Watching your dog slip and slide across your smooth floor might be cute the first time. But this kind of skating across smooth floors could cause your dog injury. You could also scare your dog so badly that he ends up not visiting a certain room in your home. And this could become traumatic for some dogs their fears and anxieties of smooth and slippery floors overpowers their want, need, and desire to be with their owners and their families. It's better to train your dog how to walk on a smooth floor rather than have him be left out of the family and unable to visit a room you may frequent. Training your dog to walk on smooth floors can help ease his anxiety in places outside of your home as well. Many veterinary offices will have tile floors that might be smooth. For some dogs going to the vet is a joy, while others are nervous to begin with. Adding smooth floors to their trip may also add anxiety.
Train your dog to walk on smooth floors is going to take a little bit of time and patience from both you and your dog. Your dog may be a little apprehensive if he is a nervous dog to begin with or if he has been injured on smooth floors before. Dogs will do just about anything for a good treat, though. Consider using high-value treats that your dog is going to work for, such as cheese or hot dogs, to get him to want to learn to walk across the smooth floor. Giving your dog a safe haven and little breaks along the way will also be an important step for him to be successful on smooth floors. Be sure you are empathetic and understanding of your dog’s fears and concerns. Stay close by as he learns to walk on your smooth floors in case he falls.
Prepare yourself, your smooth floors, and your dog for this training in advance. Using high-value treats such as cheese or hot dogs will entice your dog more than a typical dog treat. If you choose a method that requires non-slip mats, set these out on the floor in various places for your dog to have safe passage before you try to convince him to walk across. These non-slip mats can be bathroom mats you have taken from all of the bathrooms in your home. Or you could use a non-slip mat typically used for keeping area rugs in place. These are inexpensive and can be cut into small sections to spread across this floor as your dog is learning. Be patient with your dog and always stay nearby so you can help him should he fall. You want to avoid scaring your dog or allowing him to become injured.