Lockdown Tips: Training A Dog To Walk On A Lead
Lockdown is continuing to pose some restrictions on everyday life and, with us cooped up at home for most of the time, your dog may be going a little stir crazy with excess energy. A dog that is not mentally or physically stimulated can start to display boisterous and problematic behaviour, so what better time to go back to basics and train your pooch to walk on a lead, rather than allowing them to tear about your home.
Many people think that dogs know innately know how to walk on a leash, but this skill is one which needs to be learned through consistent training and practice. Dedicating some time each day to practising on the lead means that next time you go for your daily walk, you’ll both be calm enough to value every moment. This skill is especially important if you have a very young or large breed of dog who may end up dragging you down the street without the correct training.
Here are some expert tips from Benchmark Kennels for training your dog to walk safely and calmly on a lead without tugging. Once you have used the right positive training techniques and mastered training a dog to walk to heel, your daily dog walks will be far more enjoyable and stress-free for both you and your furry companion.
Introduce your dog to the collar and lead
Begin by allowing your dog to get used to wearing its collar around the home. If you have had your puppy for a few weeks and are getting ready to take them outdoors for the first time, start putting on their collar for them to wear around the house. The feeling of a collar will be unfamiliar to your dog at first, but after a while, they will hardly notice they are wearing one at all. Your dog can wear its collar for short periods of time inside the house while you are playing, giving them treats and making them feel comfortable. It’s best to start off with lightweight and flexible collars so your dog does not feel restricted or uncomfortable and make sure the collar is not too tight.
Once your dog is not fazed by the collar, you can bring the lead into the picture. Have plenty of treats to hand and practise walking around your home and garden slowly with your dog. Make sure not to pull your dog around with the lead and instead let them walk and move at their own pace, keeping the lead loose so your dog is less aware that they are being restricted.
Training a dog to walk to heel
When your dog is fine wearing a collar and lead and moving around your home with you, you can try to tackle the walking technique. While it takes time for a puppy or untrained dog to heel on a lead, if you can get it right, your life on walks will be so much easier. Make sure you use treats, so your dog has a positive association with walking to heel and practise walking a few steps at a time before standing still and asking your dog to sit. This way, your dog will associate treats with walking by your side and sitting when you stop.
As soon as your dog turns and looks at you reward him with a little treat. After a few tries, you will notice your dog is not only focusing on you but is also coming over to you for the promise of a treat.
Introduce your dog to a distinctive cue sound that signifies food is coming. Some owners like to click and treat, some use an affirmative word like yes and others click with their tongue. Whichever method you choose to use is essentially the same, in a mostly quiet area free of sounds and loud background noise, with your dog on a leash, make the signature sound.
If your dog pulls ahead, do not pull them back or use force to stop them, simply stand still and wait till they stop pulling, then reward them with a treat and go again. Over time, your dog will realise that pulling doesn’t get them where they want to go any quicker and your walks will become far more enjoyable.
Venture outside
You are now ready to test your dog’s skills outside of your usual quiet space at home. There will be many challenges, smells, sounds, and sights to cause distraction, whether you are training a new puppy or an older dog that will test your dog’s newfound walking skills. It is important to be patient with your dog and keep the walks short for a while. If your dog starts to pull ahead on walks out of excitement, be consistent with your at-home training and stop walking, then reward your dog with a treat when they
Always keep your eyes on them, so if your dog looks likely to lunge at something, get suddenly distracted, or start pulling on the lead you can immediately move away or stop walking. If your dog follows suit, always reward them with a treat.
It can be difficult to be 100% consistent when out and about and training a dog to walk on a lead properly, so dedicating certain walks to be complete training sessions can be more effective. On these walks, make sure you are strict and firm with your dog, taking plenty of treats for rewarding your dog when it walks by your heel. On days where you are limited for time, use a different lead, and let your dog off to run around so they can get plenty of exercise without letting any of their lead skills slip away.
Need an outdoor kennel for your dog to spend time?
While dog walking training can be lifechanging for both dog owners and their animals, Benchmark Kennels are manufacturers of bespoke dog kennels, providing dog owners of all breed types, sizes, and temperaments with a secure and spacious place for dogs to kept outdoors. With each kennel being custom-made, you can choose the specific size, material, properties, and structure of your kennel to ensure that it suits your dog and property.
You can order a wooden or WPC eco-thermal dog kennel directly via our website today or enquire over the phone to hear more about our highly respected range of kennels.
- Published in Blog
Lockdown Tips: Training A Dog To Walk On A Lead
Lockdown is continuing to pose some restrictions on everyday life and, with us cooped up at home for most of the time, your dog may be going a little stir crazy with excess energy. A dog that is not mentally or physically stimulated can start to display boisterous and problematic behaviour, so what better time to go back to basics and train your pooch to walk on a lead, rather than allowing them to tear about your home.
