Controlled play with humans

Ok I have recently received more emails about how to teach a dog to control their play, that I thought I would put a video out there of how I teach controlled play.

The video is 3 minutes long, but you can get the idea within the first 2 minutes. The first thing to do: let them drag a leash! This could be your only form of control during excitement. A dog that is overly excited will be snapping at the air or correcting you for your touch and restraint. With a leash you can safely restrain the dog and if needed, you can stand on it to keep them still.

The boxer in this video could not stop his excitement and has become so overly excited during play that he would mouth and break skin. I find the best way is to teach them a “cool down” moment at the 2 minute mark. Most play will escalate into rowdy behavior at 2 minutes. By practicing this a couple times a day, you will be conditioning your dog to “auto cool down” at the 2 minute mark. If your dog mouths you before 2 minutes, immediately have a “cool down” moment.

This can also be used for the dog who likes to body slam you as well. When a dog throws himself at you, stand up and give the “sit” command, stop all play and ignore him for 30-45 seconds or more if he is still not relaxed. In my experience, it is better to make them have a “time out” right where the problem happened. If you take them to their kennel or another room, they will already forget what they are there for. I hope this video helps you and if you have any questions please feel free to email us!