Dogs Do What Works!

 

Dogs Do What Works!

Your dog jumps on your guests when they arrive.

Your dog pulls you down the sidewalk toward the smelly tree.

Your dog begs for food at the kitchen table.

Your dog barks at you non-stop to engage you in play.

Why do they do these things? It’s NOT because they are stubborn, stupid, or attempting to assert dominance over you.

Dogs DO WHAT WORKS.

Your dog jumps on your guests because it gets them the attention and affection they seek. Any attention is good attention!

Your dog pulls you toward the smelly tree because the last time they pulled, they got to their destination quickly.

Your dog begs at the kitchen table because eventually it gets annoying enough that you cave and toss them a snack to make them quiet.

Your dog “demand barks” at you because eventually, with enough barking, you DO grab the toy and start playing with them.

Dogs perform behaviors that result in success. It’s simply a strategy that was successful. So what can we do about it?! We can implement management and promote alternative behaviors.

Your dog can’t jump on your guests if they are on a lead. We can also teach them that offering behaviors such as sitting, lying down, or going to their bed results in reinforcement - success!

We can teach your dog that pulling doesn’t result in progress, actually, it causes us to stop or change directions AWAY from the desirable tree. We can also promote calmer walking for reinforcement opportunities AND the chance to go sniff the tree! A win-win!

Your dog can learn that going to their bed when it’s the human’s meal time results in extra snacks! And, best of all, it takes less effort!

We can teach your dog to offer a behavior such as sitting with a toy as a request to play and that barking creates disengagement from us - the opposite of their goal.

By looking at our dog’s intended goals, we can set them up for success in a way that is sustainable and pleasant for everyone. We can do so in a way that does not involve conflict or a “battle of wills”.

If you’d like help with any problematic behaviors, reach out! Together, we can promote improved welfare and well-being for your dog and your family!

“Be a friend. Not an owner.”