Many people think that dogs know innately know how to walk on a leash, but this skill is one which needs to be learned through consistent training and practice. Dedicating some time each day to practising on the lead means that next time you go for your daily walk, you’ll both be calm enough to value every moment. This skill is especially important if you have a very young or large breed of dog who may end up dragging you down the street without the correct training.
Here are some expert tips from Benchmark Kennels for training your dog to walk safely and calmly on a lead without tugging. Once you have used the right positive training techniques and mastered training a dog to walk to heel, your daily dog walks will be far more enjoyable and stress-free for both you and your furry companion.
Introduce your dog to the collar and lead
Begin by allowing your dog to get used to wearing its collar around the home. If you have had your puppy for a few weeks and are getting ready to take them outdoors for the first time, start putting on their collar for them to wear around the house. The feeling of a collar will be unfamiliar to your dog at first, but after a while, they will hardly notice they are wearing one at all. Your dog can wear its collar for short periods of time inside the house while you are playing, giving them treats and making them feel comfortable. It’s best to start off with lightweight and flexible collars so your dog does not feel restricted or uncomfortable and make sure the collar is not too tight.
Once your dog is not fazed by the collar, you can bring the lead into the picture. Have plenty of treats to hand and practise walking around your home and garden slowly with your dog. Make sure not to pull your dog around with the lead and instead let them walk and move at their own pace, keeping the lead loose so your dog is less aware that they are being restricted.
Training a dog to walk to heel
When your dog is fine wearing a collar and lead and moving around your home with you, you can try to tackle the walking technique. While it takes time for a puppy or untrained dog to heel on a lead, if you can get it right, your life on walks will be so much easier. Make sure you use treats, so your dog has a positive association with walking to heel and practise walking a few steps at a time before standing still and asking your dog to sit. This way, your dog will associate treats with walking by your side and sitting when you stop.
As soon as your dog turns and looks at you reward him with a little treat. After a few tries, you will notice your dog is not only focusing on you but is also coming over to you for the promise of a treat.
Introduce your dog to a distinctive cue sound that signifies food is coming. Some owners like to click and treat, some use an affirmative word like yes and others click with their tongue. Whichever method you choose to use is essentially the same, in a mostly quiet area free of sounds and loud background noise, with your dog on a leash, make the signature sound.
If your dog pulls ahead, do not pull them back or use force to stop them, simply stand still and wait till they stop pulling, then reward them with a treat and go again. Over time, your dog will realise that pulling doesn’t get them where they want to go any quicker and your walks will become far more enjoyable.
Venture outside
You are now ready to test your dog’s skills outside of your usual quiet space at home. There will be many challenges, smells, sounds, and sights to cause distraction, whether you are training a new puppy or an older dog that will test your dog’s newfound walking skills. It is important to be patient with your dog and keep the walks short for a while. If your dog starts to pull ahead on walks out of excitement, be consistent with your at-home training and stop walking, then reward your dog with a treat when they
Always keep your eyes on them, so if your dog looks likely to lunge at something, get suddenly distracted, or start pulling on the lead you can immediately move away or stop walking. If your dog follows suit, always reward them with a treat.
It can be difficult to be 100% consistent when out and about and training a dog to walk on a lead properly, so dedicating certain walks to be complete training sessions can be more effective. On these walks, make sure you are strict and firm with your dog, taking plenty of treats for rewarding your dog when it walks by your heel. On days where you are limited for time, use a different lead, and let your dog off to run around so they can get plenty of exercise without letting any of their lead skills slip away.
Need an outdoor kennel for your dog to spend time?
While dog walking training can be lifechanging for both dog owners and their animals, Benchmark Kennels are manufacturers of bespoke dog kennels, providing dog owners of all breed types, sizes, and temperaments with a secure and spacious place for dogs to kept outdoors. With each kennel being custom-made, you can choose the specific size, material, properties, and structure of your kennel to ensure that it suits your dog and property.
You can order a wooden or WPC eco-thermal dog kennel directly via our website today or enquire over the phone to hear more about our highly respected range of kennels.
- Published in Blog
Lockdown Tips: Training A Dog To Walk On A Lead
Lockdown is continuing to pose some restrictions on everyday life and, with us cooped up at home for most of the time, your dog may be going a little stir crazy with excess energy. A dog that is not mentally or physically stimulated can start to display boisterous and problematic behaviour, so what better time to go back to basics and train your pooch to walk on a lead, rather than allowing them to tear about your home.
Many people think that dogs know innately know how to walk on a leash, but this skill is one which needs to be learned through consistent training and practice. Dedicating some time each day to practising on the lead means that next time you go for your daily walk, you’ll both be calm enough to value every moment. This skill is especially important if you have a very young or large breed of dog who may end up dragging you down the street without the correct training.
