~*~Trips to Nowhere~*~
This protocol has three clear and distinct parts: you arrive, your dog explores, and you leave. The prelude to these adventures in curiosity for your dog is the car ride which can mean many things to our dogs. Some dogs love the car so much they vibrate and bark the whole time there are in it, and some are so afraid that they slink down into the car making themselves small and they may tremble during the ride. Most dogs fall in between these two extremes.
Premise: Every dog experiences emotions when they are in the car and when they exit the car contingent on their experience and temperament. Dogs do not speak our language so it is up to us to provide them a safe backdrop to explore a new environment. As they become more stable in the process and more comfortable we can begin to learn more about what upsets or destabilizes them as we walk them through our environment.
Goal: “Be functional and curious.” All we want from our dogs is that they are able to go to a new place, exit the car and then explore the new environment. So much of our lives with our dogs is tied up in our expectations of dog ownership that we sometimes put our dogs in situations they have difficulty handling. This Protocol is about us giving dogs some space to go somewhere new and figure out what that place holds that is interesting to them. We don’t need to feed them or train them while they are exploring. It’s a chance for quietness to be a backdrop for exploration.
Teaching and learning can be added. This is also an effective way to transition into working on basic walking/leash skills, focus to handler and some foundation work for simple engagement games with your dog. You can add training practice work to your time in the parking lot and then release them to explore the new environment as part of the reinforcement cycle of your trip to *the new place*.
Power: Every event we undertake with our dogs has a beginning, a middle and an end. By repeatedly introducing them to situations and having an ‘event’ occur in the new environment and ending it for them while both our dogs and ourselves are enjoying being in a new space This practice builds trust, confidence and excitement for the next adventure. Also, you get an opportunity to observe your dog and if the environment presents any surprises you get to practice how you respond to them knowing that you can ‘jet to the car’ if your dog is overwhelmed
The inspiration for this was actually a little girl who I used to take on field trips when her parents were having difficult times. My goal for her was only that she have some peace in her life so we would go to new places that we’re not highly stimulating and explore. The quiet was very therapeutic for her and it allowed her to pursue her curiosity in a very healthy way
Copyright Emily Rogeness 2013
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