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Many of the annoying habits canines’ display are due to boredom. Chewing, barking, improper elimination, jumping, and even aggression can be traced to a lack of mental stimulation. This often happens when owners leave their pets home all day by themselves. If dogs have nothing with which to occupy their time, they become bored, and look for alternative ways to entertain themselves. This can lead to a host of behavioral problems.

The key is to prevent your canine from becoming bored in the first place. We’ll offer a few suggestions in this article. The following tips will not only curb your pet’s boredom, but will also make him a more pleasant companion.

Provide Plenty Of Stimulating Toys

Toys give your pet something with which to play while he’s alone. There are many different types, and they serve different purposes. For example, chew toys are designed to withstand vigorous chewing, which canines find stimulating (for a short time, at least). Other toys offer puzzles for dogs to solve, forcing them to use their minds. Still others combine puzzles with treats; if your pet is able to solve the puzzle, the toy will release a small treat as a reward (you pick the treat).

Note that these toys stimulate your canine’s mind. In doing so, they give him something on which to focus his attention, and thus help him stave off boredom.

Teach Him New Commands

When you teach your canine to respond to new commands, you’re engaging his mind. He’s forced to focus and learn something that is new to him. He needs to think ahead to respond quickly and appropriately. Many dogs consider this a welcome challenge, and will strive to respond in the way their owners desire. If you provide your pet’s favorite treats as a reward, he’ll be engaged in multiple ways.

You can also enroll him into professional obedience classes, or specific training courses. Most obedience classes will include activities that work your canine’s body and brain. Training courses can vary from therapy training, agility classes, and Search and Rescue (SAR) classes. These, too, stimulate your dog’s mind as well as his body.

Give Him Exercise

One of the surest ways to bust your pet’s boredom is to provide him an outlet for exercise each day. A daily 20-minute walk is helpful. Two daily walks is better. The benefit of exercise is that it gives your canine an opportunity to expend the energy that builds within him. It also engages his mind since he’ll be able to enjoy the sights, sounds, and scents of his neighborhood.

The amount of exercise your dog needs depends largely on his normal activity level. He may be content to sit around the house all day. Or, if he is naturally energetic, he may need more daily activity to keep the boredom away.

Provide Opportunities To Socialize

Owners often forget that dogs enjoy the company of their own kind. Interacting and playing with other canines is both fun and stimulating for them. For this reason, consider meeting other owners to schedule play dates for your respective pets. You can also visit dog parks where your pet can socialize and play with others while you mingle with the other owners.

If you’re away during the day, and unable to provide an outlet for socialization, dog daycare may be a good solution. It works in the same manner as daycare for young kids. You can drop your pooch off on the way to the office, and pick him up on the way home. He’ll have a chance to interact with other canines while you’re at work.

There are plenty of ways you can help your dog keep boredom at bay. The suggestions above will engage his mind, and prevent many of the most common behavioral problems from emerging.

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Adopting and caring for a canine is always a rewarding experience. In exchange for food, shelter, exercise, and regular veterinary care, your pet offers loyalty and companionship for the remainder of his life. Dogs that have lived in puppy mills, however, pose a unique challenge for owners. The treatment they received at the mill will likely have made them distrustful of people, and fearful of anything that is unfamiliar to them. Owners who adopt such dogs must take a few extra steps toward making them feel comfortable and secure in their new homes.

In this article, we’ll describe how puppies are treated in mills so you’ll understand the reasons such pups are hesitant and fearful of others. We’ll also describe the typical behaviors puppy mill dogs exhibit once they’re rescued. Lastly, we’ll provide a few suggestions for helping your canine feel comfortable within your home.

Inside A Puppy Mill

Puppies are treated poorly in mills. Their physical and mental health take a back seat to revenue. The mill generates this revenue by breeding the pups in their care. But there is a key difference between the breeding activity that takes place in a mill, and that which is done by professional breeders.

Professional breeders do everything possible to minimize genetic problems in the canines they breed. Mills take no such precautions. Instead, they breed pups without consideration for the likelihood that defects may pass to the litters. For this reason, many of the puppies born from this process are saddled with eye, dental, and joint problems.

The pups at the mill are usually housed in overcrowded pens. The living conditions are often dirty to the point of being unhygienic. Moreover, the dogs seldom receive the basic essentials they need to stay physically and mentally healthy. They rarely see the sun, or have access to a constant source of clean air.

When a puppy is adopted from a mill, the transition to a “normal” life can be jarring to him. You may notice behaviors in him during the first few days in your home that seem odd.

Establishing His Personal Den

Keep in mind that everything is new and potentially frightening to your new pet. When you bring him into your home, he may appear especially hesitant. This is because he has lived with fear his entire life. He has learned to dread the unfamiliar.

First, establish a room – or part of a room – as his personal den. Place bowls for food and water in this area along with newspapers on which he can urinate and defecate. Having an area to himself will make him feel safe, and slowly build his confidence.

Second, after a week has passed, begin acclimating him to a collar and lead. Place both on him for short periods, and let him drag the lead as he roams throughout your home. This will help him become accustomed to the feel, and prepare him for going on walks.

Minimizing Fear And Stress

Because your puppy’s exposure to the outside world was so limited while he was at the mill, he may be easily startled by unfamiliar noises. For example, the sound made by a vacuum cleaner may frighten him. A toaster, television, and blow dryer may also cause him stress. Desensitization training will prove invaluable for helping him become used to hearing these sounds. This type of training takes time and requires patience. But it’s the most effective way to minimize your canine’s fear and stress of routine noises that occur in your household.

Once your dog begins to feel safe and secure within your home, he’ll explore on his own. He’ll start to peek into other rooms to discover what lies beyond the confines of his personal den. Over time, he’ll gain confidence regarding his place within your life, and look to you as his best friend.

