Be Your Dog's Best Friend
Module 6- Section 1
Module 6- Section 1
Adult dogs
- Walks
- Real Reliable Recall
- Socializing
- Mental Stimulation
- Breed Related
- Clicker
- Puzzles
Yea - the Adolescent period is over, and now what you have is a young adult on your hands which will be between 12 to 18 months of age – well done, you have both survived adolescence – congratulations – how lucky your dog is to have you!
From now on, until your dog is fully mature at around 3 years of age, he will still be maturing mentally, although the signs will be very subtle, and there are no more large development leaps.
Provided that your dog is not overweight (and we have dedicated a full section to this), both his height and weight will start to level out, his paws will now be in relation to his body, and, on average, activity levels will start to decrease.
Your dog should now be a confident young adult, who has become a wonderful companion, and enjoys working and learning with you – the hard work you have put in to-date has been more than worth it, and you have years of fun and companionship to look forward too.
It is not all over however, here are a few more things to think about: -
From now on, until your dog is fully mature at around 3 years of age, he will still be maturing mentally, although the signs will be very subtle, and there are no more large development leaps.
Provided that your dog is not overweight (and we have dedicated a full section to this), both his height and weight will start to level out, his paws will now be in relation to his body, and, on average, activity levels will start to decrease.
Your dog should now be a confident young adult, who has become a wonderful companion, and enjoys working and learning with you – the hard work you have put in to-date has been more than worth it, and you have years of fun and companionship to look forward too.
It is not all over however, here are a few more things to think about: -
1. Walks – Daily if possible, or at least 3 times a week and keep any walks on pavements or road of a relevantly short durations, as this can impact on a body that is not yet fully grown. Also, do not do any sustained running, as this can also impact on immature bones.
Another consideration is your dog’s breed (or cross thereof). If you have one of the brachycephalic breeds (dogs with short noses), such as Pugs, Shar Pei and Boston Terriers, they may need shorter walks. If you are in doubt, always check with your vet.
Think too about the time of day – if you have one of the brachycephalic breeds or a dog such as a Husky, or any other with a double coat – avoid walking during the day, especially in the hot summers we have here in South Africa – rather early morning, or evening when it has cooled down. Here too, think carefully before walking on roads and pavements during the heat of the day – if your own feet would be uncomfortable with bare feet, then so too would you dogs’ paws be!
Many people think that you need to take your dog on a long walk – not always. What is so important where the daily exercise is concerned, is that you don’t take off like a steam train – you walk at a comfortable pace, allowing your dog to sniff and smell until his heart is content.
Many people think that because they have large gardens or live on a plot that walking outside the property is not necessary – think again! The dog will know each and every inch of the property, so apart from the odd scent of a bird in the area, for example, there is absolutely no stimulation to be had.
As we have mentioned before, a dog’s sense of smell is hugely stronger than ours, being approximately 45 times stronger, which relates to between 200 – 450 million scent cells more than us – no wonder smelling is so important to a dog!
The mental stimulation that the dog receives is crucial – as we have said before, he is smelling who has been there, the size and age of the dog, and all sorts of things. Just look at the face of a dog who has been out for a lovely smelly walk – even if only 15 minutes – it is pure joy – the eyes are bright, the tongue is hanging out, and the dog looks totally happy! When you do have the time take him for a much longer walk, and again, let this be the dogs walk – if you need more exercise yourself, rather go for a run separately, use a walker, or go to gym.
Many people ask what about a dog that runs with you? Personally, we prefer to take the dog on walks, rather than runs, and the reasons is the dog does not get to scent, and the constant running on hard surfaces could impact negatively on the dog’s body – here we would advise you to please discuss with your vet and go with their recommendations.
Another important aspect is not to take the same route each and every time. Vary where you go, so that your dog also gets the different scents that will be in that area and this will also help to build confidence, by investigating new places.
Exercise, such as daily walks will go a long way towards preventing behaviour problems. As behaviourists, we find that the cause of many common behaviour problems is that the dog is bored out of his mind. They type of behaviour problems that tend to occur mostly are digging, excessive barking, hyperactive dogs, dogs that jump up, or start to raid the dustbins and cause havoc in the garden.
In Europe about 15 years ago, they took about 20 dogs with serious behaviour problems and all they did for a 21-day period (it takes at least 21 days to change a habit), was to stimulate the dog’s sense of smell daily. With some dogs they went out for a daily walk, other dogs two walks a day, with others they put up scent trails and so forth.
