by Kathryn Cockrell, Owner of Happy Hound Pet Sitting. We’ve all experienced that moment of panic—you walk into your house and immediately know something isn’t right. You spot your favorite book lying open on the floor with its beloved pages shredded and scattered around the entire house. The culprit? One very clueless pooch who has absolutely no idea why you’re mad. Your pup is doing his nightly happy dance surrounded by chewed up remnants of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire—happy as can be that his human finally came back home. Dog Training might be in order!
What exactly is causing your furry friend to act out? The answer is boredom. Just like us, pets have mental and physical energy that they need to get out of their system. If you’re a busy person, like most of us are these days, you may not have the luxury of taking your dog on a two hour hike every day. Have no fear—here are a few ideas to help alleviate your best buddy’s boredom.
Exercise Helps With Dog Training Benefits
A little walk can go a long way. Before you leave for work, make a point to take your buddy on a 20 minute walk. It’ll prepare you both for the day ahead. Enjoy the fresh air, let your pup sniff around, and stay active. Practice walking as a team in place of letting your pup drag you along.
Entertainment Helps Enhance Dog Training
Provide your pet with toys and distractions to keep them busy throughout the day. This could mean giving them a treat-filled toy, leaving the radio on, or setting up a window where they can watch the world go by.
Prevention
Don’t tempt the poor thing. If you know that books are a delicacy to your pup, remember to put your books out of reach from the furry jaws of doom. After all, you need to know what happens to Harry in that maze. Hire a certified dog trainer if you need to.
Dogs weren’t designed to sit alone all day. Help yourself and your dog by setting your pet up for success while you’re away at work. Give them a job of their own, even if it’s just working to get their daily food rations out of a red rubber toy. Trust me—they will thank you for it. In the grand scheme of things, a few new dog toys cost just about as much as a new hardcover Harry Potter book anyway.
About the Author
In 2009, Kathryn started working at a local kennel in her hometown, Daphne, AL, as a sophomore in high school. After leaving, she couldn’t get over how much she missed the pets she cared for in the kennel.
That got her wheels spinning… what if she started caring for her neighbors dogs as a pet sitter— from the comfort of their normal surroundings and routine? To her surprise, many pet parents hated dropping their best friends off at the kennel.
Now, she’s focused on creating pet care options tailored to each pet’s comfort and happiness. In the past 10 years she’s built a dedicated team of animal lovers in two locations that share her mission of keeping pets happy, active, and stress-free. Her goal? To ensure every pet under her care is happy — so that loving pet parents can enjoy a stress free vacation.
