Moku's Daily Activity Log

Liz R. Kover
Sep 2, 2015
2 min read

Daily CHALLENGE & ACTiViTY Summary

Dog’s name: Moku

Date: Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Physical Fitness

Moku wasn’t able to swim today due to folliculitis. But we walked .2 miles at Home Depot (in combination with other training, including some UP & OFF strength exercises on different sized boxes in the isles of the store; this is good preparation for our “K9 Fit Club workout that I have yet to design, but for which I am currently thinking up ideas). Moku also walked - at an average speed of 2.5 mph - on the treadmill for 20 minutes, which equaled a distance of .8 mile.

Cognitive Fitness

Today, Moku and I worked on commands at Home Depot. Having Moku STOP, SIT, lay DOWN, and STAY next to creepy Halloween characters is great for a few reasons: It gives him practice on those commands, it helps desensitize him to strange new things – sights, sounds, smells, etc.; and it allows me to take pictures of him hard at work to share with you, his adoring and very proud parents!

We also worked on EYE CONTACT (checking in), HEEL (a formal “LET’S GO at my left side), LEAVE IT (food dropped on the floor in Home Depot, which he had to walk past without going for it); and two new commands, UP and OFF.

Social Fitness

Today, Moku met and interacted with a few strangers at Home Depot. A family with a toddler who wanted to pet the bear; and a gentleman who marveled at his good behavior while we waited to have a couple of keys made.

Emotional Fitness

I consider the fact that Moku is away from his home environment a test of his “emotional fortitude”. He is right at home at our house by now, of course. But even while here, I make sure to leave him in my room for periods of a few minutes here and several minutes there (while I make a smoothie, for example). Moku definitely does well in this regard. He is not a clingy dog, and doesn’t follow me from one room to another. He is pretty content to be where he is, and only get up and come into another room when encouraged heartily ;) .

Primal Fitness

Rather than hand Moku his freeze-dried chicken liver reward after his treadmill workout, I broke it into five smaller pieces, and hid the pieces around the room. This meant Moku had to use his nose and scent out his treat. He also had to move about the room, using his mind and body to find the food, rather than sitting and passively receiving it in one spot.

Here’s a video compilation of today’s activities:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fe7sNf-miFs