Mindset Matters
Changing mindset changes behavior. How we view our dog’s unwanted behaviors can lead down the wrong path--or the path that actually works to improve things.
Labeling is one wrong path: this is when we use labels like dominant or stubborn or super-friendly to try to explain why the pet’s misbehavior happens and then often applies punishment (aka corrections) to try to “fix” their behavior. But changing that mindset to a more objective view leads to real solutions.
For example, a very common behavior that dogs do, jumping up to greet, is often believed to be due to personality (see Labeling) or disobedience (she knows Sit, she just won’t do it). So this mindset causes annoyance and repeated “corrections,” which may temporarily suppress the jumping but doesn’t keep it from happening again—and can even make things worse.
But when we understand that that the real reasons for jumping up (and many other unwanted behaviors) are emotions, over-arousal, and a history of reinforcement, we have proven, science-based, positive solutions.
In real life, until a better behavior is installed, we need first to physically prevent the dog from (a) being able to jump on people and (b) getting reinforced with attention, even sometimes.
For more on this topic, see my blog post on obedience versus cooperation. https://www.dogsbehavingbetter.com/blog/lets-replace-obedience-with-cooperation
Obedience mindset. Another attitude that often blocks real behavior improvement is thinking that we always need to TELL dogs what to do and not do—even though we know from experience that they cannot respond when they are over-excited, worried, fearful, frustrated, angry—in other words, not thinking.
A far more effective approach is to teach dogs how to feel calmer (which sometimes means feeling safe) in certain situations or environments. With this type of training, we see a lot less—or none—of the unwanted behaviors happening. The dog learns to control herself.
When you see frenzied barking, running or bouncing around, lunging on leash, humping, or repeated jumping up on people, remember that Sit, Come, and NO simply won’t work. And repeating commands just adds more pressure to a dog already over his threshold, whose mind has gone off-line.
There’s a better way. We can teach what TO do in those challenging situations, using much easier training set-ups. When calmness comes first, the average dog is able to think and learn that a desirable (to us) behavior works out better for her than what she was doing before. With enough practice under threshold, the context can become the cue for the new, replacement behavior.
Focusing on calmness over obedience has major benefits for all of us! We don’t have to get upset with our dogs, feel embarrassed and powerless, and worry about our own safety and others’.
Here are 5 easy ways to help you and your dog to start feeling better and behaving better: https://www.dogsbehavingbetter.com/blog/1-training-myth-my-dog-needs-to-be-more-obedient
As always, if you need personal help, reach out to me. I love to make a difference.
Copyright Lisa Benshoff 2024
