BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — During the pandemic, many people found themselves bringing a pet home, due to an increase in at-home time and remote working. Well when things began to resume, some found it difficult to carry on that pet-worklife balance.
But it doesn’t have to be a struggle. January is National Train Your Dog Month and to get a better idea of proper training practices, I took my best friend Copper to an agility training class at Zoom Room Dog Training a new dog training facility located on Coffee Road, so we could give you a first-hand look at what to do.
“It can be frustrating, but we’re here to help you out," said Jared Vaughan, owner and head trainer of Zoom Room.
In fact, making sure your pet is well trained will not only improve their behavior when they’re alone, but it helps build that bond between the animal and the people who love them.
“That’s what we want. We want to give you and the dogs the tools to be successful here in our gym and out there in the real world,” Vaughan said. “Being lifelong Bakersfield residents, we love our community and that the people of Bakersfield are very dog-centric and friendly.”
The facility offers a variety of classes, including obedience, agility, group class and private training. For many people, dog training can be daunting.. either because their pet hasn’t responded in the past or the owners don’t know where to start.
“We find positive reinforcement that we do, it highly motivates the dog to do what we’re asking them to do," said Vaughan. "Start with basic commands like a sit or a lay down. Just kinda get the dog working with you, get that dog focused on you.”
If you first start training your dog and they don’t immediately respond, or they even pull back, don’t be disheartened.
Some say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but really that’s not true. All it takes is a little support and a positive attitude.
And giving your dog that added exercise and social engagement with other animals will not only help improve their behavior at home and out and about but give them the mental stimulation they need to improve their overall quality of life.
"Classes like agility help the dog get some exercise out, but also run around, have fun," said Vaughan. "Owners seem to have a lot of fun seeing their dog maybe overcome something that they didn't think they could do."
If you’re interested in some training courses you can check out Zoom Room Dog Training. It's open seven days a week you can also book the gym for special occasions, playgroups, or just keep an eye out for their canine social events.
