Dog Training: Keep Your Dog's Energy Drained

Do you find yourself having less energy than your dog does? You're not alone! Maybe you're in a situation where you have an exhausting job and a high energy puppy, and you can't figure out what else to do to get the puppy to tire out regularly.

If this sounds like your circumstance, I have a few ideas for you. If you have access to a bike, I would highly recommend biking with your dog rather than walking them. Why? Because it can drain your dog's energy in half the time, and probably won't completely drain your energy. If you don't trust yourself on a bike or your dog on the leash, then certainly have a professional show you what can be done. 

If the bike riding simply isn't an option for you, I would recommend taking your dog to the dog park and walking them around the park for at least a solid fifteen minutes before letting them off the leash. This allows playing with the other dogs or a toy at the park to be a reward for their walk. Another great energy drainer is a treadmill. Same with the bike, I highly recommend having a professional come in and show you how to safely and comfortably set this up, but it's a great way to drain some of that excess energy. 

Does your dog like to play fetch or tug? After your walk, these are great activities to do that can help your dog channel their energy in a productive and relationship building way. Most people simply aren't walking their dogs enough, and unfortunately this is often due to a lack of prioritizing the dog's exercise needs. I would encourage you to consider that your dog needs more exercise than you think, but it doesn't have to be as exhausting as you think in order to drain their energy regularly!

Photography: Watson

Watson is such a fun hound dog mix who proved to be quite the camera ham for our time together. He had such a great smile and personality, and I had a blast capturing that. I find that most dogs are happy to be off leash and leisurely sniffing the yard or rolling on the ground, and these are the things that I like to capture more than a posed portrait. 

Understanding dog body language is key to catching their quirks at just the right timing. Maybe my favorite part of photographing dogs is moving at the same pace that they move at. I love watching what they are interested in, and watching their body language helps me understand them more. 

I like to imagine what the dog in front of my camera is thinking about while I'm photographing them. Were they lost in thought, or simply focused on finding the critters in the landscape in front of them? Watson seemed both focused and day dreamy, so I tried to capture that in the images below. 

Breed Of The Week: Miniature Schnauzer

The Schnauzer is originally from Germany, and is said to be recognized in pictures from the fifteenth century. Miniature Schnauzers have taken on many of the physical characteristics as the Poodles with small Standards. Because of their background in hunting small vermin, they are desired as family dog for the farm life. 

Miniature Schnauzers are an ideal family dog, as their size has allowed them to adapt to life in the suburbs. And yet they have a high prey drive and can stay on task for an extended period of time, so they make great outdoor pets, too. 

If you are considering owning a Miniature Schnauzer, keep in mind that while they are small, they need a lot of physical exercise, and are best when also given a mentally stimulating job. Anything that you can do with them that requires their prey drive and ability to find things would be great. 

They are a loyal dog who does well with children, so involving the kids in their exercise regimen and daily job is a great thing to do. Remember, Miniature Schnauzers are part of the Terrier Group, and can therefore be rather tenacious, stubborn and long winded. 

I would recommend consulting a puppy profiler to determine whether or not a Miniature Schnauzer would be a good fit for your families lifestyle. They can be easy to train, but just as with every other breed of dog, there is never a time when training is not necessary.