Environmental training for dogs: Take your dog with you (everywhere) without any problems
Posted by Linn Radsted posted on March 12, 2016
Maybe you dream of your dog eventually coming to work, or you would like to have a flexible everyday life where your best friend can go with you on the train and bus, to the café and is generally comfortable being followed around with you in everyday life - then environmental training - that is, getting the dog used to being able to move, tackle and function without stress in many different situations and places - is an absolute MUST to train.
Environmental training for a dog is almost the most important thing to have a well-functioning dog. Possibly even more important than obedience training - but with both you are well covered ☺By training in different types of environments, the dog gets used to the different things in an environment - both the things it has to deal with on a daily basis, but also the challenges it may otherwise encounter.
Put in the bank The more different things the dog has experienced – in a good way – the better equipped it is to deal with things that can arise without warning. It's a bit like putting money in the bank, so there is a little to take out for later use and unforeseen expenses.
If you imagine that the dog has to put together a puzzle during its first 2-4 years – some of which include environmental training – then your job is to make sure that there are different pieces for the dog – and in such small intervals that they stay in place and don't just fly off the board again – so that it can eventually become a complete picture.
Without stress and pressure, the dog should go out and experience many different things – but it is super important that it is at a pace that the individual dog can handle. Make sure you are sure that it will be a successful experience that can be built on, and not a huge scare that causes anxiety and insecurity instead. Train in short intervals – and repeat more frequently if necessary – to ensure a greater likelihood that the dog will not become insecure and, for example, cower, crawl or show other signs of insecurity or stress in the situation.
Remember holidays If we imagine a 15-20 week old puppy putting together his puzzle, there are a lot of pieces to keep track of – so a day off between all the impressions is necessary so that the pieces can fall into place – otherwise it just causes more frustration than learning.
A really good place to do environmental training is at a station – just not during rush hour to begin with – but at a time when there aren't too many people, but still enough for it to be useful. Feel free to explore the area without a dog first, and get an overview of what can actually be done with the dog. What is the layout like, where do most people come from, is there an elevator, different surfaces the dog can walk on, stairs and other exciting things.
Then find a day that suits you, either to do it alone with your dog, or with a couple of dog friends.
Max 45 minutes Use a maximum of 45 minutes initially, some dogs get enough after 15-20 minutes. It depends entirely on your dog's psyche, so see how it reacts - and then go back to - do it in small, short intervals that are successful, rather than going at full speed and "breaking" the dog instead.
5 good things to train your dog to do – even if it's not a puppy anymore
Meeting different kinds of people
Traveling in cars, buses, trains – maybe even taking a trip in the long run
Various sounds, partly from traffic, loudspeakers (at the station), the bus "airing out" and people talking.
Different types of surfaces, including stairs, grates, tiles, concrete, grass – and whatever else there is.
Elevator – be careful here, some dogs are definitely not comfortable in an elevator, so it might be a good idea to start by simply turning in the elevator without it running – and do it a few times before taking a walk.
Treats are good in this training, but also be aware that they should not take all the focus away from the training itself. It is good to be relatively neutral and let dogs absorb the impressions without stuffing liver cubes, meatballs or other greasy stuff into their mouths ☺
The adult dog – who has never been environmentally trained, can be a bit more of a challenge – especially if they have had bad experiences.
Here you have to proceed even more slowly, and really take it in small stages – remember that a foundation has been laid here, which in a way needs to be “re-furnished” with new positive impressions – so it can sit on your spine that it is dangerous. In some cases, you need to ally yourself with a professional to achieve your goals - but it depends entirely on the individual dog and previous experiences.
Environmental training for dogs: Take your dog with you (everywhere) without any problems
Maybe you dream of your dog eventually coming to work, or you would like to have a flexible everyday life where your best friend can go with you on the train and bus, to the café and is generally comfortable being followed around with you in everyday life - then environmental training - that is, getting the dog used to being able to move, tackle and function without stress in many different situations and places - is an absolute MUST to train.
Environmental training for a dog is almost the most important thing to have a well-functioning dog. Possibly even more important than obedience training - but with both you are well covered ☺By training in different types of environments, the dog gets used to the different things in an environment - both the things it has to deal with on a daily basis, but also the challenges it may otherwise encounter.
Put in the bank
The more different things the dog has experienced – in a good way – the better equipped it is to deal with things that can arise without warning. It's a bit like putting money in the bank, so there is a little to take out for later use and unforeseen expenses.
If you imagine that the dog has to put together a puzzle during its first 2-4 years – some of which include environmental training – then your job is to make sure that there are different pieces for the dog – and in such small intervals that they stay in place and don't just fly off the board again – so that it can eventually become a complete picture.
Without stress and pressure, the dog should go out and experience many different things – but it is super important that it is at a pace that the individual dog can handle. Make sure you are sure that it will be a successful experience that can be built on, and not a huge scare that causes anxiety and insecurity instead.
Train in short intervals – and repeat more frequently if necessary – to ensure a greater likelihood that the dog will not become insecure and, for example, cower, crawl or show other signs of insecurity or stress in the situation.
Remember holidays
If we imagine a 15-20 week old puppy putting together his puzzle, there are a lot of pieces to keep track of – so a day off between all the impressions is necessary so that the pieces can fall into place – otherwise it just causes more frustration than learning.
A really good place to do environmental training is at a station – just not during rush hour to begin with – but at a time when there aren't too many people, but still enough for it to be useful.
Feel free to explore the area without a dog first, and get an overview of what can actually be done with the dog. What is the layout like, where do most people come from, is there an elevator, different surfaces the dog can walk on, stairs and other exciting things.
Then find a day that suits you, either to do it alone with your dog, or with a couple of dog friends.
Max 45 minutes
Use a maximum of 45 minutes initially, some dogs get enough after 15-20 minutes. It depends entirely on your dog's psyche, so see how it reacts - and then go back to - do it in small, short intervals that are successful, rather than going at full speed and "breaking" the dog instead.
5 good things to train your dog to do – even if it's not a puppy anymore
– who has never been environmentally trained, can be a bit more of a challenge – especially if they have had bad experiences.
Here you have to proceed even more slowly, and really take it in small stages – remember that a foundation has been laid here, which in a way needs to be “re-furnished” with new positive impressions – so it can sit on your spine that it is dangerous.
In some cases, you need to ally yourself with a professional to achieve your goals - but it depends entirely on the individual dog and previous experiences.
Really enjoy the training!