Easy wins for you and your dog
whether it’s a game, a competition, or dog training, we all need an easy win sometimes.
this goes double for a dog who has very big feelings!
When you have a dog in your life who has Very Big Feelings, it's pretty easy to feel overwhelmed yourself. When you can't even walk down the street because your dog is either frozen in terror or lunging/snarling/barking at the things that frighten them, it can be very disheartening.
All the things you planned to do with your dog, like hikes in the woods, jogs or long walks in the neighborhood, and play dates with friends who have dogs, may not be able to happen as planned.
Please remember: It's not your fault. And it's not your dog's fault.
A grainy photo of our adorable puppy Daisy, in her foster home 11 years ago.
We fell in love with her (and her Tina Turner ear-do) but had no idea of the complexity of her fears.
You didn't cause your dog to be frightened of the things in the world that scare her. For instance, my own dog Daisy came to us years ago terrified of everything because she lived the first four months of her life in a crate, at which time she was rescued from a hoarder by the police. We had no idea that the sweet, quiet puppy we adopted from a rescue would end up paralyzed with terror on walks whenever a leaf blew down the street.
With patience, expert guidance, veterinary-prescribed medication, and countless amazing treats, she is now better able to cope with the world.
However, she still has things that trigger her fears.
This is where Easy Wins come in.
If there is one thing you can do for your dog with Very Big Feelings today, it’s to give her easy wins. For instance:
If your dog is terrified of the garbage truck don't walk her on trash day or carefully avoid the truck’s route.
When on a walk, only go as far as your dog is comfortable exploring. For some clients, that may mean taking weeks, if not longer, to have your dog comfortable walking around the block. You may spend a long time going back and forth over the same stretch of sidewalk or road. That's ok — reward your dog lavishly with praise and super-special treats for her courage in exploring as far as she feels comfortable going. Do not try to lure her into going any further. Luring a fearful dog with treats on a walk can be counterproductive — you are exposing her to her fear.
Teach an easy skill as an alternative behavior for lunging and barking.
My favorite Easy Skill is "Find It!" and I teach it to pretty much everyone I work with.
Start in the house by scattering a handful of aromatic, special treats under your dog's nose. After she eats them, say "Find It!" and drop some more.
Repeat at random times around the house, then practice Find It in new but familiar areas such as the porch, garage, car, driveway, backyard, and eventually during a walk. You should start to notice when you say "Find It," that your dog's gaze moves to either your hand or the ground. This is good!
If your dog sees something that frightens her on an outing, use Find It to move her eyes off the scary thing. (Trust me, she will still know it’s there.) If she won't eat the treats, they're either not special enough or you're too close to the scary thing — or both. Move away from the scary thing and make a mental note for the next time that you got too close and need something more aromatic.
Note that your dog doesn’t need to do anything but eat the treats: you’re not asking her to sit, touch your hand, or look at you. All she has to do is look down and eat the treats until the scary thing passes.
Photo by Danielle-Claude Bélanger on Unsplash
Find It Pro Tips
Quality, quantity, and texture of the rewards all matter.
Leave the kibble at home and use small diced cubes of cheese, chicken, or dehydrated treats. Something every aromatic will help orient your dog’s nose to the ground.
Have plenty of snackies in your treat pouch and pockets (take three times as much as you think you'll need) and ensure they're easy to access if you get in a jam with your dog.
Cubed treats and moist treats tend to bounce around less. Try to drop the rewards right under your dog's nose so she doesn't have to move too much to get it.
If you can, drop them so your dog has to turn her head away from the scary thing.
The hardest part: Ignoring people who may tut-tut, tsk-tsk, or comment that you are rewarding your dog's barky or “naughty” behavior. They have no idea of the excellent work you’re doing with your dog.