Handling Handler Stress

The next focus for us after spending 6 weeks working on recalls and spending the starting semester of the Academy on foundation, engagement and building a strong relationship with training practices is now for us to dig in deeply into reactivity.

The start of our reactivity training begins with YOU the trainer. To be a great reactive dog trainer we need to get Zen! It's no secret that our behavior affects our dogs. Studies are now beginning to look much more deeply into that. And guess what? If you have a herding breed, your anxiety and your dog's anxiety synchronize. Dogs bred to work closely with man have an increased tendency to mirror your anxieties. So let's start by working on how we help YOUR stress levels!!!

I want you all to think about what helps you cope with stress.

I'll go first! For me a hike in the woods is #1, #2 then a hot bath, even better when covid allows it- a soak in a sauna & hot water, #3 a funny movie, #4 chocolate #5 hot tea #6 venting sesh w/bff #7 nap #8 gardening #9 pretend shopping (I go to a site and add everything I want to a cart but don't buy it) #10 playing or listening to music.

Check out this article about how our anxiety and our dog’s anxiety can sync up together.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-88201-y

So Step one of reactivity training is to work on addressing the anxiety and stress in your own life and learning tools to help decompress yourself BEFORE working your reactive dog. So look at your list and before your training sessions for reactivity try to do one of these things, and if the session is challenging do one after as well. If you have had a hard day at work or are feeling anxious and stressed that is not the time to go out for reactivity work, that is the time to stay home and work on other types of training or to take a decompression walk with your dog.