Comments on: STRESSED! It is More Than Just Desserts Spelled Backwards

By: Stress; Another Distraction or Something Greater? | Susan Garrett's Dog Training Blog

Tue, 07 Dec 2010 18:52:07 +0000

[...] So the question remains do you treat stress just like any other distraction in your training? My answer is a definite –possibly. First of all you need to be try to evaluate your role in your dog’s stressing. I think it is safe to say that most stress I see in dogs has been created. I wrote about this in the post Stressing Dogs and Weirdly Inappropriate Reinforcement and in the follow up post Stressed: It is More than Desserts Spelled Backwards. [...]

By: Melissa

Melissa — Fri, 14 May 2010 19:14:02 +0000

I understand the concepts, but I am having a problem with application. My 2 year old for some reason decided to start stressing in the car. I narrowed down the stress response to when we go over 40 mph. He starts shaking, turns and faces the rear of the car, then yawning, then panting. How do you create a positive anchor when your dog is in the crate and you are driving over 40? As soon as we slow down and start making a few turns, he starts whining because he knows we are close to stopping and playing.

By: Nat

Nat — Fri, 14 May 2010 15:20:55 +0000

I used to think that I shouldn’t ever let my dogs be stressed and that I should always prevent any stressful situations. Recently, though, I’ve realized that stress isn’t always a bad thing and that stress is bound to happen, so (like you said) we should train our dogs to work through stress. Great post.

I never realized that “stressed” is “desserts” backward, hahaha. Desserts are much better than stress, though

By: laura

laura — Fri, 14 May 2010 03:47:21 +0000

Susan Garrett you freak me out when you figure things out like Stressed is Desserts spelled backwards! Holy smokes!

By: Sydney

Sydney — Fri, 14 May 2010 03:25:43 +0000

The red girls look great. Wishing you and the team the best of luck! Yeah for Macs!

By: Mary M

Mary M — Thu, 13 May 2010 19:14:27 +0000

Nice post, good stuff to think about in everyday living with our dogs. They are oh so good at observing things we are not even aware of!

By: Cindy

Cindy — Thu, 13 May 2010 18:30:34 +0000

Once again, awesome post! I actually practiced a bit of this last night at an evening agility trial. My little guy was stressing ( the dandruff told me so) and so I decided not to put him away or cuddle him, but to work on some leave its and some obedience moves where he could be successful. The flakes went away and the tail began to wag!

I’m about a quarter of the way thru the e-book! Please keep wonderful stuff like this coming!

By: Jenny Ruth Yasi

Jenny Ruth Yasi — Thu, 13 May 2010 18:16:48 +0000

I’m not sure I get the science behind “anchoring” ?

I have often wanted to beg trainers to help me break a new situation + new dogs into smaller increments for my stress-downer dog. If only everyone would move their dogs away (or even turn them away) for the 30 seconds while she is doing her first run, my dog would find agility in new places near new dogs a lot more fun. Private and semi-private lessons are prohibitively expensive, but training in a new place, with new distractions, new lighting and sounds and scents PLUS unfamiliar dogs is lumping!

It would be great if seminar leaders and teachers could understand the need to break anxiety-producing stimuli into smaller (even smaller!) increments for sensitive dogs, and to encourage, rather than reprimand handlers who reinforce those increments!

By: Marsha Susag

Marsha Susag — Thu, 13 May 2010 18:00:28 +0000

Hi Susan,

Am enjoying your blogs.

Regarding the small dogs and anchoring…..is it inappropriate to pick up the dog, tuck it under your arm and ignore it when it is stressing? My daughter-in-law has a min pin that does not have very good manners (she is taking it to puppy kindergarten so there is hope!). When Lucy starts to get snippy I’ve just been picking her up so that she cannot interact with the other dogs or people and ignore her. No petting, no eye contact, no baby talk or talk of any kind, no rewards.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

By: Theresa

Theresa — Thu, 13 May 2010 17:48:14 +0000

Susan,
YOu look mahhhvalous, and relaxed and ready to do your best !!
Great post , and thanks for sharing all that you so with us.
We are blessed to have YOU in our lives !
MACS RULE.
have a blast and may the best team of the day WIN !