Proactive versus Reactive Dog Training

     Have you ever wondered how to correct or punish an undesirable behavior in your dog?  I see dozens of people posting on websites daily to vent their frustrations.  Almost every dog owner has had to deal with issues before, so here is one option that may help.

Photo courtesy of the Greater Charlotte SPCA

     Change how you are thinking about the problem.  A question I see posed very often is "How do I correct my dog for  ________?"  That means you have already acknowledged that the undesired event will occur again.  The Oxford Dictionary defines "Reactive" as "acting in response to a situation instead of creating or controlling it."    If you do not have control over the situation or environment that created the undesirable behavior, then you need to consider removing the dog (and possibly yourself) from it altogether.

     If instead we focus on what can be done to prevent a repetition of the behavior, not only does this course of action yield more consistent results, but the bond between human and canine remains unclouded by misused or misunderstood gestures of "punishment" or "correction".

     If your 4 month old puppy suddenly begins chewing on your couch cushions instead of his/her own toys, a "correction" should not be what you first seek.  At that age, the dog does not yet know what is or is not allowed.  It has not been alive long enough to establish consistent patterns, and is (hopefully) learning new behaviors every day for which it is getting praised.  Punishment should not be the first choice of responses.

     Consider instead what else can be done to prevent the situation, or to change it if it is occurring.  A new rule of "No puppies on the couch" may be all that is needed to remedy the rouge chewing.  The couch as a resting place can always be introduced later as a reward.  I find leaving a leash on if the pup is loose in the house is an easy way to help restrict them from choice areas.  Spend more time praising your dog for behaviors that you like seeing.

Maple and Morgan hanging out in the sun

     Knowing that chewing is another way for dogs to release energy, increasing exercise should be another option.  Add an extra training session during the day.  Play fetch.  Record a movie of your dog performing all the tricks it knows and send it to your friends.  Go for a walk.  Visit a pet store.  Learn a new skill.  The options are endless.  A tired dog will chew significantly less.

     If cuddling on the couch always leads to a cushion in the mouth, and you just don't want to sacrifice the warm fuzzy feeling of your pup on the couch, consider keeping a stash of toys within reach.  As soon as Fido's nose goes toward the cushion, put a toy under that nose!  If you were not paying attention, missed your timing, and are still unwilling to put the pup on the ground, you need to be willing to have some drool and missing pieces of couch cushion.

     For help with proactive thinking and training, please feel free to contact me directly at pawsthenplay@gmail.com

     Happy Training!