Post by @pawsitivechance

Not taking treats outside is a really important sign. Refusing treats, spitting out treats, eating the treat without looking at it or acknowledging it…all signal that your dog is overstimulated, unregulated emotionally, and isn’t able to eat right now. I talk about this in depth in my new (and most comprehensive yet!) program Focus & Engagement, but just because your dog *looks* calm on the outside doesn’t mean he feels it on the inside. A dog that is sitting quietly, standing, observing, watching with his head on a swivel can be super overstimulated by the world itself. Still ≠ calm, or more like physically calm ≠ mentally calm. Your dog needs the tools to regulate themselves and “better treats” isn’t going to do it. Your dog needs a progression where they learn to decompress on their own and where you learn what works for them so you can read their body language and step in as necessary. THAT’S how you get a dog that can offer attention, be completely focused on you, respond to what you ask, and can actually be enjoyable to take places. You can get the entire, comprehensive system (it’s called the “Focus & Engagement System”) at the link in my bio.