Establishing a routine with your dog is extremely important. Dogs are creatures of habit, and they do well with routines. Before you figure out a routine with your animal, there are a couple of things you can do to help with the process. Once you have accomplished these things, it will be much easier to develop and stick to a routine.
Just like many humans, dogs do well with a schedule. Waking up and going outside at the same time each day helps lessen indoor accidents. An established mealtime can regulate a dog’s hunger, while a daily nap can keep both pooch and owner feeling good. This doesn’t mean that it’s up to you to tell your dog when he can nap, but it just illustrates the importance of a schedule. We all know how we feel the next day after staying up later than usual the night before.
If you don’t set a schedule for your dog, then he’ll assume the responsibility. However, it’s not as great as itsounds. Before being domesticated, dogs traveled and lived in packs. Each pack had a leader, and the pack members followed the leader at all times. You are your dog’s leader, and you need to show him your leadership capabilities. Otherwise, he’ll decide when he wants to eat or go outside, and you’ll be left following your pet around.
It’s easy to claim the dominant role as long as you start the role early. An established routine will help solidify the role, but you must make your claims even before the routine. Simple ways to secure dominancy include entering a room before your pet and completing your own meal then feeding your pet. You should also be able to let your dog know when you are not happy. Dogs can’t speak to us in our language, but they are great readers of vocal tones and body language. A soft voice can calm a dog, while a shout means you’re getting a point across. If you’re having problems gaining dominancy, then do research on the topic. The more control you give your dog, the harder it will be to take any back.
A good routine also includes crate training. This type of training is wonderful, because it can be used to teach your pooch a number of things. You can use the crate to housetrain, establish good eating habits, quiet time, and sleep time. When you’re dog can’t run freely, he’ll learn to quickly adapt to the schedule that you create.
Dogs thrive on routines, and it’s important to establish one with your pooch. Before you set a routine, there are a couple of preplanning items that will help you out. First, you need to make sure you are the pack leader. If you aren’t, then you need to figure out how you can regain that position. Second, using a crate during training can make all the difference of whose schedule your pet wants to follow. With a little preplanning, the rest will come easy.
