Most types of dogs have been selectively bred to be curious and interested about the world around them.
Not surprising then that we need to actually teach them how to switch off, particularly as our pet dogs are unlikely to be carrying out the jobs for which they were originally selected.
Finding the ‘on’ switch for your dog is probably pretty easy – indeed, your dog can probably turn that one on himself without any problems! But finding the off-switch can be a little trickier – and at times, especially surrounding exciting events, may seem impossible.
When we describe a dog who is easy to live with, one of the attributes that has to be close to top of the list is a dog who settles himself, who can calm himself and who can easily swing between the on switch and the off switch.
Because ‘on’ can seem to be a default setting for many dogs, we need to put the effort into teaching the dog how to switch to ‘off’.
Remember, being ‘on’ can become addictive so we this can be a real challenge for some pets – no better time to get started on training than now!
What do I need for Week 2?
a new mat/towel/blanket – one your dog hasn’t had before
Training Mix
your dog’s collar and leash
Kong toys or similar for pacifying
Week 2 Training Games
up & down
settle & matwork
capturing calmness
Park Your Pup
massage
relaxation
What’s my dog learning?
I am learning to settle myself, even after excitement or activity and when my human is ignoring me.
I am learning to better tolerate frustration so can wait patiently
I am learning that I can’t have all the things I want when I want them
Chewing on my stuff helps me to calm, like a toddler sucking their thumb
When a human comes near me when I have something yummy, I am learning that good things happen and that I don’t need to guard
Learning to calm and settle myself can help to prevent serious behavioural and physical disorders
My human can have lots of peace and quiet while I settle quietly
There’s a lot to this relaxation-business…
You can download a more printer friendly, but abbreviated version of this week’s exercises here.
It’s a tough week for everyone so here is some more inspiration from our amazing followers participating in Train Your Dog Month 2016 with their amazing canine companions.
Because we know you can’t enough, here’s an extra bonus training game for you and your dog to enjoy!
Where’s my keys?
Transfer some of your dog’s new-found sniffing-genius to a really useful task by teaching him to hunt down often-missing items such as your keys.
Time Allowance: Practice for 1 minute sessions at a time with plenty of down-time in between.
It’s best to try to work practice into your routine, such as while you wait for the kettle to boil, while you wait for the computer to start up or during the ad break of a TV show.
Family Participation:
Kids are often great dog trainers. Teach each child how to lure safely.
If your dog is mouthy, jumpy or likely to get over-excited it might be best for you to get the behaviours established and then bring in the kids to help with practice.
Always supervise child-dog interactions and make sure children learn to leave the dog alone when eating his rewards.
Get started…
Work on scent puzzles that encourage your dog to sniff out a hidden treat, like this simple game:
Trick training is a fun way for your dog to earn his lunch and for you to really get into teaching your dog behaviours.
Keep it light, keep it fun and remember, it’s all tricks to your dog!
Today’s Games
Time Allowance: Practice for 1-2 minute sessions and then take a break. Have a few sessions today and tomorrow.
Try fitting each short session into your routine; for example, while you wait for the kettle to boil, during the ad break of your TV show or while you wait for the computer to start up.
Family Participation:
Kids are often great dog trainers. Teach each child how to lure safely.
If your dog is mouthy, jumpy or likely to get over-excited it might be best for you to get the behaviours established and then bring in the kids to help with practice.
Always supervise child-dog interactions and make sure children learn to leave the dog alone when eating his rewards.
Top Tip for Today’s Training Games:
When you are just starting with a new behaviour (for you or your dog) work in a low distraction situation, such as inside the house, so that both you and your dog can concentrate on learning the new behaviour.
Luring
Let’s start with luring – this is a way of teaching dogs simple behaviours by guiding their body into position with a food reward or toy right on their nose.
A small food reward, like a piece of kibble, is best to start with as it can be hidden in your hand easily.
The mechanics of luring start with how you hold the lure:
Hold the lure under your thumb and against your fingers. Present the back of your fingers to the dog though.
This helps to avoid your dog mouthing at the lure in your fingers.
Move the lure down to your palm when you reward the dog.