Here are some expert tips from Benchmark Kennels for training your dog to walk safely and calmly on a lead without tugging. Once you have used the right positive training techniques and mastered training a dog to walk to heel, your daily dog walks will be far more enjoyable and stress-free for both you and your furry companion.
Introduce your dog to the collar and lead
Begin by allowing your dog to get used to wearing its collar around the home. If you have had your puppy for a few weeks and are getting ready to take them outdoors for the first time, start putting on their collar for them to wear around the house. The feeling of a collar will be unfamiliar to your dog at first, but after a while, they will hardly notice they are wearing one at all. Your dog can wear its collar for short periods of time inside the house while you are playing, giving them treats and making them feel comfortable. It’s best to start off with lightweight and flexible collars so your dog does not feel restricted or uncomfortable and make sure the collar is not too tight.
Once your dog is not fazed by the collar, you can bring the lead into the picture. Have plenty of treats to hand and practise walking around your home and garden slowly with your dog. Make sure not to pull your dog around with the lead and instead let them walk and move at their own pace, keeping the lead loose so your dog is less aware that they are being restricted.
Training a dog to walk to heel
When your dog is fine wearing a collar and lead and moving around your home with you, you can try to tackle the walking technique. While it takes time for a puppy or untrained dog to heel on a lead, if you can get it right, your life on walks will be so much easier. Make sure you use treats, so your dog has a positive association with walking to heel and practise walking a few steps at a time before standing still and asking your dog to sit. This way, your dog will associate treats with walking by your side and sitting when you stop.
As soon as your dog turns and looks at you reward him with a little treat. After a few tries, you will notice your dog is not only focusing on you but is also coming over to you for the promise of a treat.
Introduce your dog to a distinctive cue sound that signifies food is coming. Some owners like to click and treat, some use an affirmative word like yes and others click with their tongue. Whichever method you choose to use is essentially the same, in a mostly quiet area free of sounds and loud background noise, with your dog on a leash, make the signature sound.
If your dog pulls ahead, do not pull them back or use force to stop them, simply stand still and wait till they stop pulling, then reward them with a treat and go again. Over time, your dog will realise that pulling doesn’t get them where they want to go any quicker and your walks will become far more enjoyable.
Venture outside
You are now ready to test your dog’s skills outside of your usual quiet space at home. There will be many challenges, smells, sounds, and sights to cause distraction, whether you are training a new puppy or an older dog that will test your dog’s newfound walking skills. It is important to be patient with your dog and keep the walks short for a while. If your dog starts to pull ahead on walks out of excitement, be consistent with your at-home training and stop walking, then reward your dog with a treat when they
Always keep your eyes on them, so if your dog looks likely to lunge at something, get suddenly distracted, or start pulling on the lead you can immediately move away or stop walking. If your dog follows suit, always reward them with a treat.
It can be difficult to be 100% consistent when out and about and training a dog to walk on a lead properly, so dedicating certain walks to be complete training sessions can be more effective. On these walks, make sure you are strict and firm with your dog, taking plenty of treats for rewarding your dog when it walks by your heel. On days where you are limited for time, use a different lead, and let your dog off to run around so they can get plenty of exercise without letting any of their lead skills slip away.
Need an outdoor kennel for your dog to spend time?
While dog walking training can be lifechanging for both dog owners and their animals, Benchmark Kennels are manufacturers of bespoke dog kennels, providing dog owners of all breed types, sizes, and temperaments with a secure and spacious place for dogs to kept outdoors. With each kennel being custom-made, you can choose the specific size, material, properties, and structure of your kennel to ensure that it suits your dog and property.
You can order a wooden or WPC eco-thermal dog kennel directly via our website today or enquire over the phone to hear more about our highly respected range of kennels.
- Published in Blog
Lockdown Tips: Fun Dog Activities To Tire Them Out At Home
The current lockdown situation can be a confusing time for pets, particularly dogs that are used to spending a large portion of the day alone, that now find themselves getting to spend time with their owners all day long. While it’s great that we have this newfound time to strengthen the relationships with our pets, it can be difficult for your dog to understand that it can’t have your undivided attention all the time.
It’s important to stick to a daily routine and make it clear to your dog when its time to play and when its time for them to occupy themselves or relax. One way to do this is to have set times of the day where you dedicate a significant amount of time to play with your dog. Listen to your dog’s needs and understand when they seem to have the most energy or when they seem to want to sleep, to create a routine that works for both parties. Playtime should be a set hour or even less where you do activities with your dog, giving them your full attention and affection to burn off energy, so you can also have plenty of time to yourself.
