Correction of aggressive dog behavior. Dog Behavior Correction
The aggressive behavior of the pack and its members depends on many conditions, but above all on the leader of the pack. The leader decides when to launch an attack on an outsider, controls hierarchical aggression - stops fights and punishes bullies. He sets an example of behavior and manages the behavior of the members of the pack. Therefore, becoming and being the leader of the pack, or at least the dominant in relation to the dog, is the right way, if not to exclude, then significantly reduce the likelihood of the dog's aggressive behavior.
Correction of hierarchical behavior
For any form of unwanted aggressive behavior, regardless of the age of the dog and its breed, you must train it in some form of obedience. And to do this, in order to avoid all sorts of misunderstandings, it is necessary under the guidance of a training instructor. If you have already trained a dog at a young age, you need to do it all over again. Training is the best way to correct hierarchical relationships and increase controllability of the dog's behavior. Simultaneously with training, it is necessary to make serious changes in the lifestyle of your family.
How to make sure that the dog ceases to be a leader in the family and a dominant in relation to its members? This can be done in different ways. As is known, under natural conditions hierarchical relations are established and rebuilt due to hierarchical aggression - as a result of fights. But since we, humans, rational beings, will leave the natural method as a last resort, especially since it may be unsafe, first of all, for us. Let's turn to the intellect. You can reduce the social rank of a dog by depriving him of the rights of a leader and a dominant. I remind you that in the family, the leadership of a dog is manifested in the fact that it:
- regulates the behavior of family members, i.e. commands them;
- leads on walks, i.e. drags on a leash;
- occupies the most comfortable place of rest;
- eats first (everyone else is on a first-come, first-served basis) and only from a separate bowl;
- requires constant attention;
- always wins;
- may have property that he does not allow anyone to use, but at the same time uses someone else's property.
In most cases, intrafamily aggressive behavior is a manifestation of either hierarchical or instrumental aggression. As already mentioned, aggressive behavior is repeated if it leads to positive consequences for the dog. Prove to her that it's not. Simultaneously with the training process, convince the dog that the benefits of life, which he previously received for nothing or achieved by aggressive behavior, can only be accessed if he is obeyed.
Every time you want to give or treat your dog something, or whenever the dog wants something (eat, walk, play, cuddle, or just wants attention), give him a command such as “Sit! ". Give it as an order, remembering that you are the leader. When the dog completes the command, praise him and only after a pause give him what he wants, then this will look like a positive reinforcement of submission. If the dog refuses to sit, move away from him and stop paying attention to him. Disobedience should not lead to a positive result for the dog.
Make the dog sit or lie down before you put a bowl of food in front of him, as he should do in front of the door before you go for a walk together, in front of you before you start playing with him or give him a toy. Feed your dog only when it obeys. I do not urge you to stop feeding her, but I offer only leverage to control the dog. Pour out the daily dose of food, put it where the dog can not get it, and feed her food only after following your commands. If she executes the command - a handful of food, if not - wait until she gets hungry. All members of the family to whom the dog shows aggression should behave this way.
Remember: slaves make tyrants, not tyrants' slaves! Stop paying attention to the dog, stop just petting it or playing with it. Do this only when you see fit. Your actions will be unpredictable for the dog. If she pesters you with a game, first sit or lay her down and only then pay attention to her. But when playing with a dog or caressing it, do not lie down or kneel - this is also a sign of subdominance (submission). Try to always be above the dog in the literal and figurative sense of the word.
Don't give your dog a chance to win! Stop all power games with her. Find new forms of play: hide and invite the dog to find you (or family members), look for objects and toys, play frisbee (flying saucer game), etc. Remember: you start and end the game, not the dog. Stop playing before your dog gets bored.
While the puppy is small, do not let him become the master of toys. Let each family member take a toy from him at any time, and after 10-15 seconds invite him to play with it again. If the puppy growls, shake him by the collar and scold him. Hide all toys from an adult dog and take out one at a time only when you deem it necessary.
