Last Wednesday Robin and I were in Canton working with a new Home Dog Training Client and his two year old Catahoula Leopard Dog named George. I really like Catahoulas because of their playful personality and high intelligence. This makes them easy to train and fun as playmates. George quickly understood the rules that my client had established and responded well to his commands and directions. The one thing that I noticed was George’s “Catahoula energy level”. If George was a human, I might have said he needed to “switch to decaf”. I mentioned this to my client and he admitted that George was very high energy. He also said that he and his wife worked long hours and physically didn’t have a lot of time to just get out and play with George. He asked what we suggested to help George “get some juice out” when they don’t have the time to do it themselves. We were glad to help with some suggestions.
Robin and I have experienced the “not enough time because of work” scenario many times with our clients. They aren’t “bad dog owners”; they are just experiencing “life and the real world”. They are at work all day and just don’t have the time to have a good, hard “play” with their dog when they get home after they have spent ten to twelve hours at work and on their commute. Dogs need to have time to appropriately release their adrenaline and our clients and their dogs need the time to build the bond, trust, and respect that their relationship needs to prosper.
We always recommend that you get outside as much as possible, toss a fetch toy, pitch the ball, play hide and seek, or do some agility games. When you don’t have enough time to do all this yourself, we have another idea that has worked perfectly for many of our very busy clients.
The answer is simple and we find it always works. We suggest taking your dog to a Doggie Daycare for several weekdays while you are at work. Your dog will be well cared for and be surrounded by dogs of his own temperament. There will be canine professionals always watching over and making sure things remain safe and secure.
This will not only build his social skills, but it will drain that extra adrenaline. When you come home at night, it won’t be like you have stepped on to a roller derby ring. Just as important, you are also placing him in an environment where he feels safe. Since you have provided him with this safe and social environment, it will strengthen your leadership stance from your dog’s perspective.
Our experience has shown that most Doggie Day cares charge between $25 and $50 for a day session. They often provide discounts if you buy a “pack of sessions” or if you are on a monthly or quarterly program. Check out a few establishments in your area and ask neighbors if they take their dogs to a Daycare. Begin the process by taking your dog there just once a week and then add days, if you feel it is needed.
Again, this has already done the job for many of our clients. Give it a shot!
Please phone us at (770) 718-7704 if you need any dog training help. We are blessed to have been your local dog trainers for over fourteen years. We have trained over 5,000 great dogs and loving families and are ready to help you.
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