Relaxation protocol for dogs: a step-by-step guide
The relaxation protocol is a 15-day programme that teaches your dog to settle calmly, first with you beside them and then in more demanding situations, including ones where you are out of sight. The best-known version was written by Dr Karen Overall. It works because you reward a calm body and a calm mind in tiny steps, never because you force your dog to stay still. This guide explains what the protocol teaches, what your dog needs to know first, how to pace each day, how to read your dog’s body language, and when it is time to bring in a qualified trainer or vet.
TL;DR
Dr Overall’s protocol is a 15-task-sheet foundation programme for teaching a dog to relax on cue, a skill you can later build other behaviour work on.
Your dog should already manage a reliable sit and down, and you need a marker (a clicker or a word like “yes”) and small treats.
Keep sessions short, 2 to 5 minutes, 2 to 3 times a day. If your dog struggles, repeat or simplify a day rather than pushing on.
The protocol is a foundation, not a cure for aggression or separation anxiety. Those need a tailored plan with a qualified professional.
Table of Contents
What the relaxation protocol actually teaches
Many owners think of it as a long “stay”. It is more than that. Dr Overall’s Protocol for Relaxation is the first tier of her behaviour modification programme. It is designed to teach dogs to sit and stay while relaxing in circumstances that range from reassuring ones, with the owner present, to potentially more stressful ones, where the owner is absent (Overall, Protocol for Relaxation).
Its five main goals are to teach your dog to:
relax
attend to you for cues
defer to you
enjoy earning a salary for appropriate behaviour
build a pattern of calm, relaxed behaviour as a foundation for future behaviour modification, usually desensitisation and counter-conditioning
That last goal is the important one. Many behaviour problems involve fear, anxiety or too much arousal, and retraining generally cannot begin until a calm state is available on cue. Until your dog can focus and relax when the trigger is absent, it is not practical to ask for relaxation when the trigger is present.
The emphasis is on feelings as well as actions. The goal is a relaxed emotional state, not only the physical position of a sit-stay or down-stay (Pines Meadow Veterinary Clinic). A dog that is lying down but rigid, with darting eyes, has not learned the lesson yet.
Is your dog ready to start?
Before day one, check three things.
Your dog’s foundation skills
The original protocol expects your dog to cope with its deference and deep-breath protocols and, if your dog cannot sit and stay, to learn “sit”, “stay” and “come” first (Overall). In practical terms, veterinary guidance says the dog should already follow “sit” and “down” before relaxation exercises begin (Today’s Veterinary Practice).
If your puppy or newly adopted dog is not there yet, spend a week or two on basic cues first. Our guide to best practices for home obedience training walks through that groundwork.
Your marker and rewards
You need a consistent sound marker, such as a clicker or a short word like “yes” or “good”, plus small training treats (Today’s Veterinary Practice). Choose treats your dog can eat in a second. Soft, pea-sized pieces keep the session calm, while crunchy or large treats can make a dog chew, crumb and get excited.
After a session, a lick mat or a silicone slow-feeding toy can give your dog a quiet, soothing activity once the formal work is over. Keep it separate from the training treats so the exercises stay clear.
Your environment
Pick a quiet, familiar room with few distractions, and stay calm and soft-spoken yourself (Pines Meadow). In a busy Singapore flat, with lift doors, neighbours and delivery bells, this matters more than people expect. We explain why in how home distractions affect dog training in Singapore.
If you plan to use a lead and head collar in later training, use them during relaxation training too, so the dog links them with calm (Applied Animal Behavior article).
How to run the 15 days
The protocol is a series of daily tasks. Difficulty rises gradually, and you start in the easiest setting, with you close by, before moving towards situations that are harder for your dog. The official task sheets contain the exact steps for each day, so work from the original document and treat our notes as the coaching around it.
Keep every session short
Guidance for owners is to train for about 2 to 5 minutes, 2 to 3 times a day. Progress is still possible with one 30-second session daily. Another veterinary behaviour article suggests brief sessions of probably about five minutes, to reduce frustration for both of you (Applied Animal Behavior article).
