Many behavior issues with dogs’ stem from Boredom. In the wild, dogs spend 80% of their waking time searching for food. As pets, we have eliminated the need to go hunt for food, so they find other things to do with that time.
Pet dogs sleep more than their wild counterpart, more of a lot of naps. But it is not fair to your dog to expect them to just sleep all day. For those that endured a Shelter In Place type of order during COVID you can get a glimpse of what days on end of staying inside with nothing to do looks like for your dog. You get bored out of your mind. A bored dog will look for things to occupy their time and stimulate their mind.
Therefore, a solid base of obedience is so important. Its not from a perspective of submission, but more so as a foundation or structure for your dog to understand. A dog with no obedience and no impulse control is like a human living like everyday is Saturday. It is too much freedom and you as well as your dog will be apt to make some poor choices when left up to living a life based on Impulses.
Good dog obedience training should not just focus on the Basic Obedience Commands of Sit, Down, Stay, Come, Heel and Loose Leash Walking. A well-rounded obedience trainer will also incorporate Impulse Control, Focus or Engagement and Manners into your dog’s skills. For a dog that understands how to make better choices and not act on every impulse that pops in their mind is a much more pleasant dog to be around in distracting environments or when company comes over.
A good set of obedience commands for your dog also gives you the ability to mentally stimulate and exercise them and exercise is especially important to humans and dogs alike. In the end, a trained dog is a Joy to be around and they are the dogs that are most likely to get to go to lots of new and fun places with their Human!
The K-9 Culture Team
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