Dog obedience buzz

Dog training or obedience clubs are a great place to practice and hone your skills together.  They often have other disciplines connected to them such as agility or rallyO.  In fact the more requests your dog has learned the more he gets to think and interact with you.  Practicing together for the following week ensures quality time together.  You will find others there who share a passion for dogs but you are under no pressure to socialize, you can simply attend.  But feel free to tell them about just how much joy your dog gets attending our doggy day trips.

Is your dog tired of doing a bunch of sits and downs?  Training can be so much more than just basic postures.  Clubs provide cones, platforms, tunnels and a range of novel ways to engage your dog.  The walking practice is turns, stops, slow and fast.  Don’t underestimate the amount of fun you can have.

Whilst you are there, your dog will get to practice what he has learned with plenty of distractions ie other dogs, people etc. which will help to cement his learning.

If you are uncertain about how your dog can cope around others due to his fear or aggression, have a chat to someone at the club first regarding the types of precautions you can take.   In a few cases it may be necessary to seek some one-on-one training first from a qualified trainer but most people would be ready to attend immediately after the info session.  Generally dogs are not there to play but if you want to let people know you need space or to ask before approaching, you might e.g. use a coloured ribbon (whatever that club uses)… Some sign which others will recognize and help to keep the stress level low.

Leah & Angela OMeara

Hound Dog Day Care (Specialists in Dog Minding & Dog Boarding, Pet Sitting Brisbane & Doggy Day Care Brisbane)