Enrichment and Behavior Tips for Quarantine and Beyond
Simple enrichment activities can work wonders for your pet's mental and physical well-being. This series of PIN Enrichment Tip videos from our behaviorist specialists, Celeste and Maggie, will provide tips and tools you can practice at home during and after quarantine to enrich your pet’s life. Head over to our YouTube channel to see our full playlist of training videos!
Alone Time
Alone time is very important for your pet, especially now. If you practice long periods of alone time during this shelter-in-place period, they will have a much easier time adapting to your absence when it’s time to go back to the office. So, while you’re at home, designate a time each day where you and your pet are physically separated.
Face Masks
Seeing people wearing face masks has become the new normal for us humans, but our four-legged friends may still be wary of them. Check out this video from our behavior specialist Celeste on how to introduce your dog to a face mask and create a positive relationship with it.
Clicker Training
Clicker training is a very effective positive reinforcement technique. It is one that we always use for the animals in our care. Check out this video from our behavior specialist, Maggie, on how to train your pet to understand that the sound of a click (or a marker word) means that a reward is coming.
Impulse Control
Teaching your dog how to control their impulses can be useful in many situations. With more people and animals out and about, there are bound to be more distractions for your pet. Take a look at this tip for some fun impulse control exercises that will help keep your pup safe, improve their manners, and reduce anxiety.
Mild Resource Guarding
Check out this video where behavior specialist Maggie goes over some common misconceptions around mild resource guarding and gives a few tips on how to work with your pet to overcome it. The first step is making sure your pup has a solid foundation. Work slowly and start with items that your dog considers low-value. Once you are both comfortable, you can begin working with higher-value items. If managing your dog’s resource guarding ever intensifies, always consult with a behavior specialist.