Pet Information > Others > Pet Articles > Keeping Your Pooch Happy

Keeping Your Pooch Happy

29 13:39:01

In today’s world most people don’t have much time to spend with
their dog. With a hectic lifestyle a dog can be left alone for
many hours without stimulation which can lead to inactivity
boredom and overall unhappiness.

Boredom signals Boredom can lead to behavioral problems such as
separation anxiety as the dog dreads being left alone again.
Dogs can become destructive – as an attempt to amuse themselves,
and as a behavioral problem. They start to bark incessantly, and
can become aggressive.

Five points that can improve the happiness of your dogs
Obedience work, Exercise and outdoor play, Play, Exposure to the
World, Chewing Objects

Obedience work ‘Work therapy’ is often used to quiet a dog down.
It is essentially hand signals and commands that bring dogs
under better control. It reinforces the handler’s status as
leader of the dog’s pack. Every act of obedience by the dog
acknowledges the handler’s authority. You can train your dog
yourself, or attend obedience classes, or even send your dog to
training school.

Exercise and outdoor play Providing the dog access to once or
even twice a day running exercises can do wonders to your dogs
overall mental health and happiness. Allowing your dog to be
free and not bogged down by a leash would improve the exercise
but is not essential. A fenced park or any other open, but safe
area, would be best for this.

Play There are many indestructible toys available, some of which
you can hide food inside that you can leave with a dog on its
own. Regular play sessions with other dogs are a good idea as
well as with the owner with a tennis racquet and ball, or a
frisbee. Canine neighborhood playgroups have enormous benefits,
as long as the dogs’ temperaments are complementary and the
owners prepared for the possibility of vigorous chasing, barking
and digging, at least until they have settled down into a
routine.

Exposure to the world Allowing dogs to watch the world go by has
a pacifying effect on them. Dogs that are let out to the front
yard for short periods tend to bark, so by allowing them long
periods of access to the streetfront they will eventually settle
down when their need for stimulation is satisfied. This will
depend on the nature and the variation in stimulation perceived.

Chewing object Direct a dog’s natural chewing behavior onto a
large raw bone such as shins and shanks, or a rawhide bone or
similar chewing toy. If your dog buries its bone, provide more
so that there is not the need to store them for a day when they
are scarce.