At Your Service Dog Training

At Your Service

  • Home
  • About
  • Services
  • Blog
  • Contact

(413) 336-0598
sharon@atyourservicedogtraining.com
  • Service Dog Training
  • Puppy Training
  • Pet Dog Training
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Testimonials

The “Safe Place” Protocol (for dogs that are fearful, reactive, or hyper with strangers)

February 12, 2019 by sharon Leave a Comment

The arrival of strangers in the home often leads to undesirable behavior — jumping up to greet, excited barking, or general mild chaos. In most cases, this is easily trained by rewarding the dog for keeping “four on the floor.”

For other dogs, the arrival of strangers is a serious problem. This is the case when a dog is reactive to strangers (barks, lunges, growls, etc.) or shows fear-avoidance (hides, cries, barks and retreats, etc.), as well as dogs who are “over the top” in greeting with jumping, muzzle-punching, scratching, etc.

Training for these dogs can involve a range of strategies, from training the dog to go to a mat or crate to lie down, counterconditioning the dog to be more comfortable with strangers, training the dog to back up, etc. However, a critical first step is to set up management and enrichment so that dogs don’t continue to practice bad behavior and make negative emotional associations with visitors. For this, I recommend creating a “safe place” for the dog.

A “safe place” is a room, crate, or other confinement area where your dog stays when people visit – or when visitors first arrive and get settled. It should be a place your dog feels can relax. For dogs that are fearful, reactive, or overly exuberant with visitors, the safe place prevents your dog from making negative associations or practicing bad behavior with visitors. This is a critical part of the training process for fearful, reactive, or “hyper greeter,” dogs. For some dogs, this is a stepping stone toward training to be calm and comfy around strangers after people have come in and settled. For other dogs, the safe room may be a long-term solution.

Covering a crate with a towel can make it more cozy for some dogs

How to Create a Safe Place?

The best safe place is…

  • As far as possible from the door where people enter
  • At least one door (two is better). For dogs with a bite history, you definitely need at least two barriers, such as a crate inside a closed bedroom. This backup is in case a child or guest opens the bedroom door or the crate door doesn’t latch properly. The other barrier will still be there to keep everyone safe. A sign on the door that says, “KEEP CLOSED. DOG SAFE SPACE” reminds guests it’s NOT the bathroom or coat closet
  • Sound masking – continuous white noise is best, such as a fan or white noise machine
  • A drop of lavender or other calming essential oil on a blanket near the crate may also help (don’t use more than a drop, and forego if you  have cats – it’s not safe for them)
  • An engrossing high-value chew: a meat marrow bone, frozen stuffed Kong, or bully stick. For dogs that are power chewers, you may need to bring a new chew every so often. Remember that for these stressful situations, that old Nylabone or squeaky toy is not going to be good enough. Use the high-value chews!

Condition Your Dog to Love Their Safe Space

When possible, make the crate a happy and relaxing place from puppyhood to build a lifelong positive association with going into the crate

You MUST get your dog to be happy and comfortable in their safe space when visitors are NOT present! Otherwise, being sent to their safe space becomes a predictor that strangers are going to arrive, getting your dog worked up or worried every time they go to their safe space.

If your dog already likes being in their crate or room by themselves with their chew, simply do a “dress rehearsal” once every day or two at different times: take them to their safe place, turn on the white noise, give them their high-value chew, and leave them alone. They’ll learn sometimes they go there before people come. Sometimes they go there just to relax.

For dogs that don’t already have a crate or room where they’re comfortable being alone, you may need to help them get used to it by spending some time with them in the room, and then over time, periodically walking out, shutting the door, come back in, etc. Help them learn it is no big deal to be in their safe space by themselves, enjoying a delicious chew.

Remember: A safe place does not take the place of training. It helps set the stage for more successful training by reducing stress (for dogs, owners, and visitors alike) and creating more positive associations with strangers. Once this protocol is in place, the training that comes after will be easier, more pleasant, and much more effective.

Filed Under: Behavior modification, Dog training, Enrichment, Fearfulness or anxiety, Management (Prevention), Reactivity Tagged With: greeting, management, prevention, reactivity

Public Access Classes

For dogs that have completed at least intermediate manners training and are ready for advanced public access training, including stand-stay, curl up under chairs and tables, etc. Our next class starts soon. Space is limited.

Service dog training from anywhere in the country

We are specialists in service dog training! Online lessons are a safe, convenient way to receive expert, individual training instruction.

Subscribe by Email!

Enter a word or phrase to search our archives

Certified Professional Dog Trainer

Certified Professional Dog Trainer

Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner

Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner
APDT Professional Member

Licensed “Be A Tree” Presenter

Doggone Safe Member
CATCH Canine Trainers Academy Official Mentor Trainer

Recent Posts

  • “It’s the cat’s meow!” — Scholarship recipient Cindi Gazda & service dog Zoe
  • Prepare Your Dog for Your Return to Work: Preventing Separation Distress in the Age of COVID
  • Great Gifts for Dog Lovers
  • “Here to Help, Not Judge” –Trainer Alex Wise
  • Dog lovers in MA – Support this bill!

Top Posts & Pages

  • Service Dog Scholarships
  • Training Services
  • Access for Service Dogs in Training
  • Service Dog Training
  • Service Dog Academy - Our Service Dog Board-and-Train Program

Feeds

  • RSS - Posts
  • RSS - Comments

Join us on Facebook

Join us on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter

My Tweets

Categories

  • Behavior modification
  • Chews & Feeder Toys
  • Choosing a Dog Trainer
  • Desensitization and Counterconditioning
  • Dog Behavior
  • Dog Bite Prevention
  • Dog body language
  • Dog gear
  • Dog Health
  • Dog Safety for Kids
  • Dog Safety Tips
  • Dog training
  • Dog training resources
    • Dog Training Books
    • Dog training videos
  • Enrichment
    • Dog toys
  • Events
  • Fearfulness or anxiety
  • Featured
  • Holidays
  • Horse training
  • Just for Fun
  • Management (Prevention)
  • or equipment
  • Pre-Adoption Consulting (Finding the Right Dog)
  • products
  • Reactivity
  • Service Dogs
  • Train the Trainer – pet professional consulting
  • Training
    • Barking
    • Car reactivity
    • Group dog training classes
    • Jumping
    • Loose Leash Walking (Heel)
    • Nipping
    • Pet dog training
    • Private In-Home Dog Training
    • Puppy training
      • House breaking/House training/Potty training
      • Puppy Socialization
    • Recall (Train Your Dog to Come when Called)
    • Service Dog Training
      • Assistance Task Training
      • Public Access Training (PAT)
      • Service dog laws and legalities
  • Uncategorized
  • Virtual online dog training

What Our Clients Are Saying…

TJ Legg
Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner
"It’s just brought so much pure joy! My dog and I like each other a lot more now." -- Sam Legg with TJ
APDT Professional Member
"She has worked miracles with my dog!" -- Gail Mason with Dazzle

Social

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
Certified Professional Dog Trainer

Copyright © At Your Service Dog Training, LLC · All Rights Reserved