It is often thought that owning dogs in the city is cruel. They have no back yards and the city is busy and noisy. How lucky are city dogs? They have no green space or yards. Dogs in the suburbs and country have it far better. These dogs have yards to run about in and often spend all day and night outside. How lucky are these dogs? They have yards! Well, maybe the suburban dogs are not as lucky as we think. Maybe these are the dogs that are missing out.
Life of the well-cared for dog in the city is a wonder of social interaction. Think: owner gets up; dog goes out for a morning walk and often to a local dog park for a run. Midday, person comes in and takes dog for a walk while owner is at work. Dog gets used to someone else being with him and waking with other dogs. In the evening, owner walks the dog again – often back to the dog park! On the weekends, they go visit friends and relatives in the suburbs. During the daily walks, the dog gets used to different surfaces and how to relax around crowds. Sirens and trucks do not bother him nor does the honking of horns. People in uniforms, carrying bags, wearing hats and hoods or flapping coats are all part of his daily life. Dog gets to see many sights and smells and meet people. When he is at home, he has plenty of interactive toys in case he gets bored. These toys and a good walk in the morning help alleviate boredom and take off the edge off of built up energy from a good night's rest. His owner also knows that since he lives in an apartment, barking dogs create a nuisance so reducing boredom is crucial. Boredom and too much energy are a big cause of nuisance barking. The dog has learned it is good to potty outside and all he has to do is cue his owner when he needs to potty. Plus, the midday walker means that the dog is not forced to hold an unreasonable amount of time! Does this life sound all that bad?
Let's look at life of the average dog in the suburbs. Owner gets up, dog goes out to go potty in the yard while owner gets ready for work. If lucky, the dog will be brought inside while owner works. If not, he will stay outside during the day. It is easier than hoping the dog holds his bladder and sure beats getting someone in to walk the dog midday. However, the dog has not learned good house training and even at two years of age, still does not know how to ask to go potty. The dog sees two situations – house and yard. He has no idea how to behave around other people or dogs, as he has never had a chance to interact with them. On the rare occasions when owner does take him out, the dog shies at trucks and sirens; he lunges at other dogs and panics when he sees a flapping coat. He does not encounter new things regularly and is very under socialized. He has no idea how to react to many situations. When outside during the day, his excess energy from sleeping as well as lack of stimulation leads him to become a nuisance barker. He bothers the neighbors who are at home during the day and one has even made a noise complaint to the police. The dog is bored and has no good outlet for his physical and social needs. Neighborhood kids torment him as they walk to and from school. The owner, when home, ignores the barking and the dog learns that children are a threat. One time he even bit a child who leaned over a fence to say “Hi.” But all the dog knows is children are danger and that danger must be fought. The danger is on his turf and the turf has to be protected. He never gets to dog parks and has no idea how to interact with his own kind. In his excitement of seeing his own kind, the dog lunges and barks and people think he is aggressive. In actuality, the dog is not well trained or socialized and does not know how to respond to others of his own kind. Does this sound good?
Part of enriching our dogs' lives is proper socialization. The average suburban, and to a greater extent country, dog lacks in this area as owners have the luxury of a yard for the dog to go out in. There is no need seen to walk the dog. But walks are vital for socializing opportunities. How else can the dog learn that the world does not have to be feared? It is amazing what dogs will view as a threat and either shy from or snap at trying to escape that threat. By getting the dog out and building confidence in the world, the dog becomes less likely to respond adversely. But the sprawl of suburbs and yards makes dog owners lazy and the dogs under socialized. Dogs who are bored tend to develop destructive and annoying behaviors such as barking, chewing and digging. The dogs are not getting back at humans; they are just trying to entertain themselves. Dogs who spend all day alone and isolated from the pack may develop barking problems as well as become escape artists. Owners see the dog as hard to handle, trying to “get back at me” and refuse to take him out even more as a form of punishment for not behaving. This does nothing but exacerbate the situation. The dog is not being given the opportunity to learn and he is being even more socially deprived. The dog has no idea why he is being deprived or punished. All he knows is frustration. Is this fair?
One way to get dogs out and around other dogs in a social environment is through training classes. Ideally, training in classes should begin as soon as pup has completed his 12-week shots or ten-week shots depending on the schedule your vet uses. (Some vets go 6, 9, 12 and others 6, 8, 10, but pup should have three sets of shot for his own health). A good puppy-k program will emphasize socializing and give you ideas how to better socialize pup. Even a good adult program will teach socializing and what should be done. Another great way to socialize is sports. Agility, Flyball and such gets dogs out and about with other dogs and working around them. Another way to socialize is going to dog parks. Many communities have them. And if not, have friends with social dogs get together once a week for a play date at a house with a fenced yard. Isolation from his own kind is misery for a dog.
