Why Dogs Behave Poorly
A stimulated dog is a better-behaved dog. Just like Humans, dogs need to be stimulated, both mentally and physically. Most breeds of dogs were developed to perform jobs for people, such as guarding, herding and hunting types of work that demands being in shape mentally and physically. Without a job to do every day, our dogs can become bored. We have a Daschund puppy and if he doesn’t have some toys to chew on while we are gone, he’ll find just about anything he can to chew on.
If our dogs are physically spent, they are much less likely to get into trouble while we are gone. If the dog is trained to come when called, it’s ideal if you can exercise him off-leash in a safe area. In the morning, especially if the dog is going to be left alone all day. Strenuous aerobic exercise is best, such as off-leash running/play with other dogs, running alongside a bicycle, swimming, playing fetch games, or jogging. Check with your veterinarian before staring an exercise program if your dog is used to laying around all day. You’ll need to build your dog up gradually, the same as you would with a person unaccustomed to exercise. Playing with puppies or people is the best exercise for a puppy. If your dog has hip dysplasia or any type of physical problem that limits his ability to exercise, swimming would be a good idea.
Dogs really enjoy searching and working for their food, so rather than simply giving your dog his food in a bowl, hide small containers of food around the house and let him find them. Take his bowl of food and toss the kibble into the backyard so he has to snuffle around in the grass to find it. Train your dog! You can practice basic obedience behaviors, teach tricks, or set up a few obstacles in your backyard for your dog to navigate. It will be fun! Short sessions of 5-10 minutes once or twice a day are best. Keep it light and fun for the dog, with plenty of rewards for good behavior. There are unlimited activities that you and your dog can become involved in together, such as agility, flyball, tracking, search and rescue, pet visitation, clicker training, herding, freestyle dancing, etc. Ask your local Certified Professional Dog Trainer for guidance.
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