Let's break this down:
Voluntary: Our dogs initiate and request each rep to occur. This gives them control of the pattern, and we all know how powerful a reinforcer that control of a situation can be!
Repetitive: The repeating nature of a pattern provides an expected routine and understanding of what's to occur for our dogs.
Predictable: Our dogs know exactly what to anticipate when they're in a pattern, providing a bubble of comfort in their very unpredictable world.
Normalize: We can change novel situations to standard experiences for our dogs.
Safe: Put all of these benefits together, and we are providing a dog with a feeling of being safe and comfortable, something they otherwise may not experience and which in turn can lead to big feelings!
Using Patterns to Making the Unpredictable Predictable
I encourage you to envision the environment or situation in which your dog struggles the most. By struggle, I mean they might become reactive and over aroused, they may shut down, they may disengage from you, they might become over excitable and hyperactive. Decide what's most difficult for your dog, and picture that environment in your mind.
Next, list everything that is unpredictable in that environment for your dog (not for you!) List all the antecedents you can think of that your dog cannot predict. Is it the other dogs? People? Cars? Sounds? Smells? Someone at the door? Your energy or stress levels? Critters? Children? What can your dog not control? It should be a long list!
Ok, now let's look at this from a human's perspective. I'm going to compare your dog's most challenging environment to you being invited to a party that's hosted by a brand new friend (whose other friends you've never met!)
I understand that this analogy won't work for everyone, but I think it's safe to say that many "dog people" might find this situation particularly stressful!
So you're going to the party. What are all of the unpredictable factors? Who will be there? Will they like me? Which door do I enter? Which room will my friend be in when I first arrive? Should I bring my jacket and purse in? And will there be a place to put them? Should I bring a gift? Will other people bring a gift? Will there be loud music? Will I like the food? Am I dressed appropriately?
And of course most importantly….do they have a dog?!
The lack of predictability can be unnerving.
Now let's say your friend chats with you and answers all of your questions in advance. They even connect you with some of their friends on social media before the party. They will meet you at the front door when you arrive to introduce you to everyone and show you around. You now know much more about what to expect at the party! Thank you predictability.
Helping Your Dog with Patterns
We can't meet our dogs at the front door and show them around, but that's exactly what patterns can do for our dogs. They help them feel more comfortable and safe. They give them agency and control. They make YOU a very reliable resource for them. And they provide the predictability that so many dogs lack in so many situations.
Come join me for my December class to learn more about the Power of Patterns!
Kimbery Palermo is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer, a Certified Control Unleashed InstructoBlueDog founder and trainer Kim Palermo has been training dogs personally for 25 years and professionally for over 10 years. She is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer, a Certified Control Unleashed Instructor, a Level 1 TAGteacher, and an AKC Canine Good Citizen & S.T.A.R. Puppy evaluator. She has a bachelor’s degree in Zoology from the University of New Hampshire with a minor in Animal Behavior and Psychology.
Kim has only ever wanted to work with animals. She grew up surrounded by many pets of all different shapes and sizes, raised litters of puppies, competed in horse shows and dog shows, and has been working in the pet industry since she could get a job. In 2008, she followed her dream and started BlueDog as a solo dog walker. Very soon she became so busy that she began hiring employees to help her, and in 2011 she pursued her lifelong passion for training dogs by opening BlueDog’s very first training facility in Andover. Since then, Kim continues to grow and improve her business and expand her knowledge endlessly.
Kim is a Certified Control Unleashed Instructor and specializes in dogs that have big feelings about the world around them. She is the CU Teaching Assistant for a worldwide dog training school, Fenzi Dog Sports Academy, has taught CU in dog sports workshops, and presented in the Control Unleashed Conference. Her passion is helping other trainers pursue their dreams. She is a mentor for the Control Unleashed certification process, a CATCH Canine Trainers Academy mentor, and has mentored a number of local trainers directly through BlueDog who have gone on to have successful careers in their field.
Kim actively trains for and competes in Rally-Obedience and Obedience, also trains for Nose Work, Agility, and Herding with her two sports dogs, Jane her Collie and Walt her Miniature Poodle, and occasionally competes in a few other sports like FastCat and Barn Hunt. She owns three other dogs: two Collies named Reese and Lincoln and a Golden Retriever named Fern, as well as a clicker trained cat named Fig. She is the vice president of the Collie Club of New Hampshire, working towards building more opportunities for performance sports for Collies. During her free time she likes to escape to the woods to hike, is a beekeeper, raises a flock of chickens, ducks, turkeys, and guinea hens, and dreams of the day when she has a farm.
Author's recent posts
The Power of Patterns: Helping Our Dogs Feel More Comfortable
November 18, 2024How Control Unleashed Helped Me Build a Better Recall
November 5, 2024
