Training and behavior correction for dogs Antoine. Teaching your dog to control aggression

I am often asked how to correct this or that deviation in a dog’s behavior, and difficulties always arise - what and how to answer. Especially if you understand that the life of a dog, and sometimes the lives of people living next to it, often depends on successful behavior correction. This is a huge responsibility that I have to shoulder every time I start a response letter.
This is why I very rarely consult people on the Internet and always ask, if possible, to show me the dog and this most “problematic” behavior. After all, a problem is often understood as the natural fulfillment of a dog’s needs, and no less often in general, its normal dog behavior. And the problem, as it turns out, is not with the dog, but with the owners. And accordingly, it’s not the dog that needs to be corrected.

But no less often they write to me, call me, or contact me personally with cases that one would not dare call simple. And in this situation, everyone suffers - both the dog and the owners. Thank God that I have enough practical experience and theoretical knowledge to successfully solve such problems with the support and help of the owners. And often I hear from the owners of such dogs that they have already asked for help, and either they didn’t help them, or they made it worse, or they simply didn’t take it. And sometimes they diagnosed it as “uncorrectable” and sent me home.

It’s impossible to be a professional and stand in one place - I’m constantly reading something, asking for the opinions of my “colleagues,” asking my students what they saw, heard, and read. After all, it is very interesting and useful to learn new things. But it’s been several years since I stopped stumbling upon new types of behavior correction and began to teach others, just as crazy as me, everything I know and can do.

Which means it’s time to talk about all the behavior correction methods that I know. Let me make a reservation right away - I have repeatedly tested all these methods on different dogs (gender, age, breed) over the course of 12 years. And I categorically do not recommend using most of these methods in practice without the supervision of a behavior correction specialist. Therefore, I write mainly in order to broaden the horizons of those who are interested, and perhaps give new knowledge to those who are looking for it.

1. Correction of environmental conditions
(often used as an auxiliary correction method)

- inability to engage in problem behavior(for example, a cage or a muzzle - the peculiarity is that the presence of the owner is not necessary)
- avoiding problem behavior(for example, halti - requires the presence of the owner)
- negative experience through environmental conditions(for example, coating furniture with pepper/bitter substances)
- change of conditions(for example, moving or new owners)

2. Behavior correction
(used most often, especially in training)

- teaching desired behavior
- prohibition of unwanted behavior
- reinforcement of the absence of unwanted behavior
- teaching incompatible behavior(for example, carrying things for a barking dog)
- connection between unwanted behavior and signal(for example, the “voice” command for a barking dog, followed by a reduction in the frequency of the command)
- deferred punishment(peculiarity - cannot be used for dogs with a weak nervous system, traumatic experience, distrust of owners or fear aggression + can only be used if the dog knows for sure that it has done something unacceptable)
- training(peculiarity - it teaches the owner to be more understandable to the dog, and teaches the dog to obey the owner’s requests/demands, but does not always correct the problem behavior itself)

3. Correction of mental processes
(often recommended as a side correction of temperament and character traits)

- extinction of conditioned reflex connections(i.e. non-reinforcement of unwanted behavior)
- addictive(for example, “shooting” at a dog that is afraid of shots. It is strictly not recommended for dogs with a weak nervous system and traumatic experience)
- approximate braking(planned distraction of a dog when attempting incorrect behavior)
- development of incompatible dominant behavior(for example, the command “stand”, brought to a dynamic stereotype)
- switching dominant behavior(for example, the “apport” command for a play dog ​​when attempting to behave incorrectly)
- change in conditioned reflex connection(most often used for the symptom of “overtraining”)

4. Mental correction (psychocorrection)
(a highly underappreciated area of ​​behavior management)

- correction of the balance of mental processes(for example, systematically teaching a hyperactive dog to relax and calm down, or, conversely, “disinhibiting” an overly calm, phlegmatic dog)
- realization or sublimation of the dog’s unrealized needs(for example, long walks for dogs that lack exercise or training to protect the owner of dogs with developed aggression towards people)
- development of breed qualities and intelligence of a dog
- correction of hierarchical status and creation of a loyal alliance(this means both an increase and decrease in the status of the dog in relation to the owners)
- correction of host behavior(from training in movements, intonation, praise to psychocorrection for nervousness, choleric or phlegmatic owners)
- creating a comfortable environment and increasing the number of positive emotions
- creating a positive connection(for example, between food and the owner’s touch)
- increased pain threshold and stress tolerance threshold(for example, learning to respond with joyful excitement and not to be inhibited during grooming, rough tactile games and correction with a leash during training)