A simple rhythm many owners find easy:
Choose a time when your dog has already had a walk and a toilet break.
Settle in your quiet spot and have treats ready in a pouch, with your hands relaxed at your sides.
Ask for the sit or down, then work through that day’s task.
Mark and reward each successful step.
Finish on an easy success, before your dog is tired, worried or frustrated.
Reward calm, not just position
Watch the whole dog, not just the sit. Reward when your dog is truly comfortable. If your dog lets out a big sigh or drops its head, give a jackpot (a handful of treats at once) and end the session for that day. Ending on that sigh teaches your dog that relaxing is what makes the session finish well.
Repeat a day when you need to
The 15 days are a guide, not a deadline. If your dog cannot stay relaxed for the set time, go back by at least 5 seconds and then increase the time more slowly (Today’s Veterinary Practice). Many dogs need to repeat some days several times. That is normal, and it is a sign you are respecting their pace.
How to tell whether your dog is truly relaxed
This is where most owners need help, so here is a checklist you can keep near your training spot.
Signs your dog is settling:
Hips shifted to one side, a leg stretched out, or a shoulder lowered
Lying on one side, head down, or chin resting between the paws
Sighing, closing the eyes, or slower breathing
These are all listed as signs of genuine relaxation by Today’s Veterinary Practice. Veterinary behaviour guidance adds that ears should be relaxed, the tail still, the body loose rather than stiff, the pupils a normal size, the eyes not darting and the brow not furrowed (Applied Animal Behavior article).
Signs to pause or make the exercise easier:
Raised hackles, yawning, lip licking, or a tucked tail
Ears pressed against the head or avoiding eye contact
Panting when your dog has not been exercising
These are recognised stress signals. The same source notes that too much stress at once can lead a dog to freeze, shut down, lose interest or try to get away from the exercise, and recommends starting with low levels of challenge and building up as confidence grows. If your dog only takes part when bribed, the step is probably too hard. Go back a stage.
Our article on how dogs signal anxiety before you leave has more on reading these signals at the door.
Using relaxation training for an over-aroused dog
Over-arousal looks like a dog that cannot settle: pacing, spinning, mouthing, barking at every sound or surging at the door. Relaxation work can help because it gives your dog a rehearsed, rewarded alternative.
A few adjustments make it easier:
Lower the stimulation first. Train after exercise, in the quietest room, with the door closed and the TV off.
Use slower, quieter treat delivery. Fast, excited feeding raises energy. Deliver rewards calmly at the dog’s mouth level.
Start with shorter holds. Ask for a few seconds of calm, reward, and build up gradually.
Practise before the trigger, not during it. Teach calm on cue without the stimulus first, then move on to harder settings later (Pines Meadow).
Plan the day. Sleep, meals, walks and quiet time all feed into how easily your dog settles.
If your dog still cannot settle after steady practice, consider a professional evaluation. There may be a physical or emotional reason, and a veterinarian or veterinary behaviourist is a good starting point.
What the protocol can and cannot do on its own
The relaxation protocol is a tool for building a calm baseline. It is not a standalone treatment for aggression or separation anxiety.
Veterinary guidance explains that anxious or fearful dogs are unlikely to be managed with training alone unless the underlying cause of the problem is identified and treated. In moderately severe or severe cases, medication is likely to be indicated, and it works alongside behaviour and environmental modification, not in place of it (Clinicians Brief, 2023).
See a vet first, and ask about a veterinary behaviourist, if your dog shows severe aggression, hurts itself, or has a debilitating phobia (Los Angeles Times, 2025). The same article explains that a behaviourist begins with a full medical workup and that punishment-based training can make anxiety and aggression worse. That is one reason we only use reward-based methods.
A word on the second tier. Dr Overall’s wider programme also includes work aimed at separation anxiety, which involves desensitising and counter-conditioning a dog to departure cues. That is more detailed work, and it goes best with a plan built around your dog. If your dog panics when you leave, read our guide to dog alone training with short intervals and our step-by-step dog independence training guide.
