DOG OBEDIENCE TRAINING vs. BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION
"People tend to treat dogs like people. Dogs treat people like dogs"
- Lee Mannix, Behaviorist, Lee Mannix Center for Canine Behavior - Austin, TX.
"Anyone can be a trainer; some are good
at it from the very start. You do not need special qualities of patience, or a
forceful personality, or a way with animals or children, or what circus trainer
Frank Buck used to call the power of the human eye. You just need to know what
you're doing."
- Karen Pryor, Don't Shoot The Dog - The New Art of
Teaching and Training
Obedience Training
Obedience training, i.e., Heel on
Leash, Sit, Down, Stand, and Recall (Come) works for many dogs
in understanding who is the "Alpha" in the pack. Yet, many dogs while
able to heel on leash, and maybe sit while you talk to a neighbor, are acting out
behavior issues at home that are not addressed in obedience training. A good
obedience instructor should be able to help you with some of the more common
"dog problems" such as housebreaking, but many obedience instructors haven't the experience or
training to address more serious/problematic issues, such as:
counter-surfing, stealing and/or eating non-food items, bolting out the door,
and various aggression issues. If you are having "behavioral" issues
with your dog, you need to get them addressed BEFORE you attempt obedience
training.
Behavior Modification
Behavior Modification, also known as: operant, or
reinforcement training. Modern reinforcement training is based on behavioral
science. Reinforcers may be of POSITIVE, something the learner might like
and want more of, or NEGATIVE, something to be avoided. Knowing which is
appropriate and WHEN to give it is the key to modifying any behavior!
Many of the behavior problems seen today are as much a result
of the "drive level" of the dog, as the misapplied corrections that we
humans give. A quick example: You are walking the dog and he barks, growls, or
otherwise "menaces" another dog or human. You snap back on the leash
and give a firm, "NO!" (this is good, so far). But then you squat down
and try to comfort the dog. "It's ok boy! Calm down! Good boy!"
Unwittingly, you have just rewarded him for his bad behavior! He thinks,
"Yeah! I showed that dog whose boss! And Mom likes me to do this!
LET'S BE THE ALPHA!
There are a host of things you can do in everyday life that
will begin to show your dog who is the Alpha in the family, other than Obedience
training. The Alpha always controls four critical areas of pack life: feeding,
sleeping, playing, and grooming (notice that it has nothing to do with Sit,
Down, Stand, Stay, Come, or Heel on leash!). Sounds simple enough, doesn't it?
But just how do you go about doing this? That is what a good behaviorist can
show you how to accomplish!
Following sound, researched,
PROVEN techniques is essential, having good RESOURCES to follow-up good
experience is paramount, whether you are a rocket scientist or a new graduate.
Just as YOU are learning, your trainer/behaviorist should be learning also!
Every dog represents a unique opportunity to learn.
Feedback from the owner is critical to the success of any
program! GET INVOLVED! You must be involved in the training process! You
are the one that has to live with your dog, not the trainer. It is absolutely essential that you feel comfortable with your trainer! An
experienced trainer has heard it all, and will make no "unnecessary" judgments
of you or your dog. Be open to changing your behavior with regards to your dog.
If YOU don't give up, neither your trainer!
