I have come to find there are a few basic essentials to keeping a dog happy; Physical Exercise, Mental Stimulation, and Genuine Affection go a long way.
Labrador Retriever Dog Training
I like to keep my dogs happy and slightly worn out if possible. The old saying, "a tired dog is a good dog," is true; in a sense. I like to think of this in terms of pent up energy. When a dog has been in a house or kennel for too long with nothing to do they will inevitably find something to do. In most cases this is not something we as owners really want them doing. I have found that the more I can control where and what kind of stimulation my dogs receive the better behaved they are. The three things I focus on are exercise, mental stimulation, and affection.
Physical Exercise: walking, trotting, running
This is a must to help keep my dogs in shape. Dogs are the same as humans, they need regular exercise to keep their muscles from deteriorating. There are many different ways to get your dog exercise. I like to take them to a big field that is near our house and let them burn off some energy early in the morning. I have also taken them running with me, they have helped me reach new personal best times when I have them tag along on a run. I will take them for long walks. I will do longer or multiple training sessions. These are all ways that I try to get them physical exercise. The main thing that I like to focus on is getting their heart rate up, their lungs working, and their leg muscles moving.
Mental Stimulation: new skills or new smells
Mental stimulation really has a wide range of what it can mean.
When taking my dog on a walk or letting them run in an open field they will get a multitude of mental stimulation just from experiencing all the different new smells along the way. A dogs nose provides them with a lot of information. They then have to process that information which provides mental stimulation for them.
Another way to mentally stimulate a dog is through chew toys or bones. I know there are plenty of retriever trainers out there that do not offer their dogs chew toys or bones but I do. I have found that occasionally giving them a bone has not caused them to get a hard mouth or start chomping on birds. This is a great way to provide stimulation to a dog. The act of them chewing and playing with a bone will keep them engaged for awhile.
My favorite kind of mental stimulation for a dog is training. Teaching a dog a new skill or working to perfect an already learned behavior is a great way to get a dog mentally engaged. Watching them figure things out in their mind, their own way, is so much fun. There are few things more rewarding for an owner or handler than seeing the light bulb click on a new skill. Even running my dogs through obedience training and throwing a few curve balls at them is enough to engage them mentally and make them use their brain muscles.
Genuine Affection: all the pets and love
Genuine affection is the last of my tips for keeping a happy pup. I believe that showing dogs love and affection through belly rubs, butt scratches, and head pats goes a long way. I made a subtle shift in my morning routine with my dogs roughly six months ago that changed their behavior a lot. I started taking at least five to ten minutes in the morning before letting them out to love up on them. After a short time I started to notice a difference in their behavior. They listened better and they were more attentive. It is important to me that they know they are a loved and valued member of the pack and I believe they see that.
Bonus:
Setting consistent boundaries for my dogs is something else I believe keeps them happy. They have their routine, they know what to expect, and they are held to a certain standard. Those things keep them from having to guess as to what might happen next. They typically do not experience something out of left field that completely throws them off.
I know keeping these things in mind on a regular basis helps to keep my dogs happy. Hopefully me sharing this will give you an idea of how to keep your pup happy as well.
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