For many, this is the season of giving, receiving, and planning for next year. And many humans received new pets this gifting season.
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I was thinking about making a bunch of suggestions of neat little gifts and toys, etc. But they are going to depend on the size the dog, or if it’s a cat, etc.
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But what I think the best plan for the new year is – is training.
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And a whole bunch of you just groaned because training “is a lot of work”.
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OK, sarcasm alert:
What do you think getting a new pet is? It’s a lot of work. Let’s make it a lifelong commitment.
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For those of you who already have the hairless two legged kind, you know, children, you understand. It’s a lot of work. But you also understand that the more time, the more training, the more education you do with the hairless, two legged family members, the better the rewards. The better your connection with your kid, and the more motivated they are to learn and participate in the family.
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It’s 100% the same with the four legged, furry kind!
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So, if you do anything for your new pet, or even an old one, let’s invest in training. Let’s commit just a little time. Some days, all it takes is a three minute reminder on the walk. Sit. Stand. Down. Stay. Seriously. 3 minutes. Other days you can spend a little more time.
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So how about some options?
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They’re actually are some amazing YouTube videos, and some great trainers, you can find online. The benefit is low price. The disadvantage is that some of us need accountability. Myself included. I do much better when I have paid for training with a trainer. Because I know he’s going to critique what I’ve done since I saw him last.
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There are group classes. The advantage is it’s lower cost than private lessons. It can be great socialization with a good trainer, or it can be chaos to train in a group. The disadvantage is many of these group training places mandate vaccines that may not be in the best health interest of the pet.
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And there are personal trainers. Yeah, yeah, not just for the gym, but also for dog training. And you could complain about price. But how much money did you just spend for your new puppy? It doesn’t stop with the purchase of “the perfect breed“.
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Again, to use an analogy, for those of us who are parents of the hairless, two legged kind- we invest in education, we invest in great food, we invest in great health.
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Same for the pets. Great food. Great education. Then we get rewarded with a great pet.
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It’s a win-win – because now we all have a better emotional connection.
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Even my cats benefit from training. They don’t know a ton of tricks. But they know “come.”
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I have seen cats who come, sit, stay, down, climb, and heel! You know that Mom is well connected to her cats!
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So, if you got, or gave, a pet this season, please consider incorporating training in with that gift!
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Some people even have so much fun that they go to advanced levels. Agility. Nose work. Detection. Barn hunt. Or simply playing frisbee. The dogs and cats love it! (So do the people.)
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Happy New Year!
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Still seeing patients in Tampa, Clearwater, and virtually.