Six Tips for a Successful Bootcamp and Beyond
If you’re struggling with your dog, he or she likely needs a mindset change. A lot of the things on this list don’t directly address the problems owners ask me for help with. However, as unrelated as they may seem, the recommendations below go a long way towards getting you a better relationship with your dog and getting your dog in a better mindset. Some of these things might seem like big changes, but hear me out - they’re by no means the way I hope you’ll live with your dog forever. (Alright, some of them might — I’m looking at you, correcting demand barking and avoiding on-leash greetings — but I’ll get to that later.) And don’t get me wrong, there are some dogs who’ve had really serious behavior issues that might require some permanent lifestyle and management changes. But the majority of dogs just need a solid period of time to reset and learn new boundaries. The goal of following these recommendations now is to change your dog’s patterns so a calmer mindset becomes habitual and not something you have to continually manage.
Befriend the crate
Your dog should be crated overnight and whenever you’re unable to keep your eyeballs on them. I know, no one loves putting their dog in a crate. But, in addition to keeping your dog from eating things they shouldn’t while you’re away and being an aid in housetraining, the crate has other mindset-related benefits. The crate is an excellent “chill out zone” for your dog. Our only expectations are for him to lie down and relax. The crate is not a punishment - we’re working on creating those calmer patterns.
Limit “free roaming”
Dogs that are constantly bouncing around the house looking for toys and people and things to do aren’t necessarily happy. They might be excited, but being in a prolonged state of excitement is akin to being in a prolonged state of stress, and affects their nervous systems and behaviors accordingly. Wouldn’t it be great if your dog got in the habit of lying down and relaxing every once in a while? Let’s start to create that pattern by giving your dog the job of being in a downstay, going to their bed, or chilling out in their crate when you’re not actively walking, training, or playing with them. (This is one of the hardest things, but seriously, it’s not forever!)
Practice waiting for food
Feeding time is an important time to practice impulse control. You should be able to place your dog’s food on the ground without them rushing you for it. If you put your dog’s food on the ground and they rushes for it before you’ve given them an “okay,” pick up the food dish and try again. Repeat until your dog understands that when you put the food on the ground, they have to look to you and wait for your signal before they can eat it.
Be mindful of thresholds
Your dog should be waiting for permission from you before he walks in or out the door, rushes up the stairs, or rushes in or out of the crate. This has nothing to do with any “dominance” thing about being in front of your dog or anything like that. We just want your dog to start pausing, being thoughtful about their choices, and looking to you for guidance. If your dog does rush in or out in any of these scenarios, calmly go back and try again, and repeat until they get it right. This might mean that taking your dog out to potty takes a little extra time now than it did before as you wait for them to politely exit the crate, walk out and in the door, and back in the crate. But the more you practice, the fewer repetitions you’ll need to do, and it should become second nature for your dog before you know it.
Correct any demand barking
Barking at your for things is impolite and, as you probably already feel, annoying. If you give in and give them what they want, it’ll only strengthen their resolve to keep barking at you longer next time. Stop this by saying a calm “no” followed by something your dog finds slightly unpleasant such as an e-collar tap or chucking a rolled up cotton towel or small soft pillow at them. You shouldn’t be nagging your dog - if your dog keeps it up after one or two taps, you’ll either need to dial up slightly on your e-collar until you find a level they care about, or, if using the cotton towel, chuck it a little harder. Whenever you correct your dog, your voice should be calm and neutral - never angry. We’re simply teaching your dog the meaning of the word “no” and that their actions have consequences. And stopping them from pushing you around!
Say “no” to dog parks and on-leash greetings
If your dog is leash reactive, start advocating for them by not allowing other dogs or people to greet them on your walks. “But they just want to say hi!” - I know. But being on a leash is kind of unnatural for dogs because their movement (and ability to flee if needed) is restricted, and they know it. This can either build frustration in the excited dogs who do just want to say hi, or build fear in dogs who would rather everyone else mind their own business. If your dog isn’t already leash reactive, I do still recommend steering clear of on-leash greetings and dog parks because it can take as little as one bad experience to trigger your dog to become leash reactive.
I know some of this will be difficult. But remember - it’s not forever! Aim for sticking with it for two weeks to start. You can do anything for two weeks, right? A month is even better, but take it one week at a time. The more of this that you implement and stick to, the more you’ll see a shift in your dog’s overall mindset. This will strengthen those calmer patterns and make your life easier. In some cases, doing these things alone is enough for your dog’s behavior problems to fall away on their own. Other times, we’ll still need to address the behaviors directly, but the intensity of the behaviors will often be less than if none of the above practices were being followed.
And with that - good luck! Feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions :)
