Boredom Busters

Dogs and Puppies - Boredome Busters I often say that dogs and pups develop behaviour problems because of boredom.

Can you imagine life alone in a back yard - no matter how big and grassy it is there is only so much a dog can do before getting bored. So for a wee bit of light relief it wouldn’t be inconceivable for him to do a little digging, pull the washing of the line, pull out some expensive plants, bark a few tunes, run at a few passing strangers and maybe chew whatever there is to chew. Some dog’s just plane old get out of there, over or under the fence they’re not fussy.

The problem is that when owners come home from a long hard stressful day at work - a barking complaint or a reorganised backyard is the last thing they want to deal with let alone having to take the hyped up energizer bunny for a walk!

So they get angry and they blame the dog, the very dog that they put in this situation. It hardly seems fair dose it - well its not!

Dogs are pack animals the thrive in a social setting, its how they learn their place, manners, boundaries, communication skills and its what fulfils them.

Dogs also like jobs; they, like us, like to achieve something satisfying in their day. Most dogs will have innate instincts, but weather it is to retrieve, to guard, or maybe to round sheep their common interest is to please their owners. The fact is, if we as owners do not shape these instinctual needs into acceptable behaviours and give our dogs an outlet that is acceptable to us, then the dog will go it alone and accidents and destructiveness will happen.

I hate to say it but most bad dogs are just bored - and we just need to take more responsibility as owners.

Boredom Busters and other things to improve your dogs life

Learn to Communicate with you dog

Let you dog live as part of the family (at the bottom of the pack of course)

Have a basket of enrichment toys and rotate them every day.

Trick train your dog

Have two dogs

Go to obedience or agility classes

Take you dog to work

Include your dog in fun family outings, paper rounds and walks

In list a reputable dog walker or doggy day care

Have play dates with neighbours.

If you can’t fit your dog in your life consider rehoming to a family that can.