Synergy Veterinary Behavior

It's time to swap "a tired dog is a good dog" for "a fulfilled dog whose needs are met is a good dog"!

Why?
➡ Overworking a dog doesn't solve problems.
➡ It's misleading. Exercise doesn't replace training.

❌ You can't exhaust a dog out of a behavior problem. In some cases, it can worsen things because you're essentially left with an overly tired toddler!

Management is still a part of many dogs' lives, and that's okay! We rely on management to control otherwise unpredictable situations or situations we know our dog can't succeed in. Management will be more effective than too much exercise, and you'll be less frustrated in the end as well.

Can you dedicate 10 minutes of undivided attention to your pet (or each of your pets) every day?

Building and maintaining a positive relationship with our pets is important. Bonding with our pets is important. We want to facilitate a relationship of trust, cohabitation, and fun!

Great examples are interactive playtime, cuddling, massages, petting, and anything else that involves you directly interacting with your pet (that they enjoy). We don't really count walks or fetch, as those are usually more hands-off.

Our pets provide us with immediate and undivided attention and companionship throughout the day, so we should make it a habit to return the favor!

It's important to give dogs appropriate outlets for natural, instinctive behaviors.

Living a fulfilling and enriched life isn't always for us to determine: What does your dog like to do? How can we better meet their needs?

Digging can be annoying and destructive, especially when it happens to your garden or landscaping. To combat that, buy or make your pup a digging area in the yard! Some people will use sandboxes or buy a few pieces of wood to box in an area. We ordered a DigDrum at the clinic to see if our staff dogs like it for indoors!