Sending Fido Back To School

It’s Back To School time again! Many of our canine buddies get a bit lonely at this time of year, when their human pals head back to the classroom. Of course, education is also important for dogs. If your pup hasn’t learned basic doggy obedience yet, we strongly recommend rectifying this right away. Training is important for both safety and petiquette! A Las Vegas, NV vet discusses Fido’s ‘petucation’ in this article.

You don’t necessarily need to teach your dog complex tricks and commands, but he should obey simple commands, like Sit , Stay , Come , Heel , and Lay Down . Sit is usually the best one to start with, as it’s so easy to teach. Work on one command at a time, and make sure your pet really remembers and understands.

One thing that is very important when training dogs is making sure that you are remaining consistent. Use the same words or phrases every time, as otherwise you may just confuse your furry friend. Patience is also very important. Dogs all learn at their own rate, so some will take longer to pick up commands than others. Never punish Fido for not mastering commands quickly enough. Instead, focus on rewarding him for making progress.

A report card with straight A’s won’t impress Fido very much, so you’ll want to offer him a more tangible reward… like a yummy snack. Small portions, like pieces of kibble or cut-up hot dogs, work best. If your canine companion gets too full, he’ll probably fall asleep in class!

Dogs don’t have very long attention spans, so you’ll want to avoid long classes. They may just bore Fido! Work with your pet for about 15-30 minutes a day. Dog thrive on routine, so try to do this at the same time each day. You’ll also want to choose a place that is quiet and free of distractions, like squirrels and bacon. Down the road, you may find it helpful to work with your pooch in crowded or busy areas, but for now, opt for a more peaceful classroom.

While Fido is working on his own education, don’t let him ‘borrow’ the kids’ school supplies. Markers, glue, scissors, pens, and pencils are all choking hazards!

Please reach out to us, your local Las Vegas, NV vet clinic, anytime. We are here to help!