At the end of the 21-day period, there was a massive 60% reduction in the behaviour concerns, with no behaviour modification, or vet meds being given – this shows you just how important it is to walk your dog as often as possible – it really does make for a well-balanced dog that is a lot less likely to develop behaviour problems.
Apart from above, think of the health aspects – help to keep muscles working well, keep hips nice and mobile, reduce digestive problems, and help to keep the weight down, which will go towards developing a host of other health related problems. If you walk a fair amount on pavements and roads, you are also keeping nails nice and trimmed.
2. Real Reliable Recall
Now that your dog is more mature, you will have taught the basic Recall in your Puppy notes, and the odds are that you would like to let him off-lead while out for walks in safe areas, and the most important thing to have, is what is termed The Real Reliable Recall.
We received this round about 2005, and the credit for same, goes to Leslie Nelson of Tails-U-Win in Manchester, Conn, as presented at the APDT conferences in Pennsylvania. She is turn, received it 2000 from Wendy Dreyer.
We have kept the content as it was originally, just tidied up the spelling and grammar.
This really does work but must be practiced until perfect, and then reinforced on a regular basis, and we have had hundreds of clients who have achieved success with this method. Personally, we reinforce this daily with our own dogs, calling them at least once a day with the ‘Akee’ recall cue and rewarding them for coming. (rest of the time for a standard recall, we use our dog’s name and either ‘here or come’) and rewarding them with a high-quality treat for returning.
(Note that when you use the Real Reliable Recall with your dog, you never fade the reward – the dog is always rewarded for coming to you and make it a high-quality treat)
“This is your emergency, life-saving recall. You will practice this until your hair turns grey and falls out, but otherwise save it for emergencies. This is NOT your everyday recall, but it will make your everyday recall much better.
Most of us have an unreliable recall with our dogs. We don't know why they don't come when called, but they don't. Most of us say "Fido, come!" and the dog ignores us. That's our Really Unreliable Recall. Now we need to teach one that is reliable.
The Method
Call the dog with a new word, praise and treat for 20 seconds, every time. Make sure the new word is NOT one used in everyday conversation. Start with the dog very close (2', then 3', then 4') so you are guaranteed he/she will come, using very tasty treats. When training this new word, the dog needs to associate the word with the best treats and 20 seconds of praise. This is the key!!!!!!!!!
* Ground Rules
#1. Choose a new word that you will remember, that you DO NOT use in everyday conversation. It must be unique, short and sweet. "Come!" is already tainted so don't use it for this, and it is a word that is used in everyday language. I like AQUI!" (ah-kee') which is Spanish and Portuguese for ‘Here’. It is high pitched and can be lengthened if necessary.
#2. Use excellent treats (tasty, smelly, motivating!), something very special. It's fine to vary the treats as long as they are delicious to the dog. Instead of feeding your dog its daily rations in a bowl, use this to give the food over the duration of the day but it is important that you add in tasty treats as well.
It's also OK to intersperse this training with a fun toy that the dog loves. Possible treats: Hotdog (try turkey or chicken, or go to a natural food store for the really healthy kind) cut in four long strips, then sliced in nickel thick pieces, bits of steak, leftover chicken or turkey, Cheerio’s mixed with freeze-dried liver & crumbled bacon (keep in freezer) string cheese sliced into bits, Mozzarella (same as string cheese but cheaper) diced, any other cheese (careful, some gets gooey at room temp), Rice Crispies mixed in with Cheerio’s, freeze-dried liver and crumbled bacon. Anything else you can think of that the dog loves is fair game – in SA biltong is a great option.
#3. The key is repetition, repetition, repetition. Did I mention repetition? Practice this exercise 2 times a day, for 5-10 minutes each time
Review: New Word, Tasty Treats and Praise for 20 seconds, Repeat Repeat Repeat.
* Next 5-minute training session:
Put the dog on a 6' leash and do 50 "AQUII" recalls outside the front door. Don't
tug on the leash! This is totally voluntary; the leash just keeps the dog from running off.
With the dog still on a 6' leash do 50 "AQUI!" recalls outside the back door (even if you have a fenced yard, have the dog on a leash).
With the dog still on a 6' leash go across the street and do 50 "AQUII" recalls.
Congratulations! You just completed another 150 recall repetitions for a total of 300 in one day, in two 10-minute sessions! WOW!!!! You are on your way to having a Really Reliable Recall!!!!
Repeat this lesson, 300 recalls in two 10-minute sessions, every day for the next week. At the end of 7 days you will have done 2100 recalls. CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! Repetition is the key to learning. Did I mention this?
