Training TIPS from Wild Heart Dogs

Training Top Tip - Add enrichment at meal times

In this collaborative post with canine behaviourist Carri Robinson from Wild Heart Dogs, we explore a training top tip focusing on one of your pup's favourite times - meals!

🍌 Feeding time is an exciting and important part of your dog’s daily routine but just because it’s routine doesn’t mean it needs to be boring. By introducing simple enrichment protocols to our dogs’ daily lives, we can improve their health and our relationship.

🐶 Dogs want and need to carry out many of the same behaviours that their ancestors did. Indeed, it’s commonly these behaviours that are often labeled ‘behaviour problems’ and that cause so many of the breakdowns in relationships between pets and their people.

Instead some ideas to try at home:

➡️ Scatter feeding: take a handful of your dog's meal or other food and toss it on the lawn or floor for your dog to search and discover.

➡️ Hiding little piles of food or stuffed toys around the house or garden for your dog to track down

➡️ Setting up a digging pit for your dog containing buried treats

➡️ Using food in training, which acts as a valuable reward, makes training easy and quick plus dogs have to eat! And by associating you with food you increase your value in your dog’s eyes too boosting your relationship!

➡️ Food dispensing toys will challenge your dog while keeping them occupied and exercising their mind and body. Working on food dispensing toys will help your dog get lots of tracking, holding/biting, chewing and dissecting behaviours in too.

➡️ Chewing carefully selected raw, natural bone as part of a diet plan (e.g. BARF) or as an enrichment addition can be a great chewing work-out.

🤤 Enrichment doesn’t always have to be about food…

⚽ Interactive toys encourage social and environmental interaction. Toys that encourage interaction and above all else lots of fun include Kongs, tug toys, fetch toys, chasing toys like flirt poles and digging pits or paddling pools. Introducing doggie games helps with training, teaches self-control and boosts your relationship with your dog. Remember, always teach games with rules so that they stay fun!

WILD HEART DOGS

 Your dog is an individual and a much-loved member of your family. Sometimes their relationship with you and their environment needs work; that’s where Gold-Coast based canine behaviourist Carri Robinson can help!

For over 20 years, she has been trusted by families and veterinary professionals for her bespoke approach to canine behaviour training. Taking a holistic and integrative approach, Carri works with you to help you better understand your dog and build a solid connection.

Reach out via her website or text Carri on 0478 633 373 with your dog's name for a free discovery call!