Relaxation Class
Help your dog choose to relax in any situation. Eight weeks of focused virtual training starts September 23rd.
Can your dog choose to relax in a variety of situations? Can you assist your dog in relaxing when they are excited, afraid, or anxious? This virtual class will help you and your dog develop the skills and communication to relax on cue anywhere.
We'll start where you are and progressively work towards this goal together through hands-on massage techniques that will progress towards a verbal cue. Your dog should be wearing a flat collar and you should have a leash handy, at least for the first session.
You'll need a comfortable place to sit with your dog either on the floor or an elevated surface like a bed. Make sure your phone or webcam will show all of you and your dog. We will work towards more stimulating environments, but for our weekly group video calls, please make sure you are in a calm setting where you won't be disturbed or distracted.
Please make sure that your dog has adequately had their needs met as it will be unfair to ask them to relax if they are bursting with energy. You will also have the opportunity to post video of your practice between classes for feedback and troubleshooting.
Why Relaxation Training?
Teaching dogs to relax their bodies and minds when we ask them to is an important part of self-regulation—a critical component of welfare for dogs living in human environments.
Dogs with behavioral challenges often struggle to regulate their emotions and behaviors. While training skills can help manage their behavior, until the dog feels differently in their body and mind, they cannot choose better behavior on their own. Our goal is for your dog to be trusted at liberty—meaning we're not constantly managing them with cued behaviors.
We teach relaxation through a process where we help dogs achieve a relaxed state and pair a word with that feeling, which we can then use to cue a downshift. Eventually, dogs need fewer reminders and learn to choose the appropriate state of arousal for their environment and situation.
The Science Behind It
Achieving this calm state releases beneficial neurotransmitters: GABA, endorphins, and serotonin (which lower cortisol), plus oxytocin (which promotes secure attachment).
Dopamine also reinforces relaxation through different pathways than high-arousal activities, building trust, connection, and secure attachment as you both relax together. This technique draws from work by Kayce Cover, Steven Lindsay, T-touch, and massage work adapted for dogs.
Program Overview
This Class Includes
Questions? Email tara@glimmer.dog