*PLAY*
It can be an important part of training. Rewarding your dog is SO important. But play can also become a problem.
How, you ask?
I so often am told by owners stories of their dogs demanding playtime. They can’t settle without it, they can’t sleep without it. They require it, they bug their owners constantly for it. If they don’t go to daycare 5 days a week, they are unmanageable bundles of energy.
But I’m here to say that play should be PART of your dogs life, not your dogs whole life.
By mentally stimulating our dogs and adding structure and learning to their life, play can become fun again. When I hear owners dreading going to play with their dogs, I know that something is wrong.
So play with your dogs. Enjoy them. But also train them. Give them clear and consistent boundaries. Start enjoying each other.