Although it’s definitely a tricky time to tire your dog out physically with us only being allowed one hour of exercise per day, there are plenty of ways to mentally stimulate their dog to avoid any problematic behaviours cropping up as a result of boredom. Benchmark Kennels are highly experienced in keeping large or working dogs active and stimulated, whether you have time to dedicate to play with your dog or you need an activity that can occupy your dog while they spend time in an outdoor kennel. Keep reading for some fun dog activities to try during the lockdown period…
Fun activities for your dog…
New tricks
Now is the perfect time to teach your dog some new tricks or commands – something that we’re all guilty of not having enough time for in everyday life. If there are any basic commands that your dog hasn’t yet learned like sit, lie down, stay or recall that you need to work on, tick these off first. However if your dog is ready to move onto more advanced movements, why not be ambitious and try tricks like bark, rollover, figure eight and more.
What’s great about teaching a dog new tricks is the time it takes time to get right, with time being something that many of us have an abundance of in the current situation. Dedicate small amounts of time each day to working on the new tricks until eventually, your dog knows exactly what to do, either after a particular hand movement or after you say the command.
Dog training activities are great ways to keep your dogs mind active and functioning healthily, which can leave them tired out and more relaxed for the rest of the day, rather than having them run riot around your home due to a lack of stimulation. Not only does teaching your dog a variety of different commands and tricks benefit dog owners by leaving them with a dog that is far easier to manage, but dogs love learning too and will become far closer to their owners throughout the training process.
Treat hunts
If you have children, you will be familiar with setting up egg hunts or other types of treasure hunts to keep your kids occupied – this works for dogs too. Why not hide small amounts of tasty dry food or treats around your home for your dog to spend time sniffing out? It’s a surefire way to keep your dog busy and guaranteed, they won’t give up until they’ve found all of them.
If your dog is on a diet or you don’t want to place dog treats around your home, you can even hide instead. Get all the household involved and play hide and seek with your dog by hiding in different places around the home and calling your dog one-by-one. Not only will this be incredibly exciting for your animal, but it will help to improve their recall and spatial awareness skills too.
Obstacle courses
If you’re one of those people who has been buying an excessive amount of toilet roll, or you are making a lot more online purchases than usual, you will likely have plenty of cardboard recycling lying around. Empty cardboard boxes that have been hollowed out are great for creating obstacles for your dogs to crawl through, jump over or jump up onto to practise their agility, keep their muscles moving and improve mobility.
Chewing
Finally, to help avoid one of the most common problem behaviours shown by dogs, chewing, try to factor this into your dog activities. There is a huge range of chew toys available online such as the well-known Kong toys, which allow dogs to exercise their mind, keep their teeth healthy and stay occupied for long amounts of time.
If you aren’t able to get your hands on a chew toy during the lockdown period, putting your dogs’ favourite treats in some water and popping them in the freezer will leave you with some frozen treats for your dog to spend time chewing on. Or, you can create tugs of war using pieces of old rope to improve your dogs’ teeth and muscle strength!
For those dog owners that have an outdoor space such as a garden or a dog kennel for their dog to spend time, complex and challenging chew toys using treats are a great way to absorb your dog in an activity for long periods of time without you having to give them your full attention. If your dog is a large breed or a working dog and spends their time in a wooden or WPC kennel outdoors, Kong toys and hiding treats can keep your dog’s mind busy and stimulated during lockdown while you focus on working from home.
Need an outdoor kennel large enough for fun dog activities?
Benchmark Kennels are manufacturers of bespoke dog kennels, providing dog owners of all breed types, sizes and temperaments with a secure and spacious place for dogs to kept outdoors. With each kennel being custom-made, you can choose the specific size, material, properties and structure of your kennel to ensure that it suits your dog and property.
You can order a wooden or WPC eco-thermal dog kennel directly via our website today or enquire over the phone to hear more about our highly respected range of kennels.
- Published in Blog
Lockdown Tips: Fun Dog Activities To Tire Them Out At Home
The current lockdown situation can be a confusing time for pets, particularly dogs that are used to spending a large portion of the day alone, that now find themselves getting to spend time with their owners all day long. While it’s great that we have this newfound time to strengthen the relationships with our pets, it can be difficult for your dog to understand that it can’t have your undivided attention all the time.
It’s important to stick to a daily routine and make it clear to your dog when its time to play and when its time for them to occupy themselves or relax. One way to do this is to have set times of the day where you dedicate a significant amount of time to play with your dog. Listen to your dog’s needs and understand when they seem to have the most energy or when they seem to want to sleep, to create a routine that works for both parties. Playtime should be a set hour or even less where you do activities with your dog, giving them your full attention and affection to burn off energy, so you can also have plenty of time to yourself.
