Dogs Need Exercise, Play and Mental Stimulation

Exercise means doing things with your dog, not just letting him run around alone in the yard. Dogs are social animals and require interactive play – they must play with you, their owner. Time spent alone running around in the yard will not solve your dog’s behavior problems. In fact, it may lead to more behavior problems, e.g. barking, digging, fence fighting.  It may actually increase, rather than decrease, a dog’s level of frustration.  An active, involved owner with a small back yard is a lot more fun for a dog than a detached, aloof owner who banishes the dog to “go play” in a big back yard. 

 

Steven Lindsay, in The Handbook of Applied Dog Training and Behavior concurs, “Putting a dog outside in a fenced yard is not enough to produce adequate exercise. The owner must become directly involved in the exercise activity, insuring that the exercise is done in a way that produces physiological and psychological benefit.” 

Dog parks and day care are not appropriate for every dog. But luckily, those are not the only ways to exercise your dog. Dogs enjoy fetch, jogging, long walks, swimming and playing games like tug-of-war and flirt pole.  

Tug-of-war is a great game to play with non-aggressive dogs, as long as you follow some basic rules. The owner should be the one to start and end the game, use only one object as the tug toy, put it away when you’re done and  teach the dog to drop the object on command.   

A flirt pole is simply a wooden pole with a length of rope and a toy tied to it.  Dogs with high prey drive love to chase and try to catch the toy. Dogs are not cats though, so be careful not to use the toy to make the dog jump up into the air, or your dog may be injured when he lands. Instead, make the toy “run” along the ground, simulating the movement of a running critter.  

Food games (like food puzzles or balls that dispense treats when hit a certain way by the dog) can be fun for dogs, providing much needed mental stimulation. While mental stimulation is not a substitute for exercise, don’t underestimate its impact on your dog’s overall well-being.  

Occupying your dog’s brain can sometimes be just as tiring as physical exercise. Take your dog with you wherever dogs are welcome.  Invest in a good obedience training program so that your dog will learn to be polite and well-mannered - then he will be welcome in more places. (Plus the training itself is another great way to occupy your dog’s mind.)

By the way, if you’re thinking about getting a second dog to keep the first one company, think again. You just might wind up with 2 bored dogs instead of one. There is no substitute for human attention, love, guidance and companionship.

Want to Become a Professional Dog Trainer?

If you want to know how to become a professional dog trainer, consider this: There are many schools for dog trainers in the U.S., graduating hundreds of new dog trainers each year. But dog trainer schools only teach how to train dogs – not how to earn a living training dogs. In contrast, the best dog training franchises teach people how to become a dog trainer and how to earn a full time living training dogs.  People who are serious about becoming a dog trainer should consider dog training franchise business opportunities instead of schools for dog trainers.

Why Choose A Dog Training Franchise Over A Dog Trainer School?

A recent study by PetMarketWatch.com found that owners of dog training franchisees can earn 3 to 5 times as much as their non-franchised counterparts (dog trainer school graduates and independent dog trainers).

There are many schools for dog trainers that offer good foundational knowledge, but if you’re looking for a small business startup opportunity as a dog trainer, you might want to consider the franchise model. Unlike dog trainer schools, dog training franchises follow a proven, step-by-step system that produces income right away.

There are a few companies who have begun selling dog training franchises regionally, and others have evolved a distribution model. Let’s first take a look at the difference between a  franchise and a distributorship:

• Franchising involves a contractual relationship whereby the franchisor permits a franchisee to use its trade name, marks and brands; exercises continuing control over business operations; provides training and assistance to a franchisee and requires initial and continuing payments to the franchisor.

• Distribution is when a manufacturer or a supplier of goods appoints an independent third party – the distributor – to market its goods.  The independent third party purchases the goods on his own account and trades under his own name as an authorized distributor.  His business name will usually have no connection with the name of the supplier of the goods nor will the supplier regulate the way in which the distributor operates his business other than, perhaps, to oblige the distributor to reach minimum turnover levels.

There are many ways in which a person who wants to become a dog trainer can achieve their goal including schools for dog trainers, franchises, distributorships and independent study. But the highest paid dog trainers with the most successful track records are  those who have chosen the dog training franchise model.  

Becoming A Dog Trainer: Economic Trends

The demand for dog trainers and dog training remains high, even in today’s economy. Since most dog owners consider their dog to be a part of the family, it would appear that spending money on man’s best friend will remain one of the most recession-resistant segments of consumer spending. 

Are Owners Of Dog Training Franchises Happy?

The Franchise Business Review, a leading market research company, conducted a survey of franchisees in a prominent dog training franchise and found: 

• 93% of all franchisees rated the franchisor as an "above average" business opportunity.
• 93% of franchisees believe that there is "above average" communication and support between franchisees in the system.
• 100% of franchisees said they respected the franchisor as an organization.
• 99% of franchisees stated that their schedules are flexible enough to allow them time off as needed.
• 75% of franchisees joined because they were seeking more control over their finances and their future.

