Here are a few tips to make the most of your dog training

• Check your mood – make sure you check your mood before you set off, because if you’re miffed, they will know… and really, is there any point in going training when you’re already, possibly, setting the dog up to fail just by the mood you are in?
• Take a treat – when working with kennels, who train every day, treats are always a great distraction to lighten the mood, especially for an anxious dog visiting.
• Scent – training should be a happy sensory experience for any dog, and they use their sense of smell most often so bringing out a highly scented treat is always a huge reward.
• Praise – tell the dog your feelings if you’re happy tell them, they will appreciate hearing your voice. Let them know that everything is okay, praise them and let them know they’re doing a great job.
• Satisfaction – many people don’t ask this, but is the dog’s belly satisfied before you head out? We advise to ask yourself this: Is your dog happy nutritionally? Do you feel that even though all the above is ticked, your dog still isn’t calm or happy going out to train and is more ‘full on’ and a little ‘stir crazy’.
• Check their diet – it is never too late to go back to the drawing board.

A contented gut on a dog with produce serotonin from the gut instead of from the brain and this is very important. Serotonin, the neurotransmitter that affects memory and mood is just what a dog needs to feel satisfied and receptive. As much as 70% of serotonin is made in the gut microbiome.

Serotonin is the mood regulator, one of the “happy hormones”, and every dog needs them, yet our experience tells us that they are so much more. We have found that a happy well-fed dog is a calmer more satisfied dog, and so creates gut serotonin which ultimately brings out a more settled and more biddable dog.

So, why not try it – if your dog is showing signs of unease, why not start with its gut and take a few steps back.