How To Create A Good Environment For Dogs

For those who don’t know, me and my fiance got a puppy in January of this year (2021) and he’s changed our lives forever. I have wanted a dog for years and now that we have one, I just fall in love with him more and more every day. However, it’s definitely true that having a puppy or dog, in general, is no easy feat. It’s important to make sure that you are ready for a dog and that your lifestyle caters for one. Although I’ve been wanting a dog of my own for years, it wasn’t possible until I went self-employed. My partner also gets the opportunity to build a solid relationship with Ronnie, as he’s currently working from home and perhaps won’t be going back into the office until later this year. With all this being said, I’ve learned a lot about having a puppy, so here are some helpful tips to create a good environment for dogs.

*This is a collaborative post.

Make sure you puppy-proof and dog-proof it beforehand

One of the biggest things that we’ve benefited from and realised when visiting other people’s houses, is that puppy-proofing your home is a must. It’s something you need to do even if the dog isn’t a puppy. It’s because there can be a lot of things around your home that a dog can get hold of. You want to make sure that the environment they’re in is a safe one and that can only be possible by getting down on all fours and looking around your home. Yes, I made my partner do this and it benefited us massively as we didn’t have chaos with our puppy biting and running away with things that could potentially be dangerous to them.

Try to ensure your whole home is safe for your dog to roam around and if not, then limit them to certain rooms, to begin with until everywhere is safe. To create a good environment for dogs, it’s sometimes good to start off in one area at a time and open it up as time goes on.

 

Provide plenty of mentally stimulating toys 

Creating a safe environment is one thing but if you’re not giving your dog enough mental stimulation, then it’s likely going to get bored and start tearing things up anyway. It’s a good idea to find plenty of mentally stimulating toys for them to play with that include treats that dispense from them as they play. This can be great for providing endless of hours of enjoyment, whilst you can perhaps get on with work or leave the home without too much separation anxiety involved. There are lots of handy toys and dog chews that are worth getting online and down your local pet store too.

This sort of thing is also going to help relax your dog and help with their adjustment to your home as well as being left alone for long periods of time.

 

Set yourself up with a routine from the beginning

A routine is ESSENTIAL. We were told this by our breeder and we stuck to that advice like glue for pretty much the entirety of his time here with us. It’s only recently that we’ve slacked on when he goes to bed, although he does start getting sleeping at around 9ish anyway, which is influenced by the nighttime routine we had him in from the beginning. He basically would go for his last pee and poop at 10 and then he’d be in bed by 10.30 pm.  Having a routine definitely helped with his adjustment to the new home he was in but it really helped him get enough sleep so that he could function properly throughout the next day. Lords & Labradors’ recent campaign, called Be A Doggy Do-Little, has looked at the ways in which dogs can sleep more soundly and have a better routine.

So with that being said, here are five top tips for improving your dog’s sleep.

1. Invest in black-out blinds or alternatively, cover their sleeping area/cage with blankets to darken the space.
2. Stop giving them water by around 7-8 pm. This will help avoid any accidents in the night and early morning wake-up calls.
3. Provide them with plenty of mental stimulation and walks to tire them out completely.
4. Play relaxing spa music during their nap times and in the evening before bed.
5. Create a routine that’s close to or exactly the same every evening.

You can follow the campaign via their hashtag #SleepForDogs. Having a dog can be quite a challenge and ensuring they have a positive and calm environment is important for not only their growth but for their happiness too. What would you suggest to help with your dog’s sleep and to help create a good environment for dogs? Let me know in the comments below.

 

*Disclaimer – This is a collaborative post with Lords & Labradors. All words are my own.