New Year's Resolutions
When it comes to New Year's Resolutions, it helps to come up with small ways to change habits for the better. If your goals this year include training your dog, here are some simple ways to incorporate that into activities that you probably already do:
- When walking your dog, take treats with you and take the opportunity to practice heel, sits, spins or leave it
- Practice 'leave it' while making dinner; purposely drop small pieces of food you are preparing to practice with
- Practice go to mat while watching a movie and toss treats or kibble to your dog while they are on the mat
- Play hide and seek in the house and/or yard to practice recall
- Instead of putting all your dog's food in the bowl, practice puppy push-ups, tricks, and leave it with their breakfast or dinner
- Instead of having your dog always do a 'sit' for treats, challenge yourself to think of different behaviours you'd like to see more of and reward those
- When giving pets and snuggles, also give your dog a physical exam keep them used to being touched and handled differently
- When visiting different environments practice training with your dog so they learn to work and listen in different places
- Practice getting your dog to heel in the hallway
- Set up an obstacle course in your living room or basement
- Create your own obstacles for your dog to play on using things around the house like a footstool, broomsticks, laundry baskets - be creative!
What are your dog's New Year's Resolutions? What steps will you take to reach your goals? Tell us on our Facebook page
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