Resources we’ve used to help our heeler calm down
Genetics give us a baseline to work with—then both training and biological fulfillment let us shape that baseline into a dog who meshes with our lifestyle.
First written in August 2020 and last updated in February 2022.
Australian cattle dogs aren’t exactly known for being chill. The American Kennel Club describes them as a “very active, high-energy dog, [who] needs more than just a quick walk and playtime in the yard”—and on the club’s sliding scale from “couch potato” to “needs lots of activity”, they place heelers as far to the right as you can get.
It makes sense, then, that one of the most common questions I get about Scout is how we trained her to be calm.
If needed, she can go several days without significant exercise before she starts to get antsy (though we of course avoid that if possible). She’s content to sleep until the afternoon as long as we take her to use the bathroom at regular intervals. We can bring her to outdoor patios and public places without too much worry.
So what’s the secret? Did we just get lucky that Scout is a lazy, out-of-standard heeler? Or is it possible to teach any dog to chill out a bit?
I think the answer is a resounding “yes” across the board. Genetics give us a baseline to work with—then both training and biological fulfillment let us shape that baseline into a dog who meshes with our lifestyle.
Here are some resources we’ve used to help Scout learn to settle in different environments!
* This is what has worked for us personally. Every dog, owner, and situation is different! I link to several sources and recommend checking them out for more information. If you have any questions, I’m happy to point you in the direction of where I learned about a specific topic.
Table of contents
A note on genetics
1) Biological fulfillment
Mental stimulation over physical exercise
Play and activating the Seeking system
Windows of opportunity
2) Patience
3) Faith in handler
4) Impulse control
The place command
Sit and down stays
Waiting at thresholds
5) Self regulation
Tethered decompression
No “double downs” here
Differential reinforcement
6) Calm consistency
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