Teaching Your Dog to Relax

Teaching your dog to relax for and accept  handling will not only make things easier on you and your dog’s veterinarian (or groomer) but it will also make things easier on your dog.  If being handled and examined is a routine activity for your dog, vet visits will be far less stressful.  Teaching your dog to accept handling is also useful for grooming sessions, toe nail clipping and Dog Inspections (at home health exams).  Regular dog inspections also give you the benefit of knowing what is normal concerning your dog’s health and what is not.

The Final Picture

Your dog lies quietly on his side without struggling while you check his feet, tail, ears, teeth, eyes, etc. Your dog will also allow another person to examine him with equal ease.

How to Teach It

1. Have several different types of treats cut up and in a bowl out of your dog’s reach but easy for you to get to.  Practice at a time your dog is sleepy and relaxed. Your dog can be in any position he feels comfortable.  Touch your dog’s side for one second, Click and Treat.  Touch your dog’s chest, Click and Treat.  Touch your dog’s leg, Click and Treat.  Continue until you have touched your dog on every part of his body for a count of one.  Pay attention to see if your dog seems stressed or resents any part of his body being touched so you can work more on that part later.

2. Once you can touch every part of your dog’s body for at least a second, you will begin putting more pressure on your touches and touching for a longer period of time.  Click while your hand is still touching your dog and remove your hand right after you Click.

3. You may want to change the treats to prevent your dog from getting bored.  Touch each part of your dog’s body again from least to most stressful areas.  Vary each touch from one to five seconds.  Click and Treat for relaxed behavior.

Repeat steps 1- 3 in at least three separate locations until your dog has become bored with and totally relaxed with the process.

4. Now, rather then just resting your hand on your dog, you will be a little more assertive - encircle the legs and ears, gently grasp the skin on the back and sides.  Vary the time you maintain each hold between one and five seconds.  Click and Treat for relaxed behavior.  Repeat in as many locations as possible until your dog becomes bored and relaxed about the process.

5. Begin asking that your dog allow you to hold and move parts of his body (tail, ears, legs, lips).  Click and Treat for calm, relaxed behavior.

6. Gently massage your dog as you move your hands around his body.  Click and Treat for relaxed behavior.  If your dog seems to be enjoying the exam at this point you can stop using the clicker. You will still reward your dog for calm, relaxed behavior.

7. Begin checking each part as you move around your dog’s body.  Remember to reward calm behavior.

8. Ask your dog to Play Dead (lie flat on his side). Repeat steps 1 - 7 with your dog in the Play Dead position.

Suggested Commands:  Settle, Relax, Calm

If at any point your dog seems stressed (heavy panting, whining, freezing, etc.) or starts to panic you should end the session.  Start the next session at a previous step from when your dog was not stressed. Break the steps up even further to slowly build up to where your dog became stressed.