# best way to calm or settle your dog???



## mel hunter (May 15, 2009)

What is the best way to calm or have your dog settle down when getting ready to go out for a hike, run, ride in the car, etc. Both of mine (5 year old male GSD and a newly rescued 8 year old female GSD) tend to predict when we are about to go somewhere and become...for lack of a better word...CRAZY!! 

I've tried having him sit/stay but since she hasn't mastered the stay command yet her barking, excited state gets him all worked up and it turns to mayhem as I try to get them down the stairs to the garage without hurting themselves, each other, or me with all the craziness...

They are usually very well mannered, well behaved dogs and are very responsive on and off the leash but it's just the getting ready part that seems to have gotten out of control. Buddy used to get excited but her presence along with his activity being restricted the last few months due to ACL surgery seems to have escalated the problem.

Any ideas would be appreciated!


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

Ok, here's the best method for doing that, but you're going to have to set aside some time, and you're going to have to use some self-discipline. 

In their minds, getting excited and acting goofy and barking their heads off is moving you along in the walk/hike/run preparations. You have to show them that it has the opposite effect.

Start going through the motions of getting ready to go. When they start to get hyper, stop dead in your tracks and stare into space. They'll bound around, barking and acting crazy for a while. The activity will escalate because they're trying to get into gear. The eventually, they'll get bored and settle down. Once they're calm, start going through the "getting ready" motions again. They'll become excited again. Once again, you stop dead and stare into space. Eventually, they'll get bored and calm down, then you get moving again.

You ONLY proceed with getting ready for the fun stuff when they are calm. You getting ready to go is a reward, and they only get rewarded when they're calm. When they're excited and barking and bouncing around, you are a statue. (wear some jeans; they'll probably jump on you) The first time you do this it will feel like FOREVER, but it will probably be actually less than 20 minutes. The second time it will take half as long, and within a few days or a week, they'll be calm and quiet when getting ready to do something fun.


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## Stosh (Jun 26, 2010)

What she said...


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## DCluver33 (May 27, 2010)

I do what Emoore does


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## mel hunter (May 15, 2009)

That sounds like a GREAT idea!!! Although it will take some time and effort on my part.. I really like it....wish me luck 
~Melinda


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

I do what Emoore says as well. In fact, I've spent a lot of time sitting on the washing machine (right by the back door) waiting for my GSD to chill.


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## mel hunter (May 15, 2009)

Well I tried it today and it took 44 minutes and about 15-20 times of stopping and starting again by the time I got dressed, gathered hat, gloves, jacket, snow shovel... It was great though..it started with all the craziness, barking running around the island, play attacking each other....to intermittent barks, whining, attempting to nudge me along with their noses-all of which I ignored until they both lay quietly. And then we finally walked calmly down the stairs and out the door 

Ahhh the feeling of accomplishment was great!! Thank you all so much for the advise. I'll keep working it until we get it perfected....I love this forum!

~Melinda


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

Awesome! High five!


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## DCluver33 (May 27, 2010)

YAY!!!!! :happyboogie: good for you!!!! now each time you do that they'll be calmer and calmer!!!


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## Caledon (Nov 10, 2008)

Great method. Great results. Having the patients is very key to dog training.

I'm going to have to do this one myself once my daughter moves out. She can get Dakota in a whirlwind mode just by walking to the door with her running shoes on. Of course she did this by getting her all excited every time she did take her for a walk. She liked it and now it is annoying her. I can tell you there is going to be some big payback when this girl gets a dog of her own, not to mention when she has kids of her own lol.


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## mel hunter (May 15, 2009)

They have already figured out things are changing....today only 10 minutes and they were laying quietly....I am having a great time with this  They are soooo fun and they LOVE to learn new things!
~Melinda


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## Ucdcrush (Mar 22, 2004)

Congrats on the results! 

Here is a writeup on this method (or close) called "red light / green light" (midway down page). I have also used this with great results.

Training on the Dog Walk | Dog Star Daily

One other thing I've tried, which also seems to work, is once the dogs are in a calmer state, is to walk out as if we are going on the walk. At this point they tend to focus on the environment rather than me, which is understandable but makes them more likely to forge ahead than to follow. So we turn around and go back in. Then back out, then back in, a few times until it's clear that once we have gone outside, they are still focused mostly on me (since I might decide to turn around and go back in) than the environment.

After having tried that, which IMO changes their focus as well as relaxes them (maybe they don't think we're actually going for a walk), it is similar to walking leashed dogs in the backyard. Which in my experience, means they are very relaxed, almost bored in that environment, just waiting to see where you go so they can go with you. It made my overly excited dog, who tended to forge, actually lag a bit.. just like he would if leashed in the house, backyard etc., if not given a command like "heel".


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## ponyfarm (Apr 11, 2010)

When its time for our walk..I say "Yippee, lets go.".clap my hands , jump all around, and go nuts. They go nuts too! Its very exciting!! HEHE...Its friday!!


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