Balanced activities
A dog who is bored will show behavioral problems[1] (non-exhaustive list: intensive licking or biting of a part of his body, chasing after his tail, destruction of objects at home, aimlessly going back and forth along a fence or a door,…). It is up to us to provide him with enough interesting activities, while respecting his needs for recovery and sleep. If a bored dog shows behavioural problems, an “overbooked” dog will show them just as much.
[1] To be differentiated: undesirable behaviour (natural behaviour for the dog but considered undesirable in the human world) and behavioural disorders (unnatural behaviour of the dog).
Strengthening the mutual bond
The activities also have a direct consequence on the relationship we have with our dog: the time spent together reinforces our sense of closeness, as long as these shared moments are filled with respect, fun and enjoyment.
Building trust
Finally, any successful challenge reinforces:
- the confidence the dog has in himself,
- the trust he has in us,
- the trust we have in him.
Building up this confidence from small victories to small victories will allow our companion to overcome his fears, to take initiatives and to challenge himself. Succeeding in these challenges will again contribute to building the confidence he has in himself.
