The Dos and Don'ts Of Keeping Your Dog Calm

Dogs can get excited or scared for a number of reasons, and being prepared for them is a must if we want to avoid things like awkward situations, excessive barking, mess in the house, chewed up furniture, and other things. Knowing the dos and don'ts of keeping your dog calm will help you to ensure your dog is happy and free from anxiety most of the time, and that you can both live together in harmony.

Do: Know Your Dog’s Triggers

Pay attention to what your dog’s triggers are. They may not like large groups of other dogs, so they act out at the dog park. Perhaps they hate it when you leave the house, and get terrible separation anxiety. Whatever your dog’s triggers are, pay attention and come up with a plan to help them. Usually, this means exposing them to what they are afraid of just a little bit in a way that you can control, to show them that the world is not ending.

Don’t: Throw Your Dog Into The Deep End

If you think repeated exposure to what your dog hates will help, you’re wrong. This could lead to a deeply depressed, anxious, and timid dog. You want your dog to be happy. Just because they may eventually get used to you leaving them for hours and hours on end, doesn’t mean it’s ok to do so or fair on them.

 

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Do: Consider Various Methods To Keep Your Dog Calm

There are so many options out there that could help you to keep your dog calm, depending on what you’re looking for and what the situations is. A Thundershirt, for instance, can wrap tightly around your dog and will help to ease anxiety when there is a storm, or fireworks are being let off. CBD treats every day can help to keep their anxiety on an even keel and make them far happier - just make sure you choose the right treats and give them the correct amount. Then, there are options like anxious pet therapy. Dog massage, soothing music - the list goes on. You’re going to need to pay attention to what works for your dog in certain situations.

Don’t: Get Angry With Your Dog Or Punish Them

This is not the time to get angry with your dog or punish them. They cannot help feeling anxious or scared. Imagine being a dog and not really having any idea about the world around you. When you hear loud noises, it would seem obvious that you think something bad is going to happen. When you leave, it won’t always be obvious to them that you’re going to be back in an hour. This is why you absolutely must stay patient. Do your best to train them from when they are very young, and this will make it easier for them as they age. Training an older dog is possible, but it can be a little more difficult to get them out of bad habits that they may have picked up.

Training Your Dog to Protect Your Child

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Dogs tend to be loyal creatures by nature and will generally protect any member of the family if they spot a threat. However, it can be wise to train them specifically to protect a child, which is not quite the same as their usual training. The earlier you start to train them the better, but even dogs that have passed the puppy stage can still be trained for this important task.

Your dog is already a valuable member of your family and he sees you as his pack with the children being the cubs. Training them to protect the cubs can take a few weeks, sometimes a little longer. Once they know what to do though, they will never forget it and will guard your children always.


The Basics

Before you can train your dog to be a child protector they have to know the basic commands. They should sit, walk, some, stay, be quiet or bark at your command. They should also be allowed to interact with other people and dogs so that they learn to distinguish between the good guys and the bad guys.

Leather dog collars with a leash, some treats for when they do well and a place to train are the best way to get started. The only other you will need is a lot of patience.

Using The Leash

From when he is a young pup you should take your dog a walk to get him used to you being in control. Let him be fussed by people you know are safe, but with strangers give a slight tug on the leash and hold him back. Dogs have a sense about who is good and bad and they will very soon start barking at someone they are not too keen on.

Over time, the dog will react differently with various people and will automatically go into protection mode if they do not like someone that approaches you. When you see this happening it is time to let your child take the leash and the dog will very soon learn that it is them they need to protect. This protection will become a habit that happens automatically if your children are playing outside, for instance.

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Getting Them To Bark

Your dog has to be fully socially trained before you can train them to protect your child. Take them out into a lot of different environments where they will meet different people, other animals and experience new sights and sounds. They need to obey your commands no matter what distractions there are.

Most dogs will bark as a stranger approaches. Let him bark 2 or 3 times and then give a tug on his leash and tell him ‘quiet’. When he does as he is told give him a treat and he will soon learn when he should bark and when he should be quiet.

Next move onto the child holding the leash and giving the ‘quiet’ command and when he starts to obey your child, let them give him the treat.

After using either of these methods you will know that your child is always safe when your dog is around.

Assessing the Scene for Scent Dog Training

Assessing the Scene

Before you set up a training course, first check the location and make a note of each person or thing (cars running, spilled chemical, garbage) that might contaminated the area.

In an actual response this is called doing an assessment of the scene and should be done visually as you approach the location. Findings should be noted on paper for later planning.

Doing a visual assessment helps you to know your dangers before placing your dog and self in a bad situation. Make a mental note of any dangers you might encounter such as a busy roadway or a train track your dog might lead you across.

After checking the area to determine it is safe and noting the contaminants then check the wind direction and weather conditions (more on these factors in another lesson). In training novice dogs always start the dog into the wind so the scent is blowing towards the dog to give the dog the best chance in picking up the scent.

Pay attention to the location and use what may be available for hiding spots and turns, such as buildings, picnic tables in a park or a large tree across the cleared field.

Be safe and prepare!

Training Your Family Dog to Look for a Lost Person

Teach a dog to look for lost or missing persons

Family Disaster Dogs Daisy and Willie

This dog training lesson is easy to do at home and teaches a dog to use an article belonging to the missing or lost person to find that person. 

In dog work this is considered and often called scent discrimination because the dog learns to smell the "scent article" and look only for that scent or person. 

It is very Important to not contaminate the article with your own and other scents. 

Read More (click) and go to the free lesson page for many posts about scent and how-to teach working dogs tracking or pets to help its family locate missing family after a disaster. 

To get Started

Training your family dog to look for a Lost Person

You will need:

1. Your dog
2. 1 person who will hide from the dog
3. 1 sock, or hat or glove the "scent article" from the person who will hide

You can do this lesson indoors or outside with or without a leash, depending on the dog.

Start with a person your dog knows and hold your dog by its collar as the person slowly runs and waves at the dog to a hiding place that is easy to find and with only one turn away right now.

As soon as the person is out of sight,,, 

Hold the scent article, the person's sock, to your dog's nose, say "Smell" and then turn your dog loose and say "Find so and so" use the person’s name, follow your dog to the person.

Your dog, no matter what age will attempt to find them.

If the dog has a hard time at first it is okay for the person who is hiding to call the dog or encourage the dog to find them so the dog gets the idea. Later the person will not speak or move but hide.

You will learn as we get further in training to read your dog's clues, in the meantime, learn to watch your dog's moves and body language for indications and reactions that lead to the trail or person.

If the dog does not go fairly quickly to the person then encourage the dog to go with you and show the dog with excitement how fun it is to find the person. 

When they find the person, praise, praise, praise by you and the person shower this dog with attention and they will be so happy to do this again, you'll hardly be able to hold him. 

Here is Bo taking scent from the scent article in a plastic bag before we start on a wooded trail looking for a person who is hiding. Bloodhounds often put their whole nose in the scent bag.

A leash is not needed at first with your pet dog if you train in a fenced yard or with a dog who is use to free roaming.

Check out the Family Disaster Dog book for all the lessons in paperback and kindle!