Determine the place of the dog in your apartment and put his bedding there - he should not sleep in his "own" chair, on the sofa, bed or in the bedroom. Your bedroom is your lair, the leader's lair. The leader dog, sleeping in your lair, begins to consider himself your equal. Get a cage and put your four-legged leader there - this is one of the best ways to re-educate him. The dog in it should sleep, eat and stay there if you want him to calm down, or remind him that he is a dog.
Let's say that during lunch, your whole family gathered at the dinner table - a large public bowl that everyone, including the dog, has access to. But the dog has his own bowl, from which no one eats except him. Naturally, the dog will think of himself who knows what! This stereotype needs to be broken. Here are some simple rules that can help you: don't let the dog in the kitchen, never feed or feed him from the table, don't let the dog in the kitchen, people eat first, then the dog, when people eat, the dog must be in his place or in a cage.
Always act like the leader of the pack. Set your own time for walks and make them a little unpredictable. While the behavior correction process is underway, walk the dog only on a leash. Go through the doors first and have the dog come down the stairs behind you. You are leading the pack! Make the dog go where you want to go.
Do not neglect all these tips, even if they seem small to you. Such changes in the dog's life will gradually lead to a change in his worldview, and this is exactly what we need. If your dog is ready to defend his interests with aggression, he will fight with bitterness and after one battle he will not give up. Therefore, until there has been a major change in the behavior of the dog, avoid situations that can lead to open conflict. If she growls at you when you kick her out of your bed, just keep the bedroom door closed.
Dogs bite members of their pack not only as a result of aggression. Biting as a form of communication may be the result of a form of behavior that you have brought up. For puppies, biting is very natural, especially during the change of teeth, when the gums itch. And many owners and households do not find anything wrong with the fact that the puppy grabs arms or legs with its weak jaws, moreover, they themselves offer such games to the puppy. But, repeating, such behavior becomes habitual (as in training!), And the puppy develops a concept: if you want to talk or play, go and bite. In this situation, prove to the dog that you can only communicate with household members through toys. Just play with the dog. If she tries to bite you, immediately reorient her behavior towards the toy. The only way.
If you are consistent in your actions and demanding of the dog, after a while (very different for different dogs) you will become a leader. But this does not mean that you will remain them forever. In the natural habitat of a dog tribe, the leader can grow old, get sick, suffer as a result of the fight against enemies. And your dog knows it. Therefore, from time to time she will check the strength of your positions. So be on the lookout!
Ways to solve some problems
Does the dog fight back, growl or bite you or family members when trying to force or prevent you from doing something?
Possible reasons for this dog behavior:
- it has a high hierarchical status;
- she developed instrumental aggression;
- she experienced unpleasant or painful sensations when you acted on her (defensive aggression is possible);
- you prevented her from doing something (redirected aggression may appear).
Ways to correct behavior
The easiest way (which, by the way, is used by a lot of people) is to eliminate motivation (see method 11), that is, you simply avoid conflict situations and coexist peacefully with the dog.
If the dog, when manipulating it, is limited only to resistance or growling, be firmer and just make it obey, but if it is already used to attacking in such situations, go through the training course again and correct the hierarchical relationships (see section "Correction of hierarchical behavior").
To avoid biting before any manipulation or in situations leading to conflict, muzzle your dog (see method 2), but first teach him to be calm about it.
Teaching a dog to muzzle
Pay special attention to the choice of muzzle. It is better to purchase a muzzle made of sufficiently thick leather, which retains its shape well, and at the same time is elastic. Metal muzzles look good, but are dangerous when the dog hits his head on something. If the likelihood of bites is high, get a deaf (not from strips, but from skin flaps) muzzle.
The muzzle should become for the dog a harbinger of some important and pleasant events, then she will treat him calmly.
