Picture this: You’ve spent the past five days waking up at sunrise, leaving your best friend at home while you travel to your office, and come home at sunset with only enough time to share an intimate dinner with them and call it a night. Friday comes around and you ask yourself, “What should I do with my dog this weekend?” Look no further, because here’s how you can make the most of your free time, and plan the pawfect weekend with your doggo.
Socialising
You got a friend in you, so bring your pawpal with you! Grab your dog, grab a leash, and make some new friends at Singapore’s many parks. The Singapore Botanic Gardens come with many slopes and fields for your pawpal to roll around and nom on grass. Within the park, there’s also a long hill that faces the Shaw Foundation Symphony Stage, where you can have your own picnic and bask in the sense of community.
Singapore’s Garden City energy also has a coastline! Take your doggo down south to Marina Barrage and let them run in the vast open plains with the sea breeze behind their tail. Chase kite tails (and dog tails) with the other pawpals and watch their eyes light up, enjoying their freedom to roam after a whole week in an apartment.
Adventure
Worn out from the monotony of 21st Century Civilisation? Take a break from the city and explore the road less travelled — literally! Singapore’s many hiking trails are sure to bring you and your doggo closer to nature. Walk down The Green Corridor, an abandoned railway track full of colonial-era artefacts only visible to those with a keen eye.If your sea legs are up for the challenge, why not hit the beach and rent a kayak? Oar in hand and doggo on board, you can join kayak tours to explore Singapore’s mangroves and river biomes that host a myriad of flora and fauna. With experienced Kayak guides leading the way, you’ll be shore to have a fun time!
Retreating into the comfort of your own home might just be the best way to unwind from work. Cosy up under the covers and grab a remote, you and your doggo can binge some movies together! A home is a safe space after all, and if you aren’t using it to unwind, what are you waiting for? Spoil your furbaby even more with a home-cooked meal to munch on while watching. No matter how you look at it, they’ll get to enjoy good food AND quality time together, so it’s an absolute win.
If you haven’t had the time to train your pupper, you could take the weekend to bond with them. Get them used to potty training and discipline, or just teach your ol’ doggo some new tricks! Paw-sitive reinforcement by rewarding good behaviour makes it easier for your pawpal to get accustomed to their new changes. Use a treat that you know they will like to get better results. For everything else, Bronco’s flavoured jerkies are a sure-fire way to capture their attention. Made with Vitamin E, inulin, and real meat, every bite delivers a burst flavour that guarantees a stronger digestive system. Present these affordable oven-cooked treats, and your pawpal will be excitedly waiting for your next instruction before you know it!
There’s not a better and cuter companion in life than your furbaby. Doing activities with your doggo can not only strengthen your bond but also promote mental and physical stimulation for your doggo. There’s plenty of activities that you can do with your furbaby, to keep that tail wagging.
Bring your furbaby on a trip to Singapore’s largest wet park Wag and Wild! If your furkid loves the water, it will definitely be a treat for them to visit Wag and Wild and swim. Join them for a swim in the park, not only can you keep an eye on them but also have fun with them in the pool!
Information about Wag and Wild
Playtimes are based on 1-hour slots with a 15 minutes grace period to leave the park and it’s advisable to not feed your furbaby anything 3-4 hours prior to the session to prevent regurgitation. With these regulations in place, do plan your time wisely before heading down to Wag and Wild. Doggos will also need to be rinsed before entering the pool to maintain cleanliness.
Do take note that you will need to present a valid current annual vaccination or titer test record upon entry. There are allocated areas for the doggos to wash up, however, there are only changing stalls for the hoomans to change into a dry set of clothing.
Here are some useful things to pack into your bag, towels to dry your doggo and yourself, poop bags to clean up, a leash -> the dogs need to be leashed even in the pool, treats for your doggo, and some toys.
Conquer the waters at Wag and Wild with your furbaby today! ?
