Dog training in Perth, travel and doggy holidays!

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!