Using biofeedback to help your fearful or reactive dog

Biofeedback is an excellent complement to Dr Overall's Protocol for Relaxation. I found it really helped my dog to understand that when we did RP, I was rewarding her for being relaxed - not just staying on the mat.

To do this exercise, you begin with your dog on her mat. I use the cue "settle" for this exercise. Begin to calmly mark and reward your dog for signs that they are relaxing. For my dog, I look for still feet, still tail, rolling over onto one hip, blinking/soft eyes and tucking one front leg under her body. If you're not sure what your dog's signs of relaxation are, watch her when he is just chillin' and you'll get a good idea of what to look for.

With practice, your dog will be able to quickly relax on her mat. You can then take the mat to classes or trials. I find it invaluable for when other dogs get too close to our set up. If Lola reacts to their close proximity, I can ask her to settle on her mat. This helps her to relax instead of react.

This exercise can be found in the book, Controlled Unleashed.

Thanks for watching :)

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• Dog agility
• relaxation protocol
• biofeedback for relaxation
• reactive or fearful dog
• control unleashed

[ScaredyDogAgility]

Good idea - I'm going to give that a try with my dog. Thanks :)

[hdsheena]

Fantastic videos! Make more please!! :)

I also click for lip licks and yawns. I've also worked outside of RP sessions on shaping a roll on the side with head flat on the ground (or a sprawl in a sphinx down with head flat down) and it leaks into biofeedback stuff quite nicely :)

[ScaredyDogAgility]

@hdsheena

Thanks for the nice comment :) I'm working on getting a roll to the side with head flat on the ground with my other dog, Quin. She is so over-the-top "on" when she knows we are working that I'm going to try and capture it instead of shaping. And I agree, these relaxed positions leak very nicely into RP and biofeedback :)

[GreytMusic]

Fantastic demo. Loved it, thank you! My reactive pup will definitely benefit from this.

[hdsheena]

@ScaredyDogAgility I admit I've lured it successfully in the past. I never got anything NEAR a roll from my perpetual-motion BCx, so capturing wasn't an option! :) Some luring, some shaping worked for him, though it's a 3 part behaviour (on your hip -- captured, roll over -- lured, head down -- shaped). :)