I’m not doing walks today – for clients or my own dogs. Unfortunately, 9 lb Lexi literally spins in circles if she doesn’t get the exercise and stimulation she needs. I’d also forgotten to stop by the pet store yesterday to stock up on chews and extra snacks.
Some dogs love this weather, and some don’t. Me and my pups fall into, it’s fun for a short time, but no walks today, thanks.
So here’s what we did this morning:
- We played! I gathered up all of their toys and we played some chase games. Later on, I’ll gather up their toys in their carrier and scatter treats inside for a fun sniff game. You can also use kibble if you’d lke to.
- We trained! I love a “touch and toss” game for this. You can sit all warm on the couch, and hold out a flat hand for your dog to come touch with their nose (use a chin or paw cue if your dog is short-nosed or doesn’t want to nose touch), then toss a treat away from you as the reinforcer and to get them moving. With multiple dogs, you can either toss treats to only their side, or toss the treats in separate locations at the same time. If dogs have resource guarding challenges around food, simply mouth deliver, or use toys or balls to get them chasing.
- We snacked! I didn’t have as much as I wanted on hand, so I pulled out the lickimats and filled them up with peanut butter (no xylitol, please. It’s toxic for our pups.), a fried egg (my boiled eggs had unfortunately gone bad, but fried is good too, as long as you don’t add salt or pepper or any other spices), and some half and half. I popped them into the freezer to firm them up and add some time needed to work on them.
Now, my pups are napping, and it’s almost like we had our morning walk, anyway.
Other suggestions:
- If you do go on a walk: Check their paws! Paws can easily get ice and snow stuck in the pads. If your dog is hesitating or lifting their paws, check to make sure they’re okay, and take a moment to warm them.
- Rethink stubbornness – if they don’t want to go, don’t force them. They may not be built for the weather, like Pyrenees and Huskies are. Our thin skin or thin coat dogs may need a jacket.
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Stay safe out there, friends!
