Behavior Tracking: Why You Should Keep a Dog Journal
I know this may sound odd, but I want to share the importance of keeping track of behaviors that you wish to modify.
This could as simple as potty training or as complex as separation anxiety. Each of these presents different challenges that can be overwhelming when you are dealing with them.
This is why I am going to encourage you to write-it-down! If you can track where/what has been done, it is easier to see what needs to be done next and in turn that progress that is being made.
This is where keeping a Dog Journal can be priceless.
Here are a couple of examples of why you should keep a dog journal:
#1 Puppy likes to pee in the house. You try and catch him in the act, but that can be a challenge in of itself. When you find the mess after the fact, you clean it up dutifully. BUT wouldn’t it be better if you knew the last time puppy went potty? This way you can set a timer to remind yourself to take the puppy out, increasing your level of success. Record keeping would include feeding times (since pooping pretty much happens within 10-15 mins - or less - after eating). Keeping track of your times, allows you to keep track of your times, again increasing your pups level of success.
#2 For dogs that are reactive, keeping a Dog Journal can be just the information that you need to pinpoint the triggers at hand. Triggers could include a specific breed of dog, men in hats, motorcycles, all things that you may not have been able to narrow down, but with your Dog Journal, you can look back over days, weeks, and months to see the pattern.
#3 Maybe you are dealing with a different behavioral problem such as separation anxiety. Making notes in your Dog Journal on success and failures, how much time you were away, where your dog was while you were away, any destruction while gone etc.
These details are nearly impossible to remember, by writing them down you are once again increasing your dog’s potential for success and are able to see improvement or regression.
This information can help you modify what you are doing and how you are doing it.
All in all the main advantage of keeping a Dog Journal is so you can help your dog be successful in all that they do in their day-to-day activities.
This also allows you to get a handle on what is going on and not be overwhelmed with trying to remember all the details.
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