If any of the suggestions offered in the Agbeh group are unclear to you, please ask questions.  A limitation of the email discussion group is that we cannot "see" the dogs you folks are describing. We also all write our descriptions in a type of shorthand. We do not intend to do so, but that may happen. As a result, some of the suggestions may not be as clear to you as we wish.  Please ask questions for clarity any time you wish by writing to the Agbeh group, as a subscriber of course. The group does not accept messages from non-subscribers.

To each dog owner: please don't do anything with your dogs based upon a discussion here or among other trainers and instructors unless you feel very comfortable in your gut that you're willing to try it. Trust your instincts and your observations about your own dogs.

If anything, many owners may tend to minimize problems with their dogs rather than to exaggerate them, in my opinion.

If you feel that your dog is feeling stress, then pay attention to that feeling. Don't discount it or 'pooh-pooh' it as unimportant. Stress/ anxiety or mounting nervousness and agitation are very important.

 We want to observe and observe, take lots of notes, even keep a journal to record our observations of any signs that the dog is beginning to feel less stress or is beginning to find better ways of coping with a potential stimulus or triggering event.

Along with all the other approaches already presented here, I have another strong recommendation. I like to take some time simply to give positive reinforcement to each student dog at least 25 times a day. That may sound as if it's very frequent reinforcement, but it really isn't. For instance, if I had 25 tiny treats counted out in a little jar or in a plastic baggie, I could use 5 for a tiny short session first thing in the morning, upon arising. What behaviors would I look for to reward? My choices may differ from yours. You may pick and select your own favored list of doggy behaviors to reinforce.

Hmm. Let's think about that with a dog who has a tendency to become super alert, even hyper as distinguished from the dog that indicates calm or a bit of relaxation. For one thing, I sure as heck would click/treat the dog who gave a play bow invitation to play. That's a very happy position for a dog to assume.

I mat also click-treat the student dog for offering a behavior that indicated 'at rest,' such as the down-stay or settle in the doggy bed.

Then I may click-treat the dog for offering to sit just before I open the door to take it outside in the morning. That opening the door is an opportunity not to be missed for the chance to use positive reinforcement. With a hand on the doorknob, but before opening the door, make warm loving eye contact toward the dog at your side. Wait for it: the sit, the dog's way of saying, "Please, may I go out?"

 Yes, dog, you may, you indicat by opening the door. That's a real life reward; it replaces the use of the food treat. And, of course, give dog a nice click/treat for coming back indoors again for breakfast. What a good dog!

Then a tad later, I could click/treat the dog for a nice wait (down-stay) in the upstairs hallway while I make the beds or while I gather up the towels from the bathroom to put into the washing machine.

We may all find daily living events to which the the dog responds very appropriately and select those to mark for rewards. Then the dog will begin to increase the frequency with which he voluntarily offers those positively reinforced behaviors. That's how we increase desirable behaviors!!

 It's not difficult to find 25 times a day worthy of a small reward for the dog. Just something to think about.

© May 30, 2003.  Revised slightly Dec. 21, 2010.  Barbara D. Brill, North Chili, NY   All rights reserved. No further reproduction permitted without express written consent from the author. Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it