A Dog Diary
While attending the doggy First Aid course in Vancouver (If a program is available in your region check it out!) the class was told to keep a dog diary. Your observations and notes on your puppy’s daily routine, will provide crucial details for your dog’s health that could prove important in the instance of a crisis with your dog – for example.
Your diary will have dates, descriptions of unusual events. Changes in behaviour….
As well, a diary allows you to process the important part of your dog’s training.
Some hints:
- Include headings, like “Diet” “Behaviour” “Training” and “Veterinary visit”
- Include quantity of food, times of walks, schedule of walks and play times.
- record supplements, prescriptions, including dosages.
- record unusual behaviour. funny behaviour. And of course milestones! The Diary Notes will allow you to remember some of those endearing moments with your dog. Obvious!
- Doggy Play Dates. Doggy play dates are great opportunities to get an insight into your dog. Meaningful dog play can be a great growing opportunity
- Write a list of dream goals with your dog. This is a great list to review and update once and a while.
- Include details. I wrote: “It was a sunny day. Neither of us were too happy to go for a walk.”
- These details may speak of care items. I realized: that though it was Fall, Knudsen was considering this very warm weather. So I made sure to double check his water bowl.
- Describe the dogs met, the owners. Your description of other dogs- and their owners – may help understand your dog training process. I take this as an opportunity to continue my education of the different dog breeds. Again this is similar to dog play dates.
- Personal details help to bring the day back to life. A vibrant picture may help you to invision details, and help you to read your dog’s behaviour, and determine your own strengths as an owner.
- If you are concerned about electronic glitches that can lose your information… An external drive is pretty easy to set up and becoming more and more affordable.
- I’ve developed a system of writing notes in my iMail software. Sticky notes is a program available for MAC users, and conveniently opened in the Mac mail program. The benefit of sticky notes is the app available on ipod and other devices. Any notes you write on your ipod will synch automatically with your home computer.
I start every note with the same header:
“Knudsen’s Schedule” followed by the date.
You can chose any title. Just keep it consistent.
After half a year I will gather all my files by entering “Knudsen’s Schedule” in ‘search’. I highlight all the “sticky notes” by pressing ‘shift’ (or “apple”) and mouse click. I then “Save” the selected files into a single document with an identifiable filename including date stamp with first and last date. A ‘text file’ of ‘rtf’ will allow you to view your file in Finder without opening in an additional software program.
The next time you save, just check the last date stamp, and you won’t repeat your saves. An electronic file-saving system is efficient. And you don’t have to find room on your bookshelf for another notebook.
You may not have the time to write your diary daily or weekly… Take 3 minutes! It’s easy!
Sometimes you may include simple notes like increases in food. weight…. Try to write an entertaining read. Imagine you are writing to your friend…And when you have a little more time, do a second proof of your diary to fill in juicy dog details for the discerning Diary Writer; the key dog points of our ventures that requires us to get down on all fours to understand our pooches.
We wish you luck in writing your own authentic Dog Diary!
