Ding Dong Ditch the naughty habits

An anxious/busy mindset leads to impulsive choices which leads to naughty habits...
When a dog struggles with impulse control and an over aroused mindset (gets mentally intense quickly when she sees one of her triggers), she often feels worried/concerned or anxious/reactive and this mindset makes it easy for her to make really bad choices. So, we need to develop her skill sets for impulse control (think first! Don’t just react!) and a calm state of mind (relax, easy, chill) which will make it more easier for her to make good choices. One of the ways that I teach a dog about impulse control and calming her mind down is by using the place command and some door knocking to teach them to think about their actions and choices instead of just reacting. Doors are a big trigger for a lot of dogs because they typically become the signal for excitement or anxiety (a walk, car ride, guests, or even danger might be on the other side!!!) and if we don’t interrupt and correct this amped up/toxic state of mind then the dog develops the bad habit of behaving this way every time they hear or see the trigger (sound of a door opening, see a hand reaching for the door knob or even being close to an open door. ‘Door open, gotta go, cool stuff, scary stuff, OMG!!!’).
I use the Place Command to give the dog a job to focus on (holding command) and interrupting any mental arousal/excitement, correct any breaking of command and then I’m going to guide her back into place and begin again. And by patterning this over and over, I’m building her broader skill set for impulse control and a calm state of mind (which I can then transfer to other situations) and the door will take on a new and calmer meaning for her which will be ‘don’t worry about the door and just relax on the dog bed’.