Voluntary Head Dunking – CattleDog Publishing

Instructing your canine to voluntarily dunk their head after train might help them quiet down and clear their nostril and eyes of particles. Analysis printed within the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Affiliation (JAVMA) suggests this modern methodology might help preserve canine protected in scorching climate. A examine performed on the Penn Vet Working Canine Heart on the College of Pennsylvania examined cooling strategies and located that voluntary head dunks had been the simplest in shortly cooling canine and stopping overheating or warmth stroke.

When educating a head dunk, the habits must be voluntary and by no means pressured. Making a low-stress surroundings encourages engagement. Look ahead to refined indicators of stress, reminiscent of lip licking, shaking off, yawning, or scratching their neck, as these could point out your canine is feeling uneasy. In case your canine reveals indicators of stress, walks away or stops participating, cease the session. This is probably not the appropriate sport on your canine.

Taking part in the Sport

Introducing new, doubtlessly difficult abilities will be made simpler through the use of sample video games, which offer a predictable framework to assist your canine perceive what is occurring and what to anticipate subsequent. An tailored model of the tremendous bowls sample sport works nicely. 

Objects Wanted:

• Seven goal mats or plastic bowls
• One snuffle mat
• A transparent bowl massive sufficient to carry water deep sufficient on your canine’s head
• A water pitcher
• Treats that sink in water

Part 1: Create the tremendous bowls sample: 

1. Prepare seven goal mats in a straight line, spaced one to 2 toes aside. The 6^th goal must be a snuffle mat. Should you don’t have goal mats, plastic bowls can work.
2. Start at first of the road, earlier than the primary goal. Apply three to 5 repetitions of the Up Down sport to create a gentle rhythm. Place a deal with on the ground close to your toes and arise straight in a impartial place along with your palms flat in your abdomen or behind your again to attenuate distraction. When your canine makes eye contact, mark with a clicker or “sure” and place a deal with on the ground. In case your canine struggles with eye contact, maintain a deal with close to your eyes for one or two repetitions, then steadily cut back this lure as they begin to make eye contact on their very own.
3. As soon as your canine is making eye contact constantly, step to the primary goal and place a deal with on it. Arise in a impartial place. When your canine makes eye contact, mark it and transfer to the following goal, inserting a deal with on it. Proceed this course of down the road.
4. Whenever you arrive on the snuffle mat (goal six), place two to a few treats inside it. As soon as your canine finishes the treats and makes eye contact, mark the habits and proceed to the ultimate goal within the row. To sign the top of the sport, throw a couple of treats away from the road on your canine to chase.  

Part 2: Introduce the empty bowl:

1. Take the fifth goal and place the fifth goal inside an empty bowl, then return it to its place within the line.
2. Observe steps 2 via 4 in Part 1. Whenever you attain the fifth goal within the bowl, place the deal with on the goal contained in the bowl. Proceed to the snuffle mat and end the sequence as earlier than. 

Part 3: Add water to the bowl:

1. As soon as your canine is aware of the sample, add a splash of water to the underside of the bowl, simply sufficient that it feels moist. Let your canine see you add the water.
2. Begin on the first goal and repeat the method, shifting via the stations as earlier than.
3. Every time, add just a little extra water to the bowl and observe your canine’s response. If they appear burdened, cut back the water stage to make it much less overwhelming.
4. In case your canine willingly takes the deal with from the container of water, steadily add about half an inch of water to the bowl every coaching session. This sluggish adjustment will assist construct your canine’s confidence till they’re keen to dunk their complete face into the water, together with their eyes.  
5. In case your canine refuses to place their face within the bowl with water after they make eye contact, transfer on to the snuffle mat. In case your canine frequently refuses, seek the advice of a certified habits skilled to find out if this sport is appropriate.

Part 4: Take away the goal line:

1. As soon as your canine is comfy dunking their head, take away the road of targets, leaving solely the bowl and the snuffle mat.
2.  Place your canine subsequent to the bowl and drop a deal with inside. In case your canine dunks their head to retrieve the deal with, mark the habits and reward with two to a few treats within the snuffle mat after they carry their head out of the water. In case your canine hesitates, return to working towards with the goal line. Take away the goal line and observe utilizing the bowl and the snuffle mat. 

Part 5: Introduce the cue:  

1. Drop the deal with into the bowl. As your canine dips their head into the water, say “dunk” (or your chosen cue) and mark the habits. Reward with two to a few treats within the snuffle mat.
2. When your canine reliably dunks their head three to 5 instances, take away the goal from the bowl and observe a couple of instances over a number of days. Restrict the variety of dunks to a few or 4 per session.
3. As soon as your canine is aware of the cue, ask them to dunk their head with out inserting a deal with within the bowl. Say “dunk”, wait on your canine to dunk their head, after which reward with treats within the snuffle mat.
4. In case your canine doesn’t reply to the cue, return to the sooner steps and repeat till they’re comfy dunking on cue.

Apply Makes Excellent

As soon as the habits is realized, observe in numerous areas round the home and yard. It’s possible you’ll have to reintroduce a couple of targets or use an empty bowl once more. Ultimately, you need to use the tub, a kiddie pool, or perhaps a clear stream or different cooling supply.