Your Winter Walkies – Motivate your mutt while out and about

We all know dogs love to go on a walk, it’s a great form of exercise for both them and us. It can also be a fantastic form of stimulation for your dog’s brain too! Training them in a fun way, without them knowing (sneaky right?).

Here are some simple examples of how to entertain and train your pooch, while on a walk.

Sit & stay – We can add a bit of fun and training into the walk by simply calling our furry friend/friends back and asking them to sit and stay, walk away a little, then tell them to come! This creates a habit for your dog to come on command, take a short breather, then run along and play.

Catch – If your dog has a favourite toy, why not bring it out with you (depending what it is)? This one is exactly what you expect it to be, a throw and retrieve exercise. Keeps your dog focused, it’s fun to play, and keeps your walk interactive with your friend.

Hide and seek – This one is a great game to play as well as important training for your dog. When your dog is off the lead, quickly find a place to hide then call his/her name and see if they can find you. Make sure to give them lots of praise as a reward for doing so, this will make a habit of the dog looking around to find you when it’s out exploring.

Give it ago and let us know how it works out for you.

If you have an older dog,  the cold weather can often affect their joints just like it does in humans.  Dietary supplements, such as salmon oil, can aid your dogs joints and may help with movement.  Salmon oil is also great for the skin and coat.

Do you have any more tips for us? Let us know.