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Your clients need not train their dogs to Jerry the Daschund’s level of self-sufficiency, but this is a great example of an owner’s creativity in attempting to keep his pup mentally stimulated and exercised. You may find some clients are reluctant to provide sufficient exercise and mental stimulation for their dogs. Here are a few challenges and tips:
1. No time for exercise. Many clients perceive their exercise options as a dog park visit, a long walk, a jog or run. That’s not necessarily true. While those can be great ways to exercise some dogs for some clients, they’re not a great fit for everyone. Recommend some alternatives that clients can do at home or that require less time. A short walk, if that’s all there is time for. Tug and fetch can be done in short bursts, right before work or after. Scenting games can be done anywhere, with little preparation, and are not time consuming.
2. Don’t enjoy walks, what else is there? Increasing mental stimulation can be an exercise replacement for some dogs. So incorporating interactive toys, short training sessions, and games can be helpful. There are also a number of sports now available to dogs and their owners. Review some of the options with your clients and see if one or more sparks interest.
3. Don’t see the need. This one can be a little trickier without some case specific facts. You’ll need to point out very specific ways in which greater exercise and mental stimulation will benefit your clients dog. Look at the reasons your client is asking for professional dog training help. Relate your clients specific challenges to improvements that enrichment, exercise or mental stimulation, might make.
Determine what your client’s challenges are, brainstorm some reasonable options that fit their interests and schedule, and give them a plan for getting started. Need help convincing your clients to incorporate more mental stimulation and exercise? Read our blog “Enrichment & Exercise: Why Your Clients Need to Make the Time.”
