How to Reward Calm Behavior

Properly rewarding a dog for calm behavior is essential to keep your canine from becoming riled up in the presence of a certain phobia or becoming anxious and uncontrollable in some situations. You will need to teach the dog to relax in a way that rewards calm behavior, not in a way that encourages fearful behavior. To do that you will need to know the right time and method to reward the dog. You can follow a few steps to keep your dog calm and happy even in the toughest circumstances.

Things You'll Need

  • Dog treats
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Instructions

    • 1

      Give the dog the full length of the leash when you are standing or sitting. Reward a calm dog by giving him a dog treat and saying "steady" or "settle."

    • 2

      Say "steady" or "settle" if the dog starts getting anxious. If the dog stays calm for three seconds, reward her in the same way. If you reward while the dog is still anxious, you will be reinforcing her anxious behavior.

    • 3

      Repeat these steps to drive the point home to the dog that he will get treats for staying calm and not pulling on the leash. Practice first with no distractions before moving into a more anxiety-causing environment. Do the exercise later at a slower pace if the dog is not calming down.