Summer Slump

I hope your summer is off to a great start--and that Taco gets to come with you on your trips around and out of town!

Some dogs just adore vacations--mine are crazy excited when they arrive in a new place. A vacation isn't a good vacation for me without them. But if you can't take your furry one with you, he may be happy to stay home with a great sitter. Do dogs like being boarded? Not usually. I think if they could speak up, they'd ask for a pet sitter in their own home whenever possible.

And then they'd remind you that they'd love to do some fun things with you this summer, too. Have you heard about the "summer slump" or "summer slide" children experience when they're not in school over the summer? They can back-pedal pretty quickly if they're not intellectually challenged during their time off.

At the very least, the behavior of dogs will stay the same over the summer if no effort is made. That can be a bad thing for many. How about a new class or activity for your dog this summer? So you miss one or two sessions because you're traveling? Any education is better than none. Taco doesn't want to wait another 10 weeks until you have consistent time (maybe) to do something special with him. He's bored or anxious or unchallenged right now. He'd like a new puzzle toy or a new hike or a trip to the lake or an agility workshop. Ask him: he'll tell you--or his behavior will.

Traditionally dog trainers have more availability for sessions in summer, so it's a great time to get started!