Keeping your dog busy - part 3
Another week has gone by, and I am so grateful for my dogs and cat.
Of course, my human family are pretty great too, but pets in particular are so good at helping us stay grounded. My dogs are always optimistic - usually that they think they will be getting food, a game, going out, getting stroked, sitting on my lap. It’s a great philosophy for life.
I hope you’re all doing well out there. Our online puppy training and help is going well and a lot of my clients have overcome their dread of technology, so there’s another positive.
It’s actually really easy and quick, and most people have said they didn’t think it would be as simple as that. Just a little reminder.
Currently there are no laws governing dog trainer or behaviourist qualifications in the UK. Anyone can call themselves a trainer/behaviourist with no checks at all. Look for CCAB for behaviour, APDT for trainers. Everyone is out there trying to make money, but this is your family pet - they are worth getting someone who is properly registered.
Back to our activities during lockdown!
Again, this can be something your dog or can do in the house, no special equipment needed.
Search and Find It!
It’s such a useful skill and lots of people might play this with their dogs already but for those of you that do, I want you to start making it useful. See the end of this column for details on that.
Firstly create a place where your dog can search. This might be as simple as placing a few cushions down for them, or having a room where you have little nooks and crannies. Keep things low to the ground first.
Next, place either some tiny bits of food (their dinner, or a small treat) in the hiding place. Let them see it go there. If you don’t want to place food directly down, put it inside a little tub (anything will do as long as your dog won’t eat the tub). Then, hide the tub. If your dog is a toy fiend, hide the toy!
Tell your dog to ‘Find it!’ and wait. Let them go and explore and when they ‘find’ the item (it’s really easy to find right now) sound thrilled and let them have the food/a game with the
toy.
Repeat, making it harder and harder to ‘Find it’, until your dog can search all around the house.
If your dog already does this, choose a useful item for them to find. Keys on a cloth or leather keyring that they can pick up. Use old keys to begin with, so they don’t get lost.
When they spot it, use a toy or treat as a reward. That’s your challenge for this week!
Check out the video at www.bournelocal.co.uk
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