Now, take this lesson and repeat the training in as many new and different places as you can think of. In order for dogs to generalize their training, they need to be retrained in at least 10 different locations with increasing distractions. Make a list that is logical (in terms of driving) and has increasing distractions. Then, find some safe off leash places to train, and off leash start with your dog back at the 2' distance, and retrain from very close and slowly, slowly add distance – don’t rush it – make sure your dog’s recall is solid at each and every phase.
REMEMBER, there are no corrections in this RRR training. There are no wrong choices, just 20 seconds of reward and praise with these special delicious treats when the dog comes. You are brainwashing, not training! Ha!
Some ideas for training locations: Start in the home, the garden and the driveway (brilliant for dogs that try to escape), the in Parks, the sidewalk outside a mall, Home Depot (or other hardware store), pet store, feed store (farm supplies), sidewalk across the street from a grammar school while school is in session, then later, when school is getting out, downtown sidewalks, more parks, nature preserves or "greenway" walking areas (some require leashed dogs, some do not), the beach, the sidewalk outside the Post Office, etc.”
Dogs, as humans may take a shorter or longer period to perfect the above. Just work at this exercise consistently and at your own dogs’ pace. Remember to reinforce this on a regular basis – personally we do it once a day.’
3.Socializing
As we mentioned in an earlier section, keeping up positive socialization is crucial, if you want to end up with a social butterfly – and we all want one of these – however, it takes work to achieve it. You have done the necessary work during the puppy stages and now you can keep it going.
Many owners do make the mistake of thinking that because their dogs went to puppy school that these social skills will last for life – mistake – and this is in relation to both humans and other dogs.
A dog that comes to mind, is one called Mischief who was with us at puppy school and really was a social butterfly – a gorgeous Lab, who loved all people and dogs, and was equally loved in turn. The owners took her on walks a few times a week, where she mixed with other people and dogs, and she was never any trouble at all.
When Mischief was about 9 months old, the family relocated to a semi-rural area. They loved the life there and Mischief had access to a good few acres to run and investigate in. As they were rather isolated, they did not have regular visitors and as they had such a large properly, there was no need to take Mischief for her walks.
Round about when she was 18 months old, we got a phone call asking for urgent help. Some old friend had come to visit the family who they had not seen since they moved, and not only did Mischief attack the dog that came with them, that she used to play with, she was serious in her attempt to try and bite (the invaders) to her home. Although Mischief’s behaviour was extreme, this is not an unusual situation, when a dog has been isolated from other dogs and people and not had regular and frequent interaction with other dogs and people and shows just how important it is to keep the socializing skills in place.
Some ideas to keep socializing in place towards other dogs and people. Remember, that it is your job to ‘protect’ your dog – if a child comes running up where your dog may get a fright – stand in front of your dog, stop the child, and then have it quietly say hello, showing the child how to do this correctly.
Just as we enjoy doing different things and learning new things, even if watching a documentary on TV, so too is it important to supply mental stimulation for your dog to exercise his mind – as important as physical stimulation.
Think about it from a human perspective – if you have a day where you really use your brain, by the end of the day you are just ready to sit down and relax and can even feel exhausted, depending on how much you had to concentrate. Now, on the other hand, if you go to gym, or for a run, the exercise energizes you, and your stamina increases – dogs are no different – they can run for absolutely ages and when you get home the dog is still full of beans and you wonder if you will ever tire this animal out! Get the dog stuck into about 10 to 15 minutes exercise, and you will have a tired dog! It is estimated that 10 – 15 minutes of mental stimulation can even equal and hours’ exercise for a dog.
Breed Related
What a dog was bred for is very important, and this applies to mixed breeds as well. If a dog was bred for a specific purpose, then we realize that to fulfil that purpose will take care of a dog’s innate need to engage in that activity. Depending on what the dog was bred for, will also influence the amount of mental and stimulation that dog needs.
It will also go a long way to reducing boredom and supplying mental stimulations and reducing the possibility of behaviour concerns developing. If you are not sure what your dog was bred for, just have a look on our educational website (https://www.friendsofthedog.co.za/-dog-breeds1.html), or if your breed is not here, just Google it. Figuring out what sort of activities to get your dog engaged in after you know what it was bred for, is then simple e.g. Collie – Herding – ideally join a club for Herding dogs, alternatively anything that gets them running and moving, ie. ball games, Frisbee etc. Then let’s look at one of the Hound breeds – apart from working with a club, anything that gets the dog scenting will be a bonus – even long, slow walks in nature, where the dog can sniff and smell to its hearts content.
