Dogs are social animals and when left alone for long periods of the day they can suffer from boredom and become destructive or develop problem behaviours. There are three essential factors you need to address to ensure that your dog is looked after mentally.
Toys
- Mental stimulation
- Feed daily meals in treat dispensers
- Make ice blocks or freeze wet food in Kongs
- Vary and rotate
- Allow one to two types of toys per day.
- Rotate to maintain interest
- No toys are Indestructible
- Monitor toy condition
- Throw away damaged toys
Exercise
- Choosing the right lead: promotes good street manners and pleasant experience for you and your dog
- Tired dogs are good dogs
- Toileting
- Agility courses
- Socialisation with other dogs/people (if not aggressive)
- Doggie day care/playgroups
- Dog walkers
Calming techniques
- Adaptil collar: dog appeasing pheromone that can calm some dogs with anxiety (separation, generalised, storm/noise phobia)
- Doggie meditation: sit, stay and calm technique
- Thundershirt: light jacket that hugs and calms your dog
- Massage techniques
- Bonding
- Relieves muscle tension from stress
