Activities For English Kings

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Activities For English Kings

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Introduction

Big eyes, floppy fluffy ears, and a sweet-as-pie temperament -- it’s hard not to fall in love with an English King Spaniel. A cross between a King Charles Spaniel and an English Toy Spaniel, these pups are one of the most affectionate breeds out there. However, this means that they can be a little clingy, and don’t like being left alone. You’ll have to make sure that they’re included in your life!

Although they are, charitably put, not the brightest buttons in the box, their eagerness to please makes English Kings relatively easy to train. Although they have relatively low exercise needs, they are playful little guys, and prefer their activity to come in the form of a game. Read on to find out how to keep your English King as healthy and happy as can be!

Chase Training

Popular

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Any Day

Cheap

Easy

30 min

Items needed

Flirt pole

Bubbles

Activity description

English Kings love to chase -- though whether they see the birds, butterflies and smaller critters they run after as prey or future friends rather depends on the dog. Though chasing is a natural behavior for these lovable mutts, it can become dangerous. You don’t want your doggo chasing cars, cats or (heaven forbid) the mailman!

Fortunately, there are a couple of ways you can train your canine companion to keep safe without discouraging the behavior entirely. Best of all, this type of training can be furrific fun!

Step

Use a flirt pole

A flirt pole is a long stick with a toy at the end of a piece of string attached to it, and it’s a pawesome tool to use when you’re teaching your buddy to chase safely. It teaches them that toys are acceptable targets -- humans, not so much! Before you begin, you’ll need to make sure that your pup has the "stay" and "drop it" commands down pat. You want to show your pup that they can only chase when you tell them to! Wave the pole around while your buddy is in a stay position, then give them a release command and watch them chase after the toy, telling them to sit and stay again when they get too overexcited. Don’t leave it too long before you let them catch the toy, or else they’ll get frustrated.

Step

Blow some bubbles

English Kings are great apartment dogs, so if you own one, there’s a good chance that you don’t have a backyard in which to wave a flirt pole. Never fear -- you can get them to chase bubbles instead. This is an activity that you can do indoors, as long as you move any dangerous or delicate items out of the way first! Get your buddy to sit and stay and then blow some bubbles. Then give them the release command. They shouldn’t need too much encouragement to chase after them! As with the flirt pole, tell them to sit and stay if they get too wound up. They’ll soon get the hang of it!

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DIY Doggy Spa Day

Popular

0 Votes

Any Day

Cheap

Easy

45 min

Items needed

Dog shampoo

Pin brush

Comb

Activity description

Make no bones about it, these pooches love to be pampered! And doing doggy relaxation at home doesn’t just save you money on professional dog groomers -- it’s also a great bonding experience for you and your four-pawed pal! After all, your buddy wants to spend time with you, and a DIY Spaniel spa day is a paw-fect way to show them a little love.

Plus, spending some time with a happy pupper is a great way to destress! Even though it’s your doggo getting treated, you might find your own stress melting away. You can take it further and do a few treatments for yourself -- there’s no harm in having a face mask on while you bathe your buddy.

Step

Massage

A massage is a grrr-eat place to start off! The first step is to pet your pup gently all over their body, particularly if you haven’t given them a massage before. This will get them used to having your hands all over them and give you an idea of any no-go areas. For the massage itself, you can use a circular motion or a heavy-handed pet. Start with your pooch’s neck and shoulders before moving on to their back, legs and chest. Pay attention to your doggo’s reactions -- some pups simply don’t like being touched on their chest or belly.

Step

Get grooming

English Kings are known for their long, soft fur, but while adorable, that fluff needs a bit of maintenance. You should brush your pupper’s coat at least once a week. It’s best to use a pin brush in conjunction with a comb to get out any serious tangles.

Step

Draw a bath

English Kings usually have a whale of a time in the water, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to tempt them into the tub! It’s best to use a specially formulated, hypoallergenic dog shampoo to wash their coat -- their skin can be rather sensitive. Unscented baby shampoo will do in a pinch. Towel your pup off carefully to avoid that wet dog smell!

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Doggy Sleepover

Popular

0 Votes

Any Day

Cheap

Normal

1 day

Items needed

Toys

Activity description

English Kings need a lot of human companionship, but it’s always good to let your four-pawed pal make their own furry friends, too! Though English Kings are generally very friendly, it can still take them a while to get used to other dogs, and a sleepover is a great op-paw-tunity to get them to bond with fellow fur-balls.

If you’re on good terms with another pet parent, why not invite their canine companion over for a slumber party? If your friend is going out of town, asking their buddy to stay is a great way to get some brownie points (and increase the likelihood of them returning the favor).

Step

Be prepared

Consider the temperament of the other dog in the equation. Are they likely to prove too energetic, or intimidating to your English King in some way? It’s good to have a sleepover guest be someone your pooch already likes -- someone they get along with at the dog park, say. Ask the other owner to bring their dog’s bed with them. Their pupper might get nervous staying at someone else’s house, and a bed that smells like home will make the process easier and decrease the likelihood of fighting over sleeping spaces. You might want to ask your fellow pet parent to bring their dog’s favorite toys, too!

Step

Watch the fun

The sight of two pups happily playing together is adorable, and the sight of puppy bedtime cuddles is even cuter still. But that’s not the only reason you should keep a close eye on both dogs -- you want to make sure that there’s no misunderstandings about sharing toys, for example.

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More Fun Ideas...

Include Them in Your Hobbies

It should be clear by now that your English King will be happiest by your side, so while you can’t have your dog with you all the time, it’s best to include them wherever possible. Let them join you when you’re gardening, take them on a hike, or even try kite flying. Just make sure that they have a firm grasp of the "heel" command -- it wouldn’t do to have them wandering off.

Let Them Lose the Leash

If you own an English King, you’ll know that these furry friends love to run free. They should be unrestrained in your backyard, of course, but regular trips to the dog park are also a good idea. You might also want to investigate trails and beaches in your area to see if they allow free-roaming furballs -- a change of scenery is always fun!

Conclusion

There are three main ingredients in the recipe for keeping your English King content -- moderate exercise, plenty of playtime, and lots and lots of love and affection. If you can put the time in and keep them company, they'll definitely appreciate it. The above activities should certainly help you get started.