The art of doing nothing

Let me touch on a topic of conversation from this week -

Misconceptions about young, happy, peppy, bouncy new pups.

Most people assume that their new pup that they have just brought home needs to be exercised/played with until they’re exhausted to live a happy life.

We’ve all heard the saying, “a tired dog is a happy dog.”

While young pups do need appropriate outlets for their happy, enthusiastic energy, playing with them until they’re too exhausted to move is very dangerous and can create bigger problems. If your pup becomes destructive, frantic, and/or anxious when not given appropriate playtimes, and then you take them out until they’re too tired to move, what we inadvertently end up doing is creating a pup who is so exhausted it falls into a heap of unregulated emotions which makes it impossible for the pup to settle on it's own. And then we wonder why the pup is barking non stop and won't calm down.

Whether we are training a new pup or an older dog, be aware, it's important to recognize the difference between a dog who can relax and a dog who is simply exhausted. Teaching a dog how to do nothing-to calmly exist without constant stimulation-is a powerful skill. It helps them manage and self-regulate their emotions, reduces anxiety, improves impulse control and teaches them how to settle on their own. Starting this lesson early lays the foundation for a calmer, more balanced dog and ultimately creates a more peaceful and harmonious life for both the dog and its owner. 

It is so easy to get caught up in the fun of playing with your new pup I get it, but being in a constant state of 'go' or play can be a form of anxiety that no amount of exercise will relieve. This is why we pair training, enrichment, environment, and exercise to meet all of our new pups needs for overall well being.

It is imperative that we teach our pups how to be comfortable when there is nothing to do. 'The art of doing nothing'

The goal is to teach them how to let go of frustrated or pent up energy and relax on their own. Guide them in problem solving and teach them deep relaxation, not merely calm behavior.

Most people envision a dog asleep at our feet during work from home hours, tucked under the table while sitting at a café, or calmly hanging out while we watch a movie. and many new families do actually try this....with a new pup, which is unrealistic. Lower your expectations on this wee new pup. Guide, teach and train yes but have patience as you practice this 'art of doing nothing' This is a learned skill that comes with time, patience, dedication, patience, understanding, patience and time. They WILL get there!

Teaching a pup to be calm and settle can be very boring work. There is no flashy “ta-da” moment, it is a lot of sitting and doing nothing. So grab your coffee and pull out your patience. Did I mention you might need some patience?!

Keep your routine, structure, and predictability in check. All this can help our pups find settling easier.

Here's a guideline of teaching 'the art of doing nothing'

1)Bring your pup to the quiet indoor area (bathrooms are great for this exercise).

2)Place the bedding at the foot of a chair or seat and sit down

3) Gather the leash into neat pleats until most of it is folded, accordion-like into your hands and you are grasping the leash about 12 inches from where the leash meets your pup’s neck, giving him very little room to wander

4) Tuck your hands between your knees and lock your knees together. Wait and look out into space

5) Ignore everything the pup does. Luckily he can’t do very much. If he tries to jump on you he doesn’t have enough leash to go very far, and if he chews at your feet or shoes, just tighten up on the leash a bit until he stops chewing and then let out whatever extra slack you took in when he started.

6)*BE PATIENT* BE PATIENT* BE PATIENT* Ignore whining and other protests*

7) As soon as your pup lies down, and he eventually will, lean over and drop a treat between his front feet. If he remains lying down, drop 5 more treats between his front feet one at a time very quickly – as soon as he opens his mouth to get one drop another. Then return to a fully upright and seated position. I can pretty much guarantee that as soon as you lean over and drop that first treat, or after the fifth treat, your dog will get up and act unruly again. If he does, immediately sit up keeping the leash tucked between your knees, and look away ignoring him*

8) When he remains settled, lying down, and calm after the fifth treat, sit up and wait one second. If he remains down after this, drop another treat. Sit up again and count to two seconds before delivering the next treat. Then three seconds, four seconds…so on. If at any time he gets up and moves around, just stay quiet, completely ignoring him, and continuing to hold the leash between your legs.

During the first few sessions, be prepared to be very patient and wait your pup out. DO NOT SAY DOWN OR USE ANY OTHER COMMAND. We want pup to figure out on his own how to get the reward. This is an exceptionally smart breed and they WILL figure this out on their own automatically.

Wait until your pup is lying down and then give a release word – “OK” “free” "Break or “all done”. This lets your pup know this task is finished and he can go play and romp at will. Silently and smoothly get up, unhook the leash, and walk quietly away. Ignore him for a while so he doesn’t get excited and run around.

Any time you see your pup laying down and quietly resting – even napping – drop a treat by their nose. It seems counter-intuitive to “interrupt” the peaceful moment with a treat, but we want our new pup to learn that we reward his calmness…not ignore it. And remember…rewarded behavior continues.

Here's my dogs doing a bunch of 'nothing' this week - Settling like champs.

I think they have mastered this 'art of doing nothing' skill.

Throwing in a bit of chaos for a second - weather, wind, leaves, storms, more wind, more leaves, more organic consumption in masses....all while practicing our art of doing nothing of course.

Balancing the art of doing nothing we threw some health testing in the mix this week. 'Quick' 8 hrs. on the road to check off Neema's last test on her record and check off 2 more tests on Anya's. Both came back with raving results with top notch scores. Couldn't be more ecstatic with the results! Both girls did exceptional on the road.

The sun is now peeking out to dry everything up, so I shall go and let the doggies bask in this glorious warm fall day. Sending love, light, warmth, and settling peace to all as you spend the rest of your day today practicing your own 'art of doing nothing'