We all know the iconic and versatile Swiss army knife. This is the dog version. Or as the Scouts say, Be Prepared. This is your Be-Prepared-For-Anything foundational tool kit.
In this phase we replace high-arousal activities that cause spikes in the stress hormone cortisol such as ball play or fetch with low-arousal activities that promote calm focus.
It may seem like the activities in this section aren’t directly related to the ‘problem behaviour’, but they are. They’re relationship-building activities that create new skill sets and optimism to learn – both essential building blocks for our later training.
Spending time together and working as a team builds trust, confidence, love and creates a feeling of safety, which are essential to strengthening the bond you have with your dog. This improved relationship creates a dog that’s more focused on you and ignores the many distractions out there.
Results for your dog
- Dogs love these activities – they’ll get a dopamine and serotonin hit!
- Reactive dogs are often fearful dogs who lack confidence. Boosting confidence can lower reactivity.
Results for you
- You get to relax because your dog is relaxed
- Peace and quiet – interrupt barking and other unwanted behaviours in the home
- Quick and easy activities to pull out whenever you need them
Results for your partnership
- Your dog learns that you are safe, trustworthy, reliable, and a whole lot of fun to be with!
How to use this module
Choose two activities to practice. Then, if you would like to try more and you have time, choose another.