Training Your Dog To Be Good On Walks

My dad, me, and Brutus.

My first ever pet was a 150 pound Great Dane named Brutus. My parents got him right before they got married, and he was about 3 when I was born. He was such a sweet and good boy, but he loved to play, and even more than that he LOVED to go on walks. One of my favorite stories about Brutus is one day my aunt and cousins were over watching me while my parents were out. My one cousin, Jacob, was about six at the time, and he decided he wanted to take Brutus for a walk. So he did, but as they got back to the house, Brutus saw my parent’s car pull up in the driveway, and in excitement he sprinted full speed greet them, completely dragging Jacob across the yard as he held on tight to the leash.

Why do I tell you this story? Not just because it’s hilarious to picture, but also because it helps explain why training your dog to walk on a leash is important! Luckily Jacob wasn’t hurt and he was able to just laugh it off, but he could have been. Or if Brutus was chasing after something, instead of going to my parents, he could have run off.

Safety is the number one priority with your dog, and making sure they are properly trained to walk on a leash is a huge part of that. Besides that, trying to take your dog for a walk as they pull and try to chase after things without stopping can be so annoying.

If your dog is a puller when they walk, pull back up on the leash when they do. You should pull up, make them stop walking, and say “easy” or “no pull” while you do it. Doing this should give them a minute to pause and chill out, and if you’re repetitive enough, they’ll eventually stop pulling continuously. This also shows the dog that you are the one in control of the walk, not them.

Something my current dog, Bailey, did during walks when I first got her was she would chase after cars as they drove by. This usually wasn’t a huge issue, but there were times where she would get a little too close for comfort to the passing cars. So what I trained her to do is anytime a car is driving down the street, she goes off to the grass on the side of the road, and sits as the car passes.

Another tip to use while teaching your dog to walk on a leash is to make sure you always reward you’re dog when they’re giving you their attention. It is a good thing if your dog is looking back or up at you while you’re walking, because it is a sign that they respect you and know you are the one in control right now. So make sure if you see your dog doing this, you reward them with a treat or just a positive “good boy/girl!” to let them know you see they’re good behavior, otherwise they will stop.

Is your dog good with walks, or do they drag you across the yard like my dog Brutus did (we eventually taught him to stop that by the way)? Let me know in the comments!

Crate Training Your Pup

It is super important to not only train your dog how to behave when you’re around, but it’s also important to train them how to behave when you’re not around. For some this means house training, but many others they turn to crate training. It is crucial to make sure your pup is comfortable in their crate, otherwise it could be stressful for them to be in all day while you’re away. Getting your dog acquainted with their crate will also help with the other times you might have to use one, such as transporting your dog to the vet or somewhere else. Here are some tips for you when you’re crate training your pup.

Let your dog explore the crate for themselves

Allow your dog to scope out the crate on their own before you lock them in. Keep the door open and encourage them to go inside, and don’t shut the door behind them so they know they can get out. Keep the door open and let them go in and out as they please so that they can get familiar with it and learn that it is a safe environment for them.

Put toys in the crate

 Your dog will be more comfortable getting into their crate if some of their favorite toys are in there with them. Having toys in there will also keep your dog occupied while you’re away, instead of them just sitting by themselves for a few hours. It’s also a good idea to put a small blanket in there too for your dog to cuddle up with.

Use treats to get them in the crate

Treats are a good tool to use when you’re first teaching them to get in the crate. It works as an incentive and makes your dog more excited about getting in because they know they will be rewarded. Otherwise, being sent to their crate might come off as a punishment to them, and make it harder for you to get them in the crate.

Keep your tone positive when referring to the crate

If you use a negative tone when you’re talking about the crate, your dog isn’t going to want to go anywhere near it. Yelling at them to get in their crate will only make them stay away more, but if you positively encourage them and act like getting in their crate is exciting, they will be more willing to do it.

For more information on crate training, like overnight training and what size crate you should get for your dog, check out this blog post! Leave any of your tips for crate training in the comments below!

Helping Your Dog Adjust to Schedule Changes

 

One of the things that comes with being in college is constantly having a changing schedule. Not only is a changing schedule hard for you to adjust to, but it can be very hard on your dog as well. It is important that you make as much time as possible in your schedule for your dog, and make the transition for them as easy as possible. Here are some of my tips for you:

• The first tip I have is to ease your dog into the change as best as you can. Take your time with making the changes. For example, if you know you’re going to have classes starting early in the morning instead of later in the afternoon, start waking up with your dog earlier a week or two before to get them used to it. Or if you know you’ll be home later than usual, start feeding your dog later and later each day until you get to the time that he or she will start being fed normally. These types of gradual changes will make the whole thing a lot easier on your pup.
• Another tip that is suggested by another blogger is to ignore behavior you don’t want. Don’t scold your dog for asking to go out at their usual time, but don’t let them out either (unless they really have to go, obviously). But if your dog is just used to going out at a certain time and that’s why they’re asking to go out, just ignore them in order to make them wait until later to go out.
• Think about your dog and his or her needs. If your dog is super high energy and your schedule is going to cause you to be out more, make sure when you do get to spend time with your dog you are playing with them and giving them time to run around free outside. You can take them for a walk as well, but its super important that they have time and space to run around free too. You can also hire a dog sitter to come and play with your pup and let them out if you don’t have enough time in the day to do it yourself.
• You also need to be patient with your dog. They won’t be fully adjusted right away, and it is important that you don’t get upset with them with the changed schedule. Remember it is hard on them too, and they will take a long time to get used to the schedule change, especially if it is a big one.
• My last tip is to spend as much time with them as you can, even though it’s at a different time then they’re used to. It is so so important that you make sure they get all the love and attention they need and deserve. It is especially important at a time like this when your schedule is changing.

