Exercising your dog.. mind and body

In our day to day lives, sometimes it's not easy to take your dog for a walk every day. More and more people are thinking "off lead dog parks" are the bees knees.. Take your dog(s) there, and you can basically stand around while your pooch runs itself stupid "playing" with other dogs and voila! Tired and exercised dog with little effort. 

I personally have a big issue with this mentality. Many dog owners have unfortunately not reached a great enough level of obedience for a guaranteed recall in these environments, and just because your dog is friendly, doesn't mean the dud over the other side of the field is friendly as well.. and thus we have dog fights and lawsuits waiting to happen.

The other misconception is that aimless running around will tire your dog out completely. Mentally stimulating your dog can tire them out just as much than (or even more when combined with) simple physical exercise. 

As an example, take your dog for a 15 minute walk around the block with no commands. No heeling, no loose lead walking, no sitting etc. Then the next day, 15 minutes but the dog must heel or loose lead walk, sit and wait until they are released, turn left and right on command and I will bet the dog will be more tired on day two.

The other issue we encounter is "it's raining and doggy doesn't like to walk in the rain". I call bulltish. YOU don't like walking in the rain. Well, don't teach your dog to dislike the rain. Wait until it starts raining and take your dog for a walk. I would say, the walk is more valuable to the dog than keeping his/her fur dry.

Still, because we don't want to walk in the rain after we've been to the hairdresser, we need to be able to appropriately "exercise" our dogs without leaving the house.

Train inside. Work on your sit, stand, drop, "on ya bed", and recall. Pick up the lead and loose lead walk around the house and make sure your dog doesn't pull and drag you to the door. 

Create games - place bits of food around the house and make the dog find them.. put food in a shoe box, a toy, under a tea towel.. they can search for the reward.

Develop your tricks.. high five, praying, turning on a light switch.. all these basic things are making your dog work and in the long run can pay off for you big time!

If you need more tips, or don't know where to start, feel free to call any time.. We can assist with giving you the foundation to dogs evolution.

Beware of "quick fix" dog trainers!

Do you have, or know someone with a reactive or aggressive dog? There are many trainers out there who will offer various suggestions on how to "fix problem behaviour".
Be wary of any trainer who promises a "quick fix."
Like all behaviour modification, it takes time and patience - to rush is to put added unnecessary pressure on what may be an already stressed, anxious or overstimulated pooch. 
No matter where you are, we're here to point you in the right direction to get the best advice and assistance in evolving your dog's behaviour. Email or call any time. 😊

Creating a balanced dog..diet.

Do you notice when you eat poorly, you just feel out of sorts? Your dog has the same reaction!! If your dog seems flat, anxious, or crazy-hypo, look at its diet!
Natural home-made food with real meat and veggies with the right vitamins can make a big difference. Before you question the outside, think of what might be happening on the inside.

I have met many people who have young dogs on medication to "calm them down", yet when I ask what they feed their dogs, they say "tinned supermarket food.. but the good stuff." (Of course it is. hmmm)
Feeding your dog canned food is like giving a 6 year old child McDonalds and then wondering why they are hyperactive. Would you continue to feed your child red cordial and lollies and then combat this with ADHD medication? 

Okay, I'm not a vet and if your dog truly has serious issues, please seek professional advice. However, if it works, wouldn't it be better to try a more natural solution first?

Get some fresh mince or minced off-cuts from the butcher. Blend up some silverbeet, kale, carrots (avoid mushrooms, garlic, onions as these can be toxic to dogs) and mix it all together with a little rice. Maybe even add a raw egg - these are high in protein and great for your dog's coat!
If you want to add some dry food, grain free options like Black Hawk are really good.

DELICIOUS!! 

"Oh my dog only eats fresh roast chicken and caviar from My Dog" I hear you say. Really? Fine. Don't feed your dog for a day, I guarantee, they'll get on to my mix pretty quick.

If you need some extra calming options, try Paw Complete Calm by Blackmores. These are tasty kangaroo based chews that contains Tryptophan, B group vitamins and a blend of multivitamins and nutrients to support the general health and nervous function in dogs. Available at PetBarn and other dog supply stores.

For more assistance, contact us at k9evolution.com.au.