Deliver the lure, as a reward, on your flat palm. This is a safer reward presentation and reduces your dog’s teeth catching your hand.
Hold the lure right at your dog’s nose and move it slowly until they are in position. Say YES! and release the lure to reward them.
Think of the lure like a magnet…
If your dog’s nose isn’t right at the lure (remember, it’s a magnet) you’re moving too fast or in the wrong position.
Luring properly can take quite a bit of practice but we’ll keep it simple with some cute tricks to get you started.
Beginner Level Tricks
Sit Pretty
Ask your dog to sit, or lure him into sit position.
Slowly raise the lure, right at your dog’s nose, straight up above his head.
When he lifts his front legs off the floor, say YES! and release the lure to reward him.
Repeat until your dog promptly follows the lure straight up, and supports his weight, front legs off the floor.
After some practice you will be able to work with only one lure, the one in your right hand.
Roll Over
Ask your dog to lie down, or lure him into a down position.
Wait for your dog to choose a hip to rest his weight on, or lure him to one side or the other.
Guide your dog’s head back toward the opposite hip.
Lure your dog’s head up and over so that he lies on his side. You can continue to lure your dog over all the way or choose to reward him at this stage.
We certainly don’t want to have to lure the dog with a food reward every time we want the dog to do a behaviour so as soon as the dog is doing the behaviour by following the lure, we will begin to fade the lure and eventually get rid of it altogether.
First stage is to fade the lure so that it’s less about the lure and more about being rewarded for the behaviour:
once your dog is performing the behaviour every time you lure him, keep the lure working but don’t let the dog have it – when he completes the behaviour, say YES! and reward him with a food reward from your other hand
with some practice, switch to using the lure every second time – keep your hand in the same position, as if you had the lure in there – say YES! and reward the dog from your other hand
after a few repetitions, switch to using no lure at all and instead just say YES! and reward the dog from your other hand
Once the behaviour is reliable, start working without a lure:
Now your dog is performing the behaviour on your hand signal (empty hand)! Because English is a second language to your dog we will use your hand signal to teach the dog your verbal cue (a word).
When the dog is performing the behaviour on verbal cue we can begin to think about reducing the number of food rewards.
If you would bet €50 that your dog will do the behaviour when you ask him, you can start to reduce the number of food rewards! Doing so before this may weaken the reliability of the behaviour – don’t un-do your hard work!
Do you have a favourite trick you are working on? Practice that one instead, having your dog earn his Training Mix!
repeat Thursday’s games (I play this one with my dog every day!)
bring a yummy lined (frozen) Kong toy or chew on your walk today and give to your dog about halfway through in a calm and low-distraction place; settle for about ten minutes (check your phone, bring a book…) – take a break!
It’s a good idea to provide your dog with a pacifying activity after your walk too.
Advanced Level ideas:
teach your dog to start and stop your favourite game on cue – have an obedience break of at least two behaviours
play jazz up/settle down:
Get your dog all excited and wound up for a five count.
Ask your dog to lie down or settle and be quiet.
Once your dog is quiet, get him all wound up again.
Have an assistant (the kids might love this job!) time how long it takes for the dog to settle.
Repeat – record your improving times.
Yay!
Today’s training games are certainly a little more challenging and you and your dog have done great!
Well done – the last plan of the week is coming on Saturday so be sure to let us know how you are getting on 🙂
Up & Down – pacifying and energising activities for dogs
To really benefit from enrichment and entertainment, dogs need both pacifying and energising activities – if we bring them up (energising) we also need to bring them down (pacifying) again.
This can be applied in real life too, and not just in games. If your dog gets particularly excited by something such as the doorbell or seeing another dog, make sure to give him the opportunity to engage in a pacifying activity afterwards to help him calm again.
Use your dog’s regular food for pacifying and energising activities in fun kibble games:
We have a training challenge for you today (and tomorrow)!
Time Allowance:
Each game will take 30 seconds to 10 minutes depending on which games you choose.
Your dog will be doing lots of the work!
Family Participation:
Children will enjoy preparing some of these games but please take care – it’s not recommended that your dog associate high activity and excitement with children so best choose games that the kids can participate in carefully.
