IIPTF PET FESTIVAL PUNE Vol 12 Issue No 10 October 2019 | Page 16

Responsible Pet Ownership
FESTIVE PARTY
ETIQUETTE FOR PETS
Let’s face it, you love your dogs way too much. During festivals, when family and
friends come together, your dogs are never left out. You truly go the extra mile
to make your pet feel included and loved at the festivities. Here are a few tips
to make sure your furry kids are the best versions of themselves during festive
get-togethers at your home.
By Yamika Damani*
FIRST IMPRESSIONS REALLY
DO MATTER
The doorbell rings. Your dog darts
at the door and jumps all over your
guests. What do you do?
Simply walk your dog to the door
with her leash strapped on and ask
her to “sit”. Since her leash is on,
you can gently correct her to do a
“sit” and once she calms down and
sits then all you need to do is reward
her – you can now ask your guest to
give her attention and plenty of pats
on the head. Remember – food is
not the only reward your dog seeks.
Verbal and physical praise can be
as powerful a reward. Timing of
the reward is even more important
when you are training your dog.
Reward your dog within 2 seconds of
them giving the behaviour you have
asked for and you will notice quicker
progress during these training
sessions.
LISTEN TO YOUR DOG
Dogs communicate to us all the time
- through their body language, their
barks and whines and even through
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their facial expressions. If your dog
is starting to get too stressed during
the party, take them on a short walk
or to a quiet room for some cuddles.
Environmental triggers play a role
in your dog’s behaviour. Give them
a silent, safe space with access to
drinking water - this reduces the
chances of your dog ‘acting out’.
PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT
It is two weeks before Diwali. Now
is the time to get those extra daily
practice sessions in. Twice a day
should be ample. Keep the training
sessions short and sweet - always
end on a positive note. Once your
dog has given you the best behaviour
for that particular training session,
you need to end the session with
ample reward and praise. Avoid
over-training and in case your dog
is not particularly interested in the
training session, try again another
time.
A SAFE ‘SPOT’ FOR
EVERYONE
Some friends and family are just not
comfortable with close proximity to
Creature Companion | October 2019 • Vol. XII • Issue 10 • Noida
our pets. Few dogs will decipher your
guest’s nervous body language and
automatically stay away. However,
some dogs will still fi nd their way on
to that nervous guest’s lap. I fi nd that
keeping my overfriendly dog Stella’s
bedding in the common space,
where I entertain guests, helps a lot
when I need to ask her to stay in her
‘spot’. For “in your spot” command
call your dog to her bed and reward
her for that. I give my dog a high
value chew bone or food-fi lled Kong
toy to keep her busy in her bed.
This way everyone in the room is
comfortable in their ‘spots’ and you
can focus on entertaining guests. It’s
a win-win situation.
* Yamika Damani is a passionate
pet parent, certifi ed companion dog
trainer and Founder of Clever Canine
- a natural pet food brand based in
Bangalore. Her rescue dog Pixie, a
Staffordshire Terrier, has been the
biggest inspiration behind her work
while Stella, her American Bully, is an
Instagram celebrity.