Now, what about enriching our own homes for our dogs? Dogs view the world as a chew toy until we teach them what they can and cannot chew. A dog that is totally deprived of stimulus will find his own entertainment. That antique chair may fall victim to boredom and lack of training. The dog is not bad or trying to get even, he is just trying to fill a void. There are a variety of things we can do to fill this void and let our dogs act out the natural behaviors of chasing, chewing, tearing and digging. Toys and bones you can fill with a tasty treat are one way to alleviate boredom and let a dog be a dog. Kong toys, hollow bones and such can be stuffed with a bit of spread cheese, spread meats, cheese cubes, hot dog chunks, semi-soft dog treats, canned dog food, etc. The dog gets to work and chew to get the treat out. If you hide these toys, the dog gets to enjoy the hunt and seek for a reward. Sturdy chew toys (hard-pressed rawhide, ropes, etc.) also allow for chewing. A toilet paper or paper towel tube with some kibble put in it and the ends crumpled allow the dog to tear into a toy. A clean milk jug with the top off and kibble dropped in lets the dog throw and tear and tackle. Buster Cubes and similar toys have various compartments inside that kibbles rolls about in, Sometimes the kibble comes out. Feed your dog one of his daily meals or even both in this fashion (works better if you have a single dog, for multiple dogs I use stuffed bones). A strong rope tied to a tree with heavy bungee cords lets the dog pull and tug. Games of hide and seek are wonderful! One person hides and another gets the dog to go find. Once the hiding person is found, a toy gets tossed for the dog. Or hide a toy for the dog to find. Start simple (behind a chair on the same room) and build up the complexity (up the stairs and down the hall and under a box in your room). Take a bunch of plastic or paper cups and lay them out mouth down. Put a treat under just one cup and encourage the dog to find the treat. Big boxes make great tunnels and many dogs will fit through the play tunnels sold at many human toy stores. Small logs and lengths of PVC pipe (4” and 5”) can be laid down for the dog to walk and jump over while playing. (For safety, dogs under 12 – 18 months of age should have all jumps very low). Make a digging area for your dog! In your yard, lay down a 4'x4' box and fill it with a soft sand and dirt mix. Encourage your dog to dig here and not in your garden. Use landscaping timbers to mark off the dog's digging box. A toy buried or some kibble sprinkled over the area can help redirect his digging from your Azaleas to the box! These are all things above and beyond fetch that we can do to help enrich our dogs' lives. And if you have a higher- to high-energy breed, these games are wonderful for burning off that energy! Get creative. However, monitor toy use and if you suspect a toy is not suited for your dog, do not use it. There is no toy ideal for all dogs and safety with toys is essential!
Boredom in dogs leads to undesired behaviors. However, enriching their environment, getting them socialized and understanding that we make our dogs what they are goes along way in making our lives together happy and healthy.
Life of the well-cared for dog in the city is a wonder of social interaction. Think: owner gets up; dog goes out for a morning walk and often to a local dog park for a run. Midday, person comes in and takes dog for a walk while owner is at work. Dog gets used to someone else being with him and waking with other dogs. In the evening, owner walks the dog again – often back to the dog park! On the weekends, they go visit friends and relatives in the suburbs. During the daily walks, the dog gets used to different surfaces and how to relax around crowds. Sirens and trucks do not bother him nor does the honking of horns. People in uniforms, carrying bags, wearing hats and hoods or flapping coats are all part of his daily life. Dog gets to see many sights and smells and meet people. When he is at home, he has plenty of interactive toys in case he gets bored. These toys and a good walk in the morning help alleviate boredom and take off the edge off of built up energy from a good night's rest. His owner also knows that since he lives in an apartment, barking dogs create a nuisance so reducing boredom is crucial. Boredom and too much energy are a big cause of nuisance barking. The dog has learned it is good to potty outside and all he has to do is cue his owner when he needs to potty. Plus, the midday walker means that the dog is not forced to hold an unreasonable amount of time! Does this life sound all that bad?
Let's look at life of the average dog in the suburbs. Owner gets up, dog goes out to go potty in the yard while owner gets ready for work. If lucky, the dog will be brought inside while owner works. If not, he will stay outside during the day. It is easier than hoping the dog holds his bladder and sure beats getting someone in to walk the dog midday. However, the dog has not learned good house training and even at two years of age, still does not know how to ask to go potty. The dog sees two situations – house and yard. He has no idea how to behave around other people or dogs, as he has never had a chance to interact with them. On the rare occasions when owner does take him out, the dog shies at trucks and sirens; he lunges at other dogs and panics when he sees a flapping coat. He does not encounter new things regularly and is very under socialized. He has no idea how to react to many situations. When outside during the day, his excess energy from sleeping as well as lack of stimulation leads him to become a nuisance barker. He bothers the neighbors who are at home during the day and one has even made a noise complaint to the police. The dog is bored and has no good outlet for his physical and social needs. Neighborhood kids torment him as they walk to and from school. The owner, when home, ignores the barking and the dog learns that children are a threat. One time he even bit a child who leaned over a fence to say “Hi.” But all the dog knows is children are danger and that danger must be fought. The danger is on his turf and the turf has to be protected. He never gets to dog parks and has no idea how to interact with his own kind. In his excitement of seeing his own kind, the dog lunges and barks and people think he is aggressive. In actuality, the dog is not well trained or socialized and does not know how to respond to others of his own kind. Does this sound good?
