Not your expectations for what you want from your dog...but about what your dog expects is coming next.
We're all mostly creatures of habit. And habits can form quickly. Associations and expectations of what a situation means are all our dogs have to understand their lives and environment.
So when I showed up to the beach with Archer, he was 100%, entirely and FULLY expecting that he'd be off leash to zoom at any moment.
He was whining, trembling, staring at me, offering a hectic cycle of sits and downs all to try to figure out what the key was to get me to take off his leash so he could GO. Archer was so focused on getting to run he wouldn't take food - he was over stimulated and nearly over threshold.
But that wasn't why we were there. And he can't be off leash here.
So we took our time.
I changed the picture - a blanket for him to Place on (a skill he knows and loves) and I sat next to him.
Small signals to show Archer this was more like cafe chill time, than crazy play time.
I modeled calmer behavior. Looking around casually, slow deep breathing.
When he could handle being pet, I added in sloooooow deep firm pets/massage.
And about twenty minutes later, he started to get it. And relax. Take in the world with me. Air scent when the breeze picked up. Watch kids play frisbee. Just hang.
There's a time and a place for both the high drive play, and calm relaxation.
Change doesn't always come right away.
Remember your dog has formed habits and expectations because that's been their experience so far.
It's up to us to teach coping skills, and use them to show our dogs other possibilities and new expectations.