Here is a link to an article on ideas for the different breeds in regard to exercise idea.
https://www.friendsofthedog.co.za/find-out-the-best-exercise-for-your-breed-of-dog.html
We have also supplied you with a list of suggestions which you will find at the end of the last section, as we have already mentioned, but would like to tell you more about two activities in-particular which are brilliant for mental stimulation and build the bond between dog and owner.
Another consideration is your dog’s breed (or cross thereof). If you have one of the brachycephalic breeds (dogs with short noses), such as Pugs, Shar Pei and Boston Terriers, they may need shorter walks. If you are in doubt, always check with your vet.
Think too about the time of day – if you have one of the brachycephalic breeds or a dog such as a Husky, or any other with a double coat – avoid walking during the day, especially in the hot summers we have here in South Africa – rather early morning, or evening when it has cooled down. Here too, think carefully before walking on roads and pavements during the heat of the day – if your own feet would be uncomfortable with bare feet, then so too would you dogs’ paws be!
Many people think that you need to take your dog on a long walk – not always. What is so important where the daily exercise is concerned, is that you don’t take off like a steam train – you walk at a comfortable pace, allowing your dog to sniff and smell until his heart is content.
Many people think that because they have large gardens or live on a plot that walking outside the property is not necessary – think again! The dog will know each and every inch of the property, so apart from the odd scent of a bird in the area, for example, there is absolutely no stimulation to be had.
As we have mentioned before, a dog’s sense of smell is hugely stronger than ours, being approximately 45 times stronger, which relates to between 200 – 450 million scent cells more than us – no wonder smelling is so important to a dog!
The mental stimulation that the dog receives is crucial – as we have said before, he is smelling who has been there, the size and age of the dog, and all sorts of things. Just look at the face of a dog who has been out for a lovely smelly walk – even if only 15 minutes – it is pure joy – the eyes are bright, the tongue is hanging out, and the dog looks totally happy! When you do have the time take him for a much longer walk, and again, let this be the dogs walk – if you need more exercise yourself, rather go for a run separately, use a walker, or go to gym.
Many people ask what about a dog that runs with you? Personally, we prefer to take the dog on walks, rather than runs, and the reasons is the dog does not get to scent, and the constant running on hard surfaces could impact negatively on the dog’s body – here we would advise you to please discuss with your vet and go with their recommendations.
Another important aspect is not to take the same route each and every time. Vary where you go, so that your dog also gets the different scents that will be in that area and this will also help to build confidence, by investigating new places.
Exercise, such as daily walks will go a long way towards preventing behaviour problems. As behaviourists, we find that the cause of many common behaviour problems is that the dog is bored out of his mind. They type of behaviour problems that tend to occur mostly are digging, excessive barking, hyperactive dogs, dogs that jump up, or start to raid the dustbins and cause havoc in the garden.
In Europe about 15 years ago, they took about 20 dogs with serious behaviour problems and all they did for a 21-day period (it takes at least 21 days to change a habit), was to stimulate the dog’s sense of smell daily. With some dogs they went out for a daily walk, other dogs two walks a day, with others they put up scent trails and so forth.
At the end of the 21-day period, there was a massive 60% reduction in the behaviour concerns, with no behaviour modification, or vet meds being given – this shows you just how important it is to walk your dog as often as possible – it really does make for a well-balanced dog that is a lot less likely to develop behaviour problems.
Apart from above, think of the health aspects – help to keep muscles working well, keep hips nice and mobile, reduce digestive problems, and help to keep the weight down, which will go towards developing a host of other health related problems. If you walk a fair amount on pavements and roads, you are also keeping nails nice and trimmed.
2. Real Reliable Recall
Now that your dog is more mature, you will have taught the basic Recall in your Puppy notes, and the odds are that you would like to let him off-lead while out for walks in safe areas, and the most important thing to have, is what is termed The Real Reliable Recall.
We received this round about 2005, and the credit for same, goes to Leslie Nelson of Tails-U-Win in Manchester, Conn, as presented at the APDT conferences in Pennsylvania. She is turn, received it 2000 from Wendy Dreyer.
We have kept the content as it was originally, just tidied up the spelling and grammar.
This really does work but must be practiced until perfect, and then reinforced on a regular basis, and we have had hundreds of clients who have achieved success with this method. Personally, we reinforce this daily with our own dogs, calling them at least once a day with the ‘Akee’ recall cue and rewarding them for coming. (rest of the time for a standard recall, we use our dog’s name and either ‘here or come’) and rewarding them with a high-quality treat for returning.
