Behaviour Management
Welcome to the
dog training services
section
Behaviour Management
Many owners
of exceptionally challenging
dogs expect or hope
that obedience training
will change their
dog's behaviour, when
in fact, in most of
these cases, obedience
training the dog is
only half the equation.
Proper training should
not alter a dog's
inherent temperament,
as dogs are born with
innate characteristics
in accordance to their
breed, breeding, socialisation,
relationship with
their family, and
so on.
Training will
likely calm a nervous
or aggressive dog
due to the fact that
it clarifies the expectations
from their owner,
and strengthens the
bond and provides
the trust they need
in order to take cues
from their leader,
but it will not change
who they are. Furthermore,
a training programme
can re-shape undesirable
behaviour such as
teaching a dog that
to recall to you is
more rewarding than
any other competing
distraction, but it
can be counter-productive
if the rules within
the family unit conflict
with the rules you
expect in "obedience
situations".
This is when the implementation
of a complementary
behaviour Management
programme is necessary.
Behaviour Management
Behavioural
Management is understanding
the nature and nurturing
of your dog and adapting
a programme to re-establish
the dog's domestic
boundaries. Where
obedience training
provides control,
managing behaviour
clarifies the perceived
position within the
environment. With
that said, it can
be understood how
a dog may refuse a
command from a family
member who has not
established leadership
over them.
In many, cases,
dog-dog aggression,
dog-people aggression
and other such serious
behavioural responses
can be modified by
analysing and changing
or re-balancing the
relationship with
those involved.
Insofar as they [dogs]
have problems, except
for genetics or unusual
circumstances, it’s
usually because we
either inflict them
or fail to correct
them. They can’t
really be held responsible
for what they do.
But we can.
Jon Katz, "The
Dogs of Bedlam Farm"
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