Are you the parent of a dog who seems to be lacking in the confidence department? Maybe they have a hard time coping in new environments or become startled often.

Lucky for you I’m a certified dog trainer who helps dog parents increase their dog’s confidence, while also being the parent of two dogs who have needed extra help in the confidence department.

On this week’s mutt talk I’ll be diving into increasing your dog’s confidence through agency and exploration. They are quite similar and both extremely important.

Now, let me just give a quick disclaimer that it’s okay if your dog struggles at times to handle this weird world that was designed for humans and not so much for dogs. Dogs are creatures who enjoy open spaces, sniffing, walking and moving freely. However, much of their life is spent confined indoors or in crates, corrected for sniffing, being rushed along on their walks while also being attached to a human. Often times they are on a very short leash or forced to walk in a strict heel position that doesn’t actually allow for much freedom of movement.

Could you imagine living a life like that? Wait! I bet you can!

Take yourself back in time to March 2020 and there was a worldwide lockdown. We were all told to stay home, businesses shut down and we could no longer go out to socialize. It was a fun, silly vacation for the first 2 weeks. And then it progressed into 2 months, then 6 months and now here we are over a year later.

Us humans now have serious restrictions on where we can go, who we can see, the circumstances under which we can do certain things and we are all still spending a majority of our time isolating or social distancing in our homes.

These events have been shown to cause an increase in anxiety, depression and lack of confidence going back out into the real world.

That right there is how many dogs feel on a daily basis living in a world made for humans.

Untitled design.png — So, before you begin punishing your dog, becoming frustrated and taking that frustration out onto them for their inability to cope at times, put yourself in their shoes and try to imagine what the world is like for them. Take a big deep breath, compose your own feelings and then begin to evaluate how your dog may be feeling in that moment.

The first and most important way to help your dog gain confidence is by hiring a certified professional dog trainer. That is a crucial part of your journey with your dog and one that shouldn’t be overlooked.

Next is to start providing a sense of agency in your dog’s day to day life.

*Sense of Agency: refers to the feeling of control over actions and their consequences.

While providing your dog with agency, you are helping them to be able to make choices that will them provide them with an outcome that they see as desirable. Emphasis on they! It doesn’t matter if you think it’s enjoyable, what matters is that your dog enjoys it. This is also considered to be a key component to the mental health of all living, sentient beings. Which then boosts confidence.

Here are some ways you can provide your dog with a sense of agency:

allow your dog to pick the walking route and speed
provide your dog with a few treat options before their training session and allow them to pick the one used
give your dog the option to opt in and out of their training sessions
allow your dog access to multiple rooms in your home and safe spaces to retreat to
leave the backdoor open (if it’s safe to do so) for a few hours to allow your dog to come in and out as they please
let your dog pick the toys, game and play style
give your dog opportunities for problem solving through puzzle and foraging toys
allow choice in whether or not they want to greet the guests
provide multiple comfy spots around your house for them to nap in

The most important part about providing your dog with choice is that you must let them do what they choose. If you are not actually going to honor your dog’s decision, do not give them the option to choose.

Now that you know how to start providing choice for your dog, let’s talk about exploration.

Exploration of novel (new) items is crucial for building your dog’s confidence. The more often your dog is being exposed to novel items, environments and experiences, in a positive way, the easier it will be for them to adapt to changes in their environment and routine.

Untitled design-3.png — When I say “in a positive way,” I don’t mean with a good attitude but, having a good attitude will help! What “in a positive way,” means is by adding something to enhance the experience. That could be bringing along your dog’s favorite toys, pairing the new activity or environment with high value treats or enjoying a food toy filled with delicious food in a new environment.

Some great ways to begin adding in exploration to your dog’s daily life:

find an empty playground for them to explore
take them to a new field on a long line and allow them to sniff wherever they please (agency)
encourage your dog to jump up onto fun surfaces like rocks, benches or picnic tables
take your dog to a dog friendly store
sit and observe outside of a dog park or playground
rotate your dog’s toys
create a foraging box for your dog by filling a large box with packing paper, toys, smaller boxes and their kibble
feed your dog in snuffle mats and puzzle toys
take a car ride with the windows down and let your dog enjoy the smells and a nice chew

Doesn’t all of this sound fun!? It should be fun for both you and your dog. You get to have fun watching your dog be silly, act like a dog and allow their true personality to shine. All while they are building CONFIDENCE!

YAASSSS HONEY! YOUR DOG WILL BE A CONFIDENT QUEEN OR KING!

As you begin adding agency and exploration into your dog’s daily life, take videos! Record the process and the journey so you can look back in 6 months and see how much growth you and your dog have accomplished!

Follow me on instagram: @misunderstoodmutt and whenever you record these moments upload them and tag me so I can CELEBRATE WITH YOU! And then, go tell all of your dog parent friends about all of the fun you and your dog have together to encourage them to have more fun with their dog!

Emily Fitzpatrick, VSA-CDT

emily@misunderstoodmutt.com

*Moore, James W. “What Is the Sense of Agency and Why Does it Matter?.” Frontiers in psychology vol. 7 1272. 29 Aug. 2016, doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01272