"Protocol for Relaxation" by Dr. Karen L. Overall

We will often refer to this program when working with dogs who are struggling with impulse control, arousal concerns and some anxiety issues. It is an excellent program to follow and is well worth trying with your own dog! 
When we use this program at DOGWIT we have some variations on the basic set up as so much has been learned in the animal behaviour world since the program came out in 1997! Before you get started, it is helpful to ensure you have a "Yes!" Reward Marker (a word that lets your dog know that food is on the way) and a solid skill such as a Sit or a Down. Having these already trained will help set your dog up to be successful with the program. 
You'll see the program is divided into 14 daily task sheets. It is important to build on success and move through the tasks at a pace that is appropriate for your dog. If they struggle with a task, see if you can break it up into smaller bits so that they can work up to it. Don't push through it; the goal isn't to make it through the program in 14 days, it's to help your dog learn to relax despite distractions, outside stimuli and sometimes odd situations.
At the start of each task, ask your dog for a Sit. Be sure to "Yes" and reward the Sit behaviour. After each task is complete, again use your reward marker and deliver the food reinforcer to your dog. For example, the first task is "Sit for 5 seconds". Give the cue "Sit", then mark the behaviour and reward when your dog complies. Count to 5, then mark the behaviour and reward. If your dog stands up before the 5 seconds are complete, just say "whoops!" and set it up again. "Sit", "Yes", Reward. Then begin counting again, but maybe only to 3 this time. Work up to the full 5 seconds and help your dog to get it right; you are on the same team after all! 
It can be wise to pair this protocol with the Ditch The Bowl program. Utilizing your dog's regular (as well as some surprise extra tasty goodies mixed in) can keep your dog's calorie count in check, can spread out their meal so that they are not gulping it down, and can add enrichment to your dog's life. 

Protocol for Relaxation
By Dr. Karen L. Overall
Clinical Behavioural Medicine for Small Animals, 1997.
This program is the foundation for all other behaviour modification programs. Its purpose is to teach the dog to sit and stay while relaxing in a variety of circumstances. The circumstances change from very reassuring ones with you pre- sent to potentially more stressful ones when you are absent. The purpose of the program is not to teach the dog to sit; sitting (or lying down, if the dog is more comfortable) is only a tool. The goals of the program are to teach the dog to relax, to defer to you, to enjoy earning a salary for an appropriate, desirable behaviour, and to develop, as a foundation, a pattern of behaviours that allow the dog to cooperate with future behaviour modification (generally desensitization and counter conditioning). This protocol acts as a foundation for teaching the dog context-specific appropriate behaviour. The focus is to teach the dog to rely on you for all the cues as to the appropriateness of its behaviour so that it can then learn not to react inappropriately.

PROTOCOL TASK SHEETS
The task is listed on the left. To the right is a space for your comments about the degree of difficulty of the task for the dog, how many times it had to be repeated, or other questionable behaviours that appeared during the task. You should discuss these with your veterinarian at the reexamination appointment.
Remember after each task to verbally praise the dog and reward it with a treat for perfect performance before going on to the next task. Each set of exercises is designed for a day or a block of time. Warm-up and cool-down periods are provided.
At the first sign of any anxiety /lips retracted, pupils dilated, head lowered, ears pulled down and back, trembling, scanning/, return to an exercise with which the dog is more comfortable or break down the exercise that produced these behaviours into smaller steps.

Day 1: Dog's Task
Sit for 5 seconds
Sit for 10 seconds
Sit while you take 1 step back and return
Sit while you take 2 steps back and return
Sit for 10 seconds
Sit while you take 1 step back and return
Sit while you take 1 step back and return
Sit for 10 seconds
Sit while you take 2 steps back and return
Sit while you take 2 steps back and return
Sit for 15 seconds
Sit while you take 2 steps back and return
Sit while you clap your hands softly once
Sit while you take 3 steps back and return
Sit while you count out loud to 10
Sit while you clap your hands softly once
Sit while you count out loud to 20
Sit while you take 3 steps to the right and return
Sit while you clap your hands softly twice
Sit for 3 seconds
Sit for 5 seconds
Sit while you take 1 step back and return
Sit for 3 seconds
Sit for 10 seconds
Sit for 5 seconds
Sit for 3 seconds