The dog always likes walking, petting, food, playing with other dogs. It is necessary to make sure that what she really likes, she gets only with a muzzle on. If you use a walk as a positive reinforcement, go outside only with him. First, after putting on the muzzle, quickly go down to the yard and immediately remove it from the dog. Gradually increase the time you wear the muzzle and put it on and take it off several times during your walk. If the dog is actively trying to remove the muzzle, and the threatening intonation and distracting jerks of the leash or the commands “Near!”, “Sit!” or "Lie down!" if they don't help, remove the muzzle and scold it, but then put it back on and praise the dog as happily as possible. You can remove the muzzle and immediately return home or to the entrance. After standing there for 2-3 minutes, command "Walk!", put on the dog's muzzle and go out into the yard. After tiring training sessions, let her go for a break only in a muzzle. The same goes for playing with other dogs.
If your dog has already worked out some skill to automatism, for example, movement on the command “Next!”, You can put on a muzzle for the duration of this technique, preventing attempts to remove it by the executive command. And as she learns any general disciplinary skills, teach her to wear a muzzle.
If your dog loves attention and affection, wait until he really wants it, put a muzzle on him and cuddle him to his heart's content. But after removing it, immediately stop paying attention to the dog. Gradually increase the pause between putting on the muzzle and the beginning of your caresses. Over time, reduce the intensity of caresses, and increase the duration of squeezing.
Perhaps the most difficult part of training a dog to wear a muzzle is the process of putting it on. If the dog is not very aggressive, just act bolder and firmer, but if there is a danger of being bitten, do this. Do not feed your dog during the day, then turn the muzzle into a bowl. Put a piece in it and feed your dog breakfast or dinner. I think two or three such feedings will be enough. Once again, just pretend to put a piece in the muzzle, but do not put it. After the dog sticks his muzzle into the muzzle and finds nothing there, give him a piece from your hand. Then for a second (no more!) put a muzzle on the dog and immediately give a piece. Gradually increase the time the dog is muzzled. You can feed it through a muzzle, gradually increasing the pauses between feeding. When you see that the dog is calm in the muzzle for 2-3 minutes, remove it and place a bowl with a handful of food in front of it. Repeat this 2-3 times. At this stage, your task is to form a concept in the dog: before eating, you need to sit in a muzzle. At the same time, stop feeding the dog in a muzzle, but increase the time before giving her a bowl.
For more effective dog muzzle training, you can use all the exercises described above at the same time.
When accustoming a dog to a muzzle, try to keep it in it as often as possible and for a long time. If you put it on only before manipulations that are unpleasant for her, then you risk forming a connection: “Put on a muzzle, now they will climb into your ears, start pinching, etc. The muzzle is to blame for everything!”. Don't let your dog spot this pattern.
If the muzzle training techniques described above do not help, you are left to use more severe methods using a stranglehold or an electric shock collar. But for this, contact a training instructor.
The dog reacts aggressively when, during a walk, they try to pull it away from food, prevent it from chasing a cat or fighting with a strange dog
In order to re-educate a dog, purchase a handle for a shovel and cut off a piece of about 1.5 m from it. Drill a hole closer to one of its ends and fasten a carabiner with a reliable silk cord or metal wire. You will get a solid leash, with which it may not be very convenient to walk, but it is convenient to manage the dog, remaining safe and sound. If at the same time you replace the usual collar with a chokehold, you can demand more from the dog, for example, sit down on command when a dog or cat appears.
With such a firm leash, you can easily keep an aggressive dog at a distance. Even if she bites the stalk, nothing threatens her teeth.
The dog resists being examined, combed, trimmed, treated for eyes, ears, paws and wounds
Many dogs do not like to have their eyes, ears, or paw pads examined, combed, tangled, or trimmed. Some simply break out, run and hide, others growl, and there are those who bite. Often the same behavior of the dog is shown in relation to the veterinarian.
In general, it is not difficult to guess why they do it. Veterinary or hygiene procedures often lead to pain or discomfort.
First you need to teach the dog to be patient with the fact that you just touch (no more than that) his body parts. If you prove to her that this is important first of all for her (!), Half the battle will be done.
