When Rocket sees something new he is often suspicious. I allow him to explore things at his own pace, getting as close or keeping as much distance as he would like. It’s really important to me that he knows he can move away from something that makes him uncomfortable. By letting him decide, I am providing him agency. I provide social support by being there to encourage him and am a safe place for him to retreat to. After we move away from the geese, I let him sniff in the grass to decompress. I have just supported four different aspects of resilience in less than one minute and with very little effort. How do you teach your dog to be resilient?
Thank you @the_ultimutts (Mellissa and Tonic) for inspiring some new kitty tricks!
Completing the stress cycle is similar to decompression. Completing the stress cycle returns an animal’s physiology to baseline after a stressful event or events. One way I let Rocket complete the stress cycle is by playing with this stuffed dog. Shout out to @kimbrophey @thedogdoor for developing the Karl Hack.
Here are some clips for our progression with the Rex Specs! #rexspecsk9 #positivereinforcement #positivereinforcementdogtraining
Our vet recommended that Rocket wears goggles to protect his blue eyes. We have been very gradually getting him comfortable wearing them. This is his first time with the dark lense. I think he is rockin’ them. What do you think? #positivereinforcementdogtraining #rexspecsk9
Decompression is a vital part of resilience. You can help your dog decompress by taking long off-leash walks (in safe and legal places with a good recall), giving them opportunities to sniff and forage, and by teaching them skills like Leslie McDevitt's "Take a Breath." How do you support your dog with decompression?
I've been working a lot on helping Rocket be resilient. Yesterday we went to @izzydalton11 Moore Good Dogs puppy class together. Rocket was really overwhelmed by being in the small space with other puppies (whimpering, trying to get to the other puppies and unable to eat). We took a break outside, took our time and moved back into the space slowly. Just as he was getting really calm and alarm went off! He recovered so quickly and was able to move into the space with the other puppies and even play Look At That (a Control Unleashed game) as the other puppies walked by him at the end of class. I'm so proud of him! Follow me to learn more about my Roadmap to Resilience (based on @behavior_vets Resilience Rainbow). Thank you @pawsistant for helping me write my first reel!