Your adult Dog's needs

Mental Needs

Three training sessions per week is a good maintenance “recipe” in adulthood. Training your dog on a regular basis continues to polish his skills as a cooperative companion. It will maintain rules, reinforce your positive relationship, practice your teamwork, and prevent boredom. If his skills remain sharp, you will continue to share pleasant time and good teamwork together.

176.Knowledge is freedom. The more your adult dog knows, the more he can do. Great training skills, great listening skills, and reliable response to your commands will gain more freedom for your dog. You will be able to take your dog more places and potentially do more activities.

177.Try to teach your dog something new each week. This will keep his mind alert and clear. Clear thinking in adulthood will help keep your dog’s mind working well in his geriatric stage.

178.If you have an especially smart dog, or a high-drive working breed, you will want to do more training even in adulthood. “Brainiac dogs” will need to be entertained and worked their entire life so they not only remain problem-free, but boredom-free as well.

179.Working breeds will need many more mental activities to keep them problem-free. Some of those breeds are German Shepherds, Dobermans, Great Danes, Rottweilers, Border Collies, Old English Sheepdogs, Australian Shepherds, and Australian Cattle Dogs.These are only a few of the “brainiac workers,” but if you do have one of these breeds, prepare many mental activities for these rocket scientists!

180.“Use it or lose it!”You can very easily lose those snazzy, polished skills that you worked so hard to create if you just stop. Keep them working fluidly by training regularly in adulthood. Be aware and alert to keeping your communication channels open. You will sidestep many relationship and behavioral errors this way.

181.Training daily or weekly will keep your dog from being bored. Boredom will cause your dog to revert to instinctual behaviors with which to entertain herself. No matter how diligent you were in puppyhood and adolescence, you can have negative behaviors develop even in adulthood if you don’t satisfy your dog’s need to use her brain.

Physical Needs 

182.Your dog’s physical needs were highest during her developmental adolescent stage. Your dog’s physical needs will plateau during this adult stage. Her final exercise needs will vary in proportion to your dog’s breed, size, and personality. A good balance of physical exercise with mental exercise will keep your pet happy.

183.Keep walks, runs, and ballgames high on your list of activities. If your dog is large and energetic, you may need more of the above.If your dog is small and less hearty,you will still need to supply physical activities, but temper them for his or her endurance level.

Social Needs 

184.Dogs that feel sad because their owners no longer spend quality time with them will act out behaviorally. Some will chew, run away, or begin house-soiling behaviors. While humans can communicate sadness or disappointment with words,dogs communicate with actions. 

185.Don’t be a fair-weather friend. Don’t love your dog only if she’s behaving. Love her unconditionally and search for the reasons why she may be misbehaving (if she is). Negative behavior from a dog is always a signal that something is lacking,out of balance,or stressing her.

186.Continue outside social exposure to prevent social isolation.This is especially important in the territorially protective breeds like Rottweilers and German Shepherds. During your travels to the park and pet shop, make sure your dog “meets and greets” several people (provided they want to meet your dog). Find a new environment once a month to prevent becoming bored with the same old places. 

187.“You don’t bring me flowers anymore.” Be sure you continue to reward your “good dog” for being good! Often times we forget to acknowledge good behavior because we accidentally take it for granted. Take the time to tell her “good girl” for the simplest things that she continues to do right! Even if she’s just lying on the floor chewing the correct chew toy, praise her for this good choice! 

188.Adulthood is the season of true friendship and companionship.Your dog will want to spend quality time with you now more than ever. She will enjoy simply being by your side.Take the time each day to do something together as good friends would. A walk, a run, a leisurely stroll around the block, time in the yard with your favorite book and her favorite toy are all ways to share time together.

189.If you want to “take ten”and relax on a lawn chair, give your dog a run with her favorite toy first. Spend at least ten minutes (maybe twenty) with her first. She will feel her needs fulfilled, and you can fulfill your needs more easily then. 

190.Friends listen to each other.Your dog will hang on your every word. You will see her intently staring at you to gain either your attention or her understanding. Be equally attentive to her “words.” Watch her body language,listen to her noises,watch her movements, and be sensitive to what they might be telling you.

Rest Needs 

191.It is said that dogs run on five-hour time clocks. They are active for five hours then at rest for five hours.Watch your adult dog for a few days and try to track her activity levels to see if this applies to him. Even if this fivehour track does not apply to your dog, find out what his track is.

192.Your adult dog will spend more time alert, awake, and ready for action at this stage in her life. Rest will be what happens when everyone goes to bed at night! Giving her too much rest during the day at this stage will cause behavioral problems. Each morning, create a mental daily plan to monitor her activities and be certain she is stimulated properly rather than “mentally idling” all day.

RAISING TIPS

193.Leave your “baggage” outside the door! Taking stress home rubs off on the people and animals in your environment. If your dog repeatedly feels waves of stress from you as you return from a long day at work, she will begin to feel nervous about your homecoming. This might lead to negative behaviors from her. Do your best to take a deep breath before you enter your house and try to decrease your stress level.

194.Continue to use her crate periodically. This will send a continual signal to your dog about house rules. It will also prevent any mishaps that can still happen in your dog’s daily routine.

195.Continue to use obedience skills every day. This reminds your dog that you are a team, and that life is predictable and easy. Find a “recipe” or “formula” that works each day for you and your dog.

196.Continue to praise your dog for each command she follows. Do this as heartily as you did while you were raising her. Think of this as any other relationship.We always start out on our best behavior and then become relaxed. Relaxed behavior is fine as long as we don’t drop the (tennis) ball on our relationship.