Part of enriching our dogs' lives is proper socialization. The average suburban, and to a greater extent country, dog lacks in this area as owners have the luxury of a yard for the dog to go out in. There is no need seen to walk the dog. But walks are vital for socializing opportunities. How else can the dog learn that the world does not have to be feared? It is amazing what dogs will view as a threat and either shy from or snap at trying to escape that threat. By getting the dog out and building confidence in the world, the dog becomes less likely to respond adversely. But the sprawl of suburbs and yards makes dog owners lazy and the dogs under socialized. Dogs who are bored tend to develop destructive and annoying behaviors such as barking, chewing and digging. The dogs are not getting back at humans; they are just trying to entertain themselves. Dogs who spend all day alone and isolated from the pack may develop barking problems as well as become escape artists. Owners see the dog as hard to handle, trying to “get back at me” and refuse to take him out even more as a form of punishment for not behaving. This does nothing but exacerbate the situation. The dog is not being given the opportunity to learn and he is being even more socially deprived. The dog has no idea why he is being deprived or punished. All he knows is frustration. Is this fair?
One way to get dogs out and around other dogs in a social environment is through training classes. Ideally, training in classes should begin as soon as pup has completed his 12-week shots or ten-week shots depending on the schedule your vet uses. (Some vets go 6, 9, 12 and others 6, 8, 10, but pup should have three sets of shot for his own health). A good puppy-k program will emphasize socializing and give you ideas how to better socialize pup. Even a good adult program will teach socializing and what should be done. Another great way to socialize is sports. Agility, Flyball and such gets dogs out and about with other dogs and working around them. Another way to socialize is going to dog parks. Many communities have them. And if not, have friends with social dogs get together once a week for a play date at a house with a fenced yard. Isolation from his own kind is misery for a dog.
Now, what about enriching our own homes for our dogs? Dogs view the world as a chew toy until we teach them what they can and cannot chew. A dog that is totally deprived of stimulus will find his own entertainment. That antique chair may fall victim to boredom and lack of training. The dog is not bad or trying to get even, he is just trying to fill a void. There are a variety of things we can do to fill this void and let our dogs act out the natural behaviors of chasing, chewing, tearing and digging. Toys and bones you can fill with a tasty treat are one way to alleviate boredom and let a dog be a dog. Kong toys, hollow bones and such can be stuffed with a bit of spread cheese, spread meats, cheese cubes, hot dog chunks, semi-soft dog treats, canned dog food, etc. The dog gets to work and chew to get the treat out. If you hide these toys, the dog gets to enjoy the hunt and seek for a reward. Sturdy chew toys (hard-pressed rawhide, ropes, etc.) also allow for chewing. A toilet paper or paper towel tube with some kibble put in it and the ends crumpled allow the dog to tear into a toy. A clean milk jug with the top off and kibble dropped in lets the dog throw and tear and tackle. Buster Cubes and similar toys have various compartments inside that kibbles rolls about in, Sometimes the kibble comes out. Feed your dog one of his daily meals or even both in this fashion (works better if you have a single dog, for multiple dogs I use stuffed bones). A strong rope tied to a tree with heavy bungee cords lets the dog pull and tug. Games of hide and seek are wonderful! One person hides and another gets the dog to go find. Once the hiding person is found, a toy gets tossed for the dog. Or hide a toy for the dog to find. Start simple (behind a chair on the same room) and build up the complexity (up the stairs and down the hall and under a box in your room). Take a bunch of plastic or paper cups and lay them out mouth down. Put a treat under just one cup and encourage the dog to find the treat. Big boxes make great tunnels and many dogs will fit through the play tunnels sold at many human toy stores. Small logs and lengths of PVC pipe (4” and 5”) can be laid down for the dog to walk and jump over while playing. (For safety, dogs under 12 – 18 months of age should have all jumps very low). Make a digging area for your dog! In your yard, lay down a 4'x4' box and fill it with a soft sand and dirt mix. Encourage your dog to dig here and not in your garden. Use landscaping timbers to mark off the dog's digging box. A toy buried or some kibble sprinkled over the area can help redirect his digging from your Azaleas to the box! These are all things above and beyond fetch that we can do to help enrich our dogs' lives. And if you have a higher- to high-energy breed, these games are wonderful for burning off that energy! Get creative. However, monitor toy use and if you suspect a toy is not suited for your dog, do not use it. There is no toy ideal for all dogs and safety with toys is essential!
Boredom in dogs leads to undesired behaviors. However, enriching their environment, getting them socialized and understanding that we make our dogs what they are goes along way in making our lives together happy and healthy.
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