Our perspective on relaxation training
After more than 20 years of working with dogs and families in Singapore, we see the same pattern again and again. Owners come to us for barking, lunging, panic at the door or a dog that cannot switch off. Underneath, there is almost always a dog that has never been taught how to settle. That is why we like relaxation work so much. It is kind, it is simple, and it gives you something useful to do each day. It also tells you a great deal. How quickly your dog sighs, how long they hold a down, and which day they find hard all show us where the real stress sits. Our approach is humane and science-based. We reward the calm we want and never punish a dog for being worried. We tailor every plan to the individual dog, because a nervous rescue and an excitable young Labrador need very different things from the same exercise. The protocol is a good start, and it is rarely the whole story. When fear, reactivity or separation anxiety is involved, we build relaxation into a wider behaviour plan and coach you through it. Our trainer is certified and AVS-accredited, and every client gets free lifetime support afterwards, so you are never left to work it out alone. Mark
When a trainer can help, and what it costs
Some dogs cruise through the 15 days. Others stall on the same day for a week, and that is not a failure. It usually means the dog needs a plan built around its own triggers, your home layout and your routine.
We can help in several ways, with prices as published on our site:
Need | Our programme | Price |
Basic manners and a calm routine at home | $200 per class | |
Barking, lunging and over-excitement on walks | $200 per class | |
Distress when left alone | $200 per class | |
Growling, snapping or biting concerns | $200-250 per session | |
Intensive, immersive training | from $700 per week | |
Young dogs learning social skills | $450 per dog |
For a dog that startles at new people, objects or noises, our Fearful Dog Classes cover that work, and our guide to a behaviour modification plan for fearful dogs explains what a plan involves. You can see all current options on our prices page.
Wondering how many sessions you will need? Our article on how many dog training sessions your dog needs goes through what changes the number.
Book a calmer dog
If your dog struggles to settle, we can start with a private session at home, where the real distractions are. We will show you how to read your dog’s body language, set up a settle routine and plan the next steps, whether that is relaxation work, fear work or reactivity work. Our methods are humane and reward-based, and free lifetime support follows every programme.
Private sessions are $200 per class. If you would like to talk through your dog’s situation first, start at Happy-Dog Training Singapore.
Making calm part of daily life
Once your dog understands relaxation in a training session, bring it into normal life, a little at a time.
Reward calm you did not ask for. When your dog lies down on their own, quietly drop a treat between the paws. This helps the dog learn that settling pays.
Pick a settle spot. A mat or bed in a quiet corner becomes a clear signal for rest.
Practise during normal routines. Try it while you cook, work or watch TV, then when visitors arrive.
Keep going on easy days. Short refreshers keep the skill sharp after the 15 days end.
Calm becomes the dog’s new emotional baseline, according to a certified trainer quoted in a pet-care article. Consistent practice can build confidence and help with anxiety, frustration and fear. You do not need to rush it.
Vet visits are another good place to apply the same skills. Our guide to cooperative care training in 2 to 5 minute sessions shows how.
FAQ
How long does the relaxation protocol take?
The protocol is laid out as 15 days of tasks, but many dogs need longer because you repeat or simplify days when they are not comfortable. Short sessions, 2 to 3 times a day, are enough. Move on only when your dog can stay relaxed for the time set.
Can I use the relaxation protocol for a puppy?
Yes, if your puppy already understands sit and down and can focus for a few seconds. Keep sessions very short and stop while your puppy is still comfortable. A puppy that cannot yet do the basics should learn those first, and a puppy class is a good place to build social skills alongside.
Will the relaxation protocol fix separation anxiety or aggression?
Not on its own. It builds a calm foundation, but anxiety and aggression need the cause identified and a tailored behaviour plan, sometimes alongside veterinary care. Book a vet check first if your dog is severely distressed, hurts itself or has bitten.
What if my dog will not settle during the exercises?
Make the step easier. Go back by at least 5 seconds, train in a quieter room, shorten the session and use softer treats. If your dog still does not make steady progress, ask a vet or veterinary behaviourist to rule out a physical or emotional cause.
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