Stimulation VS Relaxation

Finding the balance with occupying time.

The phrase “mental workout” in the world of canine behavior is overused… but I still love it.  Just like humans have a multitude of ways to work their brains and bodies, so do dogs.  In the context of this scenario, I’m referring to downtime for our dog.   We know that training can be ever- present, especially in those moments in between your traditional training session, playtime or walk.  The “boring” times can be crucial.   I’m going to do an in- depth comparison of the pros and cons of Place VS Puzzle toys, and save my two cents on other occupational activities (that could be hindering your dog’s training) for a different blog.

I’ve seen quite a split with advice for what exactly you should be doing with your dog during downtime.  Trainers will either swear by solely place time, then we have our snuffle & puzzle toy stans– so is there a balance between both?   

Place

Place time honestly is magical (let's pretend there's cute sparkle emojis around “magical”).  It’s a training activity that celebrates the art of doing nothing.  While staying within the confines of their cot, all we need our dog to do is chill.  This mindset makeover of a cue has become the new essential training tool– it's becoming as commonplace as a sit, stay, or down.   It’s a cue that beautifully marries this need that any type of dog will have.  The dog that always needs something to do or anxiously paces can now relax–  and the dog that's lazy or already lays around doing nothing can do something similar with added structure.  Place allows your dog to remain within your eyesight, which encourages supervision and accountability; aka training GOLD!  This activity is almost always a default– we replace unwanted behaviors with it, and when watching TV or cooking, our pup can be in that meditation zone.  Doing nothing can be SO much harder than it sounds– heck, even for humans! Whether human or canine– learning mindful meditation is a challenging feat that will reap worthwhile benefits.  Much like how mediation can bring clarity and peace in all aspects of our life– place is a gateway to having a dog confident with that “boring” downtime or even relaxing in public. Bringing a place bed to a cafe, park, or at the baseball field during your kid’s game is how we can be clear about our expectations in these new places.  After dedicated time with placework, our dog can naturally default to relaxing instead of begging for attention, or chewing up the nearest thing they can get their mouth on.  Going back to those moments in between your typical training interactions is where a place cue directs our dog to a calmer state of mind.  Holding place while you prep their food bowl, before and after the walk, or even while you do their nails is facilitating calm & confident moments.  

Snuffles & Puzzle Toys

Ever since my group training class days, I’ve preached the importance of understanding your dog’s breed– something along the lines of  “Every breed has their own needs”.  We cannot expect your cattle dog to want to lounge around 24/7 because CATTLE DOG.  Your terrier is bred to run, jump, and dig! Your hound is made up of sniff, sniffing, and sniffed.  Although understanding how to “turn it off” and chill is crucial– so is meeting that need that is in their DNA.   Offering a healthy outlet for them can be a fulfilling activity that’s just the mental workout they need.  Snuffles, puzzle toys, or even an old towel or cereal box for shredding are fun little side- quests for our pup. Those precious moments when our dog is not in their crate are opportune times for mischief if unsupervised.  Our dogs becoming destructive can, of course, come from lack of structure, yet lack of supervision and  unmet needs can lead to a high rate of unwanted behaviors.  If our dog isn’t given a job– they WILL find their own!  Providing a more mentally stimulating activity like figuring out a puzzle toy, or working through a frozen treat is a fitting balance of occupation that meets a mental and physical need.  

With treat- filled activities, we can both redirect and counter- condition.  For example, if there is a dog greatly afraid of the vacuum, I wouldn’t expect them to hold place and “be compliant” through such a scary situation right off the bat.  I enjoy creating a more positive emotional interaction by having the dog work around the vacuum in a variety of stages via a treat/kibble obstacle course that's  filled with hidden treats in bowls, under blankets, on top of chairs, or just on the ground.  Now, the same “obstacle course” used to counter- condition can also just be used while you walk on the treadmill, or fold laundry.  A challenging treat scatter is just mentally stimulating enough to occupy them AND use that foraging part of their brain that they’re meant to use.  Not every dog benefits from “sniffy” walks, and that may be the best outlet for them.  Although fulfilling, this is NOT a replacement for physical exercise. 

Here’s the catch

Alright, I have a controversial statement here: 

I think there most definitely is such a thing as too much place time 

Allow me to elaborate.

A dog that is just being introduced to boundaries, structure, and a more calm mindset will spend a lot more time on place during their first few weeks or months of training than maybe a year or two down the road.  Assuming training pans out as we hope, and their collective discipline has transformed their behavior, we can step back from allllll place allllllll the time. Some dogs may always need that tight structure, and that's okay! Most won’t need to spend every moment in between eating, walking, or working in a traditional training session on place or in the crate.  Let’s not get this confused with letting their training go or getting lax with them- it's simply building the trust to have them make the right choice when not in command.  A laissez- faire treaty to benefit you both.

Now, treats aren’t the devil (like some trainers may have you believe), but a training structure built around treats and food is most definitely prone to overuse ( and lets not forget weight gain). Just like any other tool in training, it can be misused and done incorrectly– leading to some issues! Relying solely on food occupation in order to get your dog to behave (especially long- term) is unrealistic, but such an easy and accessible option. Of course the elderly couple or busy family may use those stuffed kongs and chew bones  to keep their fur baby busy– but many times, it's those same dogs that have the deepest- rooted behavior issues– because that's their only form of “training”.  Time after time we see pushiness, and lack of independence when these pups rely on food occupation or physical touch to be comfortable.  Learning to be okay with themselves is a status that every dog deserves.

Where the balance lies:

There lies a balance between practicing this “art of doing nothing”, and meeting your dog’s needs in other ways.  This can be physical exercise, a structured walk, training time (sans place), and other independent activities. Calmly holding place is a mental workout.  Snuffling a rolled up towel filled with kibble is a mental workout– yet it's clear to see the juxtaposition here.    I think timing and intention is everything.  Place is active, and Snuffling is passive.   I’d rather have my dog hold place while I eat dinner in order to actively challenge them to be calm and practice impulse control instead of always reaching for a distraction.  While I watch a movie, my dog can passively solve their puzzle or snuffle.  Maybe my young puppy will practice place while the kids play, and snuffle during a thunderstorm. It's basically like one is challenging them to face their environment independently, while the other is like a helper for them be a part of the environment around them.

I like to mesh these occupations together once we know that both of these things can be done well independently.  If our dog isn’t over- aroused by chewbones or food, if they don’t resource guard, and they are a “place” pro… let's put it together!  Chewing away on place is a great way to give them something extra to focus on and get that need to naw fulfilled.  For younger puppies, this is a fantastic way to encourage duration and make place super awesome.   

There's not really a 100% right or wrong choice for how you choose to occupy your dog in their downtime.  Balance is everything, and facilitating the healthiest possible mindset is what truly matters. Let's scatter- feed their breakfast kibble while you get ready for the day, and then have independent place time while you sit down to unwind after work. Use the kong, use the place cot,  feed them that stuffed bone, or settle on the nice cool kitchen floor.  Everyone’s version of balance will be so beautifully different, so have a chat with your trainer and see what kind of balance is best for you and your dog. 

Happy Training, 

Xoxo, Hannah 

Mind your Canine.