![]() ![]() To try it out with your canine chum, you’ll need a mat and plenty of training treats. The canine behavioural experts at Battersea have created this seven-point step-by-step plan, designed to teach your dog to learn how to settle. Build up gradually a couple of seconds at a time over multiple sessions.” When they’re relaxed, start increasing the time your dog is settled before you reward them. ![]() Some dogs will take longer and you’ll need to take things more slowly by rewarding behaviour such as standing quietly, disengaging from people or sniffing their blanket. And, of course, this will vary between dogs – some will automatically start lying down and you can quickly progress to rewarding your dog for this behaviour before moving on to reward specific signs of relaxing such as sighing, weight shifting and head resting. Jenna Kiddie of canine rehoming charity Dogs Trust advises: “The key is to gradually reward more relaxed behaviours. If you have a particularly perky pooch, you may need to begin by simply rewarding them for any behaviour that’s not staring at you, pulling on the lead, or barking. You’ll know your dog is settled when they lie down, are not asking for attention and are not easily distracted by what’s going on around them. It’s hard for your dog to learn to be settled when there are distractions, lots of activity or opportunities for attention – so it’s best to start training at home at a time when your four-legged pal is more likely to be already relaxing. However, getting your dog into a zen-like state is not without its challenges. And, with a chilled-out dog in the house, a similar effect will no doubt occur in their human companion. In addition, dopamine – the feel-good hormone – is released. When your dog relaxes, glutamate – a powerful neurotransmitter that’s released by nerve cells in the brain which plays an important role in learning and memory – rises. If your canine chum seems to have a permanent case of the ‘zoomies’ then it’s time to teach them the benefits of having some chill-out time. ![]() Share this How to teach your dog that it’s chill out timeīusy dogs like to be on the go all day, often leaving their human feeling utterly exhausted. ![]()
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