Dog Training Franchises vs. Schools for Dog Trainers: Key Considerations

There are a number of other factors to consider when investigating dog training franchise opportunities. The process of offering franchises for sale in the Unites States is regulated by the Federal Trade Commission.   The FTC provides advice for people considering the purchase of a franchise.  

A sound business model will include a proven system for consistent sales. However, as with any other business opportunity, a prospective dog training franchisee must consider factors such as demographics, competition and median household income within the franchisee territory in determining whether to invest in the business.

The information contained in the franchise disclosure documents should be helpful in this regard, as they will include a list of other franchisees, past and present who can share their opinions as to the effectiveness and viability of the business system, as well as the level of ongoing support provided by the franchisor.

A Quick Review of Some of the Many Available Options: 

Canine Dimensions is a U.S. based company with dog training franchises located throughout the United States. We've been in business since 1997, currently operate in 20 states, and offer franchising opportunities for around $50,000.00 We require financial disclosure and a background check. Not everyone will qualify. Also, the offer and sale of a franchise can only be made through delivery and receipt of a Franchise Disclosure Document (see disclaimer notice below). 

Chain stores train thousands of dogs each year, but work is based upon your ability to sell their training programs for commission (no sales = no pay). Generally, you must have prior sales experience. You will need to be 18 years of age and you will be required to work in other areas of the store as well. 

Fees to attend on-site  dog training schools vary greatly - a quick Google search found a range of roughly $10,000 to $20,000. They require several weeks away from home (necessary to give you the dog handling experience that you'll need to learn their system).  Some of them specialize in e-collar training, so make sure that you're ok with using shock collars to train dogs; a method that, despite advances in technology, remains controversial among some pet owners.

There are many distance learning options as well.  An "online dog training school" is an option that's heavy on theory but light on actual dog handling.  When you contact them you will speak with a "career counselor" - who is essentially a commissioned sales person very skilled at talking up their school's certification program. But not all "certifications" are equal - so check online reviews carefully before you invest.   

Notice: The information contained herein does not constitute the offer or sale of a franchise. There are certain states that require the registration of a Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) before the franchisor can advertise or offer the franchise in that state. This franchise may not be registered in all registration states and may not offer franchises to residents of those states or to persons wishing to locate a franchise in those states. The offer and sale of a franchise can only be made through the delivery and receipt of a Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).

6 Dangerous Games Dog Owners Must Know About

Dogs need exercise, play and mental stimulation. In previous posts I've written about safe, fun ways to keep our dogs active, happy and healthy, but in this post I'd like to warn about some games that we should NEVER play with our dogs:

1) Laser pens. Using a laser pointer to tease your dog might be amusing for you, but it's no fun for your dog. At best, it builds frustration, and at worst, it can create OCD behaviors like chasing reflections, lights and shadows. If your dog has a strong prey drive, teach him to play fetch, or teach him how to play the 2-ball game - not how to chase laser dots.

2) "Find the Food." This game involves  hiding food treats around the house and cheering your dog  on as he runs frantically around the house looking for the food - encouraging him to probe between cushions on the couch, crawl under furniture, root around in and under your kid's toys, etc. This game can teach some very bad habits - such as food stealing, tearing up your furniture, becoming possessive of your children's toys, etc. A better idea is to teach your dogs to earn his treats by working with you - learning useful obedience commands like sit, down, come, stay and drop-it.

3) The "muffin pan game" when played with more than 1 dog.  Get a muffin pan, put some kibble in some of the compartments, and cover them with balls. Puppy learns to remove the ball and find the treat. Pretty harmless when played by only one puppy, but when you allow MORE THAN ONE puppy to play the game, you're teaching them to compete over food while in a state of high arousal, in effect teaching them to become resource guarders against other dogs (and possibly even against humans) later on.

4) Flirt pole jumping. A flirt pole can be a great way to exercise your dog. But the right way to do it is to allow the toy to "run" across the ground, NOT to make your dog jump up in the air after it, risking serious leg injuries.

5) Playing tug the wrong way.  Tug of war can be a great game. But there are rules! Playing it the right way builds a strong bond and provides plenty of exercise and mental stimulation. Playing it the wrong way creates bad habits. Here's a video showing the right way to play tug:

6) Allowing play among unfamiliar dogs at dog parks. Dog parks can be fun if you know the other dogs and if you supervise the activity. But I do not recommend allowing dogs to play with unfamiliar dogs at dog parks. (In a previous post I warned about the risks involved. Since then, I came across an excellent DVD by Sue Sternberg that I highly recommend if you go to dog parks regularly: "Dog-Dog Engagements Between Unfamiliar Dogs - Why It's So Risky.")