5. Correction of physiology (psychophysiology)
(usually recommended by veterinarians, sometimes by massage therapists, extremely rarely taken into account by correction specialists)

- with food(diet, vitamins, short hunger strike - for example, during false pregnancy)
- with the help of medications and herbal medicine
- with the help of physiotherapy(massage, swimming, running, exercise equipment)
- direct effect on the hormonal system(castration, sterilization)
- indirect effect on the hormonal system(hunger, shock, the possibility of “resetting” aggression - requires knowledge of the dog’s physiology, the connection between the central nervous and endocrine systems, the basics of psychophysiology and practical experience in using these types of correction. Used only if all other methods of correction are impossible or do not produce results)

These are all the main ways I know of for correcting problem behavior in dogs.
Additionally, I can say that for success in correction - and success means not only the cessation of problem behavior, but also stable remission - it is necessary to use for each specific dog from 5 to 20 correction methods sequentially or simultaneously, depending on the type of problem and the complexity of the case. This is why I do not recommend doing behavior correction on your own unless you have sufficient knowledge and experience.

Believe me, some of the most neglected and difficult to correct cases are when owners tried to “correct” their dog’s behavior on their own. Worse than this is only when the correction was undertaken by professionals who do not have sufficient qualifications.

As a rule, by the words “behavior correction” a person means correcting the dog’s aggressive behavior towards strangers or other dogs or towards its owners.

And in other words, this is the correction of mistakes that a person once made while raising his dog or not raising a dog at all.

Each owner is responsible for the behavior of his pet - it was the person who put the dog in conditions in which it began to show aggression.

In my classes, from the first lessons, I try to convey to a person that one should not reason like this: The dog doesn’t do what I ordered it, or it did it before, but now it doesn’t want to, from here many people come to the conclusion “how stupid am I teaching it?” , but she doesn’t understand anything or refuses to do it.”

Thus, a person justifies his lack of ability and understanding, and sometimes even his lack of desire to communicate, educate and train his dog.

A dog always behaves the way its owner allows it to behave. And a person’s perception of the situation in case of undesirable behavior of his pet should be as follows: I couldn’t convey it to my dog. ... I couldn't teach my dog ​​... etc.

Aggressive behavior of a dog can manifest itself due to various situations, for example: you have a leader puppy in your house, but you don’t notice that, as you passed by the dog gnawing on a bone, the puppy growled at you, and sometimes it’s even funny to you, but the puppy noticed for himself that “I growled, and they didn’t take my bone,” although no one tried to do this, the puppy will remember this situation and will definitely use it next time in other situations. For example: when washing paws, etc. Subsequently, the growl turns into a grin, and then into bites, and by this time the dog, as a rule, has grown up and gained strength and life experience, that the owner is the lowest link in its conditional pack.

And it all started, at first glance, innocently with a small growl towards the owner, which seemed funny.

Also, situations that have arisen due to the dog’s insecurity, for example: on the street she feels vulnerable due to her small stature and fear of large dogs, but she still wants to express herself somewhere and she finds a way out with her close family members, and sometimes even on the youngest, on children, in order to increase their self-esteem.

It happens that a dog barks at passers-by out of his uncertainty and fear of them, and then he sees that people begin to avoid him and are afraid of him. she begins to like it and she begins to look for a reason to bark and then bite passers-by. In general, different cases arise, but the reason, as a rule, is always the same - this is the lack of training of the dog or ineffective training of it.

And if your dog shows aggression, and you are determined to correct its behavior, then you should know that no matter what specialist he is, he will not be able to do without your help, because if the dog begins to behave well in the hands of the instructor after several lessons, then this does not mean that she will behave the same way with her owner.

Hence the conclusion, the instructor can set up your dog, show you how to behave and how to act in certain situations, how to build a relationship between you and your pet, but the relationship itself is built only by the owner.

There is a certain opinion and it is voiced even by some veterinarians - this is that if you do not want to have an aggressive male dog, then you need to castrate him.

To be fair, I don’t know much about veterinary medicine, but I can definitely relate to my experience. And it follows from it that if a male dog was aggressive towards people or dogs, then after castration he will definitely not become white and fluffy and will not bring you flowers in bed in the morning and will not spread love to his former enemies. And for greater understanding, try to draw a parallel to a man with bad behavior and a terrible character.

Let's draw a line under the above... If you do not want to face the problems that were outlined in this article, then I advise you to deal with your dog as early as possible. Be very responsible when choosing a dog; learn as much as possible about the breed you are planning to get. And of course, you need to calculate your moral and physical strength. And then your pet will only make you happy!

