As a dog trainer, professional pet minder and sitter, I meet every size and type of dog. What is fascinating is not only how different dogs can be physically, but how their personalities and traits can be poles apart. When a Perfect Pet Sitter comes to stay 'your dog is our job' and we are with them round the clock. With our unique guarantee no dog is left alone all day when we stay. But lots of dogs are not so fortunate to have exercise AND company in their daily lives - and I wanted to focus on this today.
Imagine if you were locked in your home. But
with no, visitors, no one to talk to, no exercise, no tv, no computer or phone,
no books or magazines, no shopping, no driving the car -NOTHING - just four
walls. But of course that never happens because we are blessed with the ability
to choose what we do.
Yet think about dogs left home alone. The
description above is exactly what it is like for them - the equivalent of being trapped in solitary
confinement.
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| DOGS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN! |
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| DOING WHAT DOGS LOVE DOING - RUNNING! |
No opportunities to stretch their legs and read the doggie newspapers – sniffing to you and me – is torture for pack animals such as dogs. They can (and in extreme cases some do) go mad. That’s rare, but lack of outside stimulation and too little exercise are the biggest reasons dogs develop OCD.
Frustrated dogs will often destroy the
home if left inside. But if left outside, they can continually bark and upset neighbours,
making the owners problem a problem for everyone else.
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| Kelpies Jack & Maggie, heeling perfectly. My hands not on leads (dogs were attached to me for safety) |
But the question is, why do people who
actively want to have a dog in their family neglect their dog’s exercise needs?
A common reason is a dog that is difficult on the lead. Owners dreamt of a well
behaved dog trotting nicely at their side or sitting quietly whilst they have a
coffee. Instead they can end up with any/or a combination of:
The Puller, The Sniffer, The Lunger/Attacker
and the that old favourite – The Criss Crosser, a dog whizzing one side to the
next being a serious trip hazard.
‘Walkies’ which was supposed to be enjoyable
– over time becomes a chore. It eventually just seems easier to leave the dog
behind rather than face the dramas.
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| Elly & Zara half way through a 1 hour 20 min walk, watching Amber swim |
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| Zara & Elly thinking about joining Amber .... |
The irony is that the less often a dog goes out, the more frantic, excitable and unmanageable they become when they do.
My Blog next week is going to follow on
this theme and I’ll be giving three examples of pets I have been involved with
and how the different approaches of their owners have resulted in vastly
different behaviour in their dogs.
Until then, here are three actions to help
correct a ‘bad’ dog:
1) Understand how the situation came about
Dogs get into bad habits usually because
they have not had consistent training.
When an improvement to a dog’s behaviour is
needed, a trainer will be able to point the way ahead. However, trainers do not
possess magic wands and cannot, for example, turn a pulling dog to a perfect
heeler in one session.
2) Have realistic expectations
People don’t get overweight overnight and
going to the gym once will not get them slim overnight either. It can take many
months to lose weight with a regime of exercise plus eating the right foods. In
the same way, being prepared to put time in to get a dog to understand what is
expected of him/her is crucial.
3) Get the dog you always dreamed of
To love a dog is to meet its prime needs
– exercise and socialisation - which means more than 10 minute amble around the
block.
A frustrated dog is not a happy dog, and
without daily exercise – enough to tire them out – a pent up dog is the
outcome. Treats and cuddles, no matter
how well meaning, are not the answer. Just once a day giving a dog the exercise
they crave = a happy, relaxed and contented canine. The rewards that come with
having a well behaved pooch that can be taken anywhere are immeasurable and a
key part of the joy of dog ownership.
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| Elly & Zara relaxed & happy after their long run |
What are your experiences of this topic? Love to hear from you with your stories. Email:
perfectpetsitter@hotmail.com
