Gearing Up Calmly

Whether it’s a collar, leash, or even muzzle it’s much easier* to enjoy time with your pet when putting on gear is stress free.

* It will not feel easy when you first implement this. It takes time. You will need patience, but it is worth it.

How? Create space for short training exercises:

Est. time per exercise: 5-15 min.

Yes this means you need to add time to your normal routine in the beginning of this process.

• Hold the gear. No need to show it to the pet, they will know.

• Wait for them to settle down.

• Attempt to put it on… stop if the animal gets too excited.

• Resist the urge to make excessive eye contact during this process. Even though this is planned, it should feel casual. Fake it ‘til you make it!

• Stay calm. Breathe. Repeat until they understand what you want.

• Stop if you get frustrated, try again later. You are BOTH learning.

• When they get it, don’t overreact. Act like you’ve been there before. Make this your new normal.