Management Tools
Management activities and items are ways and protocols used to help prevent a dog from practicing an undesirable or unsafe behavior. We use management to help keep the community and the dog safe. We also use it while we are working to teach a dog what is expected of them in certain situations. It prevents them from practicing and getting better at a behavior we don’t like or is unsafe. Your trainer probably has several options for you to implement for your situation. Because management can fail, we suggest using two to three different options to ensure that your dog is successful at NOT doing the things we don’t like.
These are to be used in conjunction with a positive reinforcement training plan. If your dog is experiencing extreme behavioral problems please contact us to schedule sessions with one of our trainers.
Common Management Ideas:
If your dog barks at the windows or through a fence
Cover windows with a translucent window cling
Cover fences with tarps
If your dog jumps on guests
Separate the dog from the guest with a baby gate
Keep your dog tethered to a heavy piece of furniture
Use a waist or belt leash to keep them with you
Use an exercise pen or crate to keep the dog separate from the guest
If your dog chases the cat, kids, etc
Separate with a baby gate
Keep your dog tethered to a heavy piece of furniture
Use an exercise pen or crate to keep the dog separate from whatever they chase
If your dog jumps on counters or tables
Keep your dog out of the kitchen by using a baby gate
Keep your dog tethered to a heavy piece of furniture far enough away they cannot jump on the counter or table
Use an exercise pen or crate to keep the dog from jumping on things
If your dog runs out the door
Create an “airlock” between the door and the rest of the house with a baby gate
If your dog is afraid of strangers entering their home
Put them in a safe room away from the guest
Play calming music to cover the sound of the guest and calm your dog
Provide a high-value, stuffed chew toy to distract and calm your dog
Do not make your dog interact with the guest
If your dog eats or chews inappropriate things or nips, mouths, or bites others
Muzzle train your dog to prevent things from going into their mouth when you are supervising
Pick up and put away things most common for them to get into
Restrict access to certain rooms of the house using a baby gate
If you are afraid your dog might get away from you during a walk
Use a waist or belt leash to keep them with you
If you are having potty training troubles
Use a waist or belt leash to keep them with you so you can notice changes in behavior before they have to go
Use an exercise pen or crate to keep the dog from sneaking off to potty
If the dog is a puppy, use a combination of a crate and an exercise pen to create a safe space for the puppy with a potty area, a play area, and a sleeping area.
If your dog barks at people, dogs, cats, cars, etc on your walks
Increase the distance between you and the trigger
Scatter high-value food on the ground for them to search for
Have several high-value treats in your closed hand, encourage your dog to try to figure out how to get the food out of your hand
Use an open umbrella, parked car, bush, or other barriers to reduce what they can see
Take them for a walk on a long line at a quiet park, cemetery, or industrial/office park
If your dog resource guards a particular item or piece of furniture
Remove the item completely and do no leave it out for them to steal
Keep them off of the furniture by using a tether or exercise pen
If your dog is hyper
Provide calming enrichment activities, such as a chew, food stuffed toy, or snufflemat
Take them for a walk on a long line at a quiet park, cemetery, or industrial/office park
If your dog demands attention
Actively ignore the dog until they provide a more desirable behavior (i.e. sits, lays down, etc)
Before playing or feeding ask for a desired behavior (i.e. sit, down, give paw, etc) so they learn a better way to ask for things
If your dog is begging for food
Keep your dog out of the dining area by using a baby gate
Keep your dog tethered to a heavy piece of furniture far enough away they cannot enter the dining area
Use an exercise pen or crate to keep the dog separate from the dining area
If your dog digs
Keep your dog from the area they are digging at by using a tether or an exercise pen around the area
Provide your dog an appropriate place to dig, such as a sandbox, bury high-value chews in the sandbox for them to dig
Provide your dog a “digging” toy - iDig has some nice ones
If your dog has issues with separation anxiety find a pet sitter or friend that can stay with them while you’re away (Dogs suffering from separation anxiety cannot be left alone nor crated without proper training from a Separation Anxiety Professional)