(Note that when you use the Real Reliable Recall with your dog, you never fade the reward – the dog is always rewarded for coming to you and make it a high-quality treat)
“This is your emergency, life-saving recall. You will practice this until your hair turns grey and falls out, but otherwise save it for emergencies. This is NOT your everyday recall, but it will make your everyday recall much better.
Most of us have an unreliable recall with our dogs. We don't know why they don't come when called, but they don't. Most of us say "Fido, come!" and the dog ignores us. That's our Really Unreliable Recall. Now we need to teach one that is reliable.
The Method
Call the dog with a new word, praise and treat for 20 seconds, every time. Make sure the new word is NOT one used in everyday conversation. Start with the dog very close (2', then 3', then 4') so you are guaranteed he/she will come, using very tasty treats. When training this new word, the dog needs to associate the word with the best treats and 20 seconds of praise. This is the key!!!!!!!!!
* Ground Rules
#1. Choose a new word that you will remember, that you DO NOT use in everyday conversation. It must be unique, short and sweet. "Come!" is already tainted so don't use it for this, and it is a word that is used in everyday language. I like AQUI!" (ah-kee') which is Spanish and Portuguese for ‘Here’. It is high pitched and can be lengthened if necessary.
#2. Use excellent treats (tasty, smelly, motivating!), something very special. It's fine to vary the treats as long as they are delicious to the dog. Instead of feeding your dog its daily rations in a bowl, use this to give the food over the duration of the day but it is important that you add in tasty treats as well.
It's also OK to intersperse this training with a fun toy that the dog loves. Possible treats: Hotdog (try turkey or chicken, or go to a natural food store for the really healthy kind) cut in four long strips, then sliced in nickel thick pieces, bits of steak, leftover chicken or turkey, Cheerio’s mixed with freeze-dried liver & crumbled bacon (keep in freezer) string cheese sliced into bits, Mozzarella (same as string cheese but cheaper) diced, any other cheese (careful, some gets gooey at room temp), Rice Crispies mixed in with Cheerio’s, freeze-dried liver and crumbled bacon. Anything else you can think of that the dog loves is fair game – in SA biltong is a great option.
#3. The key is repetition, repetition, repetition. Did I mention repetition? Practice this exercise 2 times a day, for 5-10 minutes each time
Review: New Word, Tasty Treats and Praise for 20 seconds, Repeat Repeat Repeat.
* Next 5-minute training session:
Put the dog on a 6' leash and do 50 "AQUII" recalls outside the front door. Don't
tug on the leash! This is totally voluntary; the leash just keeps the dog from running off.
With the dog still on a 6' leash do 50 "AQUI!" recalls outside the back door (even if you have a fenced yard, have the dog on a leash).
With the dog still on a 6' leash go across the street and do 50 "AQUII" recalls.
Congratulations! You just completed another 150 recall repetitions for a total of 300 in one day, in two 10-minute sessions! WOW!!!! You are on your way to having a Really Reliable Recall!!!!
Repeat this lesson, 300 recalls in two 10-minute sessions, every day for the next week. At the end of 7 days you will have done 2100 recalls. CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! Repetition is the key to learning. Did I mention this?
Now, take this lesson and repeat the training in as many new and different places as you can think of. In order for dogs to generalize their training, they need to be retrained in at least 10 different locations with increasing distractions. Make a list that is logical (in terms of driving) and has increasing distractions. Then, find some safe off leash places to train, and off leash start with your dog back at the 2' distance, and retrain from very close and slowly, slowly add distance – don’t rush it – make sure your dog’s recall is solid at each and every phase.
REMEMBER, there are no corrections in this RRR training. There are no wrong choices, just 20 seconds of reward and praise with these special delicious treats when the dog comes. You are brainwashing, not training! Ha!
Some ideas for training locations: Start in the home, the garden and the driveway (brilliant for dogs that try to escape), the in Parks, the sidewalk outside a mall, Home Depot (or other hardware store), pet store, feed store (farm supplies), sidewalk across the street from a grammar school while school is in session, then later, when school is getting out, downtown sidewalks, more parks, nature preserves or "greenway" walking areas (some require leashed dogs, some do not), the beach, the sidewalk outside the Post Office, etc.”
Dogs, as humans may take a shorter or longer period to perfect the above. Just work at this exercise consistently and at your own dogs’ pace. Remember to reinforce this on a regular basis – personally we do it once a day.’
