Today's Bored Dog

 

Read this slow. Understand. As most things are done at a very fast pace today. Take a breath and slow down. Pour a drink. Be calm. Relax. Enjoy.

    The importance of exercise for our dogs is very much in line with our importance of exercise. We know it makes us feel good, inside and out, but the moment we look at ourselves in the mirror we play that same mental recording of self convincing delay: "Eh, I'm alright..I'll go for a walk tomorrow, eat better tomorrow, pick up the weights or do a few situps...tomorrow." Except tomorrow usually doesn't come, and we wind up sitting in the parking lot of a strip mall deciding between McDonalds and Muscle Maker Grill. As we glance at our rear-view mirror and reflect our inner selves, then lift up the shirt to see what looks like a buttcheek hanging over our jeans, it becomes quite obvious. Maybe its time I...walk.

We have the options the thumbs and the ability to leave the house every day, to go run a mile or not run at all. Our dogs however get swept up in the everyday routine of "Alarm clock, leave for work 8 hours, come home tired, eat, sit on couch, sleep aaaand Alarm clock again" Without taking away from the obvious requirements the world puts on us today its no shock that as dog owners, we feel bad for our buddies left at home. Imagine the same smells sights sounds and light patterns of days past in a mind that processes life multiple times faster then a human. It would be like a twelve month spell sitting in front of the TV watching the same infomercial over and over again. Yea, I cringe thinking about that too.

So when a car drives by and stops, when a person walks to the door, when somebody new enters your home; is it a wonder why your dog gets excited? We try to train our dogs to do and not do. But as fellow mammals  we know how important it is to keep our bodies sharp and our minds sharper. We ourselves feel it when we're out of shape, not mentally there or perhaps bored and in a rut cause of both. We have the ability to change that. Our dogs do not. Well they do...They chew, they dig, they shred scratch and fulfill their need to hunt by spreading the contents of your garbage all over the house (It smelt good!)

You come home, your dog feeling GREAT, and you freak out. Such a common occurrence yet it will happen over and over again despite your anger and anguish and get declared "Look he knows what he did, look at his face!" (he only knows your upset) Granted there are dogs who will be low energy and stay seemingly content for hours on end; however, the dogs who are culprits of destruction and labeled under the many separative anxious behaviors are simply...full of energy and very bored. To help out our dogs as well as us, get them out more. That's it. That's IT.

They need to experience new things and learn similar to the same way we do. Example is a child who is out of control until he learns how to act in public. Hence, an adult who can go anywhere. A puppy or adolescent dog who never learns public is going to have a hard time behaving properly in such an environment. If you want to see a well behaved less energetic happy dog, get him exposed and get him tired. A quick jog or game of fetch outside for 15 minutes before or after work is enough to add a healthy dose of stimulation in the lives of our cooped up companions. Some other options include in-home visits for rollerblading, walking/jogging and treadmill sessions. Live life. Be Free. Enjoy your dog.