Summer Adventures
When summer comes, so does all the fun activities…. and what’s more fun than sharing those adventures with your dog?!
The dream is to have the dog that loves water, jumps right in. Or the dog that is having the time of their life splashing around. Some even want the perfect fishing buddy. While for some dogs this is a reality, for many it is not. It can be scary to try new things. So let us help! Let’s talk about it, how to enjoy these adventures with your dog.
Be prepared… for ALL the things. Make sure you pack all the necessary gear: Life jacket, collapsible bowl, fresh water, k9 first aid kit, towels, harness, leash and collar. Consider having spare gear for adventuring so if it’s wet, muddy or stinky you don’t ruin the fancy ones. Make sure you have plenty of poop bags, your treat pouch fully stocked and even a ball or chaser toy.
2. HEAT SAFTEY! While it sounds really refreshing to cool off in your favorite spot when the sun is it’s hottest, this is not ideal for your dog. Even though the water can be a great hot day activity, they can still overheat. Taking short trips, and providing lots of shade and opportunity to stay cool is ideal. Boating can especially increase the risk of overheating if you are not taking breaks out of the sun. Be mindful of hot surfaces and of course take signs of heat stress seriously!
3. Introduce your dog to water slowly. There is nothing worse than the sink or swim method here. This can set the tone for the future and a bad experience because we are eager to share our fun can result in a negative way. The goal is to encourage your dog to WANT to try out the water or boat. Bring their favorite tasty treat and toy and let them dip their toes in…literally. As they start to settle in to trying this new experience, continue to make it a positive one with lots of positive reinforcement. If your dog is scared, throwing them in the deep end won’t help, and neither will bargaining with them or coddling them into it. Be confident WITH your dog and be patient with your task.
4. Use your commands. You taught these things for a reason, so use them! We work on real life situations here at Professional K9 for this reason. Using your foundation of basic and advanced obedience will help these adventures be a good one! Think about it all possibilities, like the place command, your “here” or recall command, a sit or stay command and even a bring and drop command. You can also use these fun summer adventure as training time too.
5. Boat safety: Boating safety can be the difference between a good experience or a bad one. LIFE JACKETS are not optional. Even if you have a dog who is an Olympic swimmer, a life jacket is life saving. It only takes one rogue wave to lose your balance and fall in. For our fishing friends, there is no greater fishing buddy than your dog, but watch those hooks! Be sure to give your dog a safe “place” on the boat, where they can ride the waves, feel the wind in their hair but stay secured and safe while cruising. Boats are a great place to use the place command and allow your dog a space to hang out without being underfoot or too close to the edge.
Summer is amazing, so enjoy all the adventures it brings and share your fun with us! If you are wanting to try some summer fun but don’t know where to start, watch facebook and instagram for our Adventure days. Our adventure days are a way to enjoy a group setting with other friends and their dogs learning just like you. Our trainers find a new place to explore together. It is a great way to get expert training, try something new with your dog and learn new skills!
