This post has been sponsored by Natural Balance, but my opinions (as always) are all my own. Thank you for supporting the sponsors that make P+P possible! Please enjoy these five adventure ideas for you and your dog!
Although I always desperately wanted one, I never had a dog growing up. We always lived in apartments and moved around often, making it impossible. It wasn’t until five years ago that my dream of a furry little friend coming into my life wasΒ made possible. That furry friend is named Cocoa.
Cocoa is my best friend and the love of my life. That may sound cheesy but to dog-parents… you get it. Having a dog canΒ absolutelyΒ change your life, in small ways and in big ways. Your life becomes a little lessΒ ordinary. Laughter becomes a lot more frequent. And life, suddenly, becomes a great big adventure.
I love to go on grand adventures with Cocoa. But my favorite ones are often the small ones. The day-to-day. No day is conventional or colorless with a corgi in your life. It’s pretty much impossible to be sad when she’s around. It’s also impossible to sit still or stay in the house too long. And completely impossible to keep hair off of your clothing. Do you know how much a corgi sheds?
It’s also impossible to take anything for granted. I am so in love with our little life, and I think she’s pretty fond of it, too! I’ve teamed up with Natural Balance to tell you the story of my favorite furry girl and to tell you how awesome their food is. Cocoa has developed some serious allergies this summer and I wanted to put her on a limited ingredient diet. Natural Balance has several products to choose from, including their grain-free foods and their Limited Ingredients Diet line. Their newer product, Delectable Delights Wet Cups, Cocoa is especially fond of.
She loves to have wet food mixed in with her dry food (because she’s kind of a princess) and I love that this wet food is grain-free, wheat-free, soy-free, corn-free, and free of artificial preservatives, flavors, and colors. I also really appreciate their Buy with Confidence Program which tests all food for nine different contaminants before they even reach store shelves. And Cocoa loves…well, the taste. I don’t think she really understands all the other stuff!
I have to be honest, Cocoa’s dinner looked better than mine tonight. I had a total recipe fail.
Cocoa literally licked her bowl clean! And, seriously, to pause for just a moment: have you seen Natural Balance’sΒ Instagram?! Cuteness overload. Can’t even.
So, let me tell you a little bit about Cocoa. Her nicknames include, but are not limited to: Bunny, Cocoa Puff, Cocoa Sandwiches, Stinky, and Buns.
She loves long walks, cheese, parks, going to brunch, hikes, and the beach.
She also loves to do yoga with mom.
To go on super long walks and explore nature trails (with ample water and rest breaks). She does have such short legs, after all.
To watch TV with dad (especially if there’s popcorn involved……)
And her ALL TIME favorite activity: To roll in the grass.
What does your dog love to do?! To celebrate our lives with our pets and all of the amazing adventures we go on, I want to highlight 5 great summer adventure ideas for you and your dog! What are your favorite ways to adventure with your pup? Tell me in the comments below!
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5 Summer Adventure Ideas for You and Your Dog
One of the easiest (and healthiest) ways to bond with your pup is exercising with them. This can be done in tons of ways: running with your dog, biking with your dog, swimming with your dog, or yoga with your dog. Yes, people actually do yoga with their dog, and it even has a name! Doga classes are offered here in Portland, but Portland isΒ known for being a little quirky. Check if there are exercise classes for you and your dog in your city. Many cities often have a running or hiking club for you and your pooch.
What’s a Shin-Dog? Well, besides being a word I totally made up just now, it’s a Shin-Dig with Your Dog! Summer is all about outdoor parties, BBQs, and fun. Incorporate the two by throwing a dog-friendly outdoor shin-digdog. Let guests know to bring their pets and have both snacks for humans and for pups. Serve dogs frozen yogurt cups, which can be found in most pet stores. If you can’t find them, make your own with mix-in’s such as peanut butter, bacon, and pumpkin! Also host some dog party games, such as frisbee, hide-and-seek with treats, DIY obstacle courses, and bobbin’ for biscuits. Have little goodie bags for guests to take home, filled with treats, a bandana, and some of Natural Balance’s Delectable Delights!
We all know about having a Treat Yo’ Self Day, thanks to Parks & Recreation (love that show). Why not have one with your dog? Pamper yourself and your pup with a much-needed treat day. Get your dog groomed while you get a pedicure or massage. Go have lunch with your pup at a restaurant with a dog-friendly outdoor patio. Window shop. Take your dog to the pet store and buy them an awesome new toy. Oh, the possibilities. π
Nearly every city has some kind of dog-centered Meet-Up. Many of them are breed-specific, too. Cocoa has been part of a Corgi Meet-Up everywhere we’ve lived, from Jersey City to San Diego to Portland. There’s also Meet-Ups for small dogs, big dogs, pitbulls, frenchies, rescues, all dogs, you name it! They meet all over the city, from parks to dog-friendly events. Check out if your city has one, and if not, you can make one!
