Activities For 6 Month Old Dogs
Prepare for unexpected vet bills
Introduction
You're little pup is now 6 months old - how time flies! You may be wondering what activities are good for a six month old dog and the answer is that there are so many things your young one can do. At this stage, your dog is still considered a puppy and they are likely full of energy. They are also probably very comfortable around you and starting to get adjusted into their home. While your puppy may be sleeping one minute and sprinting around the next, you should find productive ways to keep them busy and learning in between these puppy energy bursts.
Trick a Week
You may be aware that your puppy needs physical activities built into their day to day life but what about mental stimulation? While daily exercise is great, a puppy also needs to exercise their mind! A puppy is primed for learning new tricks as their brain is young and fresh and they (most likely) don't have too many bad habits ingrained in them yet. Teaching your dog a new trick or behavior each week is the perfect way to instill good habits and also have fun with your dog! So grab that box of treats and get ready to teach your six month old puppy some new tricks!
Grooming Fun
A nice, clean dog is something everyone wants. However, as dogs get older, they may become adverse toward getting a bath or having their nails trimmed. The best thing to do is expose your young dog to grooming before they develop an unnecessary fear of being bathed, brushed or pampered. While you can opt to simply bring your 6 month old pup to a professional groomer, why not try your hand at it at home? Grooming your own dog is a much less expensive way to keep that pooch clean! And as you may well know, a puppy can get messy very quickly and require multiple baths a week.
Walking Right
While you have most likely taken your dog for many walks at this point, it is always a good idea to practice proper leash walking with your young puppy. Enforcing walking habits daily (if not multiple times a day) is the only way your puppy will learn to behave on the leash. By six months, your dog is close to their full size and for big dogs, this can mean they are probably at a heavy weight and can now easily pull the leash and "walk" you! Six months is such a great time to work on leash skills before these pulling habits are here to stay.Â
More Fun Ideas...
Free Run
Puppies certainly have a lot of energy and you should let them release it in a positive way. Go to a location that is completely fenced in and let your six month old puppy run free! Bring a ball or toy for some extra excitement.
Car Rides
If you intend on taking your dog on frequent car rides, you want to introduce them to the car as early as possible. Start off by bringing your puppy on short trips and then increase the distance as they get more comfortable. Always make sure your pup is safe in the car and never open the windows wide enough where they could jump out.
Conclusion
A six month old puppy is like a sponge when it comes to what they are learning - they will absorb everything and do so with a smile on their little face! This is a great age to teach your dog good habits and get them into a daily routine. You will also benefit from putting in the extra effort with your puppy now. When you have a well behaved older dog, you will be happy you did all the training young!