Pets
Teaching "Settle"
A nice way to control your puppy is to teach him to be calm and controlled on cue. When they are not sleeping, many puppies tend to be little bundles of perpetual motion and energy. Unlike an irritating child's toy though, you can't remove the batteries of a rambunctious puppy. Instead, you must learn how to turn the puppy off. Puppies don't automatically mellow with age. Chances are that a puppy who is allowed to indiscriminately run, play, and carry on endlessly whenever and wherever, will also exhibit this same uncontrollable behavior as an adult dog. Right from the start owners should make frequent little quiet moments part of their puppy's daily routine.Begin by luring the puppy with a treat into a "sit", then a "down" and withhold giving the treat by closing your fist, leaving it on the floor. As you delay giving the treat, pet and massage your puppy, praising him in a calm voice. Do not give the treat if the puppy is pawing, nibbling or biting at your hand. Wait for him to cease, pause for a second or two as you praise, and open your hand as you continue to pet. Wait 2-3 seconds and release the puppy. Do this several times until your puppy learns that rewards come when he is calm and relaxed and laying down. When he begins to relax and be still consistently, tell him to "settle" after he lies down. You can slowly increase the time your puppy is holding the position by giving a few treats, five seconds apart. It's important that your puppy learn that the treat is not the release from the settle. Your release word is the only thing that allows him to get up.
Over the next two weeks, ask your puppy to "down" and "settle" without a visible treat. When your puppy is down, praise him and slowly pull out a treat. Keep praising him and attempt to stand up. You may continue to give him treats as you stand, reinforcing his relaxed position. Once you are standing, praise him and release him but do not give a treat at the end. He must learn that all rewards come to him when he is settled, not when he is released or active.
At this point, begin to transfer "settle" to real life times and situations where it can be useful. Gradually increase the time that your puppy must remain relaxed, before releasing him. Be sure to always release your puppy from the "settle" position.
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PETsMART Accredited Training Instructors, in addition to their previous experience, receive a minimum of 120 hours of training in a curriculum which includes: Canine Behavior, Learning Theory ("How Dogs Learn"), Problem-Solving, Classroom Management, Equipment, Handling Skills and more. Where possible, hands-on training is completed in partnership with local shelters, using shelter dogs to demonstrate training methods, behavior assessment and handling skills. This enables us to accredit our instructors while contributing to the community, as we help to make these dogs even more adoptable.
Suzanne Hetts Ph.D. is certified as an applied animal behaviorist and co-owner of Animal Behavior Associates, Inc., in Denver, CO.
Terry Ryan is the well-known author of training books such as The Toolbox for Remodeling Your Problem Dog and The Bark Stops Here.
Pia Silvani is the Director of Pet Training and Behavior at St. Hubert's Animal Welfare Center in Madison, N.J.
Mary Lee Nitschke, Ph.D. is a Professor of Psychology at Linfield College, an Animal Behavior Therapist and the Director of Training for Animal School in Portland, OR.
Trish King is the Director of the Animal Behavior and Training Department at the Marin Humane Society in Marin County, CA.
Pamela J. Reid, Ph.D. is a certified applied animal behaviorist and assistant professor at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, where she teaches veterinary students courses in Applied Ethology and the Principles of Learning.
Information and advice contained on this site is for your consideration only. Please consult your veterinarian for specific advice concerning the care and treatment of your pet.
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