Gus the Timekeeper
Gus is a dog that has thrived with structure, sometimes so much that I am sure he has his own watch. Without fail, Gus knows what time his quick walks are during the middle of the work day. He is very aware of dinner time and was so gracious to remind me by constantly staring at me while licking his lips that its time to eat. This schedule is something that I believe helped Gus to relax with me. He knows what to expect and loves that I usually stick to this feeding schedule.
After about 1.5 years on this schedule, there was a major disruption. I got a new job; while it was still work from home I would be on the phone way more than I was before. This job is pretty fast paced and things would have to change for Gus. I started to think about how to prepare him and decided to ask while we were at Mutt Manners (his etiquette class). The trainer that day recommended decreasing his meal portion and using the remaining portion to encourage him. I have seen this technique in several dog training videos and thought it would be fun. I was sadly mistaken. Gus the timekeeper was very vocal about his dislike in this new training idea. I was already two weeks into the job and things would only get more busy so I completely rolled back on it.
I purchased a snuffle mat and when our usual trainer saw my IG story she immediately knew he was struggling with something. She recommended some enrichment toys as a method to keep him entertained while I was busy. This is the trainer that we have consistently worked with for over a year. So I went with that instead. I ordered lick mats and this wobble toy. Both items were very helpful for keeping him occupied and entertained during the workday.