3.Socializing
As we mentioned in an earlier section, keeping up positive socialization is crucial, if you want to end up with a social butterfly – and we all want one of these – however, it takes work to achieve it. You have done the necessary work during the puppy stages and now you can keep it going.
Many owners do make the mistake of thinking that because their dogs went to puppy school that these social skills will last for life – mistake – and this is in relation to both humans and other dogs.
A dog that comes to mind, is one called Mischief who was with us at puppy school and really was a social butterfly – a gorgeous Lab, who loved all people and dogs, and was equally loved in turn. The owners took her on walks a few times a week, where she mixed with other people and dogs, and she was never any trouble at all.
When Mischief was about 9 months old, the family relocated to a semi-rural area. They loved the life there and Mischief had access to a good few acres to run and investigate in. As they were rather isolated, they did not have regular visitors and as they had such a large properly, there was no need to take Mischief for her walks.
Round about when she was 18 months old, we got a phone call asking for urgent help. Some old friend had come to visit the family who they had not seen since they moved, and not only did Mischief attack the dog that came with them, that she used to play with, she was serious in her attempt to try and bite (the invaders) to her home. Although Mischief’s behaviour was extreme, this is not an unusual situation, when a dog has been isolated from other dogs and people and not had regular and frequent interaction with other dogs and people and shows just how important it is to keep the socializing skills in place.
Some ideas to keep socializing in place towards other dogs and people. Remember, that it is your job to ‘protect’ your dog – if a child comes running up where your dog may get a fright – stand in front of your dog, stop the child, and then have it quietly say hello, showing the child how to do this correctly.
- Regular visitors to your home – here, remember that you need to keep up the socialization to all types of people as well as various ages and children are especially important.
- Visit other people in their homes and take your dog with you, both when other dogs and when no other dogs. What must be borne in mind here, is that it is better to limit visiting dogs in their homes, that have known one another since pups. If the other dog is not well socialized and used to other dogs in its home, the reaction to an unexpected visitor could be extreme! If you do want then to meet and become friendly, then do introduce them in a neutral area. Here is an article on introducing dogs on holiday, and will give you the basics -
https://www.friendsofthedog.co.za/holiday-dogs--tips-on-introducing.html - Take your dog to dog walks. These are normally great, as the other dogs are on lead, and you can choose whether to interact with them, after seeing their reaction to other dogs and checking with their owners if they are friendly.
- Local dog parks where dogs can interact off lead.
- Your own park, where most dogs are on lead, and you can ask owners, that if their dog is friendly to have a quick Meet and Greet.
- We really do find that one of the best ways, is to have a few friends who have dogs, and you go out together for walks.
- Hiking, long walks, walks on the beach etc.
- Obedience school or even agility classes.
Just as we enjoy doing different things and learning new things, even if watching a documentary on TV, so too is it important to supply mental stimulation for your dog to exercise his mind – as important as physical stimulation.
Think about it from a human perspective – if you have a day where you really use your brain, by the end of the day you are just ready to sit down and relax and can even feel exhausted, depending on how much you had to concentrate. Now, on the other hand, if you go to gym, or for a run, the exercise energizes you, and your stamina increases – dogs are no different – they can run for absolutely ages and when you get home the dog is still full of beans and you wonder if you will ever tire this animal out! Get the dog stuck into about 10 to 15 minutes exercise, and you will have a tired dog! It is estimated that 10 – 15 minutes of mental stimulation can even equal and hours’ exercise for a dog.
Breed Related
What a dog was bred for is very important, and this applies to mixed breeds as well. If a dog was bred for a specific purpose, then we realize that to fulfil that purpose will take care of a dog’s innate need to engage in that activity. Depending on what the dog was bred for, will also influence the amount of mental and stimulation that dog needs.
It will also go a long way to reducing boredom and supplying mental stimulations and reducing the possibility of behaviour concerns developing. If you are not sure what your dog was bred for, just have a look on our educational website (https://www.friendsofthedog.co.za/-dog-breeds1.html), or if your breed is not here, just Google it. Figuring out what sort of activities to get your dog engaged in after you know what it was bred for, is then simple e.g. Collie – Herding – ideally join a club for Herding dogs, alternatively anything that gets them running and moving, ie. ball games, Frisbee etc. Then let’s look at one of the Hound breeds – apart from working with a club, anything that gets the dog scenting will be a bonus – even long, slow walks in nature, where the dog can sniff and smell to its hearts content.
