This is a draft of a guide I’m putting together for my clients. The finished product will have pictures, links to products I might talk about, places to visit, and videos so they can see the thing in action.
I mention training sessions but it’s definitely not training focused. I want my clients to think about what their dog likes to do and be open to trying different things with them.
I’ve had a few recent clients that had the mindset of everything needs to be trained to fix, when the underlying condition is your dog really just needs something to do. But they weren’t sure what to do, when to do it, and for how long.
ps – Copy/Paste from Google Docs to WordPress also messed with the formatting. The text may seem extra large and maybe look weird on your mobile. I just can’t be bothered to fix it 🙂
Notes before you get started planning activities
Don’t force the fun. Just because it’s something designed for a dog doesn’t mean they’ll enjoy it. You have to try different things to see what they enjoy. They may love working on a stuffed Kong for 60 minutes but hate their snuffle mat. Kibble scatter in the yard might not be exciting enough to encourage foraging but small pieces of cheese or Happy Howies is a different story!
It’s important to note your dog doesn’t need something to do every single moment of every single day. Your dog will need time to rest. If you don’t give them a rest period you will have an overtired dog. Overtired dogs are like overtired children, except dogs have sharper teeth.
Some ideas you’ll see repeated in the same day, like feeding from a puzzle or offering a Lickimat or similar to help calm down. Not all dogs will need this. Some dogs won’t need an afternoon activity. Some dogs will go right back to sleep after breakfast.
Breed matters! Certain breeds tend to prefer certain activities if they have the opportunity to engage in them. Your little terrier might enjoy exploring the wood pile or flower beds in the backyard looking for critters instead of playing fetch. Your Great Pyrenees may prefer to spend their morning on the back deck, watching, like they were bred to do, instead of going for a walk. A herding ball may bring more satisfaction and longer afternoon naps to your Australian Shepherd.Â
That being said your dogs may not want to do any of those things! And that is OK.
Dogs tend to be more active in the morning and the evening, so keep that in mind. If you work all day and come home in the evening they may be more excited than usual: they’ve been alone and sleeping most of the day, now you are home, it’s also dinner time, it’s also the evening! This is the witching hour especially for puppies!
Adapting and mixing activities ensures that your dog’s diverse needs are met and keeps them engaged and happy throughout the week.
Monday
Morning
- Breakfast using some type of food dispensing puzzle toy.
- Snufflemat
- Kong/Toppl or similar
- Box filled with kibble
- Scatter in yard
- Mix and match above suggestions
- Walks: be sure to give plenty of time to sniff! Or pee on things. Or just watch the world go by if that is what they want to do.
- Short training session
- Or work on behaviors and/or tricks while on your walk.
- If your dog isn’t feeling it, try a different behavior or trick before moving on.
- Lickimat or chew to help relax
Afternoon
- Arrange a playdate with a doggy friend for social interaction and play.
- Take a ride to a park or other greenspace to explore.
- Afterward, offer a calming lickable treat to help them relax.
Evening
- Dinner using some type of food dispensing puzzle toy.
- Take a leisurely walk in a new area, allowing your dog to explore new scents and environments.
- Or visit a sniffspot!
Tuesday
Morning
- Walk and breakfast.
Afternoon
- Training sessions. What have you been working on? Maybe today is the day we go to the next level of difficulty.
- Provide a stuffed chew toy for quiet, independent play.
- Or maybe something to shred, instead.
Evening
- Engage in a calming massage or relaxation exercises to wind down.
- Cuddle on the couch, or lie on the floor with them, and watch some tv. Or read a book.
- Work on some behavior that doesn’t require lots of activity.
Wednesday
Morning
- Breakfast in a slow feeder while you get ready for a hike!
- Take your dog for a nature walk on a trail, allowing them to explore the sights and smells of the outdoors.
- You can also bring their breakfast with them to enjoy on the way.
Afternoon
- Nap time!
Evening
- Short walk in the neighborhood.
- Dinner in something like a Kong that is long lasting.
- Your dog may still be tired from their outdoor adventure and may not need a lot of evening activity.
Thursday
Morning
- Put aside some of their breakfast and use it for a morning training session.
- Breakfast using some type of food dispensing puzzle toy.
- Head to a dog-friendly park for a game of fetch or frisbee.
- Invite one of their canine friends! Or one of their favorite human friends.
- Afterward, offer a lickable treat to help them unwind.
Afternoon
- Give them a cardboard box filled with treats, kibble, shredded paper, and let them have at it!
- Be sure to supervise. If your dog likes to eat paper, or has a hard time when you try and take something from them, this might not be the best activity as you may have to take away pieces of paper and cardboard they might eat.
Evening
- Practice scent work by hiding treats around the house for them to find.
- Give them the rest of their dinner in a slow feeder, Kong, snufflemat, etc
- Take a group class at your local force free training facility!
Friday
Morning
- Breakfast
- Training sessions
- Maybe today is the day you go work on your dog’s reactivity by finding a safe distance to watch other dogs at a local park.
- Or you work on skills like leash
- Or you take the day off from training – and that’s ok.
Afternoon
- Post training adventure Lickimat or chew to encourage relaxation.
- Nap time!
Evening
- Party time dinner time!
- With your dog in another room, set up some of their snufflemats, slow feeders, lickmats, puzzles, etc and spread their dinner out among them.
- Call your dog and let them take their time eating their dinner.
- Wrap up the week with a short walk for some sniffs, maybe trick training in the backyard, or just sitting on the front steps watching the world.
- Spend quality time bonding with gentle grooming and petting sessions.
Saturday and Sunday
- Choose your own adventure!