Environment
The first E is for Environment
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Lowering stress at home and in your dog's body
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Meeting your dog's needs
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Giving your dog choices
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Everyday enrichment
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Physical health and comfort
Environment is everything around your dog and everything going on inside them: your home, their daily routine, their health and how they feel. A dog who is stressed, bored or uncomfortable has a much harder time learning. When we lower stress, meet your dog's needs and give them some say in their day, behavior often improves before we've taught a single new skill.
Jump to: Lower stress · Meet needs · Give choice · Enrichment · Common questions
Lower stress
Stress builds up. A dog who has been startled by the doorbell, the vacuum and a neighbor's dog all morning has a shorter fuse by afternoon. Small changes add up too: a quiet place to rest, white noise for noisy days, a covered window for a dog who watches the street, and a predictable routine.
Stress also comes from inside. Pain, itchy skin, an upset stomach or poor sleep can all show up as behavior, so for any new or suddenly worse behavior, we'll ask you to check in with your vet first.
Start here:
What stress looks like in your dog's body
Safe spaces and other help for fearful dogs
Signs it's time to see your veterinarian
Meet Needs
Dogs are built to sniff, chew, dig, chase, forage and play. When those needs go unmet, dogs find their own outlets, and those are usually the behaviors people call us about. Every dog's mix is different. A beagle may need far more sniffing than a bulldog, and a young dog may need more of everything. The easiest place to start is mealtime. Most dogs can eat at least one meal a day from a snuffle mat, a puzzle toy or a scatter in the grass instead of a bowl.
Start here:
How unmet needs turn into unwanted behavior
Every dog's needs are different
Find It: an easy sniffing game to start today
Give Choice
Choice means your dog gets some say in what happens to them: whether to be petted, whether to greet a visitor, whether to walk toward something new or watch it from a distance. When a dog can move away, they usually don't need to growl, snap or panic to get their point across.
In our experience, dogs who get a say build confidence and change faster. Some dogs aren't comfortable making choices yet, and that's something we can build together.
Start here:
How to ask your dog if they'd like to be petted
Choice during handling and grooming
Speaking up for your dog with strangers
Enrichment
Enrichment is anything that gives your dog a healthy job for their nose, mouth, body or brain. It doesn't need to be fancy or expensive. Ask yourself, “How can I make this a little more interesting for my dog?” A few easy places to start:
Enrichment encompasses many ways to provide fun and stimulating 'entertainment' to exercise your dog's body and mind. Enrichment can also be a mindset - by thinking to ourselves, how can I make a game or a training session or even hanging out a little more interesting, challenging, or stimulating?
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Food: feed a meal from a snuffle mat, puzzle toy or a scatter in the grass
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Sniffing: a slow walk where your dog picks the route and sets the pace
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Chewing: a safe chew or a stuffed, frozen Kong after a busy day
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Shredding: let your dog tear apart a cardboard box with a few treats inside
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Brain games: a quick round of Find It or Smart x 50
Watch how your dog responds and do more of what they love. Always supervise new toys and DIY projects, and take away anything your dog starts to swallow.
More enrichment ideas:
A Video Primer
Fear Free Happy Homes created a short video primer on some of the ins and outs of enrichment.
Common questions
I called about behavior. Why are you asking about my dog's health? Because pain and illness often show up as behavior first. A dog with sore hips may snap when picked up, and a dog with an upset stomach may have accidents. If something medical is going on, training alone won't fix it. Ruling it out first saves you time and saves your dog discomfort. Won't a long run just tire my dog out? Exercise helps, but physical exercise alone can build a fitter dog who needs even more. Sniffing, chewing and brain games tire dogs out in a different way, and they often help a dog settle better than another lap around the block. Most dogs do best with a mix. Do I need to buy special toys? No. A muffin tin, a cardboard box, a towel rolled up with treats inside or kibble scattered in the grass all count. Puzzle toys and snuffle mats are handy, but the habit matters more than the gear. What if my dog says no to everything? That's useful information. A dog who avoids most things may be worried, in pain or overwhelmed. Give them space, keep a note of what they avoid, and talk to us. We can help your dog feel safe enough to start saying yes.
Environment and the rest of your toolkit
Environment sets your dog up to succeed with everything else. Management keeps your dog from practicing unwanted behavior while their needs are being met. Education helps you spot stress and unmet needs early. And a calm, comfortable dog is ready to learn, so Teaching goes faster.
← Previous: Management · Next: Education → · Back to your toolkit