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Don’t Just “Burn Off Energy”
TIRED does NOT equal CALM. Many owners think “burn off energy” is the fix, but high-arousal exercise often ramps dogs up instead of settling them.
Here are some of our favorite ways to calm the chaos instead of endless fetch:
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Shaping Sessions – Build behaviors step by step, giving the dog a chance to think and problem-solve. For example, see if you can shape your dog to interact with a new object in a unique way, by clicking when they look at it, then approach it, and finally touch it with a paw or nose. Be generous with the rewards so they keep trying!
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Scent Work at Home – Hide food in boxes, cups, or around the room. This engages their nose and their brain, and it’s fun to watch. Bonus level: Try a sit/stay while you hide the food, let them watch but be sneaky too, tossing some around a corner.
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Massage or TTouch – Teach owners how to use gentle touch to downshift arousal. Go slower with this than you think you should. A long slow stroke from crown of head to base of tail should take more than 10 seconds on a medium sized dog. Breathe long slow breaths while yous stroke the same direction as their fur grows. (Bonus: make sure your hands are moisturized to decrease static shock in dry environments.)
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Slow Patterned Walks – With your dog on a short but loose lead, move together in figure-8s or spirals to encourage calm focus. Try doing this without speaking, while you look down at the ground and move just one slow step at a time. Mark & reward EVERY single check in.
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Settle-on-a-Mat Practice – Reward relaxation itself, not just activity. Keep a “tip jar” nearby, so you can toss a treat between their paws whenever you catch them in the act of choosing to chillax.
What are your ideas? Let’s brainstorm!
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6 Replies
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Great topic and advice!
I see so many dogs energized and frustrated after walks and play times. Many think they they need “more exercise” when in fact they need to learn to calm, rest and decompress.
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Great observation, @jenz – it’s so true! Learning to chillax is a whole ‘nuther skill set. What are some of your favorite ways to help your clients get this concept? Do you have some go-to skills that you teach?
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My go-to are basically what you mention.
1. “Doggie Zen”- I ask them to have a “zen” towel/mat etc used only for this exercise. After any significant reactive event or inability to calm, just have the them go on the mat and place a treat randomly every 2-8 seconds between their front paws for 30-60 seconds, longer once the dog learns the game.
2. A long lasting chew in a quiet place, i.e upstairs or in a room with no activity.
3 Sniffaris!- treat scatters and scavenger hunt.
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These are great, @jenz – I like how you outline these calm moments. I’m sure your clients really appreciate your guidance.
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So glad you mentioned this very important topic, @catherine . It’s something I talk to my clients about a lot.
Sometimes, I think Leslie McDevitt’s pattern games can be very helpful, too.-
Agree! Anything that engages their brains in a step-by-step manner will serve them well and reduce the frenetic behavior often seen after high arousal activities.
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