Teaching A Dog To Relax

[GoldenGirl85]

Has anyone for secrets for teaching a dog to relax? Our cattle dog cross is constantly alert, when we bring the dogs inside he just paces around the house sniffing and licking it is really annoying for us because he just won't relax! We have beds inside for the dogs, they're allowed in the couch, the girls will either lay with us or on their beds but he just won't (unless he's been in for a long time and we haven't moved, but if we get up we're back to square 1 with him

[Sparassidae]

Some dogs are just naturally more alert and highly strung.

I'd just teach a command to send the dog to his bed, sit, sleep, whatever. Easiest solution.

[bianca.a]

Dr Karen Overall has a relaxation protocol.

http://www.dogdaysnw.com/doc/OverallRelaxationProtocol.pdf

[koalathebear]

Has anyone for secrets for teaching a dog to relax? Our cattle dog cross is constantly alert, when we bring the dogs inside he just paces around the house sniffing and licking it is really annoying for us because he just won't relax! We have beds inside for the dogs, they're allowed in the couch, the girls will either lay with us or on their beds but he just won't (unless he's been in for a long time and we haven't moved, but if we get up we're back to square 1 with him

All of our fosters pace a lot like crazy when we get them and our three resident dogs used to also be naturally very restless and 'wandery'.

I'm sure there's something more 'formal' to do to address this but what we do is put the dog bed near my computer desk and lure the dog to the bed and treat (whether with a small bit of food or a toy). Every time the dog gets up, I just keep guiding it back to the bed. Eventually it stays and learns to just lay there quietly - in our house, resident dogs and fosters know that when the humans are sitting at their computers, it's time for dogs to chill.

For the dogs that still keep getting up and wandering, I clip a leash on their collar and tether them to my leg so that they have to stay in their dog bed when I'm at the computer. One dog was too big for tethering to my leg so he was tethered in his dog bed in the kitchen - but a short distance away from us. When he remained quiet, we moved the dog bed into the study and removed the leash. Some dogs catch on very fast, some dogs take much longer but eventually they learn to chill out. My husband and I love our internet time so it's important that the dogs don't wander. For new fosters (because we are still assessing their level of house-training), as well as encouraging them to go to their beds, we also section them off i.e. even if they do wander, they can't wander much further than the study and perhaps one other room. Eventually they tend to return to their beds.

The first few times, they will get up when we get up - but eventually they learn to chill. You can also reward them if they stay put

Good luck with it all.

Edited January 24, 2013 by koalathebear

[Kavik]

Has anyone for secrets for teaching a dog to relax? Our cattle dog cross is constantly alert, when we bring the dogs inside he just paces around the house sniffing and licking it is really annoying for us because he just won't relax! We have beds inside for the dogs, they're allowed in the couch, the girls will either lay with us or on their beds but he just won't (unless he's been in for a long time and we haven't moved, but if we get up we're back to square 1 with him

All of our fosters pace a lot like crazy when we get them and our three resident dogs used to also be naturally very restless and 'wandery'.

I'm sure there's something more 'formal' to do to address this but what we do is put the dog bed near my computer desk and lure the dog to the bed and treat (whether with a small bit of food or a toy). Every time the dog gets up, I just keep guiding it back to the bed. Eventually it stays and learns to just lay there quietly - in our house, resident dogs and fosters know that when the humans are sitting at their computers, it's time for dogs to chill.

For the dogs that still keep getting up and wandering, I clip a leash on their collar and tether them to my leg so that they have to stay in their dog bed when I'm at the computer. One dog was too big for tethering to my leg so he was tethered in his dog bed in the kitchen - but a short distance away from us. When he remained quiet, we moved the dog bed into the study and removed the leash. Some dogs catch on very fast, some dogs take much longer but eventually they learn to chill out. My husband and I love our internet time so it's important that the dogs don't wander. For new fosters (because we are still assessing their level of house-training), as well as encouraging them to go to their beds, we also section them off i.e. even if they do wander, they can't wander much further than the study and perhaps one other room. Eventually they tend to return to their beds.

The first few times, they will get up when we get up - but eventually they learn to chill. You can also reward them if they stay put

Good luck with it all.

Three resident dogs? So does this mean your keeping Dodge? Or am I slow to realise this

[Dame Aussie]

Dr Karen Overall has a relaxation protocol.

http://www.dogdaysnw...ionProtocol.pdf

This looks really good , might do some of it with Lili as she can be a bit highly strung.

Edited January 24, 2013 by Aussie3

[huski]

I agree teach him to stay on a mat. Or a crate.

[koalathebear]

Three resident dogs? So does this mean your keeping Dodge? Or am I slow to realise this

Haha! You couldn't tell from my facebook?? :laugh: Yes, he was surrendered to rescue and we were fostering him with a view to adopting him out so providing training. Problem was, he gets along so well with our dogs and we were putting so much time and effort into him that we thought we might as well just keep him :p So yes he is a first failed foster.