Pick a time when your dog is in a good mood (many dogs experience this after they've had dinner and taken a nap). Sit next to the dog and start petting it. Speak kind words to her. Stroke the entire surface of the body. Try turning the dog around a bit and petting again. Touch those places that the dog protects in a different situation.
While stroking your dog, return to the most important places for him more often and massage them longer and longer. But take your time! Prove to the dog that this procedure is a condition for obtaining pleasure.
If you really want to fix things, take the time to do these exercises. Dogs love to be stroked, but they especially like attention from the leader of the pack. This will be a positive reinforcement of the contact of your palm with those places that you (or the doctor) will need to examine if necessary.
Some dogs already after a week of such “treatment” themselves begin to approach the owner and stretch out their previously protected paw: “Come on, squeeze!”.
If you “iron” the dog with your palms every day, try picking up a brush after a week. It should be soft. Again, don't rush! When stroking the dog, from time to time brush in different places with a brush and stroke the dog again, remembering to talk to him affectionately during the procedure. The purpose of this event is to prove to the dog that the appearance of a brush in your hands is a signal for the beginning of unearthly bliss. Taking advantage of the dog's gullibility, use the brush longer and longer with each session. In the same way, they teach a dog to a comb.
If your dog tries to get up while petting, don't let him do it. Start intensively, with some pressure, stroking her neck, not allowing her to raise her head (the dog gets up first with its head). Repeat, but in a firm voice “Lie down!”, And with your other hand, scratch your stomach or stroke those places, the massage of which gives the dog the greatest pleasure. Squeeze the dog for another minute and release with some command. From session to session, gradually increase the time of petting, proving to the dog that you are in control of his behavior.
Some dogs really dislike trimming tables. Or rather, not so much the tables as the manipulations associated with them. At the sight of the table, the dog thinks: “Now they will grab it, put it down and comb it painfully, cut it and pinch it!”. Therefore, the first task of the owner of a "table-fearing" dog is to break this stereotype. To do this, put the dog on the table as often as possible and praise, stroke,
massage, squeeze, feed and feed her. Make the table the most pleasant place for her. If you achieve this, teach the dog standing on the table to be calm about the brush and comb, and only after that pick up scissors or a clipper. And take your time here. For a few sessions, just snap the scissors or keep a running clipper close to your dog. But be persistent, consistently and stubbornly increase the sessions and more and more thoroughly comb and cut the dog.
If the dog growls or clicks his teeth, do not give up - yell at him, then brush a little more and let go. But after twenty minutes, repeat the procedure.
Naturally, for dogs the main task is to stay alive and healthy. If these conditions are met, everything else will follow. Therefore, when something unusual happens, you need to find out what it is fraught with. This reaction is the basis of the method of correcting behavior using orienting inhibition (see method 7). At the same time, as soon as the dog shows aggressive behavior, you or your assistant (it can be a family member) should reproduce some unusual sound: a roar, the sound of a car siren, a strong squeal, the sound of a shot (for example, from a children's gun), etc. If you are consistent and creative, your dog will eventually learn that his aggressive behavior is a signal for something out of the ordinary, and very few dogs like that.
The use of negative reinforcement (see method 4) is that the aggressive behavior of the dog leads to unpleasant consequences for it - negative emotions associated with an uncomfortable state, unpleasant or painful sensations.
If we talk about discomfort and negative emotions, then in many cases ordinary water helps. Keep a children's water gun, household water dispenser, enema, large plastic syringe, or just a glass of water handy. For any manifestation of aggression, splash water in the dog's face, trying to get into the nose or eyes. If plain water does not help, you can add a teaspoon of lemon juice to a glass of water (but nothing else!). In an advanced case, it is recommended to use some kind of deodorant, but then spray it in your nose and mouth.
As for pain, it is not difficult to defeat young and medium-sized dogs - they just need to be lifted above the ground by the collar on a strict collar or on a noose. Wait for the aggression to pass, put the dog down, praise and reenact the situation that previously led to the aggressive reaction. And so on until the aggression disappears. If the dog has already defeated you and you are afraid of it, if it is physically stronger than you, seek help from an instructor-trainer. It is simply dangerous to give correspondence advice in such a situation.
