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I can’t believe that it is already December!
With the holidays continuing through the remainder of the year, we thought a management training challenge is in order!
So this month, we challenge you to create a management plan for one of your pet’s triggers.
When we are dealing with stress, anxiety, and/or fear any management we can put in place will help our pets. If you haven’t seen it already, make sure to check out this blog on trigger stacking. Allie talks about why management is so important for our pets, and how it can make a big difference.
Remind me, what’s management?
Great question! When we are talking about management, we ask:
- How can I keep everyone safe?
- How can I avoid the stressful thing?
- How can I make the behavior I don’t like less likely to happen?
- What would I prefer to happen instead?
When we implement a management strategy, we are looking to avoid exposure to the stressful thing entirely. Sometimes, that’s not possible, and in those cases, we look to minimize exposure.
The end of the year is a time when our pets could experience any number of triggers:
- New decorations
- A higher volume of deliveries
- More people coming to the house
- More things for your pet to get into
- Seasonal fireworks
- Neighbors having company
- Neighborhood or local celebrations
If you know that something is stressful for your pet, start to build your management plan today! Don’t wait until the last minute, or both of you will be stressed.
Now What?
- Identify a stressor for your pet. The first step to building a management plan is to know what you need to manage!
- Once you know what you are going to manage, ask yourself the following questions:
- How can I keep everyone safe?
- How can I avoid the stressful thing?
- How can I make the behavior I don’t like less likely to happen?
- What would I prefer to happen instead?
- Implement your plan! Tag us @petharmonytraining to let us know how your management plan is going!
Happy training,
Ellen