He was a VERY very restless dog when we first got him. Neurotic, bonkers little thing that kept pacing everywhere. Fortunately, like all th eothers, he has learned to chill now and loves his crate and mat. The first night in a crate though ... Good lord.

Edited January 24, 2013 by koalathebear

[GoldenGirl85]

Ill have a read of that link later when I'm on the computer, we've tried teaching him to stay on a mat but he just sits there all wound up ready to pounce as soon as we release him, crating, well he is happy to relax in a crate at night to sleep, but good luck getting him in during the day or getting him to stay in past dawn, he just WON'T settle, we've lost several covers thinking if we make it dark in there he will relax, they get destroyed in minutes

Another thing we've noticed is if he is sitting with my partner he will eventually relax and lay with him asleep, but with me he never does, he is constantly licky and squirmy and won't chill out

[Weasels]

I've been having good results with massage lately to settle Weez after zoomies, using little circular scritches. Doesn't work on Chess though, she does better with being sent to her bed or crate. Frozen kongs are my other stand-by to get them to stay put and focus on one thing.

[Kavik]

Three resident dogs? So does this mean your keeping Dodge? Or am I slow to realise this

Haha! You couldn't tell from my facebook?? :laugh: Yes, he was surrendered to rescue and we were fostering him with a view to adopting him out so providing training. Problem was, he gets along so well with our dogs and we were putting so much time and effort into him that we thought we might as well just keep him :p So yes he is a first failed foster.

He was a VERY very restless dog when we first got him. Neurotic, bonkers little thing that kept pacing everywhere. Fortunately, like all th eothers, he has learned to chill now and loves his crate and mat. The first night in a crate though ... Good lord.

Sounds like he has fallen on his feet And you must have a great OH to not only let you keep him but foster again as well! :laugh:

[corvus]

If I hear one more person say "teach them to relax on their bed or in a crate" I might scream. It may be relevant, but I guess that from my perspective both my dogs learnt that kind of thing as puppies. For one, it stuck, for the other it just didn't. This is unsurprising, because it's a simplistic answer to a potentially convoluted problem. Erik is a lot more active than Kivi. You can't expect Erik to lie down when he's antsy unless you provide him with something to do. I can't lie down when I'm antsy, either. It doesn't really work. I used to find with Erik that telling him to go to bed worked in the short-term, but not in the long-term. Yes, he would go, and often eventually he would even fall asleep there, but when he woke up again he'd just go right back to restless activity. Sooner or later he can't lie on his bed. He's just too wound up. He fidgets and barks and I spend too much time telling him to lie down again. We both end up frustrated. Erik's problem is not that he hasn't been taught to settle. It's that sometimes he honestly can't. His arousal is too high, he's wide awake and bored, and he just isn't that good at calming himself down. He has always needed help with this. I could write a book on what we have tried and how effective they have been. Instead, I will just say this:

Relaxation is not just a body position or being still, but also a state of arousal and an emotional state. If you have the arousal and the emotional state sorted, generally the relaxation will come on its own. Often people can achieve this just by teaching their dog to lay down on a bed or something, because these dogs are the type that can calm down easily when faced with a low energy activity so that they can perform it. Other dogs cannot and will need help. If you dog needs help, the Relaxation Protocol is an excellent place to start. Even if it doesn't address the problem directly, it is usually helpful in some way. Massage is great, but you may at first need to hold your dog in place and start with just a few seconds and work up. If E gets a 10-minute massage it tends to do what 30 minutes of enforced downs might do but without the whinging and need for regular feedback and reinforcement. Thundershirt does what 10-minutes of massage usually does. I'd be lost without frozen Kongs. And, obviously, make sure the dog is getting enough exercise. Upping Erik's daily exercise did help. Finally, if the dog is bored and restless, give them a puzzle toy or something like a Buster Cube. Erik is nuts about his Kong Wobbler. He's going to put it through a wall one day, and the noise is nearly as bad as his "I'm BORED!" barking, but at least it feeds the bored monster so it goes to sleep for a while.

Not every dog has problems like Erik's, but not every dog can simply switch off when told to lie down, either. To account for all dogs, first lower arousal and take it from there.

[GoldenGirl85]

Corvus this sounds exactly like Jackson, I can tell him to lay down till I'm blue in the face, but he is just constantly switched on and wound up, I need to teach him how to relax his mind

I've tried treat toys, they only stimulate him more, massage probably wouldn't be successful either because touch also stimulates him

[huski]

In my experience teaching a dog to go to a mat or crate or similar and learn to relax there, gives them a place to go and something to do rather than pacing around or constantly reward seeking. It isn't all I would do to teach an off switch but it's a start and helps to start to break the habit of reward seeking in the house and pacing etc almost immediately.