In some cases it can be helpful to develop incompatible behavior (see Method 8), such as when the dog becomes aggressive when trying to get him off the couch. This implies that it is impossible to bite you and perform any activity at the same time. Give your dog a specific spot in the apartment. Switch to 5-6 meals a day without increasing the amount of food and feed the dog only after he comes and sits (or lies) in his place. But for this it is necessary to teach her to come to her place and stay there.
Teaching a dog to return to a place
Given that your dog may behave aggressively towards you, this skill should be practiced in a different way.
When you assign the dog its place, make sure that there is an opportunity to tie the leash, and it is better to throw a loop of the leash over something. For example on a hook. Make a "home" leash about 1 m long (it can be rope) and proceed to the next
blowing: feed the dog only after the command "Place!" and only on the spot; when the dog begins to eagerly run to the place on command, fix it with a leash and work on endurance - bring the bowl later and later; between feedings, you can do the same, encouraging the dog on the spot with something tasty.
You can do otherwise by following the instructions below.
1. The dog is kept on a leash by one of the family members 3-5 steps from the place. You put a few pieces of tasty food in place in front of the dog. Then, at the command "Place!" the dog is allowed to come or be led to the place and given the opportunity to eat a treat. While she is passionate about food, they fix her with a leash and begin to work with endurance. After giving the fixing command “Place!” (imperative intonation!) they leave the dog literally for 2 seconds, immediately return and encourage it with a treat. Having made 2-3 such approaches to the dog, it is released. After half an hour, the exercise can be repeated.
2. Gradually increase the distance to the place and the time the dog stays in place. They teach her to return to the place from different parts of the apartment.
3. At this stage, the treat is laid out in place unnoticed by the dog, but it should be there before it approaches.
4. After 5-7 lessons, the treat is no longer laid out in place, but they always have it at hand, for example, in their pocket. The dog is fed from the hand after it has approached the place. If she does not want to sit or lie down on the spot, fix her with a leash and feed her. At the same time, the holding time in place is increased. If the dog takes any position, it is praised after that.
5. The dog on a leash is allowed (on command) to climb onto the sofa and immediately give the command “Place!”. They bring to the place, feed, work on endurance. The exercises are repeated.
Use the leash carefully so as not to provoke an aggressive reaction from the dog, but persistently.
When the dog learns to come to the place, you will no longer need to influence him directly, and thus you can avoid direct confrontation. Send her to her place when she lies across the aisle, in the bedroom, hanging out in the kitchen, etc.
If your aggressive dog is a male, neutering will help reduce the aggression (see Method 13). It is believed that the sterilization of bitches in similar cases is useless. In predictable situations, the use of analgesics or tranquilizers is indicated. But the use of any drugs that reduce the excitability, aggressiveness or pain sensitivity of dogs should be carried out only on the recommendation and under the supervision of a veterinarian.
The dog is aggressive towards young family members
Possible reasons for this aggression are listed below.
The dog has a higher hierarchical status than the young members of the family.
As a rule, children have a low social rank in the family and are often below dogs in the hierarchical structure of the family-pack. This is expressed in the fact that dogs behave aggressively when children approach them at the time of sleep, try to stroke them or impose a game. The “jealousy” of a dog, which manifests itself when a child tries to intervene in the play of adults or when a child plays with a pack leader, can be both the result of hierarchical aggression and a competitive struggle for attention (and this is a rather limited resource) of the dominant pack member.
From the dog's point of view, a small child is a puppy and should behave according to his social role - the role of a child - a typical subdominant. He must fawn, obey and show all respect to his elders. However, children behave in exactly the opposite way. And very often the child is perceived by the dog as a sassy young animal that should be put in its place.
A teenager, in the eyes of a dog, can represent a real danger in the struggle for a high hierarchical status or already undeservedly possesses it. Why undeserved? Yes, because physically he is weaker than a dog and does not know the laws of the pack at all.
