A Training & Wellness Program For Your Dog Article & Photos By Veronica Selco
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anuary is National Train your Dog Month and February is Responsible Pet Owners Month. To celebrate both, we want to encourage pet parents to consider additional actions they can take to provide a more enriched life for their companions. In doing so, our dogs are happier, healthier and a joy to be around. Sharing our home with a dog is a privilege that comes with great responsibility. Most of us already share our homes with dogs. But for those that are planning ahead, whether you’re getting a dog from a breeder, shelter or rescue group, it’s important to recognize the lifelong commitment to their wellbeing. Some things to take into consideration are: lifestyle, existing pets in the home, time constraints, our physical ability and our finances so that we can provide the care our companion may need throughout their lifetime. Equally important, we need to consider the dog’s breed(s), size, strength, energy level and temperament to plan for appropriate outlets for the dog to express the breed specific natural behaviors it was bred to perform. Some of these activities may not be available to us in an urban setting. Additionally, herding, digging, tugging, pulling, barking, and chasing other animals are natural behaviors that dog’s may enjoy, but ones that may not be acceptable or safe. Our inability to provide opportunities for our companions to express those behaviors in a way that is appropriate and our failure to provide structured socialization and training can lead to behavior problems, which impact our lifestyles and can lead
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Las Vegas Pet Scene Magazine • January/February 2022
to dogs having limited opportunities to be social or even being surrendered. By incorporating a plan to meet the needs of the dog and teaching the dog the skills they need to be successful in our city dwellings, we build a relationship of clear communication and spend fun quality time together. We reinforce the behaviors we want with treats, fun and play.
TRAINING & WELLNESS PROGRAM INCLUDES: ➠ Structured socialization as a puppy ➠ Opportunity for social interaction ➠ Variety of quality foods for nutrition & training ➠ Regular health & wellness checks ➠ Teach life skills ➠ Teach calming behaviors ➠ Learn something new together (Tricks, Parkour) ➠ Mental exercise to build problem solving
and independence
➠ Physical exercise ➠ Time to decompress in nature ➠ Outlet to express natural behaviors
K9 Nose Work, agility, barn hunt
