DogBoy's Dog Blog

If you’re a parent who always dreads the beginning of summer vacation, awaiting the first time your kids stand in front of you, sigh loudly, and say, “I’m bored,” you probably don’t want to hear dogs can suffer from boredom as well. While you may not think of your dog being prone to boredom, mental stimulation and physical activities can help your dog occupy at least some its active time.

A bored dog can show its frustration in many different ways, most of which result in undesirable actions. Helping your dog overcome boredom will require a bit of time and effort on your part, but it’ll be worth it to avoid damage from giant holes in your yard!

The evolution of dogs in its simplest form looks like this: scary predator, scary outlying scavenger, semi-trusted camper, working livestock, pet, and finally, companion.  In the last 30,000 years, a great transformation has happened…dogs have gone from lethal wolf to harmless pocket puppies.  While the first 29,980 years were relatively slow the last 20 years have seen huge changes in the world of dogs and their relationships with the humans that love them.  As it was in the beginning, the humans made the choice to give a little more and the dogs were all too happy to receive.  As a professional dog trainer, I have had a front row view of the behaviors that have shaped the New World Dog and the trends that made them.

I noticed that my two children, at the time ages 9 and 6, had begun to walk down the long windy driveway towards the road.  It was only a quarter of a mile for them to walk and make it home.  The is not very far by most measurements, but as a father watching my two young children slowly move farther and farther away from my protective gaze and my  “I will destroy and end you if you even think about hurting me or mine” state of mind, I began to worry on the inside.  My heart rate quickened, I licked my lips and I began to pace from window to window to be able to see them as they went from in to out of my view. I began to second guess my decision to let them walk home, alone, from my parent’s house just up the dead end street. Then, suddenly, I knew I had nothing to worry about.  There was no fear of the big bad wolf. There was only calm and the tears began to stream down my cheeks.  I had just bore witness to complete loyalty and the trust that it brings…and with that…complete security and peace.

Tonight is the big night! If you have a bumper sticker that reads “My other dog is a lion,” now is the time to prove it! Get out that fluffy mane and dangly tail and see how long your 4-legged friend will dress up in the Halloween spirit. It’s Trick-or-Treat time, and we all know how our pups feel about treats!

Whether your dogs love wearing their costumes all night long or they just tolerate them long enough to capture that perfect selfie moment (yes, they’re that talented), please feel free to e-mail your best picture* to reservations@dogboys.com and we’ll be happy to share a photo on our website next month in our DogBoy’s Howloween Costume Contest! Our lucky winners** will receive discounts or prizes on upcoming services or retail products!

• When possible, keep your dogs inside to reduce any possible anxiety from the added people, scary costumes, noises, lights and activity in your neighborhood.
• Make sure your dogs are wearing their collar and tags in case they escape the house or are freed from your yard.