Has your dog ever had to go through a big schedule change with you? Leave some tips you have in the comments!

Canine Flu

As most people know, it’s flu season. So exciting, right?? While everyone is aware of the steps needed to take in order to prevent themselves from getting the flu, not many people know how to keep their dog safe from getting sick (or that they could even get it).

Similar to the human flu, the canine flu can be hard to spot, but there are some things that can help identify possible sickness. Here are some symptoms to look out for in your dog:

• Coughing
• Sneezing
• Fever
• Discharge coming out of the nose and eyes
• Fatigue
• Other signs that your dog isn’t acting like their usual selves

Be aware of the signs your dog is showing, and if your dog has any or all of the symptoms above, take them to the vet as soon as possible. Even if you aren’t positive it’s the flu, it’s better safe than sorry!!

If you find your dog does have the flu, your vet will give you antibiotics to treat them and prevent secondary bacterial infections. Sometimes if your dog’s symptoms are more severe, a vet will hook them up to an IV and give them stronger medication. Since the flu spreads pretty easily among animals, you will need to keep your dog away from other animals, even the other pets in your household.

Even if your dog doesn’t have the flu, you still need to think about the ways to prevent them from getting it. Here are a couple steps you can take to keep your pup safe from the flu:

• Like humans, one thing you can do to help keep your pup safe from the flu is get them vaccinated. While no vaccination is 100 percent effective, according to one study on the H3N8 strain vaccination, there is an 80 percent response rate to this vaccine.
• Keep your dog away from other dogs, especially if you decide not to vaccinate your pup. Be extra careful about having your dog with other dogs while indoors, since the disease spreads easier inside rather than outside.
• If you usually take your dog to doggy daycare while you’re at work or school, try getting a dog sitter to come to your house to take care of them instead. This way your dog is still getting taken care of while you’re gone, but they are also by themselves, which gives them a better chance of staying safe from getting the flu. Ask a neighbor, friend, or family member to come check in on your pup, or use an online dog sitting company like Rover.com.

So while you’re busy keeping yourself from getting the flu, remember to think of your dog too! Pay attention to the news to see if there is a breakout of the canine flu in your area, and if there is be sure to take the precautions necessary to keep your pup safe and flu free! Let me know in the comments below if you’ve ever dealt with a dog having the flu, or how you keep your dog safe from getting sick!

Are You Ready to Own a Dog?

Owing a dog is a LOT of responsibility, and sometimes people get lost in the cuteness of dogs and don’t take the time to really seriously consider if they are ready to own one. While having a dog in college can make for a good companion and stress reliever, it is also involves a lot of commitment that you may or may not be prepared for.

TIME

One of the main things to think about when you’re considering getting a dog is whether or not you have enough time to take it on. Dogs require a lot of attention and care, which can be very time consuming. As a college student, you have a lot going on. Between school work, hanging out with friends, work, and extracurricular activities, you already have a lot of time being taken up throughout your day. And you don’t need to just have enough time to feed and let your dog out, but also need to make time to spend time with them. Another thing that could take up a lot of time and commitment is training your dog. In a recent blog post from ThatMutt.com, one blogger wrote about how much time, energy, and patience it is taking her to train her dog. I know for me personally it took about a year for my dog to start correctly responding to our commands just about 100% on the time. Will you have enough time to take a dog for a walk, play with it, train it, and give him or her all the love and attention it needs (and deserves)?

SPACE

Depending on what breed of dog you’re thinking of getting, the amount of space your future dog would need may differ. But overall, dogs need a lot of space to live. They need room outside to run and play, as well as room inside to lay around (and play inside too). Most college students live in apartments, so smaller breeds would probably be best fit for that size. But if the dog is high energy, it might not be enough room for them. The other thing about living in an apartment is you wouldn’t have a large fenced in yard for the dog to run around, so depending on how your apartment complex is structured, not having space outside for a dog to run free could be a problem.

MONEY

On top of all the time and attention dogs need, owning a dog also requires a lot of money. Not only do you have to pay for basic things like food, but you will also need to purchase toys, a bed, leash, food and water bowls, treats, and other little things that your dog will use every day. Depending on the breed, you may also need to pay for some personal care necessities for your dog such as nail clippings and haircuts. Another thing to keep in mind is the high medical bills you might have to pay for your dog. It is important to take your dog for a yearly check-up to make sure they’re healthy, and you never know if you may have to take your dog to the vet for other medical reasons as well.

While owning a dog is one of the best and most rewarding experiences, it isn’t a decision to take lightly. Dogs aren’t something you can just try out and then return a few weeks later, they are a serious commitment and should be treated as such. These are some of the main things I would suggest taking into consideration when trying to determine if owning a dog in college is right for you, let me know in the comments what you think is important to consider!