We are very lucky here in Perth with near perfect weather and
a wonderful landscape to travel. There are many places you can visit
with your dog & there is nothing better than sharing your relaxation
time with your canine friend.
Relaxation; that is if you have a socialised and well trained dog!
If you are lucky enough to have a puppy, or even better, planning to
get a puppy then now is the time to start! Puppy classes should be
compulsory! They provide so many benefits to the puppy & the
information provided will help the family as well. Socialisation is
critical and should be started before 12 weeks. Now puppy classes only
run once a week so in between make sure you take your puppy out with
you. Take a drive down to the shops and let your puppy meet and greet
people. Your puppy should be meeting people every day! The benefits of
socialisation far outweigh the risks of disease. Talk to your vet if you
have any doubts.
In between puppy classes and outings with your pup (which is the best
way to get them used to travel in the car) then you can use a puppy
socialisation CD such as Sounds Sociable. This CD has an assortment of
recordings including traffic, fireworks, thunder, children and more! The
reason I like the Sounds Sociable pack is that it also contains a 28
page booklet of instructions and hints and tips for raising a well
balanced puppy (including settling the puppy at night, house training
and more).
Now for older dogs: If you have an older dog who is noise sensitive
it won’t hurt to use a recording like this for them as well. It is very
important to remember that socialisation should be ongoing. We live in a
semi rural area and there are no parks down the road for us. So when I
need to drop into the post office I take my dog along with me. She has
become quite a regular down at the local shops as we circle the
buildings before moving off for a longer walk. She loves it when we walk
past the cafe and the chicken shop!
If you are reluctant to walk your dog or take them out then it sounds
like training is needed. A naughty dog is often just an uneducated dog
(i.e. they haven’t been taught, or don’t understand the correct way to
behave). Dogs of all ages will benefit from group training. If you have a
shy or nervous dog then chat to the trainer prior to the classes and
ask if you can work on the outside of the group until your dogs
confidence improves. Don’t force your dog into a frightening situation
or try to rush things, should be done slowly.
Taking your dog on holidays is a great way to spend quality time with
them. There are books and internet sites which can direct you to dog
friendly accommodation. Some places have quite strict rules and some are
more relaxed so just be sure to check the rules before you book. I
generally take most of my ‘family’ holidays in the winter. That way if
we need to leave the dog in the car for a short period then she is safe.
Of course we’d never leave her for long and she is very happy to stay
in the car as she gets toys and treats! Our dog is also crate trained
and this can help with travel as well.
Even if it is for just one night, take yourself and your canine
friend away for a short break. The best memories I have of my long
passed companions are of when we were travelling together. Don’t put off
having a holiday because you don’t want to leave your canine friend
behind, go together!