The opportunity to explore Singapore’s coastal areas in style is here! Dog Cruise Singapore can help you make it happen! Cruising on Royal Luxury Tall Ship Royal Albatross, is definitely an experience you and your furbaby will never forget! The ship will ship along the coast of Sentosa and enjoy the astonishingly beautiful and unobstructed views of the sea.
Dog Cruise Singapore has done a very good job in keeping your dog safe, by partnering with Sunny Chong Dog Training School to provide pre-screening for the dogs. The ship will also be properly clean before and after every event to ensure that hygiene will be maintained.
Discover your furbaby’s flexibility by doing yoga together! Doesn’t matter if you’re a yoga guru or a stay home person, enjoy some time with your doggo by doing yoga together. This is great not only for bonding with your doggo, but also for your mental and physical health.
The class at puppy yoga is split into 2 main portions, 35 minutes of yoga and 15 minutes of pure playtime with the dogs.
Enjoy 1 hour of total happiness and relaxation with your furkid by your side at Puppyyoga. ??♀️
Unsure of what to do with your dogoo? Treat them to a shopping spree and allow your pets to pick up what they want to get. Allow your pet to experience retail therapy too, which helps them to relax and have fun.
Try shopping at physical stores such as PolyPet, Catsmart, and many more. They offer a wide range of items that will surely satisfy your furkid’s needs and wants. ?
Even though pet cafes are hard to come by in Singapore, due to the high difficulty of obtaining a license. Nonetheless, there’s an article on the Top 5 pet-friendly restaurants that you can visit. Cafe hopping helps your doggo to socialize with other doggos in a safe and calm environment.
The hoomans can enjoy delicious food and rest while letting the doggos to play and solocise with one another.
As boring as Singapore may be, we are lucky to be able to enjoy free access to Sentosa beaches till the end of the year!
1. Booking a slot & getting there
If you’re bringing your dog along, you can book a slot at Tanjong Beach and choose either Zone 1 or Zone 2. For us, we prefer the Zone 1 area as there is more space for off-leash zoomies! You will have to choose between an AM or PM slot as well.
Things to bring:
Bathing supplies for your doggo (shampoo, towel, SPARE TOWEL)
A ground mat plus enough items to weigh down the sides
Extra disposable sheet for your doggo to rest on, because they can get very dirty (optional)
Water and treats
Extra hooman to carry all the belongings while you handle your dog ?
Tanjong Beach Club Directions
Park right outside Tanjong Beach Club and you can easily walk to Tanjong Beach in just a few minutes. Don’t forget to watch out for oncoming bikes while bringing your dog to the beach area!
If you did not book a slot, you may not be able to access the beach if they are filled! You can always try your luck at the counter outside the beach but that’s subjected to availability on the day itself. I suggest booking at least 3 days in advance to secure a time slot.
2. Unleash the zoomies!
Only unleash your dogs if you are confident of their outdoor recall with distractions. There have been cases of dogs going missing at Sentosa without a leash. Don’t forget to put on your dog’s ID tag as well!
Things to note:
Not all dogs you meet at the beach is friendly, always be ready to mediate a fight
There will be many children at the beach, if your dog is not 100% friendly with kids, keep a safe distance and politely tell them to give your dog some space if they intend to approach, you do not want to risk anything
Do not let your dog eat sand! Check out the article written by Taro
There may be some trash lying around the shore, make sure that your dog does not ingest them
Don’t forget to drink up
If your dog is extremely food-motivated, ensure that they do not snoop around other beach go-ers bags! (#guilty)
It is crucial to keep a safe distance from other beach go-ers. There are designated spots for different groups of beach goe-ers to lay their mats. You will be asked to leave the beach if you do not comply. Keep your masks on at all times unless you are heading for a swim as well.
Once your dog gets wet, you can only expect him to get even dirtier with all the sand and dirt getting trapped on his fur, especially for thick-coated dogs. If you leave your pet’s harness or collar on while they are swimming, you may possibly expect them to get some abrasion a few hours later.
