Exercise, Consistency, Boundaries, and Trust. Those are what I think are the top four a dog needs in order to be successful in life. Now of course some people will agree and disagree but this is just based on what I know and what I see.
Exercise: A very crucial part of your dog’s health and life. They NEED exercise, yes even if your dog is 3lb. They need exercise to get the blood flowing, to help with digestion, lungs, heart, and every other vital orogen in their body. They NEED it just like we do as people. Did you know exercise doesn’t just have to be going for a walk? Sure walks are the #1 best thing for them because they not only get the exercise they get mental stimulation too. By looking at the birds, smelling the air, seeing new things. Their brain is on overdrive when they get to be outside because all of the senses are going on top of being pumped full of endorphins of excitement that they get to go on an adventure. The great thing about dogs is exercise can come in many forms. You could do 15min of training and I bet you’ll notice your dog get tired after you’re done. Or you could give them a nice big bone to chew on. Or even one of those fun puzzle games they make for dogs. No matter how you exercise your dog it is a vital role in their everyday life and they need it every day.
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Consistency: If you’re not consistent with training, your dog won’t be consistent either. If you’re not implementing training into your dog’s everyday life they will continue to do the same bad habits over and over again because that is what they have adapted to and it’s what they know. So if you decide you don’t want dogs in your kitchen anymore while you cook, you need to stay consistent on asking your dog to move out of the kitchen EVERY SINGLE TIME. On top of the fact, everyone who lives in the house needs to do the same thing. If you’re out on a walk and you want your dog to sit at every crosswalk, then you need to ask them to sit at EVERY crosswalk, and even after they start doing it on their own, stay consistent and be sure they continue to do that each and every time.
Boundaries: Also known as rules. If you don’t teach your dog right from wrong, or what they can and cannot do. They will never learn. Dogs don’t come pre-programmed to know how to live in our house. Even dogs adopted from the shelter, sure they may be trained but they’re not trained in YOUR house. They don’t know if they can get on the couch, or eat out of the garbage, or sleep on your bed. It’s YOUR job to teach and show them what they can and cannot do. Once the rules are established you need to follow up with consistency on enforcing the rules so that your dog forms good habits. These are YOUR rules, so you can choose them as you please that the beauty of dogs. They can mold into any type of dog you want, you just have to teach them first.
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Trust: Trust in yourself, trust in your ability to care and teach this dog, trust that it’s ok to mess up and start again. If you don’t believe in yourself and question every move you make when it comes to your dog. Then your dog will take charge of you. If you try something once and it doesn’t work that’s ok, reset and try again a different way. But the main is if you don’t trust in yourself to make successful decisions for your dog then your dog won’t trust you. YOU have to be your dog’s advocate. You have to protect them, guide them, and show them the way. You have to be a leader because your dog needs you. If you’re out on a walk and you know there is a fence with a barking dog and every time your dog goes crazy over it, avoid that fence or get some distance. You want to set your dog up for success and once you concur with little goals you can then work your way toward the big ones. But if you feel nervous or scared your emotions will travel right down that leash and into your dog and that will cause your dog to feel just like you. Only they won’t bottle it up, they will explode either by barking, lunging, or growling. So choose wisely and do things you know both YOU and YOUR dog can be successful at.
If you want to have a successful life with your favorite furry companion then you must create a successful life for them. Don’t set them up to fail, set them up to succeed. Such as if you know your dog jumps on counters to eat butter or bread, start putting those items away while you’re gone. If your dog gets into the garbage, put it somewhere they can’t get it. If there is an area on your walk that makes you nervous, avoid that area till you can build up your confidence to concur with it. Don’t expect your dog to know what you want they only know what YOU teach them, the rest they just do on their own.
Happy Dogs are the best dogs! A tired dog is a good dog!
~D