Here is a link to an article on ideas for the different breeds in regard to exercise idea.
https://www.friendsofthedog.co.za/find-out-the-best-exercise-for-your-breed-of-dog.html
We have also supplied you with a list of suggestions which you will find at the end of the last section, as we have already mentioned, but would like to tell you more about two activities in-particular which are brilliant for mental stimulation and build the bond between dog and owner.
Clicker.
Learning how to work with your dog with a Clicker is very easy to do, and it is amazing how dogs absolutely love it. You can use the Clicker for anything – obedience work, stopping pulling on lead, teaching your dog tricks, getting your dog to put the washing in the machine – no, am not kidding – a dog that has been clicker trained can be taught to do about anything!
What we love about clicker as well, is that it is an activity that can be done inside and the whole family can take part, and it costs next to nothing, which is an additional bonus. We have put in some text from the free Clicker Course we have on our www.friendsofthedog.co.za website, and at the end have supplied you with a link, in the event you want to learn.
There are normally a lot of people who give workshops on using a Clicker, and people who teach on a one-to-one basis.
“It is training using almost entirely positive reinforcement - teaching your dog to learn... using no physical compulsion or corrections whatsoever. Sounds a bit unbelievable but works incredibly well. Instead of yanking dogs around, shoving them into place, giving some praise, and hoping the dog will make the connection, dogs are taught using the scientific methods of classical & operant conditioning. Anyone questioning how reliable a dog taught this way can be should take a trip to Sea World. There, the Orcas, dolphins, etc., are taught using these same methods. After all,... you can't slip a choke chain around a whale's neck & give a jerk! And yet, these lovely creatures perform flawlessly for audience after audience. And have a blast doing it. The whole enjoyment feature is what really turned me on to positive training. I love my dogs, and although I want them to be responsive to me I dislike hurting them! With clicker training I don't have to. This training works for every dog, from bold to timid, from tiny to giant. This is the type of training used for most (all?) animals trained for movie & TV work, too.
The clicker itself is simply a little toy-like device that is used in the initial stages of training any behaviour. It provides clear & precise communication between owner & dog and allows you both to concentrate on & enjoy the task at hand. You click at the exact moment the dog is performing whatever it is you want, and since you always follow that click with a tasty treat, the dog will learn to love the sound, and the work to make that sound happen! As part of the training, you teach the dog hand and/or verbal signals for each behaviour. As the dog learns these, you phase out the clicker. It has completed its function, which was to communicate to your dog which behaviour you desired.”
Just click on this link to find out more. Alternatively, just Google Clicker Training on you Tube and you will find a lot of examples.
https://www.friendsofthedog.co.za/clicker-training-on-line-course-by-mary-woodward-wwwgreenwooddogscom--wwwclickerlessonscom.html
Puzzle Toys
No, you are not going to be doing a jigsaw with your dog! To stimulate any dog, the very best thing, apart from Clicker, is Puzzles for dog – they are brilliant – they come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from simple Hide and Seek, to lifting little blocks, pushing a lid to the side – using the nose and the paw. All of these will provide fantastic mental stimulation and help your dog to problem solve.
You can start your dog off on an easy one, and as he gets the hang of it, increase the difficulty. Most of the puzzles, have a few levels.
Another bonus it that they can be introduced to a dog at any age, no matter what their physical activity level or their health. When working with a dog that is Hyperactive or has aggression problems, we find that both these behaviour concerns reduce with the additional stimulation that puzzles award.
If your dog has to be crated for any period due to health issues, having him engage in puzzles is a wonderful entertainment, especially as a dog in a situation like this will not be able to do much physically.
The puzzle toys that we prefer are those by Nina Ottosson (http://www.mcmac.co.za/games_Nina_Ottosson.php).
She has the philosophy that “dogs have four legs and one head, and all five-need activity in different ways – every day. By incorporating dog puzzles and dog games into your dog’s daily routine, you can efficiently train your dog to behave, instead lo letting her create her own fun”
Clicker and Puzzle Games Combined – what they do:
What we did at dog school, was each of us bought one puzzle, and then we swapped and changed them between ourselves. It would be a good idea to consider this if you have any friends with dogs. They can be pricey, and this helps to keep the costs reasonable.
To close off on this section, don’t forget to keep your dogs’ vaccinations up to date, feed the very best food you can afford, never neglect deworming and pest control, brush your dog’s teeth daily, and remember to have fun!
Learning how to work with your dog with a Clicker is very easy to do, and it is amazing how dogs absolutely love it. You can use the Clicker for anything – obedience work, stopping pulling on lead, teaching your dog tricks, getting your dog to put the washing in the machine – no, am not kidding – a dog that has been clicker trained can be taught to do about anything!