Just ask us if you need help!
Thursday’s Games:
Today choose at least one energising activity and one pacifying activity that you and your dog will enjoy.
Play with your dog:
1-2 minute pacifying activity
followed by…
30 second energising activity
followed by…
1-2 minute pacifying activity
Have a few rounds of that sequence today (always beginning and ending with pacifying activities) – be creative, mix and match activities and time it so that pacifying activities coincide with your natural settling routines e.g. family dinner time, watching TV.
Friday’s Games:
Beginner Level ideas:
repeat Thursday’s game (I play this one with my dog every day!)
bring a yummy lined (frozen) Kong toy or chew on your walk today and give to your dog about halfway through in a calm and low-distraction place; settle for about ten minutes (check your phone, bring a book…) – take a break!
It’s a good idea to provide your dog with a pacifying activity after your walk too.
Advanced Level ideas:
teach your dog to start and stop your favourite game on cue – have an obedience break of at least two behaviours
play jazz up/settle down:
Get your dog all excited and wound up for a five count.
Ask your dog to lie down or settle and be quiet.
Once your dog is quiet, get him all wound up again.
Have an assistant (the kids might love this job!) time how long it takes for the dog to settle.
Repeat – record your improving times.
Pacifying
When working on pacifying activities use your dog’s regular food to avoid too much excitement.
Lapping & chewing are calming for dogs and a great (and more acceptable) outlet for destructive behaviours.
Providing your dog with a stuffed or lined chew toy can encourage him to settle, lap and chew so helping him to relax too.
Of course we are big fans of Kong toys!
Simply lining a Kong toy with something yummy and freezing it can be a great way of keeping your dog busy and chilled, easily.
Make a homemade pacifier for your dog; and it makes a great summer treat too:
line a lunchbox with a plastic bag or film
add some food, treats, chews to the lunchbox
add water or low-salt stock
freeze
turn it out but don’t give to your dog if he is already hot or cold
Choose chews for your dog carefully and know your dog’s chewing style. Your dog chewing anything may be potentially harmful in a particular situation so be aware of ways to reduce the risks.
It’s never a good idea to give your dog cooked bones or very hard bone (e.g. weight bearing bone, heavy antlers etc.) as these can cause damage either when ingested or during chewing to teeth.
Natural chews are generally best but always check and monitor their condition. Look for signs of splitting or splintering, and keep an eye on their size appropriate to your dog.
Chews such as gullets, ‘pizzles’ and scalp have become more widely available.
Cheaper rawhide type chews can be dangerous if swallowed so if choosing rawhide look for chews that are constructed from one piece of hide, that are not bleached or coloured and keep a close eye on your dog as he chews them.
If in doubt, ask your qualified veterinary healthcare team before allowing your pet to chew!
Settle exercises will help to teach our dogs to take up a more relaxed position on cue, so as to help him chill out while you relax too.
Don’t worry, we will be working on settling and calming exercises during our program so you will have lots of practice.
Self-control exercises help to boost your dog’s frustration tolerance and patience. Asking your dog to think first before acting will help him to calm himself in exciting situations.
We will be working on lots of these exercises during our program too.
Energising
These are the easy ones – dogs are very good at getting excited! That means we have to work harder at teaching our dogs calming behaviours.
So, we will use these energising activities to help teach our dogs to calm too.
Chasing and catching food rewards is a great way of getting your dog activated and is perfect for rainy days when outdoor exercise may be limited.
Always work within your dog’s physical capabilities and take care of the sorts of surfaces you ask your dog to run, jump and turn on.
Games like Chase the Kibble, Catch the Kibble or Goalkeeping are simple and require very little activity on your part so are perfect if you are feeling under the weather.
If you have a fit dog, having them chase kibble or food rewards up and down the stairs can tire them quickly.
Practicing training exercises such as tricks and manners in short sessions each day gets valuable practice in while providing both physical and mental challenges.
And of course you will get lots of practice during this program!
Toy play:
You can also introduce energising activities with toys. Games such as tug and fetch are great fun for both dogs and humans BUT if we are going to play games, there must be rules.
