Comments on: Dog Training: How to relax your dog http://www.neilsattin.com/blog/2007/08/dog-training-how-to-relax-your-dog/ Getting to the Heart of Personal Development Thu, 29 Sep 2011 17:04:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Dog Training: How to control your dog when they’re off leash - use a LONG leash. - Natural Dog Training and More at NeilSattin.com http://www.neilsattin.com/blog/2007/08/dog-training-how-to-relax-your-dog/comment-page-1/#comment-2504 Dog Training: How to control your dog when they’re off leash - use a LONG leash. - Natural Dog Training and More at NeilSattin.com Wed, 08 Aug 2007 14:24:40 +0000 http://www.neilsattin.com/blog/2007/08/dog-training-how-to-relax-your-dog/#comment-2504 [...] Natural Dog Training and More at NeilSattin.com Come hither for thoughts and advice on dog training, personal (and professional) development, and fatherhood « Dog Training: How to relax your dog [...] [...] Natural Dog Training and More at NeilSattin.com Come hither for thoughts and advice on dog training, personal (and professional) development, and fatherhood « Dog Training: How to relax your dog [...]

]]> By: neil http://www.neilsattin.com/blog/2007/08/dog-training-how-to-relax-your-dog/comment-page-1/#comment-2503 neil Wed, 08 Aug 2007 11:32:08 +0000 http://www.neilsattin.com/blog/2007/08/dog-training-how-to-relax-your-dog/#comment-2503 Redirecting himself to the toy - you're definitely seeing how the prey instinct resolves stress for a dog in action! Your comments touch on so many post-worthy subjects. Yes, now that he's giving that energy to the toy, all of the "intense" touch that you mentioned should have the result of increasing his drive for the toy. This WILL be a blog post of its own, but, suffice to say that the intensity is adding energy to the system - and since the energy has found its outlet (flowing to the tug toy), that is where the additional energy you add to the system will go, as well. Unless Stevie starts to experience more intensity than he can handle, at which point you would work on the more "relaxing" type of touch. So it sounds like the tug toy will be a useful component of your trips to the vet's office. Stevie will have a great foundation by the time his heartworm treatment is over and he can get a little more hyped up. I definitely think that transitioning to outdoor play on a restricted lead will serve you well, as it has consistently been my experience that play inside only contributes to ADHD-type personality. ;) What I also like (and since you're a trainer you automatically realize this, but others coming to the site may not) is that you see all of the time you spend in the world with Stevie as a training opportunity, and you're prepared (like having the tug toy when you're out greeting people). Congrats on that, and certainly keep us all posted on Stevie's progress. Redirecting himself to the toy – you’re definitely seeing how the prey instinct resolves stress for a dog in action!

Your comments touch on so many post-worthy subjects. Yes, now that he’s giving that energy to the toy, all of the “intense” touch that you mentioned should have the result of increasing his drive for the toy. This WILL be a blog post of its own, but, suffice to say that the intensity is adding energy to the system – and since the energy has found its outlet (flowing to the tug toy), that is where the additional energy you add to the system will go, as well. Unless Stevie starts to experience more intensity than he can handle, at which point you would work on the more “relaxing” type of touch.

So it sounds like the tug toy will be a useful component of your trips to the vet’s office.

Stevie will have a great foundation by the time his heartworm treatment is over and he can get a little more hyped up.

I definitely think that transitioning to outdoor play on a restricted lead will serve you well, as it has consistently been my experience that play inside only contributes to ADHD-type personality. ;)

What I also like (and since you’re a trainer you automatically realize this, but others coming to the site may not) is that you see all of the time you spend in the world with Stevie as a training opportunity, and you’re prepared (like having the tug toy when you’re out greeting people). Congrats on that, and certainly keep us all posted on Stevie’s progress.

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