Meet your trusted furriend which your pet can get along with and have crazy zoomies together!
3. Time to clean up
There is an outdoor bathing point outside the beach, next to the public toilet at the carpark. It has been implied as a washing point for dogs already. You will be required to exit the beach area and remove your tag after leaving the beach.
Here’s where your bathing supplies and extra hooman will come to use. The wash point is pretty small and there are two working water taps. Get your extra hooman to help push the tap while the main handler shampoo the dog. Definitely not easy, but it could at least get rid of most of the sand trapped in your dog’s fur. I would recommend having a proper bath once you reach home.
Thick-coated dogs may not dry in time before heading back home and that’s where your extra towel comes to use. Lay it out in your car and let your doggo have a good sleep while you are all sweaty and dirty, chauffeuring your little king home.
Toys are essential items for all dogs, regardless of age and breeds. All dogs love to play to a certain extent. Playing and chewing are natural canine behaviours.
There are so many dog toys options in the market now, so choosing toys for your dog can be overwhelming, especially for new owners. Then there’s the other end of the spectrum where overzealous dog owners end up buying every single toy in sight cos they are cute, without considering the form or functions of these toys. Some owners may end up with a giant pile of toys gathering dust because the toys they chose do not interest their dogs or there are simply too many.
So how do you choose toys that your dog will actually like?
A dog’s toy preference depends on their personal style of playing and chewing. Instead of buying just any toy in the store, try to be more purposeful in selecting and trying out a few different types of toys.
Here are the common types of dog toys in the market, and these are also the ones that I personally allow Duoji to play with at home.
Balls
A quintessential dog toy, balls are classic examples that we see everywhere, in movies, books, etc. There’s a reason why they are so popular and evergreen.
They are great for playing fetch, rolling around and getting your pup to chase it, or even as a chew toy depending on the material used. Generally, the more durable ones like rubber balls last longer and are safer for them. Personally, I wouldn’t recommend those foam ones or even tennis balls, as it’s easy for your dog to chew off bits of it and ingest them.
When choosing a ball for your dog, try to pick one that is large enough for them to carry without accidentally swallowing it, but small enough to comfortably hold in the mouth.
This is a good size for Duoji but the foam material didn’t last long.This plastic ball isn’t that great for playing but it makes a funny sound when it’s rolling.
Chew toys
Can they be called dogs if they don’t enjoy chewing? Chew toys are another classic and must-have toys for all furkids. Feeding into their natural instinct to chew, such toys can help to ease boredom, reduce dental plaque, and are great especially when your pup is teething.
They come in many different shapes and sizes, and materials. Depending on whether your dog is a strong chewer, you might need to select chews toys with different hardness levels. Try around a few types and if you observe your dog making a dent in the toy or even chewing off a chunk easily, then that’s probably not hard enough for your power chewer.
Kong Dental Squeezz
For a longer chew time or to engage/distract them, choose this type with grooves to stuff treats in.I love this one from Kong, Not only is it durable and gives a good chew, it’s great for a game of fetch. Due to its odd shape, the toy bounces in different directions each time when it hits the floor, which gives an added level of excitement during play time.You can squeeze doggy toothpaste into this one for extra teeth cleaning while your pup is chewing. It’s a bit messy to clean up though.
The first-ever chew toy I got for Duoji was a mini Nylabone. As a first time owner, I just grabbed the most readily available ones and Nylabone can be found easily at all PLC outlets. However, I kept finding little bits of the toy around the house. Eventually, I tossed it out. Subsequently, I read up a little bit more about Nylabone and found that there were quite a bit of negative reviews on it, from the pieces of plastic breaking off and being ingested by dogs, to causing tooth fractures, etc.
To be fair, regardless of brands and materials, the real danger of any chew toy lies in the potential damage to your dog’s teeth or digestive system so the best way is to monitor closely. If the toy becomes too battered or you keep finding bits of it, chances are your furkid needs a tougher chew toy.
