Back to School Tips To Support Your Family & Pet's New Fall Routine

It's that time of year again! Back to school. As most of us know that also comes with a hectic schedule of after school activities and homework. Don't let your furry family member get left behind in the shuffle. We want to help make the transition go as smoothly as possible with these tips on mental stimulation.

Why does it seem my dog acts up around the time?

Dogs are creatures of habit and thrive on routine. When their schedule is disrupted we oftentimes see naughty behaviors surface that can be destructive and based in anxiety or regression of previous behaviors/training. Incorporating minimal time throughout your busy schedule can help alleviate these behaviors from surfacing. 

We have sports and other after school commitments, what should we do about our dog?

After school activities can be a great time to incorporate training and environmental exposure for your dog. It also allows your dog to be involved in their favorite activity - being around their people! Having your dog maintain place on the bleachers or sitting nicely to be greeted by a fan club of children and adults alike helps them not feel left behind while you may be gone long hours during this time of year. Most schools, parks, and even swimming facilities allow well-behaved dogs on a leash. Being a busy working mom I can speak to the ability of having well-mannered companions present for just about any outdoor event my child is involved in. 

What about when we come home and have homework, dinner, etc. that distracts us?

During busy nights at home you can incorporate minimal time and effort into training by having your dog hold place while cooking, having dinner or helping with homework. Place is a self control exercise of your dog targeting an object with all four feet while not leaving the object until released. Having them hold a sit until released or doing a couple of tricks before going outside, getting their food or even playtime also helps to exert mental energy. 

What else can we do to spend time together as family in a short amount off time?

After school is also a great time to have our kids unwind and recharge from a long school day, lost game or hours of homework by engaging with the family pet. Great games like chase with a long toy or flirt pole, games like restrained recall where one person is getting the dog excited and the other is holding them back, teaching a new trick, or taking them for a walk (yes, a WALK, not a yank!) can be therapeutic for your child and dog. 

Being a family-based company we can relate to how crazy this time of year can be. If you are struggling with achieving goals of mental and physical activity with your dog feel free to reach out to us at Einstein Dog Training to ask questions! We would love to show you how our trainers with children make it work!