| |
News
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Facebook
-- All clients, friends and supporters are invited to
join our Facebook community and become a 'fan' of Holiday Pet Care.
Follow the link below.
Holiday Pet Care Facebook Page
Please feel free to post your 'reviews' on Facebook,
and we will take from those to add to our webpage.
Thank you for your support.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Workshops
A new workshop series, has been
announced!
Click on the
DogGuru tab for details!
Cheryl Orletsky, the founder of Holiday Pet Care, is pleased to
facilitate a series of workshops designed for pet owners, and pet care professionals
who desire to better understand dog behaviour.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Articles
The Importance of Dog
Socialization and Exercise
by Cheryl Orletsky,
Owner/Director of Holiday Pet Care
Why is
Socialization Important?
Although
social skills may seem to be just a nicety, the level to which
your dog is socialization, directly affects its temperament. A properly
socialized dog is more likely to be even-tempered, less likely to show
aggression or be fearful, and will have fewer behavioral issues. The ultimate
goal of socialization is to have a well-behaved, well-mannered dog, who can be
a welcomed member of your family.
Socialization,
in combination with obedience training and neutering, create a well-adjusted,
even-tempered dog you can be happy to take on with you on vacations, to parks,
and on visits to other’s homes, without it being stressful for you or the
guests.
What do you
mean by Socialization?
Many people,
often mistakenly, create overly structured routines for their dog. If dogs
are not exposed to a variety of people, animals, places, weather, terrains,
objects, sounds, they can develop fears of anything new, or of any change in
their routine.
A properly
socialized dog has been exposed to everything possible.
It is
important to socialize your puppy from the time you get it. The younger you
can begin to expose it to a variety of people, places and situations, the more
success you will have with its socialization. Exposure should continue as
they grow. As a dog owner, there is an inherent responsibility to regularly
seek out, and take advantage of, new experiences.
Examples of
different experiences include: people of different sizes, ages, gender, skin
colour and attire. Different attire include people wearing different types of
clothing (i.e. costumes or flowing dresses); different types of headwear such
as hats, helmets or turbans, and sunglasses. It is very common for adult
dogs to be fearful of men, children, people with darker skin tones, or people
wearing headwear & sunglasses. Early, and regular, exposure to these
types of situations is crucial.
Help to
facilitate exposure of your dog to different animals - dogs (of all shapes &
sizes), cats, livestock and wild life, as well as to many different homes and
buildings. Staircases, especially open backed ones, and metal grates are
often a source of fear for many dogs. Expose them to the traffic in parks,
on streets. Have them walk on grass, gravel, in sand, water, dirt, snow,
rain, while there is lightening and thunder. Use this as a checklist. Go on
regular walks, and take different routes. Meet any willing dogs and their
families. Fenced-in off leash areas, Dog Daycares and Cagefree Boarding
facilities are safe and secure opportunities to give your dog the experiences
that are an important part of their well-being.
What about
Socialization with other dogs?
Your dog is
born knowing how to be a dog. They start their socialization with their
mother and their litter mates. Continued socialization with other dogs, is
necessary, to reinforce their learning about the language of dogs – how to
play, how to listen to reprimands, how to interpret another dog’s mood, etc.
Dog language can be thought of in the same way as human language. If you were
to go through life not having anyone around you who spoke your language, you
would soon get pretty rusty at it.
Dogs can
teach one another many valuable lessons, which they cannot learn from humans.
For example, bite inhibition is learned at a very young age. Puppies are born
with extremely sharp teeth, yet they are constantly ‘mouthing’ everything
around them. Many people work hard to try to soften the play-biting of
puppies, however, simply providing socialization with other dogs will cure the
rough biting almost immediately. Basically, if they play too rough, they lose
their friends. The other dogs will stop playing with them. Since they want
to play, they quickly learn how to soften their mouthing, so that they have
willing playmates. For another example, if you have a crazy, hyperactive
puppy, usually around 5 to 18 months of age, socialization is the key to
tempering his craziness. Older dogs, who know proper dog language, will
correct him immediately, and in essence, take him down a notch. When he
realizes he can’t get away with his out-of-control behaviour all the time, he
will start to learn to be more aware of his surroundings, and respectful of
others.
Besides the
lessons they can learn, one must also realize that dogs simply crave
interaction with their own species. They are pack animals, and as much as we
want them to be a part of our family, they are still dogs. It is not fair to
deprive them of their own kind. A happy dog, is one who can have the canine
companionship they desire, and who can return home, a tired bundle of fur,
ready to cuddle with their human family.
Exercise
How do I
know if my dog is getting enough exercise?
The better
question might be, ‘What are the signs he or she is lacking in exercise?’
Dogs that do not have a regular avenue to work off their energy will develop
problem behaviours. Destroying property, digging, chewing, licking, excessive
barking, & aggression are all examples of unfavourable behaviours that can
manifest from built-up energy. In addition, this build up of stress and
energy will determine how they interact with you, your children, other people,
and other animals. A bored dog, becomes a ‘bad’ dog, whereas an exhausted dog
can do no wrong.
But I walk
my dog? Why isn’t this enough?
Different
breeds have different exercise requirements; however, in general, the
occasional walk around the block is not enough exercise for the average dog.
Many dogs that were originally bred for hunting, guarding or herding, now find
themselves relegated a life of sleeping, eating and simply wandering around
the house & yard. Such a daily routine, often results in weight problems and
loss of muscle mass. For large breed dogs such as Labs, Shepherds & Rotties,
this can prove to be significantly harmful to the joints, thus shortening
their life-span.
Long,
regular walks are helpful, but what your dog really needs is some ‘dog time’
where he or she can run, jump, play, chew & dig.
Dogs naturally
greet one another by jumping, mouthing, and smelling.
Most of a
dog’s natural behaviours are ones we tend to want a dog not to do.
Kind of ironic isn’t it? Giving your dog permission to perform these
behaviours in a specific environment, doesn’t mean he or she will expect to be
able to do them anytime they wish. Dogs don’t generalize well.
For
example, if they are allowed to jump up on & mouth other dogs to play, this
does not mean they can expect to be able to jump up & put their mouths on
people. Another example: One of the best ways to curb a digging habit is to
provide your dog with an area that they are allowed to dig in. Give them a
spot under a tree or out of the way, and bury treats or toys to encourage them
to go there. Then, if they start to dig in a forbidden place, reprimand them,
and take them to the ‘digging spot’ and praise them.
Exercise
releases stress and energy, and is needed every day. Forms of exercise could
include playing catch, Frisbee, wrestling with other dogs, and running in
large open spaces. Your fenced yard or a fenced-in off-leash park is perfect
for this. Dog Daycare and Cagefree Boarding are also wonderful options if you
find your schedule too busy to accommodate your dog’s exercise requirements.
Most dog owners report that after a visit to an
off-leash park or Dog Daycare, their dog is less agitated, more relaxed and in
general nicer to be around.
____________________________________________________
Cheryl
Orletsky is the Owner of Holiday Pet Care, a thriving pet care facility in
Thornhill, which has been serving York Region since 1998. Cheryl’s interest in exercise started,
with humans, with a degree in Kinesiology and over 12 years as a Certified
Fitness Instructor. Her passion for animals extends over a lifetime of
experience with dogs and pets of all types. Her formal training includes
working as a Veterinarian Assistant and an Assistant Dog Trainer, as well as
numerous workshops and seminars including those by world renowned Veterinarian
and Animal Behaviorist, Ian Dunbar;
Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist,
Patricia McConnell; and
Sue Sternberg, one of the most respected trainers and kennel owners,
specializing in temperament evaluations.
|
|
