5 Minute Rule

Often when owners arrives home their dogs explode with what appears to be excitement. In actuality, it's the dog relieving all his pent up stress from worrying about where his pack has been all day. The five minute rule takes this responsibility away from the dog and allows him to enjoy his time alone.

The five minute rule not only decreases anxiety, it also eliminates other problem behaviors such as jumping up, barking, whining, crate clawing, and other negative behaviors that occur when you come and go.

Here's how you can put the 5 minute rule to work for you.

When you or any other family members in the "pack" are separated from the dog and you reenter the pack, you must ignore the dog for 5 minutes after the dog calms down. Leaving the pack ranges from going to work to going to the bathroom. Anytime you reenter the pack you must ignore the dog for 5 minutes after he's calmed down.

Ignoring your dog means no eye contact, physical contact or verbal communication. Your dog should also be ignored 5 minutes prior to leaving the house.

For example, when you are ready to leave the house take your dog to his crate 5 minutes before you leave and ask him to sit in front of it for 5 seconds. Then command him to go inside. After he’s inside, hand him a treat and close the door. This is the last time you should make contact with him prior to leaving. Finish getting ready and depart 5 minutes later without interacting with the dog. This should happen every time you leave the house. In order for this to be effective there should be no fawning over you dog before or as you leave.

When returning home (whether you were gone for 5 minutes or 5 hours) you must again implement the five minute rule. Come in the door and release your dog from his cage without any contact at all. Don't look at the dog, don't talk to the dog, and don't touch the dog. Now comes the hard part. You have to ignore the dog until he has remained completely calm for five minutes. If he is jumping and throwing a tantrum just find something to do (change your clothes, start dinner, watch TV, etc.). Once he's has calmed down completely, call him to you, ask him to sit, and then reward him with your attention. Over the course of a few weeks, the time it takes him to calm down will become shorter and shorter until he is calm when you walk in the door. The "5 minute rule" should also apply to any guests that come to your home.

This rule is crucial to developing an appropriate relationship with your dog. He'll also learn the proper way to act when people come and go from your home.

Consider:

• Sometimes things get worse before they get better. With some dogs, ignoring them will only escalate the negative behavior as they try to get a reaction from you. Believe it or not, this is a good sign. It means the "5 minute rule" is beginning to have an effect. Work through this period and this negative behavior extinguish itself in matter of days.
• It's OK to let your dog outside to relieve himself. Just remember that the rule doesn't start until he's back inside.
• Don't leave your dog in his cage in the hope he will calm down before you let him out. This does not work.