Woche 4

[Day 27] "Pausenhof" - peace and control for your dog

November 2, 2024

Time to read 4 min

Basic obedience: Day 27 of 56

This video and training is part of the Grunge Obedience Concept, a structured programme to promote obedience and the bond between humans and dogs. The concept is carefully didactic and methodical to ensure that each exercise builds on the previous one for maximum effectiveness. It is crucial that you carry out the training in the intended order to achieve the best possible results for your dog.

The "break yard" is a great concept for providing your dog with calm and structure in various everyday situations. Dogs often react to outside stimuli - be it another dog, a cyclist or even just the environment itself. These stimuli can cause your dog to react impulsively or become overly excited. You can teach your dog to take a step back in a defined area and control his impulses better with the pause exercise.

In the playground, your dog should relax while he is aware of his surroundings but learns not to react immediately. Above all, this exercise requires frustration tolerance and helps your dog to calm down even in exciting or stressful situations. It is not about the dog having to stay in a certain position for a long time, but simply about calmly accepting a defined area.

Goal: The dog stays in the defined area and withdraws

Equipment: Long Leash, Harness, Leash, treats

Location: Low-stimulus outdoor environment with fastening possibility, later in attractive surroundings

Duration: approx. 5 min. per learning step with a break between the learning steps

Trainingsplan Downlod

"Pausenhof" - serenity in the defined area

The exercise yard is a great way to teach your dog to stay calm and take it easy in certain areas. It's important to understand that it's not about your dog lying down and sleeping, but rather staying within a clearly defined framework and being able to relax. This method is particularly helpful for dogs that react quickly to stimuli and tend to act impulsively.

Why the "Pausenhof"?

Dogs are naturally very sensitive to their environment and often react directly to external stimuli. This is particularly problematic in stressful situations or in places where there is a lot going on, such as in a park or near road traffic. With the break yard, your dog is taught not to react to every stimulus and to remain calm in a certain area without constantly trying to give in to impulses.

The break yard gives your dog a clear boundary - he can perceive his surroundings, but must learn to control himself and relax. This exercise strengthens your dog's frustration tolerance, which is particularly helpful in situations where he would normally be agitated or stressed.

Impulse control and frustration tolerance

The playground promotes two essential skills in your dog: Impulse control and frustration tolerance. Impulse control means that your dog learns to suppress his immediate reactions to stimuli. This is particularly helpful if he tends to react to other dogs, people or movements.

Frustration tolerance, on the other hand, is your dog's ability to deal with situations where they don't get what they want straight away. Many dogs tend to get frustrated when they have to wait or when their needs are not immediately met. The break yard teaches your dog to accept this frustration and still behave calmly.

Dog stands in the centre of a demarcated area formed by the drag line

The schoolyard as a temporary retreat zone

Unlike the classic dog park, the exercise yard is not a permanent facility. Rather, it is a temporary space where your dog can stay for a short time. During this time, your dog can observe what is happening around him without actively participating. This is particularly helpful if your dog is being trained in an environment that easily distracts him.

It's important that your dog learns to stay within the boundaries of the exercise yard, but not to go beyond them. This will give him a sense of security and structure, which is especially helpful for dogs who are easily stressed or anxious in new environments.

Trainingsplan Downlod

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Summary

The exercise in the exercise yard is a valuable method for teaching your dog to be more calm and composed. Especially in environments that are exciting or stressful for him, the exercise yard helps to control his impulses and strengthen his frustration tolerance. Regular training in the exercise yard teaches your dog to remain calm, even when the environment is distracting.

This exercise offers not only your dog, but also you as a dog person the opportunity to deal with challenging situations in a more relaxed way. With a little patience and consistent training, your dog will learn to perceive the playground as a safe and calm place where he can relax and observe his surroundings in peace.

[Day 26] "Stay" exercise for visitors - relaxation for dogs and humans

The authors: Paulina & Lui

Paulina and Lui are the heart and soul behind Vitomalia [Dogstraining & Store]. Her journey in dog training began with the adoption of her first list dog, Vito. This experience sparked her deep interest in teaching other dog owners about dog behaviour and training. Initially this was just a hobby, but with the adoption of the American Pitbull dog Amalia, who had been relinquished several times due to severe behavioural problems, her passion developed into a true vocation. Amalia's particular behavioural challenges intensified her interest in dog training and behavioural therapy. This turning point led Paulina and Lui to leave their original career paths, undergo intensive further training and dedicate themselves fully to the subject of dog training. Their work with human-dog teams also revealed a gap in the dog market: there was a lack of safe, high-quality dog accessories specifically for medium-sized and large breeds.

From this realisation, Vitomalia [Dogstraining & Store] was born, a combination of their commitment to professional dog training and the need for quality dog accessories. Paulina and Lui bring their personal experience, extensive knowledge and passion for dogs to every product to help human-dog teams live together.