Patio Dog Training Day 4
Patio Dog Training Exercise 4 - Heading out to a live patio training session
YOUR FIRST VISIT TO A DOG FRIENDLY RESTAURANT (BREWERY, ETC) PATIO
Try to find the quietest time you can, I find the between lunch and dinner time to be best like 2-3pm
Pick a table tucked away out of the traffic flow as best you can
Bring your mat and put it either by the table or under it depending on space and your dog's size
Have treats with you incase you need to help your dog if they get distracted (like when the waiter comes to the table, people talk to them,etc)
Lay a chew for your dog on the mat, again only if your dog does not have resource guarding issues and you can ensure no dogs will approach them!
If you are not sure if your dog can handle it, pick a place you pay when you order and ask for a to go container so you are ready to bounce quickly if you need to
Be on the lookout for signs of increasing stress! It is normal for your dog to find it weird and they may struggle to really settle, but we don't want to force them to stay where they are feeling really worried! Signs to look out for: whining, pacing, big wide eyes/whale eyes (where you can see the whites of their eyes), lots of yawning and/or lip licking, panting when it's not hot, seeing the corners of their mouthes having creases as they pull their lips back from the tension in their faces, trembling.
It's ok to let your dog move around close to you and to sniff and explore where they are. This will help them settle better in the long run. Just hold the leash short enough they can't reach other tables or get in the way of staff or other customers, but you don't have to death grip them close to you.
I love coffee shops, and places like that where I can grab a togo coffee and sit down for a few minutes and then leave rather than trying to a full meal to start.
Try really hard to remember that our dogs energy can be influenced by ours! So if you are nervous and nitpicking and micromanaging their every move you're more likely to make them think this is a very stressful thing to be worried about. So breathe and try to feel chill yourself! Practice on those quiet benches!
Like with the park bench, as soon as your dog finishes their chew get up and leave before they have a chance to get worked up.
This is about helping your dog acclimate to the environment having something to help them take their nervous energy out on. If your dog is overly stressed they may not take the chew, don’t up the level of chew you use, take this as information that they are not yet ready for that environment and do some more park bench work.