Duoji’s first Nylabone chew toy.
Stuffed toys
Stuffed toys are great as a snuggle buddy and can serve as a chew toy for the more gentle chewers. They usually contain squeakers and some kind of stuffing, so for power chewers, it’s best to supervise them during play just in case they rip it apart and ingest the stuffing.
These toys tend to be cheaper but don’t last very long. They also tend to get dirty more easily and would require more frequent washing and disinfecting, as compared to toys made from other materials like rubber etc, which can be wiped easily.
I personally avoid those that are furry, cos the fibres might be ripped off by your dog while chewing and ingested, or cause a mess around the house.
Just a fraction of Duoji’s stuffed toy collection. There’s a random knotted towel in there which is great for chewing as well.I love this one from Daiso! It’s ultra durable and the material (a bit net-like) is easy to clean. Washes and dries quickly too. I have a spare one in storage just in case this one is gone.This is what I meant by furry toys. The fibres may dislodge easily, plus the fur gets all clumpy and yucky when wet with your dog’s saliva. Not recommended.
Tug toys
Most dogs love a good game of tug-of-war. It’s fun and an excellent way to tire your pup out. There are many types of tug toys in the market – choose one that is comfortable for you to hold in your hand and pull on, as well as easy for your dog to bite and pull on.
In addition, they should be durable enough to withstand your dog’s pulling. Be sure to replace worn-out tug toys so they do not break in the middle of a game.
Be mindful not to tug too hard when playing. If your dog wouldn’t release the toy, just let it go and try again. I’ve heard stories of dogs getting their teeth pulled out during games.
Rope toys are a popular choice when it comes to tug games but personally, I don’t recommend as they tend to fray very easily. The fibres, when detached and ingested, can cause a serious obstruction in your dog’s digestive tract. There are many online literatures citing the dangers of rope toys. Do read up and make an informed decision.
The above-mentioned Daiso stuffed toy. Notice the frayed rope portion? I removed it subsequently.
Interactive Toys
Apart from a good physical workout, dogs need ample mental stimulation as well. Learning tricks/obedience training, and having a good walk and sniff session outdoors are great ways to achieve this. Why not up the ante with interactive toys?
Common ones include food-dispensing toys and puzzles and come in many variations. These can be on the pricey end of things but in general, you don’t as many of these in your collection. Personally, I source for mine via Taobao or Ezbuy, which is much cheaper than local stores.
Will work for food.
Nose-work toys
To a dog, their sense of smell is everything. It’s what they rely on to explore their surroundings, suss out food, recognise people and peers, identify danger, etc. Hence, it’s always a good idea to incorporate toys that can help to train them to use their noses more.
Snuffle mats are a good choice because of their huge variety and ‘pattern’. Some designs can even be folded and kept in a compact bag for easy storage. They can also be easily DIY-ed if you’re the crafty sort. All you gotta do is to hide some treats in the numerous folds or layers and watch your dog go on a hunt to uncover all the treats. Alternatively, burrow toys are a good choice as well!
Lazy girl taking a short cut by lifting up the mat and scattering the treats all over.
Bonus: Larger than life toys
Well, this is entirely optional but a ‘cute-to-have’ addition in your collection. Duoji absolutely loves stuffed toys that are way larger than her. She’ll drag them all over the house, lie on them, attack and ‘fight’ with them, etc. Maybe it’s like having a sibling…
I hope this list serves as a quick guide to choosing the appropriate toys for your dog. For dog toys, variety is better than quantity, or else you’ll soon end up with clutter. After all, they can only play with that many toys in a single session and who’s gonna clean up the mess? =P
Quick tip: Try rotating the toys by switching out a couple of them with something else, then re-introducing them again after a while. Your dog will probably think they are brand new and you save money and avoid building up a pile of unused toys.
