For those of you with dogs like mine that believe they will melt in the rain, I am sure thankful this precipitation has finally turned to snow! What a way to start 2017!
A New Year means a new leaf, new goals, and new resolutions! Where to even start!? Now, you may think that just because I manage a veterinary hospital that I have well mannered, polite dogs but my mother can attest that is far from the truth! It’s hard to admit but I like how excited my dogs get when I come home from work (picture leaping into the air with excitement), the occasional cuddle on the forbidden couch and recycling leftover food into their mouths (after all my mother taught me not to be wasteful!). All that being said, it doesn’t make the best impression at a dinner gathering to have my two overbearing Dobermans staring everyone down!
Did you know that Reno has a variety of awesome training facilities? 15 to be exact! I am certainly not alone in the boat of needing help! One of the biggest reasons pets end up in shelters is because of unwanted behaviors due to lack of training. Training implies a sense of demand and control. I prefer to look at time spent training my dogs as time spent bonding. If they enjoy the time together, soon you will notice that they want to please you and it becomes less work and more fun. Think about service dogs. They aren’t forced to do these activities for their owner because of the food bowl at the end of the day. Rather, they spend months building the bond and connection so that when you ask, they are happy to oblige!
I challenge you in 2017 to spend time bonding with your dog. Have a blast running around an agility course working on your recall command, following your dog through the woods tracking and working on ‘leave it’, or get your dance moves on with tricks and impress all the people at your next dinner party! Whatever the activity, don’t forget, there are plenty of people in the same boat as you, including me!
Best wishes for 2017!
Stephanie
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