Editor’s Note: The Local Woof is a column that’s sponsored and written by the staff of Woofs! Dog Training Center. Woofs! has full-service dog training, boarding, and daycare facilities, near Shirlington and Ballston.
The Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) is hosting the 5th annual “Train Your Dog Month” in January 2015. The goal is to encourage people to work with their dogs and this years focus is on basic training.
Is there something you never got around to training, like a nice stay at the door? This is the time to get back to it. There will be several free webinars and tips and tricks to help you on your way. You can find all the information here.
Why have a Train Your Dog Month? Well it’s just a fun way to encourage people to reconnect with their dogs. The truth is that training, when done positively and in partnership with your dog, is a great way to have fun and strengthen your bond and your dog might become more obedient as well!
Training is also great exercise for both you and your dog. Having a hard time exercising your dog in the dead of winter? Try a 20-minute training session. The mental energy that your dog expends is as good as or better than a 20-minute walk.
This is also a great opportunity to teach something new. Believe it or not, training tricks is just as valuable as teaching an important cue like sit or stay. What about taking up a sport with your dog? Agility, Flyball and Nosework are all fun ways to train without feeling like you are training!
Ultimately, training is one of the best things you can do with your dog. It doesn’t have to be time consuming or frustrating. Take a one day workshop, watch a webinar, or just try something new at home. WOOFS! will be hosting some Train Your Dog Month events, so come on out and have some fun!
The views and opinions expressed in the column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ARLnow.com.