Day 2: Dog's Task
Sit for 10 seconds
Sit while you take 1 step back and return
Sit while you take 3 steps back and return
Sit for 10 seconds
Sit while you take 3 steps to the right and return
Sit while you take 3 steps to the left and return
Sit for 10 seconds
Sit while you take 3 steps to the right and clap your hands
Sit while you take 3 steps to the left and clap your hands
Sit for 5 seconds
Sit for 10 seconds
Sit while you walk one fourth of the way around the dog to the right
Sit while you take 4 steps back and return
Sit while you walk one fourth of the way around the dog to the left
Sit for 10 seconds
Sit while you take 5 steps back from the dog, clapping your hands, and return
Sit while you walk halfway around the dog to the right and return
Sit while you walk halfway around the dog to the left and return
Sit for 10 seconds
Sit while you jog quietly in place for 3 seconds
Sit while you jog quietly in place for 5 seconds
Sit while you jog quietly in place for 10 seconds
Sit for 10 seconds
Sit while you jog one fourth of the way around the dog to the right and return
Sit while you jog one fourth of the way around the dog to the left and return
Sit for 5 seconds
Sit for 10 seconds
Sit while you take 1 step back and return
Sit while you take 3 steps back and return
Sit while you take 1 step to the right and return
Sit while you take 1 step to the left and return
Sit while you take 2 steps back and return
Sit while you take 2 steps to the right and return
Sit while you take 2 steps to the left and return

Day 3: Dog's Task
Sit for 10 seconds
Sit for 15 seconds
Sit while you take 2 steps backward and return
Sit while you jog 5 steps backward from the dog and return
Sit while you walk halfway around the dog to the right and return
Sit while you walk halfway around the dog to the left and return
Sit while you take 10 steps backward and return
Sit for 15 seconds
Sit while you take 10 steps to the left and return
Sit while you take 10 steps to the right and return
Sit for 20 seconds
Sit while you walk halfway around the dog to the right, clapping your hands, and return
Sit for 20 seconds
Sit while you walk halfway around the dog to the left, clapping your hands, and return
Sit for 10 seconds
Sit while you jog 10 steps to the right and return
Sit while you job 10 steps to the left and return
Sit while you jog in place for 10 seconds
Sit for 15 seconds
Sit while you jog in place for 20 seconds
Sit for 10 seconds
Sit while you jog backward 5 steps and return
Sit while you jog to the right 5 steps and return
Sit while you jog to the left 5 steps and return
Sit for 5 seconds while you clap your hands
Sit for 10 seconds while you clap your hands
Sit for 10 seconds
Sit for 5 seconds

Day 4: Dog's Task
Sit for 10 seconds
Sit while you jog backward 5 steps and return
Sit for 20 seconds
Sit while you jog halfway around the dog to the right and return
Sit while you jog halfway around the dog to the left and return
Sit while you move three fourths of the way around the dog to the right and return
Sit while you move three fourths of the way around the dog to the left and return
Sit while you jog backward 5 steps, clapping your hands, and return
Sit for 10 seconds
Sit while you clap your hands for 20 seconds
Sit while you move quickly backward 10 steps and return
Sit while you move quickly 15 steps backward and return
Sit for 20 seconds
Sit while you jog halfway around the dog to the right and return
Sit while you jog halfway around the dog to the left and return
Sit while you walk quickly 15 steps to the left and return
Sit while you walk quickly 15 steps to the right and return
Sit for 20 seconds
Sit while you move three fourths of the way around the dog to the right and return
Sit while you move three fourths of the way around the dog to the left and return
Sit while you walk all the way around the dog
Sit while you walk approximately 20 steps to an entrance and return
Sit while you walk approximately 20 steps to an entrance, clapping your hands, and return Sit while you walk around the dog, quietly clapping your hands, and then return
Sit for 20 seconds
Sit while you jog quickly around the dog
Sit for 20 seconds
Sit for 10 seconds while you clap your hands

Day 5: Dog's Task
Sit for 5 seconds
Sit for 15 seconds
Sit while you walk quickly 15 steps to the right and return
Sit while you walk quickly 15 steps to the left and return
Sit while you walk approximately 20 steps to an entrance and return
Sit while you walk approximately 20 steps to an entrance, clapping your hands, and return
Sit for 20 seconds
Sit while you walk around the dog, clapping your hands
Sit for 20 seconds
Sit for 10 seconds
Sit while you walk quickly backward, clapping your hands, and return
Sit while you walk approximately 20 steps to an entrance and return
Sit while you walk approximately 20 steps to an entrance, clapping your hands, and return
Sit while you go to an entrance and just touch the doorknob or wall and return
Sit for 10 seconds
Sit while you walk quickly backward, clapping your hands, and return
Sit while you walk approximately 20 steps to an entrance and return
Sit while you walk approximately 20 steps to an entrance, clapping your hands, and return
Sit while you go to an entrance and just touch the doorknob or wall and return
Sit for 20 seconds
Sit while you walk approximately 20 steps to an entrance, clapping your hands, and return
Sit while you go to an entrance and just touch the doorknob or wall and return
Sit for 10 seconds
Sit while the doorknob is touched or you move into entryway and return
Sit for 10 seconds
Sit for 15 seconds while you clap your hands
Sit for 10 seconds while you jog in place
Sit for 5 seconds

