Looking for something different to do with your Morkie? Here are 12 ideas to keep you busy on these hot summer days!
1. Take some great doggy pix
2. Make pupsicles
3. Go for a boat ride
4. Do some urban exploring
5. Soft frisbee
6. Dog training lite
7. Swimming
8. Include your Morkie in a wedding
9. Spa Day for Two
10. Go for a long run
11. Stay at a dog-friendly B&B
12. Visit a LUXE doggy store
1. Take some great doggy photos
When you have some time on your hands, that’s when you can get a GREAT photo of your Morkie. Here are some hints to help you capture the real essence of your Morkie:
- Timing is everything. Your dog will be more alert and receptive before dinnertime. After a good walk is another excellent time to take photos; your Morkie will be relaxed and just tired enough to stay still!
- Avoid flash, which gives your pet that devil-dog appearance, and get down at your Morkie’s level.
- Use simple, colorful backgrounds without a pattern. If you’re shooting outside, take a quick look at the background. Nothing worse than a telephone pole appearing to grow out of your dog’s head.
Photo credit: Chloe Polka Dog
2. Make pupsicles
Your Morkie will appreciate a frosty cold treat this summer. For frozen yogurt, simply fill an ice cube tray with plain yogurt and pop one out for your Morkie’s dish. (Use a special tray for tiny cubes; they’ll fit your Morkie better.) To make them tastier, mash a ripe banana into the yogurt before freezing.
You can do the same with beef or chicken broth. When the broth is half frozen, drop a crunchy treat into each cube for extra fun.
Can dogs eat ice cream?
You might give your Morkie some licks from a cone, but generally, dogs don’t digest milk well, and the sugar isn’t good so keep this treat for VERY special occasions.
Here’s a great recipe from WideOpenPets.com for Frozen Meat Treats:
Ingredients:
2 cups cooked meat
¾ cup plain low-fat yogurt
A little bit of finely chopped parsley
1 cooked and mashed carrot
3 tablespoons olive oil
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
Spoon mixture into ice cube trays and place in freezer until hard.
The versatility of this recipe makes it a great option for when your pantry’s running low and you don’t feel like going to the store. Carrots and parsley can be replaced with peanut butter, and the meat can come from your leftover dinner.
3. Go for a boat ride
Know someone with a boat? Catch a ride for you and your Morkie… don’t forget his life jacket. Neither Yorkies nor Maltese can swim well, so your Morkie definitely needs a life jacket.
No boaters in your group? You can always rent a paddleboat, canoe or rowboat at your nearest waterfront park.
4. Do some urban exploring, thanks to the help of a doggy stroller
Dog strollers might seem silly until you find yourself in a large city or doing tons of walking in the hot weather.
Then they can really come in handy.
Bonus – you can often wheel your Morkie into a shop, bookstore, etc. without objections from the staff because your dog isn’t running all over the store. And, it’s a great way to keep your Morkie safe and happy if you’re visiting a sidewalk cafe.
Check Amazon for a full range of strollers, from bargains to super deluxe.
5. Soft frisbee!
Dog frisbee isn’t just for the big guys… small dogs can learn to love it too, with a smaller, soft frisbee.
Look for the flying disc made of fabric, with a soft rounded edge to protect your Morkie’s sensitive mouth. The 7″ Chuckit! available on Amazon, is a smaller frisbee that’s soft yet durable.
Check out the smaller, soft dog frisbee on Amazon, from Chuckit!
6. Dog Training Lite
Do some fun training with your Morkie, or try a Fun Meet in your area. Fun Meets are dog shows that are heavy on fun and light on serious rules. You could win, for example, for the Kissingest Morkie.
For more on training, head over to YouTube and check out “Easy Dog Tricks.”
7. Swimming
Since a Morkie’s parents, the Yorkshire Terrier and the Maltese, aren’t known to love water, never force your Morie to take a dip. that said, lots of Morkies do love swimming, so give it a try!
8. Include your Morkie in wedding
Yours or a friends, nothing glams up wedding pix like a well dressed Morkie!
9. Spa Day for Two
A nice warm bath and dog massage for your Morkie, and a homemade facial for you… before you know it, it’s SPA Day at home!
Lots of great ideas at SheKnows.com
10. Go for a long run
An estimated 52% of dogs are obese nowadays, so exercise is always a good thing. If possible, find a nice open field that’s fenced it and let your Morkie have a good run. He probably won’t need much encouragement, but if he does, you can always tag along beside him.
Should your Morkie be a running partner for you? Not really. Small dogs don’t have the size to maintain a good pace, and your Morkie may not be strong enough. Plus, they can be prone to slipping knee syndrome (Patella Luxation) so running every day on a leash with you isn’t ideal.
Don’t forget water breaks.
11. Stay at a dog-friendly B&B
Check out BringFido.com and you’ll find hundreds of fabulous B&Bs that welcome dogs, all around the world. These places are beautiful, and offer a true, all family vacay for you and yours.
More here: https://www.bringfido.com/lodging/bandbs/
Some of the gorgeous properties on Bring Fido: dog-friendly B&Bs
12. Visit a LUXE doggy store
Whether it’s Bark & Fitz or Muttropolis, every city has a super posh dog store.
Take your Morkie to one and do some browsing… you’ll find it an eye-opening experience!
From the Swarovski crystal dog bath, at $6,995
To a genuine Louis Vuitton Dog Carrier at $58,000!
