training dogs

Even Dogs Get the Back to School Blues

sad lucyFor the past couple of weeks, students everywhere have shown signs of that seasonal bug, the Back to School blues.  The end of summer means less time to play outside with friends, and more time devoted to classes and homework.  That’s enough to put most kids in a bit a funk, but did you know the family dog might also share their pain?

That’s right, dogs can suffer from the Back to School blues, too.  This week, Dog Tails gives families tips to help their dog manage the transition from summer vacation to a new school year.  By following this prescribed “homework,” you can help banish these blues soon and restore your dog to a happy state.

Dogs are sensitive to changes in their daily routine.  Back to school represents a particular challenge.  Days once filled with outdoor play, activities and attention are now mostly solitary and a lot less exciting.  To ease the transition, experts suggest slowly adjusting the dog’s schedule to the new routine.  Shift playtime and walks to morning and evening hours, and away from school hours.

This gradual transition can help avoid the dreaded curse of back to school season: separation anxiety.  These feelings often cause dogs to act out in destructive ways, including excessive barking and chewing or eating things they shouldn’t.

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Welcome to Dog Tails

Picture 1Welcome to Dog Tails, a fun and informative blog by DogWatch®. Dog Tails is our official launch into the cyber social-sphere where businesses of every industry and size can effectively communicate, network, share and learn from each other and from their customers and fans. We’re convinced that social media is to business in 2010, what a website was in the early 1990s; social media is the new Public Relations and it’s here to stay! As we like to say at DogWatch, “There’s no getting around it.”

Weekly posts will provide opportunities for our readers to get to know all of us here at DogWatch, and for us to get to know you. We will blog about a variety of topics that we hope will enhance your experiences as a dog owner—or a cat owner! At DogWatch, it may be “All about your Dog” (that is one of our tag lines), but cats are more than welcome, too! More about that in future blogs!

Our blog posts will feature ‘tales’ from and about our local Dealers, and the knowledge and experience they bring to training dogs and to pet containment strategies which enable our canine and feline friends to experience both freedom and safety, something which is important to them and to us. We’ll also provide information about interesting and important traits and characteristics of different dog breeds, and will be sharing some of our favorite stories with you. Other topics will include tips on addressing challenging behaviors, issues important to first-time dog owners, rescue dogs, separation, remote training collars (e-collars) and how to send clear messages.

We know passionate dog owners like to keep up on everything dog-related (same with cat owners!) and we’ll be bringing you information about new and noteworthy books, blogs, online publications, apps and the ever-expanding dog culture.

We look forward to your comments and suggestions, and connecting with you on Facebook and Twitter.