Spring fever 🌱
It's that time of year again 🌸 The birds are chirping, the days are getting longer and everything is starting to look a little less ugly and gray.
Animals are much more attuned to environmental changes than we are, and each year many go through a period of “spring fever.”
During that time we can see a lot of behaviour changes. For dogs some of the most common are:
Increased energy levels
Increased barking
Increased pulling on leash
Increased prey drive
Decrease in recall
What causes spring fever?
Dogs’ senses are more sensitive than ours. The temperature changes, sights, sounds and of course smells are all very stimulating and exciting this time of year.
Like all animals, dogs are natural scavengers and foragers. That behaviour needs an outlet all year long but especially in the spring. The birds, bunnies and tree rats (aka squirrels) are out and ready to be chased.
Along with the environmental changes, there are also biological changes happening. Like us, dogs have a circadian rhythm that is affected by changes to daylight hours.
What to do about it?
Energy Levels - Meet their needs by providing adequate exercise and enrichment. I’m not talking about puzzles and treat balls or lame walks around the same boring block. Get a long line and take them somewhere new to sniff and move their bodies naturally. Go to the beach, take a hike. Let your dog be a dog. Encourage your dog to be a dog. Let them sniff, track, dig, get muddy and roll in stuff.
Barking - It’s natural to see an increase in territorial, alarm and even fear barking. The nicer the weather, the more people are outside. That means noise and movement that your dog isn’t used to. If this is your puppy’s first spring, or if you’ve moved since, your dog might be especially sensitive to the sights and sounds in the environment.
Pulling on Leash - LET THEM SNIFF! Your dog NEEDS to sniff on walks. As foragers and scavengers, walks should provide an outlet for those behaviours. Get a long line and go for a hike, take a walk around a field or park.
Prey Drive - Get yourself a flirt pole if your dog loves to chase. I like the Outward Hound Tail Teaser for small to medium dogs. Or take them to a SniffSpot and let them chase all the squirrels.
Recall - Do NOT let your dog off leash. Anywhere. This is the time of year that dogs get loose, get lost or worse. There are far too many environmental reinforcers to contend with. And there is no such thing as a perfect recall.
Final Thoughts
Even if your dog doesn’t exhibit spring fever levels of behaviour change, it’s a good idea to be proactive. Brush up on your recall, practice your leash walking skills, and don’t leave your dog outside alone for long periods.
For safety sake, make sure your yard is secure, that you’re managing your leash and, do NOT let your dog off leash.
