10 reasons practicing stillness with your dog is a much needed training technique to go from anxiety, reactivity or over stimulation to calm and confidence
1. From Anxiousness to Confidence: The Benefits of Incorporating Stillness Training for Your Over-Stimulated, Anxiety Ridden or Reactive Dog
Quote: “The body benefits from movement, and the mind benefits from stillness.” ~Sakyong Mipham
2. Improves focus and attention: Practicing stillness helps dogs focus, improve their attention span.
We practice over stimulation way too often. So many people who come to me with over excited dogs, dogs who have anxiety or are just unruly tell me that they have play dates for their dog, they buy interactive toys for their dog, they take them all kinds of places all the time. They are shocked when I tell them you're practicing over stimulation instead of teaching your dog how to be calm, relaxed and enjoy still moments with you.
3. Training dogs to be still can help reduce their stress and anxiety levels, especially in stressful situations.
If you never practice being relaxed, you'll have a difficult time being relaxed when stressful situations arise. You can't practice clam-ness in the middle of a stressful situation. Daily calm sessions create a foundation to remain calm in the midst of an onset of anxiety.
4. Builds trust: When a dog trusts their owner to give them clear and consistent times of hanging out together in a completely calm manner, they gain security and confidence.
No need for mindless chatter or activities to fill time. Calm and confidence in solitude speaks volumes in accepted communication.
5. Increases patience: Training a dog to be still requires patience, both on the part of the dog and the owner. This can help both the dog and owner develop more patience and understanding towards each other.
6. Improves behavior: Training a dog to be still can help improve their overall behavior, reducing instances of anxiety, reactive moments, jumping, barking, and other misbehavior.
7. Increases confidence: When a dog successfully follows a stillness moments with you, they can learn to relax and enjoy life with you.. This can help boost their overall confidence, leading to a life well played in calm and confidence.
8. Teaches self-control: Practicing stillness helps dogs learn self-control and discipline, which is an important aspect of learning to leave the habit of anxiety behind.
9. Social media has us trained to be engaged all the time. Taking time to sit with your dog in reflection even for a few minutes every day leads to calm and confidence for both you and your dog.
10. Your dog follows your lead. Taking a 10 minutes out of your day to sit, be still, be grateful can change everything about you and your dog's practice in calm and confidence versus anxiety, stress, and reactivity as a daily practice.
11. Rest and relaxation should be a part of every day instead of considered luxury
Sleep, rest, play, calm and confidence. Recipe for a a life well played for you and your dog.
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