Mixers
A structured same-room exercise for two dogs who live together
Summary
Purpose
Mixers help dogs practice:
being together in the same room
moving around each other calmly
disengaging without conflict
The goal is not play, greetings, or interaction.
The goal is calm, easy co-existence.
Before You Start
Only do Mixers when your trainer says your dogs are ready.
Your dogs should already be able to:
disengage when near each other
do gate games successfully
be outdoors together, or
walk together on leash
Do not do Mixers yet for dogs with:
recent injurious fights
severe resource guarding toward each other
predatory behavior toward the other dog
persistent targeting, stalking, or bullying
Set Up
Use the largest room in the house.
Before you begin:
remove toys, chews, food bowls, and high-value items
clear clutter and tight spaces if possible
have one or two humans ready to move around the room
use a basket muzzle or drag line only if your trainer has recommended it
keep a jar of treats nearby for an emergency recall only
Important
No food is used during the exercise itself
No petting
No praise
No chatting to the dogs
No active attention unless needed for safety
Instructions
Step 1
Start with one human and both dogs in the room.
Step 2
The human begins moving right away in a calm, smooth way around the room.
Move using:
gentle curves
figure eights
side changes
crossing paths
casual wandering
Step 3
Watch the dogs while you move. Look for soft, easy body language.
Step 4
After 1–2 minutes, if both dogs are still soft and relaxed, a second human can join and move the same way.
Step 5
Keep the session short.
Beginning sessions should be 10 minutes maximum.
Step 6
End by calling each dog away separately and separating them calmly.
Good Signs
These signs mean the dogs are doing well:
curved movement
sniffing
blinking
looking away
soft bodies
shake-offs
easy disengagement
moving around the room without getting stuck on each other
If a Dog Gets Stiff
If either dog gets stiff:
a human calmly walks between the dogs to split them
If both dogs soften and go back to normal, you may continue.
If you see stiffness again, end the session.
Stop the Session Immediately If You See
freezing
hard staring
stalking
hovering
blocking
whale eye
repeated muzzle punches
growling
lip lifts
mounting
inability to move away or disengage
Schedule
Do Mixers:
2 days in a row
then skip 1 day
then repeat
Troubleshooting
If the second person makes things harder
Go back to one-human Mixers for a few sessions.
If the dogs get stuck near furniture or doorways
Use more space, clear bottlenecks, or choose a better room.
If one dog keeps shadowing or crowding the other
Split early and end sooner next time.
If you need to use the emergency treats
Use them, separate the dogs, and end the session.
Remember
A good Mixer looks boring:
dogs moving normally
soft bodies
brief glances instead of staring
calm separation at the end
Boring is good.
Level Up
Only level up Mixers when the current version looks easy and boring for several sessions in a row. If body language gets harder, go back to the previous level.
Level 1: Movement Pauses
After your dogs are doing well with continuous movement, begin adding short pauses.
both humans stop moving
count silently to 10
begin moving again
These pauses help dogs practice staying soft even when the room becomes still.
Level 2: Individual Treat Call-aways
After a few days of successful movement pauses, each person can wear a treat pouch or keep treats in a pocket.
each human calls a dog to them
deliver the treat directly to that dog’s mouth
resume moving right away
This should stay calm and brief. If food creates tension between the dogs, skip this level and talk to your trainer.
Other Level Up Ideas
gradually increase the pause from 10 seconds to 15 or 20 seconds
have one human pause while the other continues moving
have one human briefly sit down, then stand and resume moving
practice calm individual call-aways without food, then release back into movement
practice one dog being called away while the other continues moving calmly with the second person
add simple room transitions, such as moving calmly through a doorway into a second larger space if your trainer approves