Rules help prevent some of the problems that can be associated with too much high-arousal, repetitive activity (see Tuesday’s post).
Teach your dog the rules of these games first, so that the fun stays fun:
the game starts on cue only
Use a cue word or action that lets your dog know the game is going to start.
Rules that may be in place in ‘real life’ may not be in play during a game and other rules may be enforced so letting your dog know it’s time to play will reduce confusion.
This can also help to prevent your dog being frustrated or nagging at you to play.
the game ends on cue
Teach your dog to give up his toy on cue and end the game so life can go back to normal. This is a good time to provide your dog with a pacifying activity to reward him for ending the game and to help bring him back down from his excitement.
Teaching a ball-addict to give up a ball on cue can require some training:
When you first start teaching the rules of the game, have an obedience break after every ball-throw or 3-5 – count of tug.
Ask your dog for two or three obedience behaviours and then reward him with the opportunity to play again.
Teaching Tug (with rules) is an excellent way of improving your dog’s self control, responsiveness and having fun!
Because play is exciting dogs can lose a little control so may grab at clothing or your hands, for example, they may jump up more than usual or bump into their human companion.
To keep excitement under control as much as possible it’s a good idea to be pretty strict early on and relax as appropriate as your dog improves.
Generally, it’s a good idea to end the game if your dog’s mouth catches your clothing or skin. Just stop playing, put the toy away and be very boring and still. Wait for your dog to calm a little, ask them for an obedience break and then start the game again.
Play for a shorter time and keep the action a little more low-key this time to help prevent your dog losing control again. As you practice more games-with-rules you will be able to increase the length of the fun part!
Remember, you are always training your dog – even when playing:
And of course lots of pet owners are commenting too. Thank you all so much for participating and getting involved to help your dogs become better canine citizens!
Lots more to come so keep sharing the fun with us!
Puzzles are our favourite games for dogs – really getting their brain-power working and challenging them is important to keep dogs happy and healthy.
Use your Training Mix for these puzzles but you can also use higher value treats if you set a great challenge – better pay, for harder work!
Build the challenge slowly to avoid frustration and the dog losing interest.
Before using any home-made puzzles check out this clip for some of our favourite puzzle ideas plus please read the safety guidelines at the start:
I know, I know… but some important considerations to be aware of plus ideas for our favourite puzzles 🙂
Today’s Games
Time Allowance:
Each game will take you 2-10 minutes to set up – depending on the puzzles your choose.
Try a couple of these puzzles today.
Family Participation:
Fun for all the family – children will love constructing puzzles for dogs.
Always supervise child-dog interactions and make sure children learn to leave the dog alone while he works on his puzzle.
Top Tip for Today’s Games:
Give your dog a puzzle in a confined or smaller area. Things could get messy so it’s easier to clean up if the mess is restricted.
Remember, encourage your dog to move away from the puzzle before you start clean up!
Stuffed Puzzles
You will need:
cardboard tube from e.g. toilet roll
crumpled paper e.g. newspaper, kitchen paper
paper e.g. newspaper, old wrapping paper
Training Mix
Beginner Level ideas:
add a treat to a cardboard tube and squeeze the ends
set up as above and wrap loosely in old wrapping paper
Advanced Level ideas:
Add a treat to a cardboard tube, stuff the tube with crumpled kitchen roll or even newspaper. Wrap the tube in paper to make a Christmas Cracker.
Rolled Puzzles
You will need:
stiff cardboard, like a flap from a box
old tea towel
Training Mix
Beginner Level ideas:
remove the flap from a box and spread it out flat; sprinkle some food on it and then roll it up
Advanced Level ideas:
sprinkle a tea towel with food and roll it up
for an extra challenge, slightly dampen the towel, roll up with food and freeze
add some food to an eggbox and close over the lid, without fastening
add some food to a tub and place the lid on top, without pressing it down too hard
Advanced Level ideas:
add some food to an eggbox and close the lid – for an extra challenge wrap the eggbox in old wrapping paper
fill the tub with food and crumpled paper, close the lid tightly
Teasers
You will need:
muffin tin
cardboard tubes, tennis balls, disposable cups
tray, basket, box
Training Mix
Beginner Level ideas:
place a food reward in each gap of an eggbox or muffin tin; cover each treat with a tennis ball, toilet roll tube or disposable cup
Advanced Level ideas:
sprinkle food on the base of the tray/basket/box and then fill the entire container with cardboard tubes standing up – pack it tightly to really challenge your dog
toss some food in a bowl of very shallow water when your dog is watching – to increase the challenge remove the dog from the room before submerging the food
Dogs need a balance of physical and mental exercise to keep them healthy and so that they continue to be easy to live with. If we don’t provide both and in balanced proportions we could run into trouble…
Physical exercise causes stress on the body – not necessarily bad stress, but the body needs to adjust to compensate for activity, for example, increased heart rate, increased breathing rate and so on.
