Soon after the chewing session, Shiba Sephy returned from his morning walk; just in time for a fun game of chase and wrestling. Then, it was time for Shania to burn off some calories in her daily neighborhood expedition.

It was a wonderful and sunny day so lots of people were out and about. Shania got to meet many of her neighborhood friends including her most favorite friend of all – The Cookie Guy! The Cookie Guy has a secret stash of vegetarian dog cookies and every time he sees Shania, he comes over and gives her a cookie.

The Cookie Guy is Shania’s most favorite friend in the whole neighborhood. 😀

Next – we moved on to the Halloween portion of our program.

Siberian Shania working on her cheese and peach Halloween pumpkin.

We cut open a pumpkin, and scooped out all the pumpkin seeds and goopy innards. Then we poked holes into the sides of the pumpkin and inserted pieces of cheese and peach. Peach because it is Shania’s favorite fruit.

Needless to say, Shania got the pumpkin opened in short order and had fun getting the cheese and peach pieces out.

Shiba Sephy did not really want to get on the wet grass, but he also participated in the pumpkin fun. Here is Sephy and Shania having a Western pumpkin standoff.

Shiba Sephy and Siberian Shania having a Western pumpkin standoff.

Peach Dog Birthday Cake - YUM!

Finally everyone was ready for the Birthday cake.

Instead of the usual peanut-butter carrot cake, we decided on a peach cake this year. We made the cake with rice flour and guar gum because Shiba Sephy is allergic to wheat.

The peach birthday cake was a big hit with the dogs!

They kept asking for more, but alas we only gave them a small piece. Since peach cakes are not common dog food, we did not want to disrupt their digestive system by giving them too much in one sitting.

It was a good and peachy day. 😀

The peach birthday cake was a big hit with the dogs.

Shania is now 2 years old.

Sephy is 3 and starting to develop white whiskers!

Here is what happened …

1. Opening of Birthday presents

First, the presents arrived.

Both Shiba and Siberian had much fun opening their Birthday packages. In fact, both dogs probably had more fun with the packaging than with the toys.

Opening of Birthday presents.

2. Spa scratch session

Spa scratch session.

Then we moved on to the spa scratch session of our program.

The dogs got to relax to the music of Air Supply, and much wonderful scratching and tummy rubs were delivered by trained experts.

Brunch and toy session.

3. Brunch and new toys session

After the nice r&r session, the dogs are ready for brunch.

Today’s menu is Innova kibble mixed with boiled chicken. Brunch is filled into various toys, including their new birthday Egg Baby fish toy.

Brunch is filled into various toys, including their new birthday fish toy.

First, I cut off all the tags, strings, and plastic tabs from the toy. Then I remove the squeaky balls from inside the toy. My Shiba destroys those balls in a matter of seconds.

Then I fill it with little pieces of boiled chicken, throw in some kibble, and stuff in a Hollee Roller Ball. The ball makes it more challenging to get the food out.

Result – Good, wholesome fun for everyone!

Good, wholesome doggy birthday fun!

4. Walk in the hills

Now we are ready for some action!

Time for the doggy daily walk in the hills. This includes some great exploration across grassy and hilly terrain, as well as hunting and digging for earth critters.

Peanut butter, carrot, and honey dog birthday cake - YUM!

5. Nap and cake making

Even Energizer Bunny Shania needs to nap sometime, and after a long walk, she is ready for some shut-eye.

We also start making their favorite peanut-butter, carrot, and honey cake with rice flour.

Both my Shiba and Siberian are allergic to wheat so we replace regular wheat flour with rice flour and some guar gum – YUM!

Siberian Shania having a nice, cake-smell nap.

Doggy birthday game - Apple bobbing.

Siberian shania is awesome at apple bobbing.

6. Apple bobbing and Chicken bobbing

Since it is Halloween time, I thought it would be fun to have an apple bobbing session.

We filled a small tub with water and put in two apples.

Unfortunately, apple bobbing is no challenge at all for Siberian Shania. She gets the apple in a second and is off.

Shiba Sephy is more cautious and unsure about this whole wet, weird game. Finally he decides that getting his royal Shiba paws wet, just for an apple, is not really worth it.

Getting his royal Shiba paws wet just for an apple is not really worth it..

Both Shiba and Siberian were not too interested in the apples, so I pushed in some small pieces of chicken jerky and they had fun getting that out of the apples.

Siberian Shania bobbing for chicken.

This led me to my next brainstorm …

which was to do chicken bobbing. I broke up some small pieces of dry chicken and threw them into the tub of water. As you can see, Siberian Shania is a pro at fishing out those chicken pieces.

She is a very smart and wonderful dog!

Meanwhile … Shiba Sephy just mooches for his chicken!

Moocher Shiba!

Birthday cake and birthday song.

7. Birthday cake and birthday song

Finally, it is birthday cake and birthday song time.

There is a lot of singing, licks, and dripping saliva. Everyone waits patiently for the good stuff.

And then there are obedience commands, cake, and cake stuffed in interactive toys.

It is a good doggy birthday, and a fun weekend for all!

It is a good birthday and a fun weekend for all.