Training Tips from Gizzy (and Cherie): Issue 8

🐾 Training Tips from Gizzy: Turning Training into Play! 🐾

Hey there, friends! It’s me, Gizzy, back again with another training tip—and let me tell you, I’ve been thinking about something really important. You know how humans love their “obedience training”? Yeah, yeah, I get it—sit, stay, heel, blah blah blah. But let’s be honest, if training isn’t fun, why would I want to do it?

Cherie says training isn’t just about obedience—it’s about building a connection and making learning fun! And you know what? She’s right! Tricks and games aren’t just silly fun (though, trust me, I love the silly part)—they actually make me better at the important stuff, too!

Fun Training = Better Training

When I learn a trick, like “spin” or “wave,” it does a few cool things:
✅ Boosts my focus – If I’m engaged and having fun, I learn faster!
✅ Builds my body awareness – Moving in new ways helps me with balance and coordination.
✅ Strengthens my obedience – The more I practice following cues, the sharper my skills get!
✅ Keeps my brain busy – A tired brain = a happy (and well-behaved) pup!

Beat the Winter Blues with Playful Training

When it’s cold and yucky outside (or when my humans just don’t want to leave the couch—lazy much?), that doesn’t mean we stop training! Nope, we just make it FUN indoors:

🐾 Trick Time! – Teach me something new! “Spin,” “wave,” and “roll over” are always crowd-pleasers. Bonus points if I get extra belly rubs for rolling over.

🐾 DIY Agility Fun! – Set up an obstacle course in the house. Use chairs, pillows, broomsticks—whatever you’ve got! I can crawl under, jump over, or weave through them. Instant indoor adventure!

🐾 Sniff & Seek Games! – Hide my favorite treats or toys around the house and let me sniff them out. It’s like a treasure hunt for my nose! (Pro tip: Hide treats inside a box for bonus fun—shredding included.)

🐾 Gizzy’s Cozy Challenge! – Can you teach me to bring you your slippers? Your blanket? Your remote? Let’s make “fetch” even better by turning it into a useful skill! Now that’s a win-win—I get praise, and you stay comfy.

Why This Matters

Here’s the thing, friends—when training is fun, we want to do it! And when we want to do it, guess what? We get better at the serious stuff too—like staying focused, following cues, and listening even in distracting situations. So don’t get stuck in the “sit, down, stay” rut—mix it up with playful training and watch how much more engaged and eager we become!

What fun tricks or games are YOU teaching this winter? Come share in the Facebook Group—I wanna see videos, friends! Let’s make training the best part of the day!

Until next time, keep wagging and playing!

Love,
Gizzy  😊🐾