Excerpted from The Dog Whisperer:
A Compassionate, Nonviolent Approach to Dog Training
By Paul Owens with Norma Eckroate
From a dog's perspective, there is no
such thing as a problem behavior. He's doing what he's doing
for his own dog reason. And to look at from another perspective,
a behavior you don't consider a problem might be one to
other people. You might like your dog jumping up on you
when you get home but others don't. If your dog's behavior
is harmful to, the environment, other people, other animals,
or you, it deserves immediate attention.
In most cases problem behaviors are caused
by an imbalance of nine ingredients. Exceptions are those
cases where your dog's behavior is influenced by a physical
or mental health problem. Therefore, before implementing
any behavioral modification program, ask your veterinarian
to do a thorough exam.
Nine Ingredients for Optimum Health
High quality diet: Is
your dog chewing things or misbehaving because of hunger?
Or is his diet low in essential nutrients? Sometimes a dog
chews on objects because the body, in its wisdom, is seeking
nutrients that are missing or underprovided in the diet.
For instance, if your dog chews on grass (a little bit can
be okay), eats feces, or eats from a cat's litter box, his
body may be looking for nutrients. Is your dog "hyper"
because of all the sugar he's being fed due to low quality
pet food? Is he having problems "holding" while
in the house? Maybe he's been drinking more water than usual
because of too much salt in the food, rawhide bones, and
other chewies.
Play, Exercise, and Socialization:
Many dogs are simply bored
and frustrated because they're not getting enough physical,
emotional, and mental stimulation. They don't get enough
exercise. They don't get to socialize with their dog pals
and other human beings. They may be bored because they haven't
been presented with anything new or exciting lately.
Employment: Does
your dog have a "job" to do? If you don't provide
an environment for him to express himself, he'll chew, or
bark, or jump just to keep himself employed. Jobs include
retrieving toys, doing tricks, and playing games. Then institute
canine currency, pay your dog for appropriate behavior,
which is looked at as his work or job.
Rest: Is
your dog getting enough rest? Many problem behaviors, including
snapping or growling, can manifest because your dog is exhausted
and beyond his stress management threshold.
Training: Some
people think their dogs are stubborn or dumb. In reality,
many dogs are simply confused because they don't know what
to do. This is because a behavior hasn't been positively
reinforced enough times and in enough different situations
to make it stick.
Quiet Time: Does
your dog have a place to get away from it all" for
quality time out? Maybe him jumping and chewing are simply
stress relievers.
Health Care: Does
your dog have a physical problem that may be contributing
to the chewing problems?
Unintentional Training
As well intentioned and diligent as you
may be during your dog's training, you may be responsible
for eliciting the opposite of the behavior you intended.
When Fourth of July fireworks start or
a summer thunderstorm rumble, your nervous dog starts to
shake and pace, and you reach to soothe him and murmur:
It's okay, Benjie. Everything's fine. Gooood dog."
You may have inadvertently practiced unintentional training
because your dog views the praise as a reward. You have
actually reinforced behavior you're trying to discourage.
Or let's say you're talking on the phone
and your dog starts barking for attention. A normal response
is to interrupt the call and yell at the dog, "Be quiet!"
Once again, you may be reinforcing the undesirable behavior.
In this case, you are giving your dog what he wants-your
attention.
When considering what to do with your
dog's problem behavior, try to look at the situation from
your dog's point of view. Take a mental snapshot of the
environment at the time of the problem behavior. Become
aware of what your dog is actually learning from the people
and events around him. Ask yourself what you want your dog
to do rather than what you want you dog to stop doing.
Remember-your dog's behavior can be increased
or decreased by your response. The trick is to stop reacting
and remember to respond instead. Pause before you act. Reacting
denotes an emotionally based knee-jerk behavior to a particular
situation. On the other hand, a response means we bring
all our wisdom, creativity, intuition, and emotion to the
situation. When you stop to consider what you are about
to do with your dog, you are able to focus on how to deal
with the problem rather than the symptom.
Signs of Separation Anxiety
Whining, whimpering, and barking. Urinating
and defecating, runny nose, panting, and sweaty paws. Pacing,
shivering, jumping, clawing, digging, and crashing through
windows. Chewing the furniture or other objects, ripping
up the linoleum, or chewing himself.
If your dog exhibits signs of separation
anxiety, contact a professional trainer for assistance.
It's important to create a safe environment. Make sure there
is nothing your dog can chew or destroy. If necessary, segregate
him in a kennel or pen on in the kitchen, using baby gates
as doorway barriers. If a kennel or pen is used, exercise
caution as it can make the problem worse if introduced incorrectly.
It's also extremely helpful for someone to take a week off
from his job to work with the dog.
Separation anxiety is directly and powerfully
affected by the Nine Ingredients for Optimum Health and
Growth (see above). Review, integrate and balance these
ingredients with the following tips.
· Lower your energy level when
you depart and arrive. In essence, you are telling your
dog that being separated is no big deal.
· Set a schedule. Dogs thrive on a routine and are
able to relax more because they are able to predict the
future.
· Give a special toy or treats just before you leave.
Give a special toy such as a treat-filled Kong only when
you leave, so that eventually your dog will look forward
to you going out.
· Turn on a radio or television. Choose a channel
you normally listen to. Soothing classical or New Age is
best. Turn it on as soon as you awaken and leave it on when
you leave.
· Implement depart and return sessions. Beginning
by saying "see ya," opening the door, closing
it and rewarding with a treat. As your dog progresses, add
time then distance.
· Natural alternatives, such as herbs, flower essences,
aromatherapy, and homeopathic remedies, help with separation
anxiety and other emotionally based issues. To learn more,
consult a holistic veterinarian or holistic care books.
· Medication. Contact a veterinary behaviorist who
uses nonviolent methodology if you want to look into pharmaceutical
drugs in conjunction with a behavior modification program.
· Confidence building. Building a dog's confidence
builds a sense of security. Socializing your dog is key.
You can do this through such tools as giving him smart toys,
which provide opportunities for him to figure things out
on his own, participating in training classes, and giving
him a job to do. Step-by-step, your dog's perception of
life changes and he learns the world is not such a bad place
to be.
· Exercise your dog before you leave. If you get
your dog a little tired, he'll have less energy to burn
off while you're gone. (Plus it's good for you too!)
Copyright 1999 Paul Owens and Norma
Eckroate. The Dog Whisperer: A Compassionate, Nonviolent
Approach to Dog Training is published by Adams Media Corporation.
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