Although it’s definitely a tricky time to tire your dog out physically with us only being allowed one hour of exercise per day, there are plenty of ways to mentally stimulate their dog to avoid any problematic behaviours cropping up as a result of boredom. Benchmark Kennels are highly experienced in keeping large or working dogs active and stimulated, whether you have time to dedicate to play with your dog or you need an activity that can occupy your dog while they spend time in an outdoor kennel. Keep reading for some fun dog activities to try during the lockdown period…
Fun activities for your dog…
New tricks
Now is the perfect time to teach your dog some new tricks or commands – something that we’re all guilty of not having enough time for in everyday life. If there are any basic commands that your dog hasn’t yet learned like sit, lie down, stay or recall that you need to work on, tick these off first. However if your dog is ready to move onto more advanced movements, why not be ambitious and try tricks like bark, rollover, figure eight and more.
What’s great about teaching a dog new tricks is the time it takes time to get right, with time being something that many of us have an abundance of in the current situation. Dedicate small amounts of time each day to working on the new tricks until eventually, your dog knows exactly what to do, either after a particular hand movement or after you say the command.
Dog training activities are great ways to keep your dogs mind active and functioning healthily, which can leave them tired out and more relaxed for the rest of the day, rather than having them run riot around your home due to a lack of stimulation. Not only does teaching your dog a variety of different commands and tricks benefit dog owners by leaving them with a dog that is far easier to manage, but dogs love learning too and will become far closer to their owners throughout the training process.
Treat hunts
If you have children, you will be familiar with setting up egg hunts or other types of treasure hunts to keep your kids occupied – this works for dogs too. Why not hide small amounts of tasty dry food or treats around your home for your dog to spend time sniffing out? It’s a surefire way to keep your dog busy and guaranteed, they won’t give up until they’ve found all of them.
If your dog is on a diet or you don’t want to place dog treats around your home, you can even hide instead. Get all the household involved and play hide and seek with your dog by hiding in different places around the home and calling your dog one-by-one. Not only will this be incredibly exciting for your animal, but it will help to improve their recall and spatial awareness skills too.
Obstacle courses
If you’re one of those people who has been buying an excessive amount of toilet roll, or you are making a lot more online purchases than usual, you will likely have plenty of cardboard recycling lying around. Empty cardboard boxes that have been hollowed out are great for creating obstacles for your dogs to crawl through, jump over or jump up onto to practise their agility, keep their muscles moving and improve mobility.
Chewing
Finally, to help avoid one of the most common problem behaviours shown by dogs, chewing, try to factor this into your dog activities. There is a huge range of chew toys available online such as the well-known Kong toys, which allow dogs to exercise their mind, keep their teeth healthy and stay occupied for long amounts of time.
If you aren’t able to get your hands on a chew toy during the lockdown period, putting your dogs’ favourite treats in some water and popping them in the freezer will leave you with some frozen treats for your dog to spend time chewing on. Or, you can create tugs of war using pieces of old rope to improve your dogs’ teeth and muscle strength!
For those dog owners that have an outdoor space such as a garden or a dog kennel for their dog to spend time, complex and challenging chew toys using treats are a great way to absorb your dog in an activity for long periods of time without you having to give them your full attention. If your dog is a large breed or a working dog and spends their time in a wooden or WPC kennel outdoors, Kong toys and hiding treats can keep your dog’s mind busy and stimulated during lockdown while you focus on working from home.
Need an outdoor kennel large enough for fun dog activities?
Benchmark Kennels are manufacturers of bespoke dog kennels, providing dog owners of all breed types, sizes and temperaments with a secure and spacious place for dogs to kept outdoors. With each kennel being custom-made, you can choose the specific size, material, properties and structure of your kennel to ensure that it suits your dog and property.
You can order a wooden or WPC eco-thermal dog kennel directly via our website today or enquire over the phone to hear more about our highly respected range of kennels.
- Published in Blog
Lockdown Tips: Fun Dog Activities To Tire Them Out At Home
The current lockdown situation can be a confusing time for pets, particularly dogs that are used to spending a large portion of the day alone, that now find themselves getting to spend time with their owners all day long. While it’s great that we have this newfound time to strengthen the relationships with our pets, it can be difficult for your dog to understand that it can’t have your undivided attention all the time.
It’s important to stick to a daily routine and make it clear to your dog when its time to play and when its time for them to occupy themselves or relax. One way to do this is to have set times of the day where you dedicate a significant amount of time to play with your dog. Listen to your dog’s needs and understand when they seem to have the most energy or when they seem to want to sleep, to create a routine that works for both parties. Playtime should be a set hour or even less where you do activities with your dog, giving them your full attention and affection to burn off energy, so you can also have plenty of time to yourself.
