The power of a JOB

I always say that dogs are like children. Well, I have a toddler of my own, who has just about the same attention span, mentality, energy, and comprehension level of most dogs. Everything is instant gratification with him, and if you don't correct in the moment, it has passed and so has the opportunity for a lesson. He is also brilliant (like most dogs), and if I don't give him things to keep his brain occupied, he will find things to do; things that are most often not desired behaviors (like dogs). At the risk of sounding like a broken record, every day he does something new that inspires me to help people better understand their dogs.  There are many topics I would like to cover relating children to dogs, but for today we will focus on the power of a "job".

Dogs are pack animals. They thrive on social order, and unless you own a wolf-hybrid, your dog wants to receive instructions from his pack leader (hopefully you!).  Giving your dog a job will fulfill many of his needs: it will allow him to burn off excess mental energy, it will give him a sense of purpose, and it will teach him the proper reaction to a situation. All of these things will give you a happier, well balanced pet, and will help reduce some of the boredom destruction that takes place when you're away.

But what is a good job for a dog to do? Many of you reading this are envisioning your dog putting your laundry in the washer, getting you a beer from the fridge, and then returning the empty can to the recycling bin. Mind you, my dog CAN do all of those things (I'll post video later!), but, that level of training isn't required to give your dog a job. Often times people get frustrated with their pets because they do so well in class, but at home, they seem to lose all of their training! What they're missing is practical training. Sure, it's nice to leash the dog up, get out the treat bag, and do training for 15 minutes, but what about the rest of the day? My challenge to you, my reader, is to find practical jobs your dog can do through out the day. Some common examples are:
- Performing a sit stay during the commercials of your favorite show
- On one street of your walk, ask your dog to sit or down at each driveway you pass
- Teach your dog the "your bed" command, and ask him to hold it for the duration of dinner time
- Ask your dog to perform 2 "sits" and 3 "downs" before handing him his dinner bowl
- When you're playing ball with your dog, ask him to do a different trick each time before you throw the ball. This can be really fun if your dog has a whole repertoire of tricks; if he only knows sit and down, just alternate!

Once you start integrating training in your everyday life, training becomes something that is expected. You will notice your dogs becoming more consistent with their listening skills, and you will definitely notice your dog more exhausted. Especially for those of you who find you can take your dog on a jog, return home, and they're ready to go again! If you start tapping into their mental energy stores vs just their physical energy, you will notice a much happier, less stressed pooch. 

Got an idea for a job? Leave it in the comments section below! Happy Training!