Day 6: Dog's Task
Sit for 10 seconds
Sit for 20 seconds while you jog back and forth in front of the dog
Sit for 15 seconds
Sit while you walk approximately 20 steps to an entrance and return
Sit while you walk quickly backward, clapping your hands, and return
Sit while you go to an entrance and just touch the doorknob or wall and return
Sit for 20 seconds while jogging
Sit while you walk around the dog
Sit while you walk around the dog, clapping your hands
Sit for 15 seconds
Sit for 20 seconds
Sit for 30 seconds
Sit while you walk quickly backward, clapping your hands, and return
Sit while you go to an entrance and just touch the doorknob or wall and return
Sit while you open the door or go into the entranceway for 5 seconds and return
Sit while you open the door or go into the entranceway for 10 seconds and return
Sit for 30 seconds
Sit while you walk quickly backward, clapping your hands, and return
Sit while you go to an entrance and just touch the doorknob or wall and return
Sit for 10 seconds
Sit while you go through the door or the entranceway and return
Sit while you go through the door or the entranceway, clapping your hands, and return
Sit while you open the door or go though the entranceway for 10 seconds and return
Sit for 30 seconds
Sit while you disappear from view for 5 seconds and return
Sit for 20 seconds
Sit for 10 seconds while you clap your hands
Sit for 5 seconds

Day 7: Dog's Task
Sit for 10 seconds
Sit for 20 seconds while you clap your hands
Sit while you take 10 steps backward and return
Sit while you walk around the dog
Sit while you go through the door or the entranceway and then return
Sit while you go through the door or the entranceway, clapping your hands, and return
Sit while you open the door or go through the entranceway for 10 seconds and return
Sit for 30 seconds
Sit while you disappear from view for 5 seconds and return
Sit while you go through the door or the entranceway and return
Sit while you go through the door or the entranceway, clapping your hands, and return
Sit while you open the door or go through the entranceway for 10 seconds and return
Sit for 30 seconds
Sit while you disappear from view for 10 seconds and return
Sit while you disappear from view for 15 seconds and return
Sit for 10 seconds
Sit for 15 seconds
Sit for 5 seconds while you clap your hands
Sit while you jog in place for 10 seconds
Sit while you jog three fourths of the way to the right and return
Sit while you jog three fourths of the way to the left and return
Sit while you go through the door or the entranceway, clapping your hands, and return
Sit while you open the door or go through the entranceway for 10 seconds and return
Sit for 30 seconds
Sit while you disappear from view for 15 seconds and return
Sit for 10 seconds
Sit for 5 seconds

Day 8: Dog's Task
Sit for 10 seconds
Sit for 15 seconds while you jog and clap your hands
Sit while you back up 15 steps and return
Sit while you circle the dog and return
Sit while you disappear from view for 20 seconds and return
Sit while you disappear from view for 25 seconds and return
Sit for 5 seconds
Sit for 5 seconds while you sit in a chair (placed 5 feet from the dog)
Sit for 5 seconds
Sit for 15 seconds while you jog and clap your hands
Sit while you back up 15 steps and return
Sit while you circle the dog and return
Sit while you disappear from view for 20 seconds and return
Sit while you disappear from view for 30 seconds and return
Sit for 5 seconds
Sit while you circle the dog and return
Sit while you disappear from view for 20 seconds and return
Sit while you disappear from view for 25 seconds and return
Sit for 5 seconds while you sit in a chair near the dog
Sit while you disappear from view for 10 seconds, sit in a chair for 5 seconds, and return
Sit for 10 seconds
Sit for 20 seconds while you jog and clap your hands
Sit for 15 seconds while you run around the dog
Sit for 10 seconds
Sit for 5 seconds while you turn around
Sit for 5 seconds while you sit in a chair near the dog
Sit while you disappear from view for 10 seconds, sit in a chair for 5 seconds, and return
Sit for 10 seconds