I’m sure you have an epic bucket list of things you want to do this summer. Why not include your pooch in some of them? Most summer activities, such as camping, hiking, and the lake, are all dog-friendly. Pack a picnic and go to the park. Spend the day at the lake with a cooler full of refreshing lemonade and pup- and human-approved snacks. Go on a hike with an awesome view. Rent a cabin in the woods. Go to a dog-friendly new brewery. There are tons of options and fun to be had. Plan ahead and make sure to bring plenty of water and snacks for both you and your dog!
I hope your summer is full of adventures! Thank you to Natural Balance for sponsoring this post. Be sure to try their new grain-free Delectable Delights Wet Cups, available in 4 different flavors! And be sure to follow their Facebook and Instagram pages to see the most adorable photos, get advice, and stay in-the-know with all things Natural Balance.
Great article! These are all such fun ideas! My pups enjoy exploring new places the most, taking them to a hike or a roadtrip somewhere new is always a lovely adventure!! π
Cocoa is just adorable and I can tell she sure does love all of her adventures with you! All great tips! Thanks for sharing your story. My girls both LOVE Natural Balance Delectable Delights and my post just went live too!
Thank you Jeanne! Chloe and LadyBug are so so adorable too!!
Oh my gosh, totally in love. I’m a fur mom to two boxer babies and I’m always trying to include them in fun adventures. The yoga picture cracks me up, I’ve got similar ones of my babies. Something about that yoga mat they just love! I normally end up on the floor while they nap on my mat lol. Our favorite summer activity is going to the beach for the sunset. A little swimming, a little playing in the sand, a little gorgeous sunset … Perfection! Thanks for the post!
hi, Heather! I love, love boxers! I totally agree it’s the texture of the yoga mat they love. Cocoa is obsessed with it, and also with crawling underneath me whenever I’m in downward dog. I think she loves it so much because it ends to be cooler, which is also why she loves lying on the kitchen tiled floor! Going to the beach is my favorite, too! I wish we had one closer. Do your dogs swim?! So jealous. I have tried to get Cocoa to swim for many years with no success! haha
This is a great list of adventures! Chloe usually only ventures to our backyard and sometimes a short walk, as her little legs can only take so much, but I am definitely going to plan “a treat yo’self” day for the two of us. Cocoa looks like such a sweetheart AND she does yoga? Uh I am jealous!
Thank you Jessica! I totally understand having a “short leg” dog – haha! Cocoa gets so tired and needs constant breaks, especially during the summer lol. I hope you and Chloe have an epic Treat Yo’Self Day!
Loved this post! Your pup is so adorable π I love taking my puppy on adventures and we try and mix it up as much as we can! We actually just went to our first meet-up yesterday and it was a huge success! So much fun!!
Thanks for sharing! xo
Kendra
Thank you Kendra! Aren’t Meet-Ups so fun?! Cocoa loves them, too! Adventures with pups are just the best. π
OMG your puppy is the cutest! I love corgis! They always look like puppies!
Thanks, Mary! Yes, especially Cocoa, because she is the runt of the litter and people mistake her for a puppy all the time!
Thanks for sharing, he’s so adorable, I love the pic where he is licking his chompers π Perfect capture!
haha, thank you Candace! That picture is typical Cocoa – always hungry and wanting food. π
Ahh! Cuteness overload here! Thanks for sharing pictures of your darling pup with us π I love these ideas for being active and engaged with our furry friends this summer too!
Thank you so much, Melanie! π
Max and I are hoping to get a dog soon! Can’t wait to try these things!
oh yay!! So happy for you guys! Hope the cats don’t mind too much. π
This just makes me want a Corgi <3
lol! they are the best π
You have a beautiful dog. The only pet I have a salt water fish. But I enjoyed reading your tips for a great summer with your dog.
Thank you, Tammy! I had salt water fish too for a long time. They are so beautiful π
What a cute pup! We are dog people and have a Bernese Mt. Dog. He eats dry food mostly but we will have to look into this food as well. Sure meets a lot of the criteria we require to have in it.
Brooke
Hi, Brooke! π Thank you! Let me know if you end up trying it and what your Bernese thinks of it! I absolutely love Bernese Mountain Dogs… as soon as we buy a house I am adopting one! They are such big, cuddly, sweet dogs. π
Cocoa is a living doll! That first photo? Absolutely precious! Thanks for sharing them! π
Thank you so much! Yeah, I’m pretty fond of her! π
What a beautiful dog and what great ideas! Growing up, we always had at least one dog. I showed my Shetland Sheepdog at our county fair for many years, so much fun!
Aww! I so wish I grew up with dogs! I love Shetland Sheepdogs! They are so beautiful π
Great tips! We couldn’t do a meet up with our dogs, they like to hump everything, they’re very rude. Not mean just rude.
Haha! Oh gosh! Cocoa is usually the hump-ee at the dog park. Too funny.