My little Remington is afraid of everything including my family. I have been taking him to Triple Crown Dog Academy for 4 weeks now and have seen a bit of improvement.
The best advice I have heard about dogs is that they are often bored. Boredom causes barking, digging, chewing, etc. If you train your dog to sit, stay, place, and heal, it might be just what your dog needs to keep boredom at bay. It also takes the weight of the world off the little ones shoulders and places it firmly on yours, thus curbing the fears.
"A dog that has a sense of purpose knows his/her place in the world and can take the time to lie about leisurely and await his next adventure."
Besides training, you can invest in a few high quality interactive or time consuming items to keep the boredom from returning. I have seen huge improvements on the barking and chewing with the following:
Ever Lasting Fun Ball
: Simply tuck treats into the little opening and away you go. As your dog rolls and chases the ball, treats fall to the floor. What does this do? Encourages even more play. If you have only one dog, you can fill the ball with that day's meal instead of giving your dog extra food every time he/she plays.
Ever Lasting Bento Ball
: The bento ball is two fold. You can tuck treats into one side and the other side has a flavored chewing disk that cleans the teeth. You can get a vanilla mint flavored disk over the traditional meat flavors. I have yet to try it, but I would assume it would freshen the breath quite nicely.
Flavored Hambones
: Hours of chewing on something other than your slippers. What more can I say?Do you have a suggestion on how to keep your dog entertained and rid him/her of some truely bad habits?
Do you have a favorite toy that your dog can play with independentaly to keep him/her busy even you cannot play?
I'd love to hear your advice.
Note: I have found greater success spending the money on a personal trainer than going with the more mainstream group classes.
