Keep your dog’s mind working.
When the weather gets bad, a lot of us start to snuggle under the blankets when we are home. We stop going outside, taking car rides to stores for fun, and visiting local dog friendly areas. When we go to work… well, our four-legged family members can start to get themselves in trouble because of lack of exercise. Who’s fault is it? Ours of course! 🙂 We have to make sure that we are keeping our dog’s minds working when we are home so they can shut down and rest when we are gone.
I bet 75% of issues that walk in the door of my training facility are due to lack of exercise. This only gets worse when the weather starts hitting extreme temperatures that people don’t like to be out in. I always make sure I am stocked up on chew toys, chewy treats, and food puzzles so I am prepared if the extreme weather decides to stick around for more than a couple days.
I love the Kong Spray to help set the other yummy things I put in the licking toys.
One of the reasons I started my monthly online programs was to help busy people find quick and easy ways to play with and keep their dogs occupied. You can YouTube basic training, tricks or other fun things too! Our small public YouTube library doesn’t come close to touching the amount of private videos have for PK9s Students. The cool thing about our digital world is that you can learn almost anything from your couch.
So, before you get mad at your dog for chewing the couch up while you’re gone, make sure it is not because you have been vegging out and forgetting that the TV or book you are reading is not doing the same mental stimulation for your dog as it is for you. If you don’t want to go outside, make sure you have plenty for your dog to do inside.