Although it’s definitely a tricky time to tire your dog out physically with us only being allowed one hour of exercise per day, there are plenty of ways to mentally stimulate their dog to avoid any problematic behaviours cropping up as a result of boredom. Benchmark Kennels are highly experienced in keeping large or working dogs active and stimulated, whether you have time to dedicate to play with your dog or you need an activity that can occupy your dog while they spend time in an outdoor kennel. Keep reading for some fun dog activities to try during the lockdown period…
Fun activities for your dog…
New tricks
Now is the perfect time to teach your dog some new tricks or commands – something that we’re all guilty of not having enough time for in everyday life. If there are any basic commands that your dog hasn’t yet learned like sit, lie down, stay or recall that you need to work on, tick these off first. However if your dog is ready to move onto more advanced movements, why not be ambitious and try tricks like bark, rollover, figure eight and more.
What’s great about teaching a dog new tricks is the time it takes time to get right, with time being something that many of us have an abundance of in the current situation. Dedicate small amounts of time each day to working on the new tricks until eventually, your dog knows exactly what to do, either after a particular hand movement or after you say the command.
Dog training activities are great ways to keep your dogs mind active and functioning healthily, which can leave them tired out and more relaxed for the rest of the day, rather than having them run riot around your home due to a lack of stimulation. Not only does teaching your dog a variety of different commands and tricks benefit dog owners by leaving them with a dog that is far easier to manage, but dogs love learning too and will become far closer to their owners throughout the training process.
Treat hunts
If you have children, you will be familiar with setting up egg hunts or other types of treasure hunts to keep your kids occupied – this works for dogs too. Why not hide small amounts of tasty dry food or treats around your home for your dog to spend time sniffing out? It’s a surefire way to keep your dog busy and guaranteed, they won’t give up until they’ve found all of them.
If your dog is on a diet or you don’t want to place dog treats around your home, you can even hide instead. Get all the household involved and play hide and seek with your dog by hiding in different places around the home and calling your dog one-by-one. Not only will this be incredibly exciting for your animal, but it will help to improve their recall and spatial awareness skills too.
Obstacle courses
If you’re one of those people who has been buying an excessive amount of toilet roll, or you are making a lot more online purchases than usual, you will likely have plenty of cardboard recycling lying around. Empty cardboard boxes that have been hollowed out are great for creating obstacles for your dogs to crawl through, jump over or jump up onto to practise their agility, keep their muscles moving and improve mobility.
Chewing
Finally, to help avoid one of the most common problem behaviours shown by dogs, chewing, try to factor this into your dog activities. There is a huge range of chew toys available online such as the well-known Kong toys, which allow dogs to exercise their mind, keep their teeth healthy and stay occupied for long amounts of time.
If you aren’t able to get your hands on a chew toy during the lockdown period, putting your dogs’ favourite treats in some water and popping them in the freezer will leave you with some frozen treats for your dog to spend time chewing on. Or, you can create tugs of war using pieces of old rope to improve your dogs’ teeth and muscle strength!
For those dog owners that have an outdoor space such as a garden or a dog kennel for their dog to spend time, complex and challenging chew toys using treats are a great way to absorb your dog in an activity for long periods of time without you having to give them your full attention. If your dog is a large breed or a working dog and spends their time in a wooden or WPC kennel outdoors, Kong toys and hiding treats can keep your dog’s mind busy and stimulated during lockdown while you focus on working from home.
Need an outdoor kennel large enough for fun dog activities?
Benchmark Kennels are manufacturers of bespoke dog kennels, providing dog owners of all breed types, sizes and temperaments with a secure and spacious place for dogs to kept outdoors. With each kennel being custom-made, you can choose the specific size, material, properties and structure of your kennel to ensure that it suits your dog and property.
You can order a wooden or WPC eco-thermal dog kennel directly via our website today or enquire over the phone to hear more about our highly respected range of kennels.
- Published in Blog
Vote for the Best Dog Friendly Pub in Yorkshire
At Benchmark Kennels, we are on a mission to ensure all pets are well-cared for, happy and healthy.
From training and safety, to lockdown tips and dog kennels, we’re here to help our customers and their pets. That’s why we want to round up the best dog-friendly pubs in Yorkshire, so that when they reopen, you can take your buddy with you.
It’s no secret that our pets are enjoying the 24/7 company at the moment, but they aren’t prepared for that to suddenly change. We want to help ease your pets back into ‘normal’ life, so vote for your favourite dog friendly pub in Yorkshire so other families know where to go with their pups.
If you can’t see your favourite on the list, tick ‘other’ at the end of the survey and add your favourite.
We will release the top 10 when lockdown restrictions are lifted and we’re able to visit these pubs safely.
*Update* Please note when leaving comments:
Please include the full name and location of the pub you are commenting on. If you wish to add a pub to the list, please use the last checkbox ‘other’ to add your suggestion and we will update our survey. Recommendations in the comment section of this post will not be counted, only those in the ‘other’ checkbox will be counted.