Please note that mental exercise can cause this too so we must be aware of balancing this within each physical or mental activity, not just broadly balancing physical and mental challenges.
Stress, at a body chemical level, causes the body to become wound up, to prepare for this exertion, to cope with the stressors.
Look at your dog when they are physically exerting themselves…panting, tongue lolling, enlarged pupils, keenly focused on the ball (or whatever is the subject of their exertion)…maybe they jump up a little more than usual, maybe they mouth a little harder than normal…
When we push that physical exertion we can cause the dog to become more and more wound up – you may have made the observation that even after running around like a lunatic, your dog is still up for more even when you have had enough activity.
Where we might run into problems is with the excitement-addict…
Ever heard of the marathon runner who has become ‘addicted’ to the highs produced by exertion?
You will have certainly heard of so-called adrenaline junkies; canine excitement-addicts may experience this and want to put themselves in situations where they will hit those highs, over and over.
Don’t despair – you’re in the right place…
A few things can help here:
introduce lots and lots and lots of calming breaks during activity to help bring your dog ‘down’ from the highs – once he’s calmer, reward with the opportunity for more fun
increase mental exercise to achieve better balance
teaching the dog to settle calmly by rewarding calm behaviour
look at the type, amount and suitability of physical exercise provided
A dog that is relaxing peacefully, can calm himself and bring himself down from the highs will have had lots of practice and guidance in this and will be living a balance of mental and physical challenges.
(Is your dog getting up to 18 hours of sleep each day?)
Too much of a good thing…?
How do we strike that balance between physical exercise and mental challenge to ensure our dog’s happiness and health?
The amount of physical and mental exercise that is healthy, will depend on many factors, including:
the dog’s age and neuter status
the dog’s breed, type and conformation
the dog’s current fitness and overall health
the dog’s temperament and abilities, both physical and cognitive
the dog’s current ability to cope with excitement and stress
the season and weather
availability of suitable facilities for exercise
local laws and restrictions relating to dogs
the owner’s ability to exercise the dog
the owner’s goals for the dog, for example, is he to become a competitive sports dog?
Considerations for the challenges we present to puppies and young dogs are some of the most important.
Generally the rule for young and growing dogs is to allow them to decide how much exercise they take – allow them to potter, to sniff and to wander.
We often recommend to provide about 5 minutes per month (age) of structured exercise, such as leash walks.
Therefore for example, a 12 week old puppy should have about 15-20 minutes of structured exercise per day.
On top of those important concerns, mental exercise, downtime and appropriate challenges are vital for puppies and young dogs. Adolescent dogs particularly will benefit from extra attention to teaching them how to calm themselves and cope with excitement.
Puppy Culture from trainer and breeder Jane Messineo Lindquist has some really great resources on all aspects of puppy rearing, and this fantastic area on Appropriate Exercise.
It’s often the case that most petslive too sedentary a lifestyle so in many situations more and better physical exercise is required. But, if we bring in physical exercise we also need to put lots of effort into mental exercise too.
For some great ideas on introducing lots of mental challenges, without adding too much more physical exertion check out the book No Walks, No Worries (available from Amazon.co.uk) by Sian Ryan.
Look no further, you’re in the right place – our Train Your Dog Month 2016 program offers lots of ideas and guidance so that you can help your dog develop skills vital to becoming a pleasure to share your life with.
Week 2 Keep Calm & Settle Down
AniEd Ireland 