THE IMPORTANCE OF CANINE ACTIVITY

Jaime Bessko

Movement is the primary language of dogs. Improper movement, or lack thereof, plays a direct role in a dog’s drive levels and behaviors.

Remember when Covid started and we were on quarantine lockdown? Even if you had a big house with a big yard, and family members to keep you company, after 3 weeks of lockdown, everyone was going stir crazy and needed to get out of the house. I remember my husband needing to go to the Post Office and I was so excited to go for a car ride! Even though I didn’t get out of the car, I just wanted to see the world beyond my property. We loaded up the dogs and drove with the windows open to get some fresh air and new smells and I TRULY understood why my dogs love car rides.

For any dog, being confined at home with their comfy bed, basket of toys, and a half acre-sized yard, is not fulfilling their needs for stimulation and proper movement. If a dog’s only form of running is confined to yard in which they cannot have a minimum of 5 full strides at a gallop’s pace before they have to turn or slow down, the dog is not able to use ALL 4 of its legs for power. This creates a dog that is physically unbalanced, and directly prevents their ability to reach a balanced mindset. Fascinating, isn’t it?!

Just as humans need physical and mental activity to ward off fear, anxiety, and frustration, dogs also need to be fulfilled with both PHYSICAL AND MENTAL ACTIVITY to maintain a balanced mindset. Only when a dog is fulfilled in both ways, will we see the destructive, impulsive, and anxious behaviors disappear and our dog can truly blossom into the best version of themself.

Ways to provide physical and mental activity for dogs:

• Purposeful, structured walks- Use pace changes and directional changes to build the dog’s mental and physical carriage, their coordination and balance.

• Off leash or long line hikes- Dog’s need stress on their bones to develop properly and to maintain proper structure, balance and coordination. Let them run and jump on uneven surfaces, use their nose to drain energy and practice recall games to build engagement.

• Add Obedience drills into playtime- Use the OUT and YES commands during tug. Use the SIT and FREE commands while playing fetch

• FIND IT! - This is a great inside game when the weather isn’t ideal. Put your dog in a down command on his bed, let him sniff some stinky pepperoni or high value scented food, tell him to stay, while you go in another room and hide one piece of food. Praise the dog’s stay, and release him to find it! Depending on how often you play nosework games, you may need to provide hand and leash guidance. Be sure to make a big fuss at how smart your dog is when he finds the food! And then send him back to his bed to play another round.

Jaime Bessko lives in Erie, Colorado with her husband, 2 boys, 3 dogs and 2 cats. She’s a dog trainer and the owner of ERIE DOG CO. Jaime’s philosophy on working with dogs is to communicate clearly, be consistent, praise your dog and HAVE FUN! Some of her favorite pastimes are hiking, snowboarding, painting, reading and enjoying Phish. Jaime can be reached at https://eriedogco.com concierge mobile grooming facility warm water wash & shampoo moisturizing treatments style or puppy cut blow drying nail trimming high quality natural products

At CCAPM Veterinary Care Center, we care about your pets almost as much as you do. That’s why we offer a FULL RANGE of services for both cats and dogs. It’s not always easy to tell when your pet isn’t feeling himself, and unlike humans, pets don’t always complain when they’re sick. With our extensive experience helping pets prevent and alleviate their pain, we are trained to detect pain earlier. We provide compassionate, individualized health care with emphasis on the wellness of your pet’s entire body in mind.