Types of aggression:

• to you and your family members
• to your newborn baby
• To your children
• To the children on the street
• To your other dog
• To the dogs on the street
• To your guests and people on the street
• Cowardly-aggressive reaction
• Biting hands and feet during play
• Other types of aggression

Unfortunately, aggressive behavior in domestic dogs is quite common, but fortunately it is correctable. There are a huge number of reasons for this behavior and each type has a separate correction method. The general rule is one - aggressive behavior it won't disappear on its own, the dog will not “outgrow” it, and as a rule, over time it can only get worse. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you begin to correct aggressive behavior as soon as it appears. Our animal psychologist will help you identify the causes of aggressive behavior and eliminate it as soon as possible.

2. Cowardice

Common fears:

• Fear of loud noises
• People
• Dogs
• Busy street
• Elevators, stairs, entrances
• Other fears

We very often have to deal with various fears in our clients' dogs. There are many fears, but for the most part there are only four reasons: Early sensory and social deprivation, difficult fate (mainly in dogs from shelters), improper upbringing and, less commonly, genetic abnormalities. Working to overcome fears is painstaking work that does not tolerate mistakes or negligence. Our specialists will help your dog overcome its fears and start living a full life.

3. Howling and barking in your absence

Often left alone all day, a dog begins to howl or bark; there are many reasons for this. At the same time, classical “Pavlovian” training is powerless here, since it implies interaction with the dog at the moment the action is performed or almost immediately after. Here animal psychology comes to the rescue, which allows you to work with a dog not as a soulless mechanism, but as a person. Helps identify and eliminate the causes of such behavior. Our animal psychologists have the appropriate qualifications and easily solve such problems that are beyond the capabilities of most other dog handlers.

4. Picking up from the ground

This problem has become very relevant recently, due to the increasing frequency of deliberate baiting of dogs. It is extremely important to teach your dog not to pick up anything on the street, since even with the most favorable outcome, such behavior threatens permanent illnesses, allergies and digestive system disorders. By contacting our center, you can be sure that after training, your dog will no longer pick up anything on the street.

5. Destructive behavior

We often have to deal with the fact that during the absence of their owners, and sometimes even in their presence, some dogs chew various things that are not intended for this: shoes, furniture, clothes, wires and even walls. Many people think that this is an age-related problem and that it will go away with time, but as practice shows, the dog grows up, but the problem remains. Our specialists will help you determine the cause and eliminate this behavior using modern methods of training and correction.

6. Toilet training

This problem is often faced not only by owners of puppies, but also of adult dogs. If in the case of puppies, the reason often lies in a lack of understanding of where to go to the toilet, then owners of adult dogs often notice that their dog does this quite deliberately. Our animal psychologists will help you understand the reasons and correct this behavior, regardless of the dog’s age.

In addition, a relationship has been shown between aggressiveness and the content of the neurotransmitter serotonin in brain tissue and with the level of its metabolic precursor, tryptophan, in food. It is also possible that aggression has a hereditary basis and it is possible to select for its high or low level, but the growing conditions of a particular individual very significantly change the genetically determined level of aggression. It is difficult to formulate a precise definition of aggression. But if you do not delve into the jungle of theoretical reasoning, then aggression is usually understood as a certain complex of demonstrative threatening behavior and direct physical actions aimed at other organisms or objects.

Particular attention is paid to aggressive behavior in dogs, because... such behavior often carries significant danger. The social significance of this behavior is evidenced by the following figures: in the United States, more than half a million people annually report being bitten by dogs; 50% of bites result in scars and 30% result in lost work and school time. According to our canine center, the problem of aggressive behavior of animals accounts for 42% of all cases of treatment.

There are different classifications of aggressive behavior in dogs. The most common classification is based on characteristic stimuli or situation. In this case, the following forms of aggression are distinguished: maternal (protection of bedding, toys, puppies from people and other dogs); gaming (inappropriate gaming behavior); aggression due to fear or pain; territorial (protection of a certain territory); protective (protection of owners from people or dogs); intraspecific (aimed at individuals of its own species); redirected (if there is an obstacle to achieving what you want); food-related aggression (food guarding); proprietary (protection of toys and other items); aggression associated with dominance; hunting behavior and idiopathic aggression. Most of these forms are undesirable, but some types of aggression are used in the training of working dogs and are desirable in certain conditions. So, in particular, territorial aggression is used to train guard dogs, protective aggression and hunting behavior are used to train sports and police dogs. Therefore, in practical dog breeding, the task is often to develop the desired form of behavior, but at the same time not to allow unwanted forms of aggression to manifest themselves and to correct them in a timely manner.

