National Train & Enrich Your Dog Month
For the eighth year, the Association of Pet Dog Trainers has promoted January as “National Train your dog” month to inspire the ones holding the leash, to do something with their dogs.
This feels similar to the “New Year nudges” to spark dieting, exercising and committing to other such resolutions that, for me, start big and fizzle out around January 31st. I suppose this is why I have a “To-do” list that I started in 1989, and well, I’m still working on it.
But I digress…As I’ve posted on my site, I believe that dog training isn’t a means to an end, but rather the journey we take with our companion animals together. I’ve seen many trained dogs, but from my observations, some of the relationships are not necessarily happy ones, at least not from the grimace on the dogs’ faces. So, while I am totally in favor of promoting training, I would like to propose adding something much bigger and that is animal enrichment.
Enrichment has been getting a lot of press lately. You see, the research on dogs and cats is relatively new, so for zillions of years we’ve been kind of fumbling around, using our instincts to provide what we think is appropriate for our animals. However, in my opinion, we’re way behind in animal husbandry when it comes to our companion animals.
If you’ve visited your local zoo or aquarium lately, you’ll notice that the animals are living in what can be described as natural habitats, and behind the scenes there is training going on, so that the animals are being mentally enriched with activities, that include teaching them to participate in their health care. I’m guessing it is probably much easier to ask a lion to present his big paw for a blood draw or inspection as opposed to “wrangling” him to the ground :)
There was a time, (and I’m dating myself) when my parents would take me to the Lincoln Park Zoo, here in Chicago on Sundays so I could get my animal fix. The big cats were kept in cages where they mindlessly paced back and forth, while some spectators holding up their kids to get a view could be heard saying, “Hey look at the kitty!” as though this were normal cat behavior. The elephants were usually displayed outdoors, and in those days, you could purchase a bag of peanuts to feed them, as they were close enough to the public to grab food using their enormous trunks. I used to put the peanuts in their nostrils, but hey I was 3 years old. Talk about lack of parental supervision.
But that was back in the mid 1950s, and fortunately all of that (slowly) changed when the San Diego and the Milwaukee Zoos became pioneers in building animal habitats that encourage species specific behaviors such as hunting, mating and group living. Clearly there is much history here that I’m glossing over, as well as the wonderful programs they developed to conserve the dwindling populations of wild animals, but the main point to understand is that for the last 50 plus years, because of the research, education, funding and support, exotic animals in captivity are not just surviving; they are thriving!
And now, because of the current research on dogs and cats, we can also provide enrichment for our animals to thrive too. I’m thrilled to see books like WAG, by Zazie Todd, and Canine Enrichment For The Real World by Allie Bender & Emily Strong, that empower pet-parents to creatively provide enrichment for their dogs through games, training and other activities. And yes, we can provide enrichment for our feline friends as well. One of my newest reads is Decoding Your Cat by members of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists. This is an extraordinary collaboration from the who’s who of veterinary behaviorists to educate pet-parent and professionals alike about felines, their behavior and ways to provide an enriching environment for them.
So, where to begin? I know it can feel overwhelming, especially when this past year has thrown us a curveball that we’re still consumed by. But, as they say, “Start with small steps.”
Since you probably feed your animal, try committing to making mealtime more challenging and enjoyable for your dog or cat. This means tapping into that SEEK system that excites them to solve a problem. For some humans this could be compared to clothes shopping which involves browsing through racks of clothing, trying on the items, maybe finding coordinating accessories and so on. And while it feels good to finally find the “prize” you’ve been looking for, it’s the activity itself, that provides the fun and excitement. Again, this is for some. Personally, if I didn’t hate having to return items that don’t fit me, I’d do all my clothes shopping on line! For your dog, you could try dozens of fun mealtime experiences such as the Wooly Mat and to see an array of puzzles, for a variety of species, visit Nina Ottosson’s site.
My dogs, Fonzie and Fanny, are well on their way to enrichment in the way of food-puzzles and clicker training. So this month, I will concentrate on my feline buddies, Flint and Fauci, by putting food in their new Mice Hunter feeders and hiding these throughout the house, out of the reach of the dogs, who would also love hunting the “mice”. Hmmm, I’d better think this through. But I digress…
January will also be busy with client Zoom calls, cocktail Zoom calls, and increased walks with the canine-kibble kids, as part of their “sniffing around town” enrichment program.
On a personal note, I’m starting another fitness program” to slim down to my pre- COVID, over-weight body. Good news, I know how this will end on January 31st!
HAPPY TRAINING & ENRICHMENT!
© Fran Berry CPDT-KA, UW-AAB all rights reserved 2021
