Can you believe we are almost through the first month of 2023?! It’s 4:30 am and I’m writing a quick blogpost because I want to share some of the things we are doing currently in our home and as part of our program that are improving both our lives and the lives of our pets!
We have been extremely lucky this month with our weather which has allowed for a lot of outdoor playtime and training sessions. Personally I (Jenny) prefer quiet indoor sessions with the pups – typically individually but I do recognize that outside distractions are important while training also. We like to do daily training with the pack and each of us do things a bit differently which is good for working a dogs brain because change is tiring and a tired dog is a good dog. Because we have such a plethora of different personalities we do like to mix and match pups so that they learn to work in favor of their differences versus against them. For instance Bernadette our Saint is very good with commands because she is extremely treat and food motivated. I like to pair training with her with one of our more rambunctious (younger) doodles because peer pressure is where it’s at and once they see her get a consistent reward they will copy her technique so that they also get that reward.
When people say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks that just simply isn’t true. Our oldest pup in the pack is always ready to learn and he has recently begun some new things like running on a leash – he has never cared for exercise but we think the other pups have motivated him to get up and get going – much like humans do in support style gyms. Again – we find peer pressure is really amazing for dogs.
This also works for things like grooming . Winnie is one of our goldendoodles who absolutely loves to be brushed and groomed. She would sit all day and let you comb and brush her out. By having a few others in the grooming area with her who are either very young or who don’t think grooming is a treat they see her and want to emulate her good behavior because they realize there are really high value treats to sitting on the grooming table for an extended period. High value here means licking peanut butter off a wooden spatula or fresh chicken bites that they wouldn’t ordinarily have.
If you have one dog who isn’t too motivated to do new things maybe we can help you with that?! There is always value in a friend for your pup and it might be a good time to add to your pack? We are expecting two litters for Valentine’s Day and these puppies will be spectacular little teddy bears. If you do not currently have a dog or you’ve never had one reach out to us and let us walk you through he steps of being a dog owner. There’s never been a better time to have a four legged friend! There are so many dog friendly stores and restaurants and dogs are the greatest motivator to get out and take walks and enjoy the sunshine and even rain. So many of our pawrents have made new human friends at the park and at pet establishments these past few years – common interests of the love of an animal is a great way to meet others. Plus we don’t want to leave out the most important part of a pup – all the snuggles and a non judgmental pal!
We hope you enjoy your weekend. Thank you for stopping by Pasatiempo Ranch today! Xoxo