One form of preventing unwanted behavior in dogs is early training and socialization. Unfortunately, in relation to Moscow, the data are disappointing. So, of all the dogs whose owners contacted our center, 64% had complaints about the already formed uncontrollable behavior of their pets, and only 18% turned for preventive purposes, moreover, the average age in the first group was 1-2 years, and in the second - 5 months. A repeated visit to correct unwanted forms of behavior after completing a training course at other sites was required for 9%, including 3% of patients with neurological symptoms. This once again confirms the need to prevent unwanted forms of behavior and aggression, particularly at an early age.

Often, uncontrollable behavior is combined with various forms of aggression, including a possible combination of its various types, up to extreme manifestations, when the owners themselves, strangers, and other animals become objects of aggression. The fate of such a dog is deplorable, because... Aggression is one of the main reasons for dog euthanasia. The main reasons for the development of this behavior are late contact with specialists, often inattention to the first signs of aggression and the health of the animal in general.

To correct unwanted behavior, our canine center used methods of behavior modification and pharmacocorrection. Thus, 33% of those who applied needed behavioral therapy; a standard obedience course was sufficient to correct the behavior of the rest.
24% were satisfied with the results of behavioral therapy, 6% refused therapy, citing employment, 3% were referred to a veterinarian-neurologist for consultation, in particular regarding status epileptoid.

As a pharmacocorrection, ready-made medicinal herbal preparations such as “Cat Bayun” and “Fitex” were used, as well as “D.A.P” pheromones in combination with behavior modification; in one case, homeopathic treatment was prescribed and in another case, suprastin was prescribed as a sedative. In all cases, an improvement in behavior to a level acceptable for the owners was observed.

Thus, the main prevention of unwanted behavior in general and aggression in particular is taking an obedience course, during which the owner is trained in how to handle the dog and its early socialization. At the same time, some animals require a special course taking into account their state of health and mental disorders. The use of behavioral medicine techniques under the supervision of a veterinarian, in particular pharmacocorrection, in a standard obedience course is justified and leads to improved quality of training and a more comfortable existence of the owner and his dog in society.

Summary
Lysenko N.J. The Problem to correct the aggressive behavior of the dogs. KS "Sovremennai Shkola Dressirovki".
Thereby, the main preventive maintenance of the undesirable behavior iand aggressions is a passing of the course of the obedience, in the process of which passes education with dog and early socialization. Some animals need for special course with provision for conditions of their health and psychic deflections. Using acceptance behavioral medicine (pharmacological correction) in the standard course of the obedience justified and leads to increasing quality education and more suitable existence of the dog in society.

In a dog pack, the behavior of its members directly depends on the leader; he decides when to attack and sets an example of behavior for other animals. The domestic dog considers its owner to be the leader and obeys him in everything, however, there are exceptions. Correcting a dog's aggressive behavior is a difficult task and often requires the help of a specialist.

It is more difficult to achieve obedience from a wayward pet at home, so an experienced dog handler will offer a person comprehensive services, which includes foster care. Patience and the desire to raise the animal correctly will help you achieve good results.

Causes of aggressive behavior in dogs

It is very difficult to fight a pet’s bad habits, especially if the dog uses its teeth or knocks its owner down. Damaged clothes and furniture, bites, loud barking for no reason - all this torments a person and causes him enormous problems. Experts believe that the following factors serve as the basis for aggressive behavior in an adult dog:

• sharp frightening sounds;
• causing pain;
• receiving negative emotions in the clinic.

It is known that almost all four-legged friends are afraid of fireworks and firecrackers, and they are also frightened by sounds such as traffic noise and thunder. In addition, painful procedures in a veterinary clinic sometimes cause the dog to become aggressive; he tries to run away from his owners during a walk or bites.

It is important to know that choosing a dog breed should be approached responsibly. Beagles, terriers and huskies are absolutely not suitable for peaceful and calm people due to their natural restlessness. But sports and jogging lovers are recommended to purchase shepherd dogs, schnauzers and other active pets.

Genetic heredity plays a big role in the behavior of your four-legged friend, and an experienced dog handler will help eliminate the shortcomings. The dog’s living conditions are also important, because exaltation of the pet or, conversely, lack of attention negatively affects the animal, it becomes uncontrollable. Some owners try to take up the task of raising a headstrong dog and purchase a behavior correction collar for dogs.