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Dogs love to be around their owners. They’re sorry to see them leave, and are always happy when they return. The bond a canine feels with his owner makes him unhappy when separated from him. This is normal. Some dogs, however, become especially agitated when they suspect their owners are leaving them. They may loudly vocalize their displeasure, or adopt destructive behaviors that manifest in several ways (e.g. digging, destroying furniture, etc.). This is called separation anxiety.

Below, we’ll explore why many canines become anxious whenever they are separated from their owners. We’ll also describe some of the common symptoms of the problem, and provide a few tips for addressing them.

Why Your Absence Might Cause Your Dog Stress

In nearly all cases of separation anxiety, there is some type of social dysfunction in the canine’s past. For example, he may have spent his early years in a puppy mill. Such dogs are usually deprived of socialization and human contact (aside from the rough treatment of the mill’s employees). When they receive both from loving owners, they gravitate toward them. When their owners leave, the possibility of losing these things causes them stress.

Another possible cause is that the canine has been exposed to multiple owners. Many dogs go from household to shelter to household to shelter, which prevents them from developing any degree of security in their surroundings. Because they fear being abandoned again, they become anxious whenever their current owner departs.

Your pet may also show signs of distress when you leave if he has experienced something traumatic in his past. For example, he may have been confronted with his previous owner having passed away, leaving him trapped inside the house.

Common Signs Of Separation Anxiety

Many behaviors that stem from separation anxiety are destructive in nature, but result from the dog trying to relieve the tension he feels. For example, suppose you left your canine inside your home to go to the office for the day. If he becomes anxious due to being separated from you, he might perceive the doors in your home as barriers. As a result, he may scratch them in an attempt to get through.

Other behaviors include urinating and defecating inside the home, persistent whining, salivating, and even diarrhea. Your dog may also pace back and forth to help relieve the stress he feels. When you arrive at home, he may not let you out of his sight, a behavior motivated by nervousness that you may leave him again.

Tips For Minimizing Separation Anxiety

The most effective solution for reducing your canine’s anxiety is to help him grow accustomed to your being away. First, avoid making a big deal about leaving and returning home. Ignore your dog fifteen minutes prior to leaving, and likewise when you return.

Second, give him something to chew on during the time leading up to your departure. This will help him form a connection between your leaving and something he enjoys.

Third, give your canine plenty of exercise. A single walk each day should be considered a minimum. Take more, if possible. Not only does this help him expend his energy, and thus keep boredom at bay, but it will also give him a chance to broaden his view of the world. This might encourage him to be less dependent on you, and less anxious when you leave.

Fourth, confine your canine to an area of your home for short periods to help him grow comfortable with being separated from you. Start with five minutes and gradually add more time.

The challenge in minimizing your dog’s separation anxiety is helping him understand that you will return to him, despite his experiences with others in the past. Keep in mind that modifying his expectations and gaining his trust takes time. With diligence, however, you can help your dog overcome his anxiety.

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Dogs love to chase vehicles. Unfortunately, doing so often leads to their injury or death. In some cases, they chase an automobile until it stops, at which point they run into its back end, and damage their spine. In other cases, the canine is hit by another car.

Another problem is that drivers who see dogs lunging into the street are likely to brake quickly, or swerve into oncoming traffic. This poses a serious danger to other drivers and pedestrians.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the reasons canines chase vehicles. If you’re able to pinpoint the trigger, you’ll be more effective in curbing the tendency. We’ll then offer a few suggestions for discouraging the behavior in your pooch.

Understanding Why Dogs Chase Cars

Your dog is a natural predator, even if he doesn’t seem so. This can manifest in different ways. For example, if given the opportunity, he’ll stalk and chase small rodents. If he happens to corner one, he’ll rarely follow through in harming it. The reason? Because stalking his prey is a game for him. He has no intention of harming or killing the rodent.

The same is true when your canine chases people riding bicycles, kids on skateboards, or even other pets. It is the mark of a normal, happy, and well-balanced pooch socializing with others.

There are a few breeds that have a stronger predatorial sense than most. For them, the act of stalking and catching their prey is not a game. If they catch their prey, there is a good chance they will kill it. While this level of stalking is rarely directed toward vehicles, it is possible. It is also difficult to control.

Even though chasing cars comes naturally to a dog, the tendency can be discouraged before it becomes a problem. The key is addressing the behavior as early as possible.

Preventing The Problem Before It Starts

When your canine first shows signs of interest in passing vehicles, immediately call his name to capture his attention. Once he looks at you, and keeps his eyes on you, praise him and give him a treat. This trains him to understand that ignoring traffic and giving you his attention when you call results in a positive outcome. This will prove invaluable if you accidentally release his leash while traffic is passing nearby.

A lot of owners assume that because their pets only chase vehicles while behind a fence, the behavior poses no danger. In reality, it does since the tendency reinforces itself. Eventually, your dog may jump into the fence out of excitement, harming himself in the process. Thus, you should take the time to curb the behavior.

Curbing An Existing Tendency To Chase

If your canine has already developed a habit of chasing cars, you’ll need to first test his ability to come when you call him. This is critical. Everything revolves around his perception that you are the priority. Start by testing him in a quiet environment with no distractions.

After he consistently responds to your commands, take him to a park or similar setting that offers distractions without the danger of traffic. This will teach him to ignore other things, and focus his attention on you.

Next, test his ability to focus near semi-busy streets. Make sure you keep a tight hold on his leash to prevent him from bolting into traffic. Many dogs will respond consistently to their owners at home or at a park, but will lose their focus when presented with the opportunity to chase a car. Be wary.

Many canines have been injured or killed as the result of chasing vehicles. Train your dog to ignore traffic, and listen to your voice. It may one day save his life.

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