How I Fixed Anticipation Meltdowns (When Your Dog Loses Their Mind Because They Know What’s Coming)

[Malakai The Great]

If you’ve ever had your dog detonate because they recognized a routine like boots on, leash picked up, keys jingling, treat bag moved, you’re not alone.

Breaker used to absolutely lose his mind when I put on my boots. Not excited. Not happy. He was OBSESSED. Screaming. Spinning. Shaking. Losing the plot. This is extremely common in working line GSDs, Malinois, high drive mixes… basically any dog who has opinions and enthusiasm. Here’s exactly how I fixed it, and how you can fix any over reaction to a predictable cue.

1. Identify the Trigger -> Then Make It Boring​

Your dog isn’t reacting to you. They’re reacting to the predictive value of the cue.

Boots = walk.
Leash = training.
Keys = car ride.
Food bowl = meal time.

So we break the pattern by teaching the dog: That cue doesn’t mean anything anymore… unless you’re calm.

What I did:
Put my boots on, sat down, read emails. Then took them off, put them on again, walked to the kitchen, did nothing. There was no walk, no feeding, no reward, no activity. Just neutrality. This alone started shrinking the chaos.

2. Reward Calm, Not Chaos​

Clear rule:
If Breaker was calm, the world moved forward.
If Breaker exploded, everything paused.

This is negative punishment: removing the expected reward (the walk) until calmness returns.

He screams -> walk stops.
He spins -> leash goes back on the hook.
He settles -> we go.

I didn’t soothe him. I didn’t “wait him out gently.” I made calmness the price of admission.

3. Light Correction for Rehearsed Chaos​

Some behaviors can be ignored, some shouldn’t be. Screaming, frantic jumping, spinning, mouthing, whining while clawing, that’s not excitement. That’s arousal overflow, and for many GSDs, it becomes self reinforcing.

I used:

• A firm “No.”
• A small leash pop.
• Put him back into place.

Then… boots go on again.

• Calm? Good
• Chaos? Reset

This becomes fair, consistent, predictable.

4. Teach an Alternative Behavior​

The secret sauce: Replace the meltdown with a job.

For Breaker, that job was:

• Go to place
• Down
• Stay there while I suit up

Now boots = go work, earn the good stuff.

Dogs don’t just stop behaviors, they replace them. Give them the replacement.

5. Build the Routine Back - Slowly​

Here’s the order I rebuilt:

1. Calm when boots go on
2. Calm when I stand up
3. Calm when I walk toward the leash
4. Calm when I pick up the leash
5. Calm when I walk to the door
6. Calm while the door opens
7. Calm before we step outside

Each step has to be solid before you move forward. High drive dogs need clarity, not assumptions.

6. The Result?​

Breaker now watches me put on my boots like a gentleman. If he gets slightly spicy, one “easy” has him right back in neutral.

Because he learned: Excitement doesn’t make things happen. Control does. And that’s the whole point.

Want the short version?​

If your dog loses their mind because something predictable is happening:

• Make the trigger boring
• Remove the reward for chaos
• Reward neutrality
• Correct rehearsed nonsense
• Give them a job
• Rebuild the routine step by step

It works for:

• Feeding
• Leash time
• Walks
• Car rides
• Visitors
• Going outside
• Training sessions
• Crate time
• ANY predictable routine

 

[MyDogBitz]

Awesome

 

[Mr. Schmucks]

Breaker was out here holding full blown rallies over footwear and you turned him into a functioning citizen. Respect.

 

[EnraaGygas]

Thank you very much for this!

It really breaks down the issue into something manageable. I have coworkers whose dogs get influenced by their OUTFITS because they know what work clothes vs comfy clothes mean for their day. Looking at the cues and just deadening their meaning while changing the routine up is such an easy way to tackle it. I went for distraction with puzzles and jobs and basically made Brodie so busy he forgot that the leaving cues upset him, and it WORKED, but it was SO MUCH CLUMSIER. So much more room for error.

 

[lil wizard]

This is super helpful, thank you! Rune definitely has a ‘boot = adventure’ meltdown, so I’m excited to try the boring boots strategy