“ Creativity is contagious . Pass it on .”

— Albert Einstein

TREAT JAR : 6 years to adult

Creating something special for your loveable puppy is fun ! What better way to celebrate our furry family members than creating art for them . I have read that petting your animals lowers blood pressure and stress . I firmly believe that studying and creating an image of your pup has the same effect .

I invited Luke and David , my guest artists , to look through line drawing images of dogs on my computer until just the right image appeared . I recommend you select simple black outline drawings , no shading . David selected his image because the expression on the puppy ’ s face looked like his dog Stanley . Luke loved the cartoon look of his dog , Monet . The selection process is an integral part of doing the craft itself and can be a bonding time between you and your child . It trains the eye to see what characteristics in the drawing resemble your pup . Looking carefully at expression and features is seeing like an artist . Encourage your child to look at , and talk about , different images before selecting one . Let them tell you which one is like their puppy and why . Talking about , and sharing the experience , is a form of bonding . Can ’ t get any better than that .

My Grandson Luke wanted to do a craft for Monet . A dog trainer told me to mix some treats with dry dog food and store the mixture together so the smell of the treats gets on the dry food . Then , when you are doing repetitive training , like fetching , you can alternate the real treat with the dog food and you ’ re not giving your dog too many treats . I wanted to store these mixtures in an easy access manner , so the idea of a personalized treat jar was born .

Start with a plastic container . I recycled nut , cookie , and other plastic containers and also purchased some on Amazon . Next you ’ ll need opaque markers , available online or at any craft store or art store , and a printer . Start by printing out a simple outline of a pup so you can trace it , or better yet , have your child draw a picture and trace that . I purchased the other supplies , including bling ribbon , jewels , letter stickers , and image stickers , at the Dollar Store . You do not need a glue gun unless you use non-adhesive objects . Adults should work the glue gun for younger children so they don ’ t burn themselves . You can use acrylic paint on these jars to paint areas but we did not ; we only used the opaque markers to color what we drew or traced . Use your imagination to make a masterpiece .

SHAKE CAN : Toddler and up

I got Monet when she was eight weeks old and she wanted to bite and chew everything . My friends told me to make a shake can : put pennies or glass marbles in a can and shake it when Monet would bite my pant leg . The noise made her stop . It seemed to work , so I am sharing it with you as it is an easy , fun project your child can do for their pet . Nina Joy , just three years old , made the shake can with very little adult help .

SUPPLIES NEEDED :

Supplies needed - TREAT JAR - plastic jar - printed black and white outline drawing of dog - paint pens / markers / permanent markers ( opaque pens work best ) - water , paper plate - tape , stickers / favorite stickers - optional : ribbon , bling ribbon , gems , glue gun , scissors

Supplies needed - SHAKE CAN - soda can - duct tape - glass rocks or pennies - acrylic paint , brushes - water , paper plate - stickers / letter stickers - paint pens / markers / permanent markers ( opaque pens work best )

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