Training Tips from Amy Robinson, CPDT, D.A.R.T.
School days for kids and dogs
Now that the kids are back in school, families can get back into a routine. Schedules are made and followed, and everybody stays busy.
What about the dog?
During the summer, dogs are accustomed to lots of activity. When school starts up in the fall, the dog has less to entertain him. Dogs need education, too, in the form of mental stimulation as well as physical exercise. Here are some tips for parents and kids:
- Be proactive with positive commands, instead of waiting for bad canine behavior to say “No”.
- Sprinkle in a few easy commands during walks, like “come” and “sit”, so you stay connected with your dog.
- Identify your dog’s bad habits, and rehearse better behavior.
- To get your kids interested in training, teach the dog an easy trick like “shake”. Kids will want to show this off again and again.
- Help motivate kids to pitch in on daily care tasks like feeding and walking by making a weekly job chart. All family members can volunteer for age-appropriate tasks so one person isn’t doing all the work, and mark the chart when the job is completed. At the end of the week, parents can offer rewards for a job well done, like movie passes or a favorite take-out meal.
At the dog park
The most important command at the dog park is the ‘Come’ command. Once you have practiced this in areas with few distractions, you can start working on it when other dogs are present.