My working line Malinois is super active all the time. She would go non stop until she keeled over and died had she not been taught to have an off switch that was fostered in her from when she was very young. She always wants to be doing something but understands being in her crate or mat is time to chill out and relax. I'm also teaching her to chill out when loose in the house too, but some dogs will always require higher levels of management than others, that's just how it is. The other element to consider is that if a dog has never been taught when to switch on and learns that constantly reward seeking and hassling you for rewards etc works (whether this is something you've done unintentionally or otherwise) then it is going to be much harder for that dog to learn to chill out and switch off.

Outside of home GG85 how much training and mental stimulation is he getting?

[Sparassidae]

If I hear one more person say "teach them to relax on their bed or in a crate" I might scream. It may be relevant,

I didn't see a single person say that.

That said, I disagree with almost your entire post and believe you can easily teach a dog to relax by teaching it to adopt a body position or to remain in a crate/lay down.

Considering both of the people who mentioned mat/crates were Huski and I, both who have experience with extremely high drive and high energy dogs then I think it's safe to say we're not theory crafting and our recommendations come from our experience.

Edited January 25, 2013 by NotMidol

[TigerJack]

Ill have a read of that link later when I'm on the computer, we've tried teaching him to stay on a mat but he just sits there all wound up ready to pounce as soon as we release him, crating, well he is happy to relax in a crate at night to sleep, but good luck getting him in during the day or getting him to stay in past dawn, he just WON'T settle, we've lost several covers thinking if we make it dark in there he will relax, they get destroyed in minutes

Another thing we've noticed is if he is sitting with my partner he will eventually relax and lay with him asleep, but with me he never does, he is constantly licky and squirmy and won't chill out

Have you actually played crate games with him or just shut him in there? Crate games will increase the value for the crate so they actually enjoy time in there. Susan Garrett's DVD is good at explaining it. My Kelpie boy will not settle in the house, prolws around seeking attention or seeking interaction with all the other dogs who are doing the right thing and staying settled on their beds. I never mat trained him so he wanders off if he is just sent to a bed. Ask him to get in his crate though and he dives in and promptly lies down and is asleep inside 2 minutes. Its his little cave. I spent a long time on crate games so he does know its his space to relax in.

[ness]

I have the same question as huski - how much mental and physical activity is he getting and is it adequate for his drive level? Yes you can teach an off-switch but I don't believe its possible for a dog to always be off without having an adequate outlet.

I have a dog who has taken to pacing and won't settle at home but has been somewhat forced into that position due to an unfortunate set of circumstances which prevent her from gaining adequate drive satisfaction over an extended period of time. She was much more settled when her physical and mental needs were able to be met.

[mel_]

This thread is great I'm having the same problem with my Cavalier.

[GoldenGirl85]

I'll be honest and say at the moment he only gets a long walk once a week, and a long game of fetch every day in the yard (decent sized yard), and when I have a day off I do a bit of training like teaching him to sit/drop from a distance. I don't feel as though this is enough for him but I simply don't have the time to do what I really want to at the moment (agility) I can't even commit to any classes because I'm a shift worker and my hours are so erratic, I'm the only money earner at the moment and I study....as much as OH loves the dogs he unfortunately has no idea nor any interest in training them

I do sometimes wonder if he would be better rehomed, but I can't see OH agreeing to it, we rescued him from the RSPCA when he was about 8 months so his past is completely unknown...I'm probably stupid for even thinking about rehoming him because he has come a long way since we first got him a little over a year ago, he used to get horribly car sick but we now have him riding in the car with no problems, we're currently transitioning him out of riding in the crate

Edited January 25, 2013 by GoldenGirl85

[GoldenGirl85]

Ill have a read of that link later when I'm on the computer, we've tried teaching him to stay on a mat but he just sits there all wound up ready to pounce as soon as we release him, crating, well he is happy to relax in a crate at night to sleep, but good luck getting him in during the day or getting him to stay in past dawn, he just WON'T settle, we've lost several covers thinking if we make it dark in there he will relax, they get destroyed in minutes

Another thing we've noticed is if he is sitting with my partner he will eventually relax and lay with him asleep, but with me he never does, he is constantly licky and squirmy and won't chill out

Have you actually played crate games with him or just shut him in there? Crate games will increase the value for the crate so they actually enjoy time in there. Susan Garrett's DVD is good at explaining it. My Kelpie boy will not settle in the house, prolws around seeking attention or seeking interaction with all the other dogs who are doing the right thing and staying settled on their beds. I never mat trained him so he wanders off if he is just sent to a bed. Ask him to get in his crate though and he dives in and promptly lies down and is asleep inside 2 minutes. Its his little cave. I spent a long time on crate games so he does know its his space to relax in.

I was doing crate work with him when we first got him and he would bound in as soon as I told him 'in your box' but he still wouldn't relax in there during the day, if I didn't let him out he would tear at the covers or bark or pull on the gate with his paws...yet he would sleep in the crate every night (and still does)