Dog Training

Instinctively, we understand the importance of socialization for the sake of maintaining our own mental health. If we’ve been stuck in the house for too long, we feel the need to get out and about. Actually, even after going to the office or the classroom for 8 hours a day, we still feel the need to do something more in the evenings and on the weekends. We know this to also be the case with kids. That’s why we sign them up for extra-curricular activities, sports and arrange play dates.

Well, we’re not the only ones that experience cabin fever. Our pups do too.

We are a community-based society and our dogs are pack animals. Think about it. How many of the following have you attended in the last month?

Gathering with friends
School fundraisers
Family parties
Work Socials
Church functions
Sporting games

If I had to guess, I’d bet the number’s pretty high. Now ask yourself if you’ve taken your dog out to socialize relatively the same amount of time. Remember, they have not spent 40 hours at work or school and they can’t surf the web to keep themselves busy.

How many times in the last month has your dog been:

On walks or hikes
To the park
To dog obedience school
To play with other dogs you know and trust

If the answer is “zero” or “not as often as I should have,” that might explain why your dog is barking, jumping, digging, etc. Their version of surfing the web is digging up your garden. Their idea of going to work is barking at everything that goes by. They have cabin fever. We all remember the movie The Shining, don’t we? Jack Nicholson was trying to murder his family because he’d been cooped up in the mountains too long. Axe through the door… digging up tomato plants in the backyard…see the resemblance?

And for puppies, it’s even more important. The first few months is a critical window for socialization as the neuro-networks in their brains are being developed which, simply stated, means they’re learning how to perceive and respond to the world around them. It’s never too late to make improvements, but you never get those first few months back. It’s also a great way for them to burn some of that puppy energy and learn to play with other dogs.

So get your dog out in the world. There are a variety of things you can do. Take them on a hike or to the park. If you’re feeling up for some organized fun, sign up for agility. If you’d like to sharpen their obedience skills, try some advanced dog training classes. If you’re fortunate enough to be starting with a pup, take a puppy socialization class. At the very least, take them on a daily walk or run.

Your dogs and zucchini plants will thank you for it.

For more dog training information visit www.ThrivingCanine.com

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