Dr. Dunbar’s 28-Day Good Dog Challenge

Thanksgiving Settle

Day 18 · A light day. Your dog does most of the work!

Today’s challenge

Happy Thanksgiving! By midnight tonight, text me all the things that make you thankful for your dog. Bonus: a Thanksgiving dog photo!

Why a Thanksgiving Settle?

Thanksgiving is busy: cooking, guests, doorbells, and delicious smells everywhere. It’s a lot for a dog. So today, we teach your dog that the best place to be is calmly settled on their bed, happily working on a stuffed chew toy.

Every piece of kibble your dog works out of that chew toy rewards them for lying down calmly and quietly and chewing their chew toy, while you cook, eat, enjoy your guests, and reflect on all the things that are cause for thanks. We call it AutoTraining: your dog trains themselves, and you get to enjoy your day.

Step by step

  1. Grab one of last night’s frozen chew toys. Forgot to stuff them? Use dry kibble today, and stuff and freeze a few more for tomorrow.
  2. Say “Go to your bed,” and place the frozen chew toy on your dog’s bed. You might tie it inside their crate, or right next to their bed, so it stays put.
  3. Then say “Settle down.”
  4. Every now and then, wander over, praise your dog, gently stroke them, and maybe offer a couple of pieces of kibble, or a little turkey.
  5. When the chew toy is empty, swap it for another.

Need a refresher? See Day 6: Go to Your Bed and the stuffing tips on Day 1: No Food Bowl.

When the guests arrive

If your dog’s behavior is annoying you, ask yourself how you’d like your dog to act. If you don’t like your dog jumping on visitors, how would you like them to greet people? Approach on their hind legs holding a silver platter of sherry? Or maybe… they could sit.
— Ian
  • Sit to say hello. When guests arrive, ask your dog to Sit. A dog can’t Sit and jump up at the same time.
  • Hand out the kibble. Give each guest a few pieces of kibble, and ask them to give one only when your dog sits. Even better, show them how to do a few Come-Sits.
  • Then back to bed. Once everyone has said hello, “Go to your bed” and a fresh chew toy.

Keep it calm and safe

A house full of visitors can be a lot for any dog, even a friendly one: strangers, excited children, food everywhere, lots of noise, and someone reaching for their bone or chew toy. Give your dog a quiet spot of their own, and a few breaks from the party.

  • Let your dog enjoy their chew toy in peace. Ask everyone, especially children, to leave a dog with a chew toy alone.
  • Watch your dog. If they seem worried, give them a break in a quiet room with a stuffed chew toy.
  • Keep an eye on the table. Ask guests not to slip your dog scraps from the table, and keep cooked bones well out of reach.

What are you thankful for?

Every night, when I’m in bed and Mars is in his, I talk to him, and I tell him how grateful and thankful I am to have him as a buddy. These are honest and very precious moments.
— Ian

Sometime today, take a quiet moment and ask yourself: what makes me feel most thankful about my dog? Then text me your answer. And I’d love to see your Thanksgiving doggy photos!

Special tips

My dog won’t stay on their bed.

Make the bed the best spot in the house: a fresh stuffed chew toy, and praise whenever you see your dog there. For young puppies, tie the chew toy to their crate or bed so it can’t be carried off.

My dog gets too excited when the doorbell rings.

Before guests arrive, practice: ring the doorbell yourself, then ask for a Sit and give a piece of kibble. Soon the doorbell means “Sit for a treat.”

My dog finishes the chew toy too fast.

Use kibble soaked overnight, stuff it in tight, and freeze it. A Kongsicle lasts much longer than dry kibble.

What’s next

  • Tomorrow, Day 19, it’s Off, Take It, Thank You: with your dog’s favorite toy.
  • Use it every day. “Go to your bed” and a stuffed chew toy, whenever you’re cooking, eating, or have visitors.

Filming tips and prizes: Videos and Prizes.

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