It’s no secret that your dog loves spending time with you. He or she loves going on walks and absolutely loves learning new tricks. So, why does your pup tear up the couch or steal socks and grab things from the kitchen counter?
Many pet parents are surprised to find that many behaviors such as chewing, incessant barking and other anxious tendencies come from boredom and a lack of mental stimulation.
From puppies to seniors, all dogs thrive with mental stimulation from walks, brain games, socialization, dog daycare and positive reinforcement styles of dog training. Some paw parents even try feeding coconut oil for dogs to improve cognition. Many dog training programs fail to engage your dog on a mental level, and fail to develop his/her intelligence. With enough consistent mental stimulation and positive reinforcement, many undesirable behaviors lessen and/or disappear.
Barx Parx certified trainers use the latest science in dog behavior research to strengthen the bond between you and your dog. Recent Harvard research supports that associating positive feelings about training – and all activities with you – will help reinforce the behaviors that you want. Positive reinforcement works so well in dogs due to the fact that dogs process sensation and emotion in much the same way that humans do.
Humans and dogs have coexisted for thousands of years and over that time, with the help of selective breeding, humans have bred certain traits into dogs to create the breeds that we know today. Dog brains and behavior vary significantly by breed and it is important for your trainer to understand those difference when working with you and your dog.
With a strong bond between you and your dog, you increase your dog’s desire to be obedient and increase his or her desire to stay away from undesired behaviors.
Where do I start?
During this six week class, you and your dog will work on basic skills to help you and your dog communicate together in a common language. Your dog will learn to listen for verbal and physical cues. The classes are intimate (less than three per class) to ensure an excellent trainer ratio for getting that important 1:1 interaction and all questions answered. Once you and your pup have got the basics down, it becomes much easier to work on undesirable behaviors if they happen to show up later.
After Find Your Foundation is completed, Barx Parx offers several other programs designed specifically to keep your pup stimulated, excited and eager to please you. Some of our other popular programs include agility and nosework which both develop and stimulate very different parts of the brain.
Strengthening the bond between you and your dog in a positive way isn’t limited to training. Any sort of socialization, sniffing games or walking exercises will help keep those synapses firing and keep your dog mentally stimulated for whatever comes next.
