Rat Pack Dog Training

Who kept the dogs in?

Is your dog confused about you being in the house more? Here’s some top tips from Rat Pack Dog Training!

WRITTEN BY EMMA TAYLOR

1 GO FOR A ‘SNIFFARI’ ADVENTURE Dogs see in a world of scent first and the act of sniffing is very mentally tiring for them. Slow down and let your dog choose the direction of the walk and where to sniff, you might end up travelling on new paths or not covering nearly as much distance as you’re used to!

2 EXPLORE WHAT'S ON YOUR DOORSTEP Next time you go for your dog walk, bypass the car and go for a wander in your local area. The novelty of the new situation as well as the influx of different sights, sounds and smells will be very tiring for your pooch.

3 REMAIN CLEAR OF OTHER PEOPLE Social distancing might be a difficult thing to manage when you have a social dog, but it is important to remain clear of others. While your dog cannot catch COVID-19, it can survive on their fur and end up transferred to you. Make sure your dog isn’t touched by anyone outside your household.

4 THROW OUT THE DAILY WALK As an owner of 4 high drive terriers, the Rat Pack are only walked a few times a week. Instead of a walk, replace your dog’s daily activity with something else.

5 REWARD YOUR DOG If you have a dog that finds it hard to stop and is always on the go, help your dog manage by giving them something to chew or lick from to relax after high energy activities such as a walk. Reward calmness in the house by casually popping a treat between your dog’s paws while they are calm.

6 GET THEM TO WORK FOR THEIR DINNER Instead of just serving it up in a bowl. Dogs that have to work for their food are mentally worn out quicker and need less physical exercise to tire. You can buy a range of puzzle feeders, sniffle mats and Kongs but you don’t even have to spend money. Scatter your dog’s dinner in the back garden or hide it around the living room or use an empty cardboard box, fill it with shredded paper and sprinkle their dinner in there. There are loads of free ideas on the Facebook group ‘Canine Enrichment’.

7 NIP BAD HABITS IN THE BUD! Have some fun teaching your dog tricks that can help you around the home like unloading the washing machine, taking your socks off your feet, retrieving your slippers. There are both free and paid resources to help you achieve all this online!

8 MAKE AN OBSTACLE COURSE! Use household items like pillows, mops and chairs to create a course for your dog to navigate with you. Get the kids involved in course designs and you could even send your kids around the course to wear them out too!

Find out more about Rat Pack on their website www.ratpackdogservices.co.uk.