It’s that time of year again, summer is almost over, days are getting shorter and kids are going back to school. This time of year could mean a few changes in your dog’s life and here are a few things to consider.
Home Alone – Your dog may have gotten used to the kids being home for the summer and it may take them a little while to get used to being home alone again, especially if they are younger dogs. Make sure the dog gets lots of attention or a nice walk in the morning before you leave. Don’t have time, hire a dog walker to come and give your dog a break during the day.
Off to College – Remember that having one of the kids leave for college can be an adjustment for the whole family, not just the parents. The dogs may be looking for the kids and not understand right away what has happened to his/her pack. Be aware of the changes and keep in mind that your dog may need a little extra attention during this phase.
Back to School – We associate this phrase with our children, but why not think of it for our dogs too. Sure you went through the puppy classes, but your dog’s training can continue on for his/her entire life. You could take a fun class or you could take the Canine Good Citizen test or train for therapy work. Dogs are like kids, they love to learn new things.
Here are a few choices of training classes beyond puppy training in the West Metro area.
- TCOTC – Twin Cities Obedience Training Club http://www.tcotc.com/. They offer basic classes or more in depth classes for competition. Classes also for Canine Good Citizen test or Therapy dog training. It’s a bit of a drive to the location, but easy to access of 35W.
- Pup Dogs training has a mix of obedience classes in Glen Lake at Pet Stuff. http://www.pupdogs.com/pupDogs_Group_Classes.html
- Cloud Nine – They again provide training for competition, but also offer a fun Dog Gym class. http://www.cloudninetraining.com/doggy_gym
- Fresh Air Training – Wendy has been training in Minneapolis for a long time. She offers a great class for dogs who are reactive/aggressive to other dogs. http://freshairtraining.com/training.html
- Dog Works in Eden Prairie offers Therapy dog training, along with agility and rally classes. http://www.dogworksinc.com/
Not every dog has a problem at this time of year, some just enjoy the extra time to nap and wait patiently for the kids to return. Have you continued training classes with your dog?
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