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Dog Training - High Five
A dog high fives its trainer
There are many things we can to help build confidence in our dogs, but today we are going to talk about the five easiest and most common ways to build confidence. Remember that each dog is different and what works for one dog may, or may not, work for another dog. The key is try new things and try them a few times. Sometimes, it takes a little practice for our dogs to decide if they enjoy something or not.
Learning New Things
When our dogs learn new skills, like a new trick, it builds their confidence. Trying new things and experiencing success is a sure fire way to build confidence in our dogs, and there are so many things to try with them!
Popular items are things like scent work, new puzzles, agility, lure coursing, learning new tricks and skills. All of these build confidence if you teach them in a way that is positive and sets your dog up for success. In particular, things like Doggy parkour and scent work are great because they have added benefits like helping our dogs proprioception and calming them through sniffing!
Problem Solving
Like us, dogs feel more confident when they are able to problem solve. Far too often in our dogs lives, we solve every problem for them. We tell them when and what to eat, we put it in a bowl at their feet, we tell them when to play, when to sleep and when to go potty. If our dogs roll their ball under the sofa, how many of us get it for them?
It is important to let our dogs problem solve and work through some of these issues- especially if they are safe in doing so. Let your dog experience a little frustration and try to figure out the problem. The more successful they are, the more confidence they build and the more they will try to solve other issues they encounter!
Problem solving can also be things like puzzles, or food dispensing toys. These require different approaches to get the treats out and require our dogs to think more.
Watch this video from Canine Einstein, using a ball pit built to sit on top of a wobble board. The fact that the dogs need to problem solve how to get the treats out of the ball pit- with balance and snuffling- creates a more confident dog!
World Watching
World watching is an exercise that allows your dog to watch things that may make them nervous, but at a distance that they feel safe and secure at. It helps build confidence because it allows your dog to learn about the world in a way that is not stressful or scary for them.
Start by sitting on the ground with your dog in a location that your dog can see other dogs, people, cars, etc. Be sure to be far enough away that your dog is able to settle and relax. Then just watch the world with them! When your dog notices something (like another dog in the distance) offer them a treat and praise. Keep it calm and relaxed. As your dog is able to experience the world without the pressure of interactions, they build confidence.
Using Games and Play
When we work with reactive dogs, one of the first things we do is help them build confidence by teaching them easy and fun pattern games. These games work to build engagement and confidence in a few ways.
Dogs love predictability. Pattern games give them the needed predictability, even in new environments. When they know what to expect and how to succeed, dogs naturally feel more confident. They are able to navigate new situations because the rules of the games do not change.
The games also help dogs move their bodies through space. We teach "Spot" where a dog puts two feet up on something. Dogs learn to move their bodies, build awareness of their bodies and confidence! Once dogs learn to move their bodies in space and through the environment, it becomes fun for them to try new things- which in turn, builds confidence!
Play is also key to building confidence in dogs. when they play, with us or with other dogs, they learn important social skills and how to interact with others. As our dogs become more adept at social interactions, they grow in confidence.
This does not mean that all dogs should have a lot of dog friends. Dogs are like us, some are very social and some are more introverted and want a very small circle. If your dog is stressed with an interaction, stop and remove them. Confidence is not built because they are forced to endure a stressful situation. Play is meant to be fun for your dog.