- Published in Blog
Vote for the Best Dog Friendly Pub in Yorkshire
At Benchmark Kennels, we are on a mission to ensure all pets are well-cared for, happy and healthy.
From training and safety, to lockdown tips and dog kennels, we’re here to help our customers and their pets. That’s why we want to round up the best dog-friendly pubs in Yorkshire, so that when they reopen, you can take your buddy with you.
It’s no secret that our pets are enjoying the 24/7 company at the moment, but they aren’t prepared for that to suddenly change. We want to help ease your pets back into ‘normal’ life, so vote for your favourite dog friendly pub in Yorkshire so other families know where to go with their pups.
If you can’t see your favourite on the list, tick ‘other’ at the end of the survey and add your favourite.
We will release the top 10 when lockdown restrictions are lifted and we’re able to visit these pubs safely.
*Update* Please note when leaving comments:
Please include the full name and location of the pub you are commenting on. If you wish to add a pub to the list, please use the last checkbox ‘other’ to add your suggestion and we will update our survey. Recommendations in the comment section of this post will not be counted, only those in the ‘other’ checkbox will be counted.
- Published in Blog
Vote for the Best Dog Friendly Pub in Yorkshire
At Benchmark Kennels, we are on a mission to ensure all pets are well-cared for, happy and healthy.
From training and safety, to lockdown tips and dog kennels, we’re here to help our customers and their pets. That’s why we want to round up the best dog-friendly pubs in Yorkshire, so that when they reopen, you can take your buddy with you.
It’s no secret that our pets are enjoying the 24/7 company at the moment, but they aren’t prepared for that to suddenly change. We want to help ease your pets back into ‘normal’ life, so vote for your favourite dog friendly pub in Yorkshire so other families know where to go with their pups.
If you can’t see your favourite on the list, tick ‘other’ at the end of the survey and add your favourite.
We will release the top 10 when lockdown restrictions are lifted and we’re able to visit these pubs safely.
*Update* Please note when leaving comments:
Please include the full name and location of the pub you are commenting on. If you wish to add a pub to the list, please use the last checkbox ‘other’ to add your suggestion and we will update our survey. Recommendations in the comment section of this post will not be counted, only those in the ‘other’ checkbox will be counted.
- Published in Blog
Lockdown Tips: How To Follow A Puppy Socialisation Plan
Puppy socialisation is key to a dog’s early development, with experiences in the first few months of a puppy’s life playing a huge role in their eventual personality and behaviour patterns as an adult dog. If you’ve recently welcomed a puppy into your home or you have plans to do so during the lockdown period, you may be worried about how you can stick to a puppy socialisation plan while we’re all stuck at home. Benchmark Kennels are here to share some easy and effective ways to socialise your dog from the comfort of your own home or garden – be prepared to get creative!
A puppy socialisation plan:
Despite what you may have heard, puppy socialisation is all about the quality of a dog’s early interactions, not quantity. Instead of exposing your dog to as many unique situations or experiences as possible, you should focus on these new experiences being carried out in the right way, so your dog can form positive associations and learn the right responses behaviour-wise.
By gradually opening your dog up in a laid-back way to new smells, objects, surfaces, sounds, and more, you can ensure that your dog develops a friendly and calm personality, rather than a nervous or defensive one. ‘Gradually’ is the keyword here, as if you try to force your new puppy into new experiences or situations before they’re ready, you can actually end up doing more harm than good.
When you’re trying to get your puppy used to being handled, for example, simply grabbing them and picking them up without warning can lead to them becoming defensive or afraid of being held. Always let your dog approach a new smell, object or person in their own time and have plenty of treats to hand for some positive reinforcement. Along the same lines, if your dog is clearly finding a certain experience overly stressful or distressing, remove them from it, don’t force them to endure it or you can cause long term fear and problem behaviours.
Puppy socialisation in the home…
Handling
One of the main aspects of life to get your puppy accustomed to is being touched and handled by humans. Luckily, this is completely doable in your home by stroking and playing with your dog physically so it becomes familiar and relaxed with the idea of being touched. Not only will this help to build a strong and loving relationship between the two of you, but your dog will learn to associate being physical contact or being held as a positive experience. Familiarising your dog with being stroked in a variety of areas is important for when people can eventually socialise again – you want to be able to relax and know that your dog will be friendly around new people.
If your new puppy is a large or working dog breed and will be spending a lot of its time in your garden or in an outdoor dog kennel, it’s still essential to make sure it is socialised with regularly. This way, you can avoid any aggressive personality traits or problematic behaviours emerging and ensure that your dog is content when being stroked or touched, no matter what size it grows up to be! Benchmark Kennels are proud manufacturers of high-quality wooden and WPC eco-thermal dog kennels, suitable for puppies or adult dogs that are too large to spend all their time indoors, or for homes that simply want an outdoor space for their dog to spend some time.
