Nowadays, human beings live at 100 km/h. Things have to go fast, impatience is present at every moment: catering, delivery, car journey, etc. Everything has to be fast and present moments are forgotten.
Of course, everyone has their own personal life: work, family, going out, sleeping, etc.
Chasing time, are we really happy?
But in the end, who are the biggest victims of our impatience? Our dogs, which are also called “pet dogs”.
The dog is an animal that is not made to live alone 20/24 with only a few minutes granted in the evening.
For his balance, he must go out, see other dogs, play, exercise, and simply: be in our presence.
Do not isolate them, be with them, even in the evening at the end of the day when you are tired, let them be present just at the foot of the sofa (or even on it if it suits you), go for a walk to give them/you this special moment.
Give him something to occupy himself during the day (toys, home visits from a dog sitter or something to destroy with cardboard boxes or chewing bones: a sweep of the broom and the pieces of cardboard will have disappeared, for the most maniacs of the household).
A dog whose needs are not met may develop behavioral problems and/or destruction.
So here are some tips on how to meet Titou’s needs.
TRUE OR FALSE: A DOG’S NEEDS
IF I HAVE A GARDEN, MY DOG DOESN’T NEED TO GO OUT EVERY DAY (FALSE)
Titou has a big garden where he can run around and do his sprints during his fifteen minutes of madness. But after a while, this same garden becomes boring and uninteresting.
Dogs have a strong exploratory need. They are individuals who need to sniff, run and see the outside to be well. Imagine yourself in the same room every day, won’t boredom and annoyance show up?
This is what happened during the COVID containment period. Except that it only lasted 3 months for us. Some dogs go through this their whole lives.
So think of taking them out, at least three times a week if it is not possible on a daily basis because of your work rhythm. But a minimum will be much appreciated and necessary to fulfill his needs as a dog.
CHEWING ACTIVITY IS A REAL NEED IN DOGS (TRUE)
We recommend to ALL our clients to give their dogs natural chews. Dogs need to chew (even the very small ones, yes) in order to release frustration or stress by using their jaws. Or simply to exercise physically and mentally. This need is often fulfilled when Titou is a puppy and his milk teeth are hurting him. But once he is an adult, this need remains the same.
Of course, it’s up to you to adapt to your dog.
By giving him a beef sinew or another item to chew on, you will also preserve your table legs and your furniture. Prevention is better than cure!
The Canigourmand site offers a wide variety of chews and occupations for puppies, small and large dogs. The promo code “NATUREDECHIEN” gives you a 5 euros discount on your first order ! So do not hesitate to please your dog.
TRUE OR FALSE : THE NEEDS OF THE DOG
THE DOG MUST RUN TO BE TIRED (FALSE)
This belief is still very common today. I see a lot of border collie or malinois that do two to three hours of walking when they are puppies and that become real war machines when they are adults. By thinking to do well, we make our dogs enduring and with a need of five hours of activities per day to be tired.
A quiet walk where the dog does his scenting for 30 minutes will have as much effect as a one hour jog and will not make the dog super tough.
DOGS LOVE ALL OTHER DOGS (FALSE)
Even though dogs are basically social animals, they may not get along with all their peers. It’s a bit like us and human affinities.
If Titou growls at a dog, it doesn’t mean that he won’t be sociable and that he will become a bloodthirsty monster. It just means that he doesn’t want to continue contact with that particular individual for X amount of reasons of his own or that the situation at the moment is bothering him.
Dogs know how to communicate with each other very well for the most part so let’s trust them and not force contact if it is not pleasant for one of the individuals. You will know, by meeting people, which type of profile will be the most adapted to your dog to make him meet friends to fulfill his social needs. He will also be able to maintain his social codes.
TRUE OR FALSE: THE NEEDS OF THE DOG
USING HIS NOSE IS TIRING FOR THE DOG (TRUE)
The dog’s sense of smell is much more developed than ours. The Jacobson’s organ (olfactory membrane) measures about 130 cm2 in the dog against 3 cm2 in humans. It also has 200 million olfactory cells, while we have only 5 million.
The dog can also discriminate odors (can detect and follow an odor among others). Imagine the infinite possibilities of working with his super sense of smell. An olfactory search exercise will be more tiring than 2 hours of jogging (and without increasing heart endurance!). Digging mats, a game of searching for treats in the garden, a mantrailling course (searching for people), etc. The possibilities are vast and you are bound to find an activity that your dog will enjoy and have a good time.
TRUE OR FALSE: THE NEEDS OF THE DOG
It’s time to put the dog back in its rightful place in the home if we wanted a “companion” dog. They depend on us, so let’s give it back to them properly. Or don’t take a dog (not like the spike in adoptions during covid so they “can” go out as if they are just tools for convenience).
The dog is not a flower pot, or a doll that we pick up and put down as we please. We have to be there for them, because they did not ask to be here with us.
Isolation is not a life.
The purpose of bringing a new living being (human or animal) into our lives is to share together, isn’t it?
