It’s almost the New Year and if you’ve had an influx of visitors around the Holidays, you’ve seen the best and the worst of Fido.
Maybe he knocked over Grandma or decided to beg for scraps from Uncle Bob’s left knee. Or maybe he was perfectly content to lay on his bed and take it all in.
Let’s talk resolutions. When most people think of resolutions they think failed diets and work out routines, but what if you decided to do something for your dog this year?
For those of you with the aforementioned dogs, this post is for you. Yes, all of you, though those with the latter may want to skip ahead a bit.
1. No jumping unless invited.
This may get me some hate mail (do people still do that?) But in my personal opinion, dogs should not automatically jump on people. Why, you ask?
Simply because not everyone wants to be jumped on.
So… what if you are one of those people who likes to be jumped on?
Teach your dog how to do it on cue! Put a word or phrase on jumping up. I use “paws up” for my dogs. This keeps everyone happy and Fido is no longer accosting everyone who walks through the door.
2. Go to your place.
This is my favorite command. It’s great for dogs who beg and are just overly social.
Teach your dog to go to a designated place and stay there until they get released.
Word of warning: this is not magic, and it takes time to teach but it is so worth it.
3. Boundaries.
This is huge. Having a dog underfoot is a large cause of injuries in dog owners.
My favorite way to enforce this particular “trick” is by teaching my dogs the boundaries of the kitchen and then telling them to “get out of the kitchen” when I’m cooking.
This has so many possibilities. The kitchen, the furniture, the bathroom, ect.
4. Back up.
Teaching your dog back-end awareness will change their lives.
Have you ever seen a dog get stuck in a corner and then watched as they painfully tried to turn themselves around rather than just backing themselves out?
Dogs are not aware of their back legs naturally and need to be taught how to use them independently.
A good way to start this is by teaching a heel against a wall and walking slowly backward.
5. Party Tricks
Dog training should be fun! Just like you don’t want to do the same 5 things everyday, neither does your dog.
Teach them something fun and have fun doing it. The sky is the limit.
Easy tricks include:
- Spin (both directions)
- Shake/high five (both paws)
- Sit pretty/beg
- Roll over
- Touch
So, there you have it! Come up with some New Years goals for your dog and get training!
If you need help, feel free to Contact Us