Day 9: Dog's Task
Sit for 5 seconds
Sit for 10 seconds while you turn around
Sit for 5 seconds while you jog
Sit while you walk around the dog
Sit while you jog around the dog
Sit while you jog around the dog, clapping your hands
Sit while you jog twice around the dog
Sit for 10 seconds
Sit for 15 seconds while you clap your hands
Sit for 20 seconds
Sit while you move three fourths of the way around the dog to the right and return
Sit while you move three fourths of the way around the dog to the left and return
Sit while you disappear from view for 10 seconds and return
Sit while you circle the dog and return
Sit while you disappear from view for 20 seconds and return
Sit while you disappear from view for 25 seconds and return
Sit for 5 seconds while you sit in a chair near the dog
Sit while you disappear from view for 10 seconds, sit in a chair for 5 seconds, and return
Sit for 10 seconds
Sit while you bend down and touch your toes
Sit while you stretch your arms
Sit while you stretch your arms and jump once
Sit while you touch your toes 5 times
Sit while you stretch your arms and jump 3 times
Sit for 15 seconds
Sit for 10 seconds
Sit for 5 seconds

Day 10: Dog's Task
Sit for 5 seconds while you clap
Sit for 10 seconds while you touch your toes
Sit for 15 seconds while you sit in a chair
Sit while you walk quickly 15 steps to the right and return
Sit while you walk quickly 15 steps to the left and return
Sit while you walk approximately 20 steps to an entrance and return
Sit while you disappear from view for 5 seconds and return
Sit while you disappear from view for 10 seconds and return
Sit while you disappear from view for 15 seconds and return
Sit for 10 seconds
Sit for 5 seconds
Sit while you walk quickly 15 steps to the right and return
Sit while you walk quickly 15 steps to the left and return
Sit while you approximately 20 steps to an entrance and return
Sit while you disappear from view for 5 seconds and return
Sit while you disappear from view for 10 seconds and return
Sit while you disappear from view for 15 seconds and return
Sit while you disappear from view for 5 seconds, knock softly on the wall, and return
Sit for 5 seconds
Sit while you disappear from view for 5 seconds and return
Sit while you disappear from view for 10 seconds and return
Sit while you disappear from view for 15 seconds and return
Sit while you disappear from view for 5 seconds, knock softly on the wall, and return
Sit while you disappear from view, knock quickly but softly on the wall, and return
Sit for 5 seconds
Sit while you disappear from view for 10 seconds, knock softly on the wall, and return
Sit for 10 seconds
Sit for 5 seconds

Day 11: Dog's Task
Sit for 5 seconds
Sit for 10 seconds
Sit while you disappear from view, knock quickly but softly on the wall, and return
Sit for 5 seconds
Sit while you disappear from view for 10 seconds, knock softly on the wall, and return
Sit for 30 seconds
Sit while you disappear from view, ring the doorbell, and immediately return
Sit while you disappear from view, ring the doorbell, wait 2 seconds, and return
Sit for 30 seconds
Sit while you disappear from view, ring the doorbell, and immediately return
Sit while you disappear from view, ring the doorbell, wait 5 seconds, and return
Sit for 30 seconds
Sit while you disappear from view, ring the doorbell, and immediately return
Sit while you disappear from view, ring the doorbell, wait 10 seconds, and return
Sit for 5 seconds while you jog around the dog
Sit while you walk around the dog
Sit while you jog around the dog
Sit while you jog around the dog, clapping your hands
Sit while you jog twice around the dog
Sit for 10 seconds
Sit for 15 seconds while you clap your hands
Sit for 20 seconds
Sit while you move three fourths of the way around the dog to the right and return
Sit while you move three fourths of the way around the dog to the left and return
Sit while you disappear from view for 10 seconds and return
Sit while you circle the dog and return
Sit for 10 seconds
Sit for 5 seconds

Day 12: Dog's Task
Sit for 10 seconds
Sit for 5 seconds while you clap your hands
Sit for 15 seconds
Sit for 20 seconds while you hum
Sit while you disappear from view for 20 seconds and return
Sit while you disappear from view for 25 seconds and return
Sit for 5 seconds while you sit in a chair near the dog
Sit while you disappear from view for 10 seconds, sit in a chair for 5 seconds, and return
Sit for 15 seconds
Sit for 20 seconds while you hum
Sit while you disappear from view for 20 seconds and return
Sit while you disappear from view for 25 seconds and return
Sit while you move three fourths of the way around the dog to the right and return
Sit while you move three fourths of the way around the dog to the left and return
Sit while you disappear from view for 10 seconds and return
Sit while you circle the dog and return
Sit for 10 seconds
Sit while you disappear from view, knock quickly but softly on the wall, and return
Sit for 5 seconds
Sit while you disappear from view for 10 seconds, knock softly on the wall, and return
Sit for 30 seconds
Sit while you disappear from view, ring the doorbell, and immediately return
Sit while you disappear from view, ring the doorbell, wait 2 seconds, and return
Sit for 30 seconds
Sit while you disappear from view, say "hello," and return
Sit while you disappear from view, say "hello," wait 3 seconds, and return
Sit for 10 seconds
Sit for 5 seconds and return

