Winding Road Kennel Wishes Our Four-Legged Pals a Happy New Year
For fun, Winding Road Kennel wants to take a look at New Year’s resolutions for your dog in this month’s blog. It’s humorous to think about your dog’s potential resolutions at the same time you’re trying hard to keep your own. While your resolution to eat better or exercise more might require other people’s help, you can help to keep your dog’s resolutions. If your four-legged family member could devise its own resolutions, it might want to:
- Stop Pulling on the Leash
- Stop Scooting
- Stop Jumping on People
- Obey Commands like “Sit,” “Stay,” and “Come”
‘Stop Pulling on the Leash’ and ‘Stop Scooting’ are Both Dog Resolutions
Your dog’s resolutions might include trying to stop pulling on the leash and stop scooting. To help your dog stop pulling on the leash during your walks, talk to the pup sometimes. This will keep its attention focused on you, rather than on what’s making it pull the leash. Using either a front-hook “no-pull” harness or a head halter will also help the dog to stop pulling on the leash.
Using oatmeal-based, hypoallergenic, or organic bath products can decrease occurrences of skin irritation and help stop scooting. Your dog can’t really stop scooting after anal sac expression by your groomer, as those are sensitive glands. Even so, ask the groomer not to express the anal sac at every visit. You can also help your dog stop scooting from food allergies by changing its diet. Furthermore, if your dog scoots due to intestinal parasites, it may stop scooting if taken to your vet as soon as possible.
Other Resolutions Include Trying to Stop Jumping and Obey Commands
Other dog resolutions might include trying to stop jumping on people and striving to obey commands. It’s natural for dogs to jump to greet people; dogs find attention rewarding, and they will repeat rewarding behaviors. If you ignore dogs when they jump, they eventually stop jumping. You reinforce their wanting to stop jumping when you reward them in a seated greeting position. To continue having them sit rather than jump, you should train them to obey commands.
How to Train Dogs to Obey Commands
To train a dog to obey commands, each session should last no more than 15 minutes. Try to do three to five training sessions daily. Give a reward or praise immediately after dogs obey commands and say “good (behavior.)” For example, when dogs obey commands like “sit” or “stay,” give them treats and say “good sit” and “good stay.” Dogs can learn to obey commands at any age, but the younger you start, the better. According to the American Kennel Club (AKC,) the three commands that dogs should learn to obey first are sit, stay, and come.
Contact Winding Road Kennel about grooming, boarding, and other kennel services in Parkersburg, WV, by calling (304) 428-3518. Follow and like us on Facebook to stay updated. We can help you devise more New Year’s resolutions for your dog.