Why Daily Routines Matter for Your Dog’s Behavior
Daily Dog Routines you should be doing with your dog. Don’t forget that routines are what build consistency in your dog’s behaviors and reliability. If you have an insecure or nervous dog, routines can help them build confidence.
Potty with Purpose: How a Bathroom Routine Builds Better Habits
One routine that we recommend is potty training. Make sure that your potties are on a schedule, the time you let your dog go to the bathroom, and try to take them to the same place in your yard to go to the bathroom every day.
And if you do that over time, they will pattern themselves their habits and behaviors of going to the bathroom in that location on their own, which can be very beneficial for keeping your yard very nice and making sure your dogs are going into the bathroom at the same place.
Structured Feeding: Build Discipline Through Mealtimes
Another daily dog routines that we recommend is a feeding routine. We recommend feeding your dog two or maybe three times each day. And for each feeding, separate your dog’s total calories for that day into your feeding amounts.
Right, so, if you’re feeding twice a day, break their calories up into two meals. If you’re feeding three times a day, break their daily calories up into three meals. Now, when you’re feeding, give your dog their food for about 30 minutes and then take that food up.
We don’t recommend grazing because that cannot develop good eating habits right with grazers. They’ll keep going to the food bowl, or maybe they’ll skip meals altogether. So, what we recommend for feeding is to use a kennel or an area of your house that you designate for feeding.
Pro Tip: Make Mealtime a Training Opportunity
Before you have them start eating, put them in a down stay or a spot command a Petco, to have them stay there. While you prepare their food, we do recommend incorporating.
Some type of raw food into your diet and a joint supplement, but prepare their food and put their food in their feeding area. Whether that be their kennel or the area of your house that you’re using, like your kitchen, put that food down, tell your dog either goes into their kennel or it’s okay to get up and eat. Once they start eating, the timer starts for about 30 minutes.
This is super easy for people if you have your dog eat at the same time you’re eating. So if you’re eating your breakfast, you give your dog their breakfast right before you start eating.
When you’re done eating, about 30 minutes later, do you pick up their food? Same thing for dinner, what this does is build up a pattern of behavior and a habit of eating on a regular schedule.
Because you have them do a down stay before you have them eat, now they have to earn that food, and earning the food can also help your dog listen to you more and look to you for leadership.
Walk the Walk: Exercise + Training in One Daily Habit
Another daily routine that we always recommend is daily exercise with your dog, such as walking. Walking is a great way to bond with your dog, and you can easily.
Add Training Commands During Walks for Mental Stimulation
Incorporate training on your walks; we recommend about an hour total for most dogs. per day of walking, and you can break that up into two walks per day.
One in the morning, one in the evening, or multiple walks throughout the day, such as after each meal the depending on your schedule and routine, but taking your dog for a walk gives them.
Some time to sniff around, but also having a structured walk, such as in a heel position, is highly recommended. because this is also working your dog mentally as well as physically.
All right, so take your dog for a walk, incorporate training on the walk, such as doing a down stay to a come command, doing a heel position, and doing a Sit position.
So you can incorporate all these on your walk and knock out your training maintenance at the same time you’re doing your walk with your dog.
Earn the Fun: Why Dogs Should Work for Their Daily Privileges
Finally, the last daily routine we would recommend with you and your dog is making sure that your dog earns all their privileges for that day.
Respect the Rules, Earn the Rewards
So a privilege could be the freedom to roam around the house freedom to play, and chewing on things. Playing with toys these are privilege. So, how do you earn privileges by performing the way we expect you to perform, by adhering to your rules and boundaries?
So, what you would do, for example, is have your dog do a down stay and then give them some type of privilege. Make sure that your dog is walking appropriately through your doorway, doing you know a calm entry into the house, a calm exit out of the house, not darting out of doors but coming through doors.
When asked or when permitted to do so, if your dog is adhering to you about 90% of the time for your rules and expectations as a house as a family, as a pack, then privileges have been earned.
But if your dogs are struggling to listen to you, struggling to pay attention to you, I would hold back on privileges until their adherence to you and your rules gets a little bit stronger.
Have Tips of Your Own? Share Your Daily Dog Routines Below
If you guys have any other recommendations, put them in the comments below.
FAQ’S
What is a good dog daily routine chart?
A dog’s daily routine chart includes feeding, walks, potty breaks, play, training, and rest times.
What is the best dog schedule for working owners?
Early morning exercise, a midday potty break (walker/daycare), and evening play help balance long work hours.
Where can I get a dog daily schedule chart PDF?
You can find printable PDFs online or create one with fixed times for meals, walks, and naps.
What is a dog daily routine template?
It’s a customizable outline to track feeding, bathroom breaks, exercise, and training.
What is the best adult dog schedule?
Most adult dogs thrive on 2 meals, 2–3 walks, short play sessions, and lots of rest daily.
What does a dog’s routine look like daily?
Consistent feeding, potty breaks, exercise, mental games, cuddles, and 12–14 hours of sleep.
