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Behaviour

Teaching your dog to relax on cue

A calm word or a familiar blanket that helps your dog wind down: you can train that. Here's how to build a relaxation cue.

Imagine a certain word or a familiar blanket helping your dog settle down. That's exactly what you can teach them. The trick: your dog experiences a signal together with real relaxation so often that in the end, the signal itself makes them calmer.

Capture the calm

The training happens on the side, in everyday life. Whenever your dog settles down by themselves and lies there relaxed, quietly say your calm word or stroke them in one particular, gentle way. Bit by bit they learn: this word belongs to that cosy feeling of calm.

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This article is no substitute for veterinary advice. Source: DOGSY editorial team.