Five Ways to Encourage Positive Behaviour
If one of your resolutions was to encourage positive behaviour in your dog, we are here to help you out... or get you back on the right track!
Here are five ideas you can start using today.
Dogs (Or is it humans?) are creatures of routine!
This didn't start off as a blog post intended to help the dog owner as well as the dog, but here we are! Routines can be helpful when it comes to staying motivated and keeping up with your small goals. For your dog, they will do what you want them to do more often once it becomes a habit. Don't give up if it doesn't happen right away. Much like us, it takes practice, practice, practice.
A nutritious diet goes a long way!
Do you find yourself feeling better after a good, healthy meal? I sure do – and your dog does, too! Energize their bodies with an appropriate dog-nutritious diet. While our bodies require proper nutrients to fuel us in our day-to-day life, it's the same for our pets.
Speaking of energy... get that body movin'!
Winston was ready to get some exercise on this day!
If you want to keep your dog happy and healthy, exercise is key. As a dog gets older, their hips and knees are the first to start hurting. Regular exercise can help keep them feeling younger longer. (I think that's true for us, too..) Keep their bones and muscles strong.
Don't forget to slooooow dooooooooooown...
Boba doesn’t always relax, but when she does? Nobody can out chill Boba.
Relaxing is something we all forget to do. Sometimes we need to take a deep breath and just chill out. Same for our furry friends, you know. They can't be stimulated all the time. Maybe you have a couch potato pup and this particular step won't be that difficult. However, if you have trouble with this, consider using a training technique called “placement”. Ask us at the shop about this, or check out our Instagram. This is one we use all the time. Another idea is to pick up a lick mat!
Hooray! You did it!
Look at me being all good sitting on my crate. I’m gonna get a treat outta this, just you wait~
When your pup does what you want them to do, make sure you praise them. This doesn't just mean giving them a treat. Give them a “good boy” or a “good girl” and give them some attention. Positive reinforcement is fantastic for encouraging your dog to do whatever it is they did, again!
It's good advice for us to follow, too. You're doing your best and you should congratulate yourself for your successes. We believe in you! Don't be afraid to ask us questions if you have any, whether that be in-person or over social media. Once we can, we will be hosting sessions where you can strengthen the bond between you and your dog and learn some tips and tricks that will help in a variety of ways. Keep watching our social media for more information!