What we love about clicker as well, is that it is an activity that can be done inside and the whole family can take part, and it costs next to nothing, which is an additional bonus. We have put in some text from the free Clicker Course we have on our www.friendsofthedog.co.za website, and at the end have supplied you with a link, in the event you want to learn.
There are normally a lot of people who give workshops on using a Clicker, and people who teach on a one-to-one basis.
“It is training using almost entirely positive reinforcement - teaching your dog to learn... using no physical compulsion or corrections whatsoever. Sounds a bit unbelievable but works incredibly well. Instead of yanking dogs around, shoving them into place, giving some praise, and hoping the dog will make the connection, dogs are taught using the scientific methods of classical & operant conditioning. Anyone questioning how reliable a dog taught this way can be should take a trip to Sea World. There, the Orcas, dolphins, etc., are taught using these same methods. After all,... you can't slip a choke chain around a whale's neck & give a jerk! And yet, these lovely creatures perform flawlessly for audience after audience. And have a blast doing it. The whole enjoyment feature is what really turned me on to positive training. I love my dogs, and although I want them to be responsive to me I dislike hurting them! With clicker training I don't have to. This training works for every dog, from bold to timid, from tiny to giant. This is the type of training used for most (all?) animals trained for movie & TV work, too.
The clicker itself is simply a little toy-like device that is used in the initial stages of training any behaviour. It provides clear & precise communication between owner & dog and allows you both to concentrate on & enjoy the task at hand. You click at the exact moment the dog is performing whatever it is you want, and since you always follow that click with a tasty treat, the dog will learn to love the sound, and the work to make that sound happen! As part of the training, you teach the dog hand and/or verbal signals for each behaviour. As the dog learns these, you phase out the clicker. It has completed its function, which was to communicate to your dog which behaviour you desired.”
Just click on this link to find out more. Alternatively, just Google Clicker Training on you Tube and you will find a lot of examples.
https://www.friendsofthedog.co.za/clicker-training-on-line-course-by-mary-woodward-wwwgreenwooddogscom--wwwclickerlessonscom.html
Puzzle Toys
No, you are not going to be doing a jigsaw with your dog! To stimulate any dog, the very best thing, apart from Clicker, is Puzzles for dog – they are brilliant – they come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from simple Hide and Seek, to lifting little blocks, pushing a lid to the side – using the nose and the paw. All of these will provide fantastic mental stimulation and help your dog to problem solve.
You can start your dog off on an easy one, and as he gets the hang of it, increase the difficulty. Most of the puzzles, have a few levels.
Another bonus it that they can be introduced to a dog at any age, no matter what their physical activity level or their health. When working with a dog that is Hyperactive or has aggression problems, we find that both these behaviour concerns reduce with the additional stimulation that puzzles award.
If your dog has to be crated for any period due to health issues, having him engage in puzzles is a wonderful entertainment, especially as a dog in a situation like this will not be able to do much physically.
The puzzle toys that we prefer are those by Nina Ottosson (http://www.mcmac.co.za/games_Nina_Ottosson.php).
She has the philosophy that “dogs have four legs and one head, and all five-need activity in different ways – every day. By incorporating dog puzzles and dog games into your dog’s daily routine, you can efficiently train your dog to behave, instead lo letting her create her own fun”
Clicker and Puzzle Games Combined – what they do:
- Help to correct inappropriate behaviour such as hyperactive dogs, aggression, dogs that are destructive.
- Increase the bond between dog and owner – we do not recommend that dogs play by themselves, always under owner supervision.
- Help with training – it is much easier to train a dog that has been mentally satisfied and is not jumping all over the place.
- Dogs that work with Clicker are much easier to train, learn new skills quicker and enjoy performing tricks.
- Alleviate boredom.
- Get the dog to problem solve.
- Just as we humans need mental stimulation to keep brain cells functioning as we age, so too do older dogs. Really helpful this, and when your dog does get older and cannot go for walks anymore, you have some great fun to look forward to together.
What we did at dog school, was each of us bought one puzzle, and then we swapped and changed them between ourselves. It would be a good idea to consider this if you have any friends with dogs. They can be pricey, and this helps to keep the costs reasonable.
To close off on this section, don’t forget to keep your dogs’ vaccinations up to date, feed the very best food you can afford, never neglect deworming and pest control, brush your dog’s teeth daily, and remember to have fun!
