Training Time

By: Mike Stone

Some SWEET holidays have come and gone and more are approaching in the next few months. This means the opportunity for your pet to get into sweet things is at an all-time high! Chocolate is not good for your dog and can, in fact, be deadly. This hazard has encouraged me to revisit the training issue of your pet’s House Manners. Remember that your dog needs boundaries in the home to establish the proper hierarchy.

Here are some quick tips to get your house manners back in the right direction and to ensure your dog stays safe during these tasty holidays:

• Establish a couple areas or beds that are specific places for your dog to relax in the home. Generally the living room and bedroom work best.
• Offer bully sticks or other safe chewing toys to keep your dog entertained while resting in the home on its bed.
• Never allow free romping in the house, as this can lead to your dog finding trouble and scavenging around the house for tasty treats. The house is supposed to be a calm and relaxed place.
• Remember that how your dog behaves in the home is your meter for how they will behave in public.
• We spend at least 80% of our time in our homes. Practicing house manners with your pet in the house is a key factor in having overall control.
• Always end a training session on a positive note with lots of praise and reward. Remember, training should be fun!

I have always loved training house manners with my client’s dogs and even my own dogs. It is really rewarding to have company come over and have your dog lying on his bed not even getting up to bother the guests. If you have practiced this yourself, you know what it’s like when your guests are shocked that Fluffy doesn’t get up and jump on them like normal. The verbal praise you get as the owner for having such great control is totally rewarding. Dogs love a leader. They love direction. They love attention and love. They’re not much different than us in a lot of ways. It makes me laugh when I hear people say that dogs don’t need leaders and they don’t like obedience. Anyone who has done training or practiced training can see how much dogs love the interaction, stimulation and love. Training isn’t something you can do now and then with your beloved pet. You need to practice each and every day and enjoy every minute of it. I promise the payoff will not only keep your pet safe and healthy but that you to will feel more relaxed and stress free. Alright that’s it for me…gotta go help some more pups and their owners!

Don’t forget to come see us at Snug Pet Resort on Saturdays at 9 a.m. for ongoing refresher training classes. The classes are lots of fun for you and your dog!