Bad weather is rarely welcomed by the dog lover. It makes our lives more difficult, the dogs more restless, and adds frustrating mess to already busy days. Rain, in particular, can seem a step beyond endless.
So what to do?
Training Your Dog When It’s Raining
I can’t bring better weather, but I can provide some tips to make the “downpour days” more bearable.
1). Don’t take housetraining for granted
Many dogs (especially small lap dogs) don’t much care for the rain. This makes peeing outside an unpleasant chore, and if the housetraining is not 100% solid, there’s a good chance you’ll see some backsliding. Sometimes a lot of backsliding.
So when the weather gets bad, reduce the dog’s freedom a bit and go out with them to reward when they go and make sure they actually empty their bladder and don’t just stare at the door waiting to come back in.
Better to be ahead of the game than to wait until the dog’s developed a new bad habit.
Yes, I know it’s not fun. We don’t want to be out in the rain either. Soggy shoes are awful and it does terrible things to the hair. But it’s better than replacing the carpets again.
2). Practice Paw Handling
Desensitize your dog to having her paws handled, and it makes clean up when they come back inside much easier.
As a bonus, having a dog that holds still nicely and is not afraid to be handled will make vet trips, medical checks and the like much more pleasant.
3). Get an Absorbent Mat
They cut down on the amount of liquid and mud tracked into the house, especially when combined with paw wiping.
4). Play Games With Your Dog
When outdoor exercise is not possible, the dogs need an alternate way to meet their needs and drives. Games are a great way to both accelerate training and reduce pent-up energy.
Add strict rules and you’re also working on impulse control. Tug, hide and seek, free shaping, “find it” are all good options. If your dog doesn’t yet have any favorites, now is a great time to teach her.
5). Utilize Food Dispensing Toys
Dogs prefer to work for their food. (In fact, most animals do, cats excepted.)
It extends their meals, adds excitement to the day, and burns off excess mental energy (meaning they’re less likely to work off that energy by taking apart your couch cushions). Frozen stuffed kongs, the Treat n Train and puzzle toys are all good examples.
6). Turn the Garage or Basement Into a Training / Play Room (Even Temporarily)
This may not be an option for many. But it has the double benefit of also reducing clutter.
7). Train the Dog to Love the Treadmill
A great option for young, healthy, athletic dogs that really love to run. Maybe that old machine gathering dust was not such a bad investment after all? (Just don’t leave a dog on a treadmill without supervision.)
8). Rapid-fire Obedience / Manners Practice
This again allows the dog to channel fundamental drives in productive ways. It also strengthens these behaviors. Get creative with the distractions if things get too easy. Ask for multiple behaviors in a row.
Finally,
There’s no need to wait for good weather to start your training!
If you need some help with that training in the Fresno area, fill out the form below, and let’s see if we’re a good match.
Nate Hess is the owner of Dogspring Training, which provides dog training and behavior consultation services in Fresno, Clovis and surrounding areas. He is a Certified Training Partner of the Karen Pryor Academy, a member of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers and International Association of Animal Behavioral Consultants, and an evaluator for the AKC’s Canine Good Citizen (CGC) program.