"A tired dog is a good dog." Activities to do with your dog- Part 1

We have all heard this phrase but what exactly does it mean? And what exactly is the best way to achieve said "tired dog"? First, as a trainer, I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn’t state that simply wearing your dog out will not get rid of their bad behaviors. However, not giving them an outlet for all their energy is also asking for trouble.

Many owners realize when getting certain breeds that they require a lot of exercise. However, when it comes down to actually finding fun ways to achieve these outings, they are at a loss. I also find that many owners overlook the importance of mental stimulation, not just physical. Ideally, these energy outlets should be challenging the dogs brain and not just their muscles (think running on a treadmill vs. outside).There are a lot of dog owners that do not realize all the fun activities that have been created to encourage physical and mental stimulation for you and your dog. So I have decided to begin a multi-part series listing some of the great dog hobbies I am familiar with, what they are, and how to get started in them. Each week I will highlight 3 hobbies you can enjoy with your dog. Not only do these activities challenge your dog physically and mentally, but they will also strengthen the bond between you and your furry friend.  Enjoy!

1. Obedience Classes-Are obedience classes only for "disobedient" dogs? No! Obedience classes are also great for dogs with no serious behavior issues! Learning new things challenges your dog mentally and physically. Even if your dog has attended a class before, most training establishments offer higher levels of training or even a "Trick" class. You will find that going to class every week and learning something new to work on will not only be a fun outing for you and your dog, but will also give you something to work on at home. If you are interested in attending one of my classes e-mail me at [email protected] or call me at 785.408.6127!
2. Dog Day Care- If your dog loves to play with other dogs, than maybe he needs a hobby of his own! Dog Day Care facilities provide your dog with the outside play he enjoys so much with other dogs to keep him company. When looking for a dog day care, make sure the facility "interviews" potential clients to evaluate the temperaments of new dogs. You want a day care that does not allow aggressive or intimidating dogs to dominate the dynamics of off leash play.  Also, ask them if you can take a tour of the facility and ask  what the daily routine for your dog would be at the day care. You may also want to ask if they provide bathing services. Playing outside all day can get messy! Finally, and most importantly, ask them what their vaccination policies are for dogs to come and play. Make sure you are not endangering your dogs health just for a little bit of fun! Taking your dog to play outside all day while you are at work will provide them with mental and physical stimulation and is a good option for owners who have busy schedules. If you are interested in a dog day care in the Topeka area, check out Dog Day Afternoon! at http://www.dogdayafternoon-online.com/
3. Scent Work- I have covered scent work in a previous blog entry, but in case you missed it, scent work is one of my favorite activities and is somewhat new to pet owners.  We have all seen the "working" dogs who find specific scents for a living. Whether it be a beagle sniffing out bombs at the airport or a German Shepherd locating drugs in a vehicle, scent discrimination has been around for a long time but has just recently been adapted to become a perfect hobby for you and your dog! First, we teach the dog to search for things using their nose. For some breeds, using their nose comes very naturally (hounds, for example) for others it can be challenging at first (herding breeds prefer to use their eyesight). Once we have "taught" them to use their nose, then we begin working on teaching them to discriminate between scents. In other words, we ask them to pick out a specific scent among other scents. We may have 4 identical boxes laid out, each containing a different smell (i.e., one vanilla, one hazelnut, one lavender, etc.) and we ask the dog to indicate the box that contains the scent of vanilla.

         Once harnessed, the power of their nose is unbelievable! 
       A trained dog is able to find two grains of sand on a beach 500 meters long, 50 meters wide and 50 centimeters deep. ( <http://www.k9magazinefree.com/k9_perspective/iss20p6.shtml> ).
I found this information from Norway and had to convert it to get the full effect, this translates to finding 2 scented grains of sand on a beach that is over 5 football fields long and 20 inches deep!
Not only can you play this fun game indoors, outdoors, rain, or shine. You might even find a use for it in your everyday life (I think I should teach my dog to sniff out my cell phone, and my keys!). I offer Scent work classes on a extremely limited basis at this time, however, if you are interested in getting started in this activity,  e-mail me at [email protected] or call me at 785.408.6127!
Or check out these sights:
http://www.dogstardaily.com/blogs/getting-started-nose-work
http://www.clickertraining.com/node/1121
http://www.k9magazinefree.com/k9_perspective/iss20p6.shtml

Stay tuned next week for even more activities to do with your dog!