It is important to know that a puppy needs to be taught behavioral norms from the first days of his stay in a new home; raising an adult dog and correcting unwanted behavior requires not only a lot of time and effort, but also material costs. However, a knowledgeable dog trainer will correct deficiencies and improve the relationship between the pet and its owner; examples of classes can be seen in special videos.

How to handle a dog at home?

Consistent correction of dog behavior at home begins with the removal of the leader pet from “its position.” Sometimes even small decorative pets, pampered by their owners, allow themselves to snap at people and steal food from the table, which is unacceptable.

So, the animal leads you along, pulling on the leash, it takes the most comfortable place to rest, grabs the legs of the guests who come and owns the property - a bowl and toys. It is worth noting that in this case the pet does not allow people to touch its things, actively feeds on food from the table and eats first. Of course, some dog owners recognize their pet in this description.

Experienced breeders advise depriving the dog of all privileges, namely, stop feeding the dog tasty morsels from the table, do not allow it to run and enter the house ahead of the owner, and feed it after all family members have eaten.

Correcting the unwanted behavior of your four-legged friend includes special techniques recommended by experts. So, they recommend that a person knead food for a dog with his own hands in order to leave his own smell in it, which will signal to the animal the dominance of the owner.

And also forbid the dog to sleep in your favorite chair, because its task is to be near the owner, and not to chase him.

Be sure to show your dog that all the toys he uses belong to you. Take the item and play with it, then give the item to your pet. Thus, the tips listed will help a person and his pet take the first step towards establishing the correct hierarchy.

And to achieve the best result, you should contact a professional who will help achieve the animal’s obedience and secure the result.

It is no secret that it is much easier to teach a small puppy commands and behavioral norms. However, training an adult dog can also be productive, the main thing is to be patient.

Disobedience of a dog must be properly punished, avoiding the use of physical force. A stern tone and intonation make it possible to get the animal to follow instructions, so this aspect should be given special attention.

What to do if the dog refuses to come when the owner calls him? This behavior is the result of indulging the dog’s requests and fulfilling all his desires, and since a person is not a leader for his four-legged friend, then it is not necessary to obey him. First of all, teach your pet the “Come to me” command and do not forget to reward him with a treat, however, do not feed the animal with tasty morsels. A collar and leash should be mandatory accessories when walking.

In order to cope with the aggression of large dogs, a dog handler can use a special collar. It restrains the pet's daring movements, causing him mild discomfort. It is recommended to use this accessory only by specialists and experienced breeders who know how to handle the animal.

As a rule, methods for correcting the behavior of an adult dog require time and effort, so in some cases overexposure is necessary. But upon returning home, the dog will delight the owner with his restraint and knowledge of commands.

At home, you can get exemplary behavior from your dog by following the following rules:

• refusal to feed food from the table;
• the dog has its own sleeping place;
• participation in proper games with your pet.

Correction of the dog's behavior begins during feeding. Do not allow the animal to eat tasty morsels from your table and do not indulge its whims, because human food can be dangerous for the dog. Showing pity is not the best way out of this situation; with its help you will definitely not get rid of your pet’s aggressive behavior at home.

It is worth noting that an adult predator can go without food for several days and sooner or later will eat a portion of the food offered.

In advanced cases, the pet does not want to sleep anywhere other than the owner’s bed, so it is problematic to kick the animal out of the room. A dog that considers itself a leader will fight for “its lair” and may bite a person. Timely correction of the behavior of an adult dog helps to avoid misfortune.

The dog trainer will give advice to keep the door to the bedroom always closed so as not to provoke a conflict again. And also at home, you can place your small four-legged friend in a special cage for rest periods.

When playing with a dog, do not forget to stay above the pet at all times, and do not lie down on the floor or sit next to it. All this signals the animal’s superiority over humans and becomes the cause of the dog’s aggressive behavior. In the video you can see examples of proper play with four-legged friends. And even more so, you cannot forgive your pet’s bites; show him that you are in pain and wean him off the bad habit forever.

Correcting a dog's behavior sometimes involves using a tool such as a collar. It should be chosen correctly; it should not cause severe pain to the animal; the purpose of using the accessory is to wean the dog from bad habits and aggression. Upon completion of educational work, such a collar must be removed.

In general, every owner will be able to cope with problems and pacify a small aggressive pet, and in advanced cases, foster care and the help of a dog handler will be required. You should not experiment on your own and use a strict collar without good reason; the main thing is not to ignore your pet’s bites and barks, and you also need to praise him for exemplary behavior.

Watch useful videos and pay attention to your four-legged friend from an early age, this is the only way to avoid mistakes in the future.