Dog training and holidays: take the test!

Going on holiday with your dog is not something you can do on a whim! Your dog needs to have some basic training to be able to travel with you.

Have you ever traveled with your dog? Is he used to crowds? To meet other congeners? Children who will come to caress him? To stay alone in a new environment for a few hours (your bungalow for example)… So many questions that you have to ask yourself before going on vacation with your dog and which requires preparation.

Take the following test and see where your dog's education is at before the big start…!!

Clémentine Turgot, a dog trainer at Nature de Chien , helped me write this article. She added lots of tips and tricks for when you have gaps in your knowledge or simply want to brush up on the basics of dog training . Musher, on the other hand, needs to practice walking on a leash :p You always have to remind her who's walking whom! Hehe...

All the advice given here follows the principle of positive reinforcement dog training. It is a method based on the respect of the dog and the master which makes it possible to develop a beautiful complicity between the two. No educational choke collar, no sanctions, no beatings, no intimidation… in short, no violence but play, listening, tailor-made solutions and rewards.

This is the training philosophy I chose with Musher, and one that I hope all dog owners and trainers will follow one day! We've developed a wonderful relationship and are very close. To better understand my dog, I've read and reread a fantastic book that I highly recommend: " Calming Signals in Dogs ." It may not look like much, but it's packed with great information. It will help you understand your dog's language and build a beautiful relationship with them.

To take stock and see where you both stand, here's a very simple test to do with your dog . Going on vacation with your dog requires that it has a solid foundation of basic training. Traveling with a dog that barks at every other dog, bites the waiter who brings your food to the restaurant, chews up the walls of the bungalow, and pulls on its leash like crazy every time you go out will quickly become a nightmare! To travel with your dog, it must be trained.

Count 1 point each time your dog knows how to do one of the following things: 

• walk on a leash without pulling
• come back to you when you call him back
• sitting and not moving in case of danger or when he must remain calm on the terrace of a restaurant for example
• travel by car, in the back or in a transport crate 
• go to the basket or on his mat when you ask him to
• stay alone for a few hours without messing around or barking
• meet other dogs calmly and respectfully
• stay close to you without being attached in all circumstances
• stop on request at a place, “stop”
• “not touch” or “let go / spit” to prevent him from ingesting anything

Do you have 10 points? WELL DONE ! Your dog will be the perfect companion for your next vacation.

Have you identified a few weak points? It's a good time to revise thanks to Clémentine's advice. Take the time to read and train with your dog to ensure a successful vacation together! After some effort, your dog will become the ideal companion for your vacation.

Walk on a leash without pulling

If walking on a leash remains difficult for you and your dog, it is essential to rework things step by step. First, walking on a leash without stimulation must be flawless. It is therefore necessary to start or re-start learning in a quiet place and then increase the stimulation (countryside, forest, city, markets, etc.). Walking on a leash is important so that you can walk everywhere together happily and safely.

Come back to you when you call it back

As for walking on a leash, if the recall is not ok; you must first do it without stimulation and with a lanyard if you need more security. Associate the reminder with something very positive like a caress, treat, toy… Even if the dog takes time to come back: you should always reward him for coming back. The dog lives in the present moment and does not understand if his master scolds him when he has returned. He also doesn't understand that his master is scolding him for taking a long time to come back. He will then associate coming back with being scolded and will not really want to come back. Logic ! You will have to learn to speak dog to succeed in this exercise together.

Sit, not move

Sitting, not moving etc… It is very important that your dog knows how to keep a static position, whether to land on the terrace or on the beach for example. First of all we reward the fact of sitting, then we increase the duration by pronouncing “not move”, possibly the distance with his master then the distractions.. We must increase the difficulty little by little, without wanting to go too fast otherwise you risk failure; which will not motivate you or your dog to rework this exercise.

Traveling by car

For car trips with your dog, there are safety rules to follow. Your dog must travel in a carrier , in the back seat with a safety net , or with a harness attached to the seatbelt . Before setting off on a long journey, it's essential to get your dog used to the car so they associate it with something positive, not just going to the vet, for example. Start with short trips and gradually increase the distance, perhaps for a walk. Getting in the car should be a pleasant experience. I suggest you reread this comprehensive article on car travel with your dog to help you plan your next trip (potty breaks, accessories to bring, anecdotes, tips, car sickness, etc.).

Go to the basket or on his mat

So that the dog finds its bearings a little on your vacation spot, the ideal is to take its basket or mat with you! With this object that already has its smell, it will feel more comfortable from the start. Install his basket in a quiet place without too much traffic but in the living room so that he is with you. Reinforce the “to basket” indication in a positive way. Check before leaving already that the indication is acquired at home to make it easier. Because it could be complicated to want to teach something new to your dog in an environment that he does not know and in which he may not yet be very comfortable.

Stay alone for a few hours

If your dog already misbehaves when you are not at home, it is very likely that it will do the same in the rental apartment, guest room or hotel if you leave it alone.

If the times of absence do not exceed more than 3 or 4 hours, you have the possibility of putting it in a transport cage. PLEASE NOTE, he will also have to get used to this solution by trying it at home for a few minutes, then longer. This solution does not work if your dog does not feel comfortable there and cries or barks for example. It is only effective if it is seen as something positive for your dog. The best thing is to take it everywhere with you of course.

Do you have to abstain and leave him alone? Do not hesitate to proceed with longer and longer absences, but above all in a progressive manner. It's not about leaving him alone for more than an hour for the first time. We will start with 5 minutes, then 10, then 20 etc. The whole thing being that your dog is occupied during the first minutes following your absence. Know that a dog will make mistakes in the half hour following your departure, in fact, it's up to you to find a way to occupy him during this time. The important thing is to spend your dog well before a long absence so he will take advantage of your departure to sleep quietly and allow him to spend his energy well when you return.

Stay close to you without being attached

This learning is not done in a day, heeling on a leash must already be impeccable for heeling without a leash to be. This is upstream work that must be done and anticipated before leaving. I would still like to note that in town, you are forbidden to walk a dog without a leash. Think about it. Sometimes it's much safer to have your dog on a leash!

The hitchhiking

First of all, you have to work on hitchhiking from a distance at home, in a place that is not very stimulating. Walk with your dog at heel and as soon as you stop say a fairly firm “stop”. Reward your dog warmly when he stops too. Then do the same thing but when you say stop you keep walking and your dog has to stay in stop. Do not hesitate to accompany the word stop with a gesture so that it is more meaningful (outstretched hand for example). The fact of assimilating the word to a gesture is very important, especially if you have to tell your dog to “stop” from a distance.

👋 Musher's great deal

Dog food, supplies, grooming, vacations… the cost of a dog can quickly add up. So, with Musher, we created the Advantage Card : the very first card that brings together useful discounts to save you money all year round, on everyday expenses or vacations. 💸 See the 34 available discounts

One last piece of advice before you head off on your big holiday with your dog ? Your dog needs routines and structure to feel secure. Changes in environment can be difficult for some dogs to accept, so don't hesitate to maintain some of your habits: your walks, your games, his bed, his mealtimes, etc.

However, do not panic, the dog is an animal that knows how to adapt quite quickly, it is for this reason that it was the first species to be domesticated. Holidays with your dog should go well if your little companion is well educated. Happy holidays to you!

ALSO READ : Hiking with your dog isn't something you can just wing!, What should your dog's first-aid kit contain?, Taking your dog to the beach: some precautions to take

You can also check out the guide I created on dog training!