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Behavior Modification

Behavior Modification can become a very heated discussion with some trainers. Most owners have been told to do one thing from a friend who read a book, the trainer tells the owner another approach...a veterinarian recommends yet another approach. Of course each will swear by their own personal technique. Trust whoever you want, but the truth is in the results of your own dog? No two dogs are alike.

As the owner you control the environment of your dog. Training is to be used as a tool to communicate with your dog. Formally establishing a vocabulary your companion understands will do miracles in any relationship. There is one downside for many…you will most likely have to change your current behaviors or the dogs maladaptive behavior will most likely continue to occur. If you fail to follow up with the training it will disappear with time. You can’t drop off your dog to be “fixed” like a car. Training is a relationship you must enter together with your entire family. It must become a lifestyle.

The important thing to remember about behavior is to approach everything with an understanding that dogs are doing what they feel is expected of them. They don't lie, they don't hold grudges, and they're incapable of understanding many emotions such as guilt, sympathy, spitefulness, etc...they do however feel many emotions that we do such as love, anger, loneliness, and fear. Dogs live and thrive in the now, and dont dwell in the past or stress about the future. Those are all things that humans do and lead us to anthropomorphism, or the practice of giving animals human qualities. If you believe that your dog "knows he's bad", or "did that out of spite", or further believe that your dog jumping on your shoulders unsolicited is a sign of affection (a hug) you are anthropomorphizing.

What do we do about our dog? There are several options, but each recommendation would be based on the behavior we are targeting. Obviously you cant "fix" your aggressive dog with one private lesson. Aggressive issues can at times be very complex, and very dangerous. Often times these behaviors are unknowingly reinforced by the owners current behaviors, so removing the dog from the owner is essential until the maladaptive behavior is diagnosed and a course of treatment is applied. I personally believe professional obedience training offers a wonderful foundation in which you can best manage your dogs behavior. The only way to find out what the dog needs is to evaluate the dog and discuss the behavior in more detail. From there we can best arrange the training based on your personal goals, the dogs aptitude, and other pertinent factors.

Above all approach your dogs behavior with an open mind. Listen to other professionals advice and decide if applied properly to your dog, would it make a difference. If your previous decisions were always right your dog wouldnt have any problems so dont be afraid to have humility as a handler. We all make mistakes...the important thing is to move on and learn from them....your dog already has.