Doggies - JULY 2015.pdf

WHAT TO DOWITH YOUR DOGWHEN IT IS RAININGWinter is well and truly here and that means coldnights, dark mornings and rainy days that makewalking our dogs a little less inviting. It is important toreally make an effort and brave the elements to giveyour pooch some exercise and stimulation but somedays truly are better spent indoors! So what can wedo when the weather is less than ideal to exercise ourdogs and keep them out of trouble?Training is a really good way to stimulate yourdog and burn some energy with mental exhaustionAND it can be done in the comfort and warmth ofyour own home. Start with simple skills such as ‘sit’,‘shake’, ‘roll over’, ‘lay down’ and always rememberto reward with treats or praise. If your dog hasalready mastered these you can graduate to morecomplicated commands such as ‘play dead’, ‘speak’or ‘crawl’. If this doesn’t quite get rid of enoughenergy then you might like to consider some indooragility training. All you need are some witches hats(although any object will do) and a hallway and youhave yourself an agility course for your dog to runthrough. If you want to be really tricky use your armsas a hoop and teach your dog to jump through itat the end. There are numerous instructional videosand ideas on the internet to help you, so get creative!If training isn’t really your thing but you want your dog to burn off some energy then how about a playdate? Having another dog in the house will help keep them entertained as they run around playing witheach other. A word of caution however, not all dogs get on so choose a companion that you know yourdog likes and they’ll have a great afternoon of play.Finally, if neither of these ideas tickle your fancy then there is nothing wrong with curling up on the couchwith your dog and watching your favourite movie! Bonding time is very important AND dogs love to vegout too (in moderation of course)!Two Convenient Locations & Mobile Houses CallsSYDNEY CITY55 Flinders StreetSurry Hills NSW 2010(02) 9331 4334WAVERLEY300 Bronte RoadWaverley NSW 2024(02) 9389 6336