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Basic Needs of a Dog Part 2
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A happy boy whose basic needs are fully met!
The first three basic needs of a dog, food, water and shelter, were covered in my last article so I want to cover more dogs needs in this one. Remember that meeting a dogs needs is a huge part of preventing behavior problems.
Socialization – your dog needs continual socialization with people places and things. Hopefully you’ve done that intensely when your dog was a pup. That’s the best time for a dog to learn that new experiences are fun.
In my classes I have a different contest every week. One week the prize goes to the dog that went the most places. One week it goes to the dog who met the most diverse group of people (men with hats, Mexicans with briefcases, Chinese women with canes, children on bikes, etc.). The last week’s prize goes to the dog who met the most dogs. (And by meet I mean played with, not saw from a block away on a walk.)
Many people do this very well when their dogs are pups and then think they are done. This type of socialization needs to continue for the life of your dog. The most normal, well adjusted dogs I know go new places, experience new things, meet new people and play with new dogs at least once a week.
Toys – your dog needs dogs, a variety of toys, six minimum, six outside and six inside.
The favorite toys at my house are hard white sterilized bones. Not rawhide, or plastic or nylabones. A real piece of a cows leg, sterilized. You can find them at almost any pet store, catalog and even grocery and drug stores. They come in shrink wrap. Some come hickory smoked with a bit of dried meat still on them.
Tennis balls are another big hit around here. I have a friend who plays tennis so I get scads of them for free. Apparently a tennis ball is only good for a couple of games for a human. In the dog world it’s barely broken in by then.
Balls of all kinds are fun. Soccer balls last the longest and are easy to find at yard sales.
I like the small basketballs and soccer balls and the dogs love footballs.
Rope toys are a fave as well and the dogs like big ones that 3 can play tug with at once.
Stuffed animals are a big hit here as well. This is not something that I buy in a pet store. Call me cheap but I don’t want to spend $7.99 for a toy that will last 10 minutes. I get kids stuffed animals at thrift stores and yard sales for 25 cents and remove any dangerous parts.
That way I don’t feel bad when the toy only lasts for a day. The dogs rip the stuffing out in just a few minutes (and it is fun to watch them do this) and then they play tug with the remains.
There are also some pretty thick sturdy chew type toys out on the market. Round rings, tire shaped toys, a huge variety. Oddly the best place I’ve found to buy these is at a few select clothing stores.
Exercise – most dogs need 30 minutes to an hour of aerobic exercise per day. Don’t fool yourself into thinking that a walk is aerobic. Walks are nice, but aerobic means heart pounding exercise.
If you run or ride a bike, your dog can easily be trained to run alongside you. I personally don’t think I need an hour of exercise a day (my doctor would disagree I think), so I have mastered the art of exercising my dog without moving off the couch.
I throw tennis balls and toys down the hallway for my dogs to chase, and we play tug a lot. Mostly though I farm this one out by setting up play dates so my dog has pals to play with. (Hey, they like to run and chase, I don’t.)
Rest/Quiet Time – some dogs can do this by themselves. I’ve seen a 2 month old Golden lay down under a chair in the midst of 8 other dogs playing and go to sleep. I’ve also seen a Bulldog’s eyes turn red and start to bulge out because he could not stop himself from playing. Not all dogs come with an off switch. With terriers especially you have to install one.
We have enforced nap time at my house when there are crowds here. Some dogs go unwilling with a bit of an “Aw, mom, I was just starting to have fun!” Once in a crate they give a big sigh seeming to say “Thank goodness someone stopped me” and are sound asleep by the time I leave the room.
A Pack – the final two things a dog needs involve a pack. Dogs are pack animals so they need to live in a pack – not alone in the backyard or in a pen. Even if you are one person living alone you can be your dogs pack. In that pack there needs to be a leader. There are certain behaviors that a benevolent leader exhibits and I’ll explain them all in my next article “Pack Theory Revisited”.
In the meantime set up those play dates, have fun shopping for toys, and if you are a better person than I, go and get some exercise along with your dog!
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