Sounds
As well as making sure your new addition is happy to be held, there are many smells and sounds in the outside world to expose your puppy to. While our homes are naturally quieter than the outdoors with a lot less for dogs to pick up on in terms of smells and sounds, there are still some easy ways to bring the outdoors in.
Technology is a dog owners best friend in today’s day and age, with there being a wide range of videos and ready-made sounds for puppy socialisation online for you to play around your home or garden and expose your puppy to. Think traffic, fireworks, other dogs barking, children, and more; all sounds that may not naturally occur around your home but that are important for your dog to be exposed to.
As well as the noise of the outdoor world, you can habituate your puppy with common household noises too, such as the washing machine, dishwasher, hoover, music, TV, running water and more. These may seem like everyday sounds to us, but for a puppy, they can be frightening. Try to build up the variety of sounds your dog is used to until eventually, they aren’t fussed by them and carry on as normal.
Separation
One aspect of a usual puppy socialisation plan that is going to be particularly difficult during the current lockdown period is separation. If you are to lead a happy life with your furry companion, it is important that your dog is able to spend periods of time on their own, without displaying problem behaviours or becoming anxious. While it may be tempting to spend every minute with your new puppy, this will only cause problems in the long run. With us having no choice but to spend all of our time at home right now, you will need to find new ways to separate yourself from your dog every now and then.
Installing baby gates or closing doors between rooms while your dog is asleep, playing or occupied is one way to keep some distance between you without causing them distress. By making sure to leave plenty of toys and even treats for your dog to play with, you can slowly build up the amount of time your puppy spends alone to prepare your dog for when our routines do go back to normal and we spend more time out the house.
Surfaces
If you have only recently brought your puppy home, the chances are it will have been exposed to very few types of surfaces. Try to tick off a variety of floor surfaces that your dog has walked across by gently tempting them with treats, this way, you won’t end up with a distressed dog when it can eventually venture outside for walkies. Some examples of surfaces to familiarise your dog with are concrete, grass, mud, puddles, wooden floors, carpets, and tiles. While you may not have a wide variety of surfaces around your home, the more surfaces your dog is happy to walk on, the better, for when you can take them on walks outdoors and to other people’s houses.
Routine
Last but not least, when sticking to a puppy socialisation plan in your home, consider your daily routine. In the long term, for your dog to adjust to life with you in the right way, you want your puppy to be adapted to a regular routine in terms of eating, walking, playing and sleeping. This is difficult at the moment with most people’s lockdown routines being varied while working from home, but it’s still advisable to stick to a vague routine in terms of what time you wake up, eat, play, go outdoors and sleep. It may seem like a small issue now, but you will thank yourself in the future to have a dog that vaguely understands what happens at various times of the day, instead of a dog that thinks its playtime 24/7.
Puppy socialisation outdoors…
In the garden
As you can see, there are a number of ways to get creative and socialise your puppy within your home. If you’re lucky enough to have your own enclosed garden too, there is even more opportunity. While puppy vaccinations are currently unavailable, a safe and fenced-off garden is a great place to allow your puppy to explore and play, either by themselves or with any other dogs in your household. It’s still important to keep a close eye on your puppy and other pets so you can step in if playtime becomes too rough or your puppy can’t keep up.
The weather is another aspect of life that your dog won’t have experienced before. Luckily, there’s lots of variation in the weather in the UK so you can take your dog outdoors in the garden to show the rain, sleet, sun, ice and more, so they’re prepared for experiencing these when out on walks.
On walks
If your puppy has been vaccinated fully, you can start to take them on socially distanced walks around your neighbourhood, making sure to keep your puppy a few metres away from other dog owners and animals at all times. Or, even if your dog hasn’t yet had its vaccinations, you can still take them on walks in your arms so they can see the outside world. While your puppy won’t be able to go near other dogs or people, seeing and hearing different types and sizes of animals, people and cars in the outside world will boost their confidence for when social distancing regulations are lifted.
Order a wooden outdoor dog kennel for your puppy today!
Although lockdown presents a challenge for new dog owners, it’s clear to see that puppy socialisation can still be done and dogs can still be kept busy around our homes. If you have a new puppy or you are welcoming one into your home sometime soon, an outdoor dog kennel can provide a safe and large space for your dog to spend time in the outdoors, keeping them out of harm’s way while still exposing them to new sounds and smells.
Get in touch with Benchmark Kennel’s team today or order a custom wooden or WPC eco-thermal dog kennel via our website that suits your needs.
- Published in Blog
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