Dog owners face all sorts of challenges when training their dogs. Fortunately, Absolute Dogs is familiar with virtually every challenge that comes up. With a Games Club billed as the Netflix of dog training solutions, Absolute Dogs’ training includes numerous strategies that take the stress out of helping your dog develop skills, bond with you, and behave well.
Three of the most common training challenges that come up include:
Absolute Dogs’ concept-focused dog training tips can help you solve these challenges.
Challenge One: Your Dog Doesn’t Like Other Dogs
When planning to bring a dog into their lives, many people imagine stress-free walks and play sessions. When this isn’t the reality, it can be difficult to know where to turn.
First, know that you’re not alone. Despite popular culture painting pictures of all dogs being friendly with each other, many dogs bark and react when they see another dog.
The good news is, your dog doesn’t need to be friends with other dogs to be happy. If your dog isn’t comfortable playing with other dogs, they don’t have to. Instead of pushing them to engage in play dates, focus on helping your dog stay neutral when they encounter another dog.
Understanding the Dog-Dog Interaction Chain
When a dog meets another dog, five things usually happen in the dog-dog interaction chain. They see/hear each other, approach each other, greet each other nose-to-nose, sniff each other’s rears, and then decide to play or move on.
Your dog may get stuck at any of these stages, causing them to react. Notice where your dog gets stuck to identify why they don’t get on with other dogs and what you can do to help.
For example, if your dog has already had unpleasant experiences with other dogs, they may feel stressed as soon as they sense another dog. They may react better to a dog who appears suddenly from around a corner. In this case, they haven’t had time to build up stress as a dog approaches from afar.
Alternatively, if your dog exhibits stress when they greet another dog (nose-to-nose or at the rear), they may be struggling to remove themselves from a situation that they don’t feel comfortable in.
Fixing The Break in the Interaction Chain
Once you’ve identified which part of the interaction is triggering your dog, you can target your training. Your dog may need disengagement training to show them how to move between each of the five stages in the interaction chain.
It may also help to train your dog to stay calm with the Absolute Dogs training that shows your dog how to make calm, controlled choices before they leave the house. On top of this, you can teach your dog to be optimistic, showing them that they don’t need to be concerned when you run into other dogs and people.
If you need Absolute Dogs training to help your dog get on with other dogs, listen to the socialisation episode of the Sexier Than a Squirrel Podcast. You can also download the free Unpredictable Dog Playbook.
Challenge Two: Your Dog Has Separation Anxiety
Separation anxiety is another common challenge that many dogs and their owners face. Dogs with separation anxiety usually display symptoms within 10 minutes of their owner leaving them alone. (If your dog displays symptoms later than this, they may be bored rather than anxious.)
A dog with separation anxiety may exhibit destructive behaviour, follow their owner around the house, pace, whine when their owner leaves, and greet them excessively when they return. When a dog’s owner isn’t there, the dog may bark, cry, and/or struggle to eat or drink.
If these signs of separation anxiety are familiar, Achieve Dogs training can help. The training experts advise you to:
Teach Your Dog That Your Presence Doesn’t Mean Access
If your dog knows they can spend time with you whenever you’re at home, they learn that your presence is important. By extension, they learn that your absence is also important.
You can rewire your dog’s understanding of this by showing them that you being around doesn’t always mean playtime. Use a puppy pen, baby gate, crate, or even a closed door to show your dog that they can spend time without you, even when you’re at home.
Helping your dog stay calm is essential to helping them overcome separation anxiety. Begin by showing them how to stay calm while you’re around. From here, they can move on to staying calm when you’re not around.
If your dog has separation anxiety, download the free “Calm” eBook. You can also practise this calmness-focused Absolute Dogs training game.
Make Purposeless Moves
Your dog watches you and associates your movements with specific actions. For example, putting your coat on might suggest you’re about to leave the house. Counter your dog’s associations by walking around the house without an agenda. As your actions trigger less of a reaction, your dog is less likely to fear being alone.
Play Boundary Games
When you play games that place boundaries between you and your dog, you can help your dog feel more comfortable being in their own space. Boundary games can involve keeping your dog a certain distance away from you while you cook or clean, and this distance can increase over time.
Boundary games can help your dog feel calm while they stay in a specific area rather than following you around.
