Pawfect Behavior

10/15/2026

It’s called Settle, Disturb, React. Here’s how it works:

Settle: A sound happens and your dog stays relaxed.

Disturb: Your dog notices. Maybe lifts their head or gets up to check. Then goes back to resting.

React: Barking, jumping, charging the door.

Comment RELAX and I’ll send you the games I use to grow that middle step, including my 15-day relaxation protocol.

Most dogs who lose it at the doorbell only have two settings: Settle and React.

There’s no in-between. That’s why it feels like your dog goes from asleep to losing it in one second.

The goal isn’t a dog who never notices the door. It’s a dog who can notice, check it out, and go back to resting.

Here’s how to start:

Step 1: Pick a calm time of day.

Step 2: Make a tiny sound. Drop your keys. Tap a cup. Softly close a cabinet.

Step 3: If your dog notices and settles back down, calmly reward them.

Step 4: Keep the sounds small. If your dog jumps up and barks, the sound was too big, so make the next one quieter.

Do that a few times a day, and you’re building the middle step your dog is missing.

Mufasa still barks. But now he has a middle option, and he uses it more and more.

600+ dog owners are already playing these games with their dogs. If you want these games, too, just comment RELAX.