Even Your Dog Needs a Vacation From Its Everyday Life
Even if you don’t need a vacation, your dog probably does.
“Dogs feel overwhelmed, too — it's not exclusive to us — and a holiday is a great way to alleviate stress for both dogs and their owners,” Graeme Hall, dog trainer, behaviorist, and presenter of the British TV show “Dogs Behaving Badly,” told the Daily Mail. “Just like us, they need a break every now and again.”
Vacations present not only opportunities for quality social time — which is a dog’s main desire — but could actually help difficult pets relearn tricks.
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Dogs, much like humans, can go “stir crazy” when kept in one environment for too long. This can cause them to act out and misbehave.
A fresh environment may also help pet owners retrain unruly animals. Because vacations are more laid back than most other days, this time could give owners the opportunity to bond with their dogs. Introducing new routines, tricks, or training when owners have more free time (like on vacation) could help dogs learn more quickly, Hall said.
However, air travel can be the most stressful part of any vacation. If taking a dog on a plane, owners should be sure to plan well in advance. (If you can, plan a road trip instead.)
Oh — and according to another recent study, you may not want to bring your cat-loving friends along.