Day 13: Dog's Task
Sit for 5 seconds
Sit for 15 seconds while you hum
Sit for 15 seconds while you clap your hands and hum
Sit while you disappear from view for 20 seconds and return
Sit while you disappear from view for 25 seconds and return
Sit for 5 seconds while you sit in a chair near the dog
Sit while you disappear from view for 10 seconds, sit in a chair for 5 seconds, and return
Sit for 5 seconds
Sit for 10 seconds
Sit while you disappear from view, knock quickly but softly on the wall, and return
Sit for 5 seconds
Sit while you disappear from view for 10 seconds, knock softly on the wall, and return
Sit for 30 seconds
Sit while you disappear from view, ring the doorbell, and immediately return
Sit while you disappear from view, ring the doorbell, wait 2 seconds, and return
Sit for 30 seconds
Sit while you disappear from view, say "hello," wait 5 seconds, and return
Sit while you disappear from view, knock or ring the doorbell, say "hello," wait 5 seconds, and return
Sit for 30 seconds
Sit while you disappear from view, say "hello," wait 5 seconds, and return
Sit while you disappear from view, knock or ring the doorbell, say "hello," wait 5 seconds, and return
Sit for 20 seconds while you hum
Sit for 15 seconds while you clap your hands
Sit for 5 seconds
Sit while you jog around the dog
Sit for 10 seconds while you clap your hands and hum
Sit for 5 seconds while you jog in place
Sit while you jog around the dog, humming

Day 14: Dog's Task
Sit for 10 seconds
Sit for 10 seconds
Sit for 5 seconds while you clap your hands and hum
Sit while you run around the dog
Sit while you walk back and forth to the door
Sit while you leave the room, quickly knock or ring the doorbell, and return
Sit for 5 seconds
Sit for 10 seconds
Sit for 10 seconds
Sit for 5 seconds while you clap your hands and hum
Sit while you run around the dog
Sit while you walk back and forth to the door
Sit while you leave the room, quickly knock or ring the doorbell, and return
Sit for 5 seconds
Sit for 10 seconds
Sit while you disappear from view for 10 seconds, knock softly on the wall, and return
Sit for 30 seconds
Sit while you disappear from view, ring the doorbell, and immediately return
Sit while you disappear from view, ring the doorbell, wait 2 seconds, and return
Sit for 30 seconds
Sit while you disappear from view, say "hello," wait 5 seconds, and return
Sit while you disappear from view, knock or ring the doorbell, say "hello," wait 10 seconds, and return
Sit for 30 seconds
Sit while you disappear from view, say "hello," wait 10 seconds, and return
Sit while you disappear from view, knock or ring the doorbell, say "hello," wait 10 seconds, and return
Sit for 20 seconds while you hum
Sit for 20 seconds
Sit for 5 seconds

Day 15: Dog's Task
Sit for 10 seconds
Sit for 5 seconds
Sit for 15 seconds while you clap your hands and hum
Sit while you disappear from view, knock or ring the doorbell, say "hello," talk for 10 seconds, and return
Sit for 20 seconds while you hum
Sit while you disappear from view, say "hello," invite the imaginary person in, wait 5 seconds, and return
Sit for 10 seconds
Sit for 5 seconds
Sit while you disappear from view, say "hello," invite the imaginary person in, wait 10 seconds, and return
Sit while you disappear from view, say "hello," talk (as if to someone) for 5 seconds, and return
Sit for 5 seconds while you clap your hands and hum
Sit while you run around the dog
Sit while you walk back and forth to the door
Sit while you leave the room, quickly knock or ring the doorbell, and return
Sit for 5 seconds
Sit while you leave the room, knock or ring the doorbell for 3 seconds, and return
Sit while you leave the room and knock or ring the doorbell for 5 seconds, and return
Sit while you leave the room and talk for 3 seconds to people who are not there
Sit while you leave the room and talk for 5 seconds to people who are not there
Sit while you leave the room and talk for 10 seconds to people who are not there
Sit while you run around the dog
Sit for 10 seconds while you sit in a chair
Sit for 30 seconds while you sit in a chair
Sit for 15 seconds while you clap your hands and jog
Sit for 5 seconds

For Future Repetitions
• Repeat all tasks in different locations
• Repeat all tasks with all family members
• Repeat all tasks with only every second or third task being rewarded with a treat (Remember to continue to mark the behaviour and add praise/pets!)
• Repeat with only intermittent treat reinforcement. (Remember to continue to mark the behaviour and add praise/pets!)