Dogs Stuck in the Cold?

I’ve seen too many dogs in the past month that have been showing very big signs of stress because their schedule and activity levels have changed so much due to the weather. Remember, dogs don’t hibernate, so when we start to do less work with them, they find new jobs, and all of those jobs are annoying as shit.
What’s the solution, especially for dogs that are not bred to be outside in this weather? (There is a percentage of dogs who will do perfectly fine; we just have to suck it up, put on a big jacket, and get outside.)

Simple things we can do to still fulfill our dogs even though the weather sucks.
- Take your dogs on a field trip to a pet-friendly store.
- Treadmill train your dogs.
- Create a room to play with your dogs inside. (Side note: I'm not a huge fan of playing with our dogs in our main living space if possible. That is where we want our dogs to be calm, and it’s always better if you have a play area in your house, though not always possible depending on your living space.)
- Quick outdoor stints to throw the ball and get the heart rate jacked.
- Obedience work inside the home, or teaching new skills and tricks.
- “Find it” and teaching your dog how to search.

Whenever we have giant shifts in our routine, it negatively affects our dog’s behavior. It’s been a few weeks of crap weather, and if your dog has been bottled up during this time, you have probably noticed a change in your dog’s behavior. Make the appropriate change, and if you need help, don’t hesitate to reach out.

This is the time to double down on your training efforts, not push them until nicer weather. By that time, your dog will have practiced and rehearsed the wrong behavior for so long that they will become a master of the bad. In-home lessons, board and train, and virtual training options are available.

Call or text for more information or if you have questions.
412-981-2207