When it's chilly outside, may folks may see slip ups in house training, or simply more destruction from your run of the mill cabin fever. If you're dog certainly doesn't love to romp outside, here are a few things to ease the pain.
1. Try an all weather or rain coat. It may look silly, but can make all the difference.
2. Slippery sidewalks? Paw wax can be used as needed to give your dogs a little extra grip on the icy streets.
http://www.amazon.com/Shaws-Paw-Wax/dp/B00078Y2UE
3. Find it! If you have a pup or a dog that is new to the snow- toss bits of hot dog or cheese outside to make the outside a bit more attractive and a "good thing".
4. If you see an increase in house training mishaps, go back to basics and keep an eagle eye on your dogs (or simply use gates, crates and tethers to manage and prevent accidents).
5. Also if your dog refuses to go in the back or front yard- try mulch or a piddle pad to give them options outside (that may save the carpet).
Now that we curbed the accidents, let's look at what we can do to keep our dogs busy.
1. Feed your dogs from toys that dispense food- Kongs, Tricky Treat Balls, Kibble Nibbles or even containers headed for the recycling bin.
2. Play games- tugging, hiding treats, toys for shredding are great for stress relief.
3. Tricks and Training- 5 minutes of basic training is probably equivalent to about 10 minute walk. Train some tricks and tire out the dog.
4. Long lasting chewies- frozen beef bones can be a good 30-40 minutes of chewing!
Stay warm, and keep those puppies tuckered!
Leigh Siegfried, CPDT-KA and the Opportunity Barks staff make occasional posts on dog training and puppy training tips and resources, enrichment and the human-animal bond. We work with dogs and their owners in Philadelphia, Bucks County and the surrounding areas. We're certified, award-winning and Vet recommended and offer private tutoring, boarding and training programs, and group dog training classes, workshops and clinics. www.opbarks.com
beach dogs on the loose
This past Saturday we took a day trip to Delaware to let the dogs live it up running full out on the sand, while we eat, drank and were merry (and relaxed) for the evening. The Delaware shore points are very dog friendly. In fact, Dewey beach is dog friendly in the peak season (almost unheard of unless you go to the Carolinas- where people can fish WHILE you swim, and have dogs and fires on the beach). On Dewey, peak season: before 9 am and after 5:30 pm.
I was disappointed at the scant number of gulls to chase into the air (or rather I was disappointed for the dogs). But we had a great time. Tater had a short lived fling with a female english pointer, while Sweets met some cool dogs and fetched tennis balls like a pro.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)