Introduce Your Dog to New Situations
Introducing your dog to new situations can help them build their confidence and optimism. For example, you could bring your dog into new environments, encourage them to try new experiences, and allow them to meet new people.
Positive, reassuring exposure to novel situations can help dogs overcome their separation anxiety. Rewards for their curiosity and bravery can play a key role in creating this positivity.
Additional Cautions
It’s vital to ensure you don’t accidentally heighten your dog’s anxiety while trying to help them overcome separation anxiety.
Start with short periods of separation while you’re nearby. From here, you can gradually increase the distance and duration of your separation as your dog becomes more comfortable. Moving too quickly can make a dog feel even more anxious.
Also, be sure to address any underlying health issues that could be impacting your dog’s separation anxiety. Health issues could include itchiness, pain, and gastrointestinal problems.
On top of this, make sure you’re meeting your dog’s emotional and physical needs with plenty of exercise, fun activities, and mental stimulation.
Challenge Three: Your Dog Doesn’t Like Travelling in the Car
Your dog resisting car travel can be a difficult challenge. Especially when getting in the car is essential for trips, vet visits, grooming appointments, and emergencies. If your dog doesn’t like getting in the car and travelling, Absolute Dogs training can help.
The experts at Absolute Dogs recommend:
Make Car Travel a Non-Event
Usually, dogs learn that getting in the car means they’re going somewhere. And they might not always like where they’re going.
Help your dog overcome their fear of travelling by putting them in the car for a few minutes while you chat with a neighbour. Alternatively, you could give them a treat in the car while you sit with them, reading, listening to a podcast, or checking your emails. This way, your dog learns that getting in the car doesn’t always mean you’re going somewhere exciting or scary.
Show Your Dog That Car Travel Is a Great Experience
When your dog knows that a car journey is a great experience, they’re more likely to jump into the car happily. Reward them when they get into the car and when they sit in their crate or on the seat with tasty treats. This creates a positive experience from the get-go.
Keep your dog on their lead when first trying this approach. If they make the wrong choice (perhaps they run around the garden rather than getting in the car), it’ll be easier to guide them in the right direction.
Provide Your Dog With a Safe Space (Like a Crate) During Travel
Safety is essential during car travel, and a crate is ideal for protecting your dogs. Crates also create a safe space that minimises barking and overexcitement. If your dog needs some help getting comfortable with their crate, this Absolute Dogs training on getting your dog used to crates can help.
Ensure Your Dog Can Get In and Out of Your Car Easily
If your dog can’t get in and out of your car easily, they’re more likely to consider car travel an unpleasant experience. Even if you practise the tips above, your dog’s difficulty accessing the car can undo all your hard work. Therefore, it’s important to help your dog practice jumping into and out of your car or their crate to get them comfortable before car travel.
It’s also important to ask your dog’s permission before you put them in the car. If you’re in a rush, it may be tempting to pick your dog up and put them straight in your car. But if they’re not comfortable with you lifting them or with getting into the vehicle, they’re even less likely to be comfortable once they’re inside.
Absolute Dogs has put together some tips to help your dog feel comfortable when getting into the car.
Absolute Dogs Training: Games for Every Challenge
These are just three of the challenges that Absolute Dogs guides dog owners through. Absolute Dogs’ training offers countless simple games that teach your dogs the strategies they need to overcome challenges of all kinds. With these strategies in place, you and your dog can enjoy a fulfilling relationship.
This game-based training approach focuses on why a dog is acting a certain way to solve rather than suppress problematic behaviour. There is no place for punishment or withdrawal in Absolute Dogs’ training. Instead, kindness is always the focus of this training.
Get more Absolute Dogs training tips.
About Absolute Dogs
Absolute Dogs is the go-to provider for dog owners who need help with their dogs’ behaviour. Since launching the company in 2014, Absolute Dogs’ founders have:
Over 60,000 dog owners have successfully trained their dogs using Absolute Dogs training, challenges, podcast, YouTube videos, and the strategies on the company’s blog. These dog owners have helped their dogs overcome struggles with pulling on leads, getting into the car, separation anxiety, barking, digging, jumping up, not listening, reactivity, counter-surfing, not getting on with other dogs, and recall.
