Today’s post is about a KEY concept that separates those who succeed in their dog training from those who suffer endlessly from their dog’s bad behavior.
It’s going to ask you to shift your mindset.
This will be a bit challenging. Part of you will think, “Nice ideas but it won’t work for my situation.”
That’s a natural response.
But it’s not the right one.
Read on…
So what’s the BIG SWITCH?
How to Quickly Change Your Dog’s Bad Behavior
Our natural inclination is to focus on how to respond AFTER the dog performs the bad behavior, whether that’s lunging, barking, biting, chewing, pooping, jumping, or darting away. We understandably get frustrated, and we end up playing a version of “bad behavior whackamole.”
This will get you modest results at best.
So what’s the alternate approach that behavior experts use?
They obsessively seek out ways to lead proactively.
The solution is rarely in the response to the bad behavior. (This may work with very easy, soft, eager-to-please dogs, but it rarely works with more challenging dogs.) Instead, we need to interrupt the behavior as the dog is building toward it (you may also hear this called “correct” or “redirect”).
Teaching Your Dog to Make Better Choices
There’s a view out there that strong leadership is all about harsh responses to mistakes. But that’s not really LEADing, it’s responding. Or sometimes simply venting.
Instead…
Think first: What do I want the dog to do, and start teaching that.
Second: What steps lead up to the bad behavior, and how can I interrupt it as EARLY as possible.
This doesn’t mean that what you do after the unwanted behavior doesn’t matter. It does. And you always want to limit the damage of bad behavior. But responding after the fact can’t be the sole method of undoing the bad behavior.
Let’s take this point outside the realm of dogs for a second…
- The solution to repeated bounced checks is not to negotiate with the bank to get the extra fees waived. That may be a good response in the short term, but it doesn’t fix the behavior patterns and systems that led to the bounced check in the first place.
- The solution to your quarterback getting annihilated by an outside linebacker and fumbling the ball is not just to get better at recovering fumbles. It’s to protect the quartback and prevent the fumbles in the first place.
- There are tricks to salvage overcooked food. But that shouldn’t the core of your cooking program if you want to be a passable chef.
Dog Behavior Modification Requires a Clear Plan
I’m piling up examples because I know that change is HARD and your gut may push back to what I’m saying. This change is as hard for you as it is for your dog. New ways of thinking tend to be unpleasant. But they also offer the unmatchable excitement of new results.
When you’re considering your dog’s bad behavior, rewind the tape a few steps. Start working on the problem at the earliest stages, not at the most annoying or most severe.
Leading is about getting ahead of things. If all we do is react, we become like a hall monitor. Both have their place, but hall monitors don’t change lives like leaders do.
We’re asking our dogs to give up valuable behaviors (to them). That’s quite a change. We’re asking them to trust us, so let’s make sure that we earn that trust. It’s what’s best for ALL of us in the long run.
Change is hard, but it gets easier every day if we commit to it. With this big switch in approach, we can quickly achieve big transformations in our most valued companions.
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Some dog training highlights from social media:
– Fastest pup in Fresno?
– Dog flu in Fresno
– Rocco the Rottie rocking long-distance stays
– Does your dog sleep in your bed? Share your views!
– Big dog lovers will swoon over this one
– I haven’t forgotten the small dog people either
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Looking for help in leading your dog in the Fresno and Clovis area? Check out our dog training programs and let’s see how we can guide you to the dog of your dreams.