#1 Pup-cakes

Ingredients
100g (4 oz) Self Raising Flour
100g (4 oz) Soft Margarine
100g (4 oz) Caster Sugar
2 Eggs
1 Cup of icing sugar

Dye for icing sugar

Hard icing or lollies

Method
(1) Place all the ingredients in a large bowl and beat with a wooden spoon for about 2-3 minutes until well mixed. Kids love this bit, but be prepared for a messy table.
(2) Put the bun cases on a baking tray and spoon a tablespoon of the mixture into each of the cases.
(3) Bake for about 15-20 minutes at 180°C, 350°F or Gas Mark 4.
(4) When the cakes are cool, mix some icing sugar with a little dye and water to make a thick paste.
(5) Decorate he cakes with the icing
(6) To cerate the paw prints you can either use a stencil on hard icing or be creative with chocolate buttons, M&M’s or Jelly Tots

#2 Dog leg/run

Why not set yourself a doggie-related challenge and get everyone to sponsor you. Websites like everyday hero make it really simple, and if you need you can download a sponsorship form here.

#3 Dog-tales

Time to get those creative juices flowing. Encourage your school to have a dog-e-tale competition. Everyone writes a story about a dog, it could be their dog, or even Assistance dog. To enter is a gold coin donation- and the winning story may even be published on line!

#4 Dogs Bowl

A dog-Bowl can have many meanings
Bare foot bowling
Ten pin bowling
Lawn Bowls
What ever you favourite type, have a game with friends. It’s all to play for as the losing has to make a donation to Dogtober.

#5 Dogs to work

Something everyone wants to do, but if it’s for charity, maybe you can bend your bosses ear? Imagine how nice the office would be with your best friend by your side all day long!

#6 Teach your dog new tricks

Set you and your doggie a challenge for Dogtober, to see if they can learn some next tricks. You can keep progress of your challenge throughout the month by posting photos and videos on the Dogtober website or facebook page.

Could you teach your dog to do tasks an Assistance Dog can do- why not try! Get them to learn to

*   retrieve the phone for you or
*   pick up an item you drop (without eating it!)
*   Pick up rubbish and put it in the waste paper bin?
*   Put shoes away in the shoe closet
*   Get something out of the fridge
*   Empty clothes dryer
*   Open the sliding door
*   Flush the toilet
*   Turn light switch on/off
*   Take socks off
*   Take jumper off

#7 Be a dogs body

Do tasks and errands in return for donations. Do you always seem to be on a tea-run, take notes for people, help them with their work- well why not make some money out of it? For each task or errand set a price!

#8 Dogs breakfast

Whether you attend a coffee morning or can sneak one in at work, why not bring all your doggies together, and ask everyone attending for a small donation for their tea/coffee and biscuits.

#9 Workplace challenge

Everyone likes to be part of the top team or top department, but how satisfying will it be to prove it? Challenge your competitors and take them down

Games/Competitions include:
*   DOG-OLYMPICS – Have two challengers (or two teams), set a challenge it could be a dog paddle (swim), Dog Leg (game of golf), Dog-run (running race). Each Challenger sells a supporter ticket for a dollar.
*   STATIONERY CHALLENGE – $2 per entry in to the paper challenge: Whose plane can travel the furthest, who can shoot crumpled paper in to the bin with the most accuracy, who can produce the best dogarami (origami)
*   OFFICE SWEEPSTAKES – This can be anything- dog-nut (doughnut) eating competition, who can wear the worse tie/outfit, hacky-sak competition- anything you like!
*   DOGS BODY – which team can raise the most money by doing tasks around the office- charge for the tea run, clean the desks.

#10 Paper Mache

Why not get the class involved and draw pictures or make paper -mache figures of Assistance Dogs- like the one’s pictured? Not only its it great fun for everyone involved, it helps children learn about disability and the important work that Assistance dogs does.