Resolutions for dogs? Say What?

Have you set any new year’s resolutions, goals, or intentions for yourself? Well, it’s good to set goals and intentions for your beloved Mini Aussiedoodles as well!

Don’t worry though! It doesn’t have to be complicated or anything. Usually the more simple the better. Your goal could be something like taking your doodle dog on regular hikes, or visiting the dog park twice a month, correcting a bad habit, or teaching them a trick. You could even introduce them to the sports of agility, rally, or flyball. The sky’s the limit!

To get started, reflect on how you’d like your dog to behave, or think of something you’d like to do with your dog. Next, backtrack from the end-goal vision to create small actionable steps. Also, similar to us humans, the goals should be SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely.

Here are some sample steps if your goal is, say, to hike trails with your pooch (assuming they’ve already had all the necessary vaccinations and preventative medicines):

1. Teach them to walk on a leash with a collar or a harness (whichever you prefer).

2. Work on basic obedience commands like sit, come, and heel.

3. Take them on shorter walks, gradually increasing the distance. They have to build their fitness level just like we do.

4. Once the dog is tuned into you and listens, you could work on off-leash commands in a safe area, to prepare for off-leash walks, where permissible, or if something scary happens like a broken collar/harness.

5. Before going on a trail, check to make sure dogs are allowed on the trail system, and also pack some poopy bags and water to have on hand.

6. Have fun!!

The above steps are simple ideas to help stir up possibilities. Each step could be broken down into smaller steps as well. An internet search would likely produce tons of options and assistance as well.

No matter what you’d like to do with your Aussiedoodle doggy, it’s all a learning process and a growth journey. Be patient with yourself and your dog and enjoy the adventure!