The dog has developed instrumental aggression
The development of instrumental aggression is possible as a result of unconscious reinforcement from adult family members. For example, when a child appears, the dog begins to growl. In this regard, they try to calm her down with affection, stroking or feeding at the same time. Over time, the child becomes a harbinger of positive consequences for the dog, but subject to aggressive behavior on her part. Another situation is also possible. The dog is lying on the carpet, and the child is crawling towards it. The dog growled, just in case. Parents remove the child, as a result of which the dog's opinion grows stronger: if you don't want to be disturbed, growl!
Often, instrumental aggression is developed during power games with a child.
Contacts with young family members lead (or led) to unpleasant or painful sensations (defensive aggression is possible)
Children often, consciously or unconsciously, cause pain or discomfort to the dog: pulling the tail, pulling the hair, paws, poking fingers in the eyes, making pyrotechnic explosions or hitting. Teenagers may "punish" the dog excessively in the process of raising or training it.
Usually a dog that has a bad experience with a child tries to avoid close and prolonged contact. When a child approaches or attempts to communicate, the dog gets up and leaves, trying to find a safe place. She can show aggression if she is not left alone or if her escape routes are cut off.
Painful (aversive) effects on the dog cause an instinctive defensive reaction. Almost like ours: if we cannot get rid of pain by withdrawing our hand, then we repel the source of pain.
Lack of social experience (limited or incomplete socialization)
This refers to the experience of communicating with children. In this case, the child is perceived as an unusual phenomenon, and everything unusual easily causes both orienting and defensive behavior.
In fact, on the one hand, the annoying, noisy, noisy and extremely active behavior of children can be considered by the dog as dangerous or, at best, as obscene, and on the other hand, the dog simply may not know how to behave with such an unpredictable creature. .
Consciously or unconsciously formed norm of behavior with social partners
If, while raising a puppy, he was allowed to grab a person by the edges of clothing, arms or legs during games, over time this becomes the usual norm of his interaction with social partners and is easily reproduced during games or to attract attention. However, it is quite common for a dog to be physically manipulated (in punishment) to resolve a conflict. But if we constantly spank the dog when he is at fault or does not obey, we will teach him this form of conflict resolution. And then there will be nothing surprising in the fact that she herself will use this method.
Redirected aggression
When we fail to achieve something that we passionately and for a long time sought, we, of course, do not experience positive emotions. But we need compensation. And very often we alleviate our condition by redirecting our aggression (irritability, tediousness, pettiness, pickiness, etc.) towards family members. Our dog does the same. She is well aware that growling at you and at your child are two big differences. In the first case, you run the risk of getting hit in the ear, but in the second, success is guaranteed.
Competitive aggression for the possession of limited resources is possible
Necessary and important things are always missing. Therefore, they must be protected or they must be fought for. Bones, toys, a place next to the owner, his caress and attention, a place in an armchair or on a sofa - all this is limited in number and area.
Often dogs "respect" the right of primacy and ownership. You hold a toy in your hand - it is yours. Threw on the floor - a draw. You sit in a chair - your chair. Gone is common. They took away a toy - a robbery, which means that it is necessary to protect. You drive out of the chair - but what about the right of primacy ?! Here comes the conflict!
If we talk about attention, then often events develop according to this scenario. You have fun playing with the dog or cuddling it. At this moment, an awakened child appears from the next room and demands his share of attention. You leave the dog, maybe even push it away, and start taking care of the baby. Surely the dog has such a causal relationship: the appearance of a child means the deprivation of positive emotions. And the need for positive sensations belongs to the group of vital needs, their dissatisfaction can lead to death. Therefore, the child as the cause of misfortune must be neutralized. For example, to scare him so that he does not appear here again.
Behavior Correction
Be sure to go through the training course again and correct the hierarchical relationships (see the section "Correction of hierarchical behavior"). Increasing the controllability of the dog, its unconditional subordination is a guarantee to avoid conflicts.
But it is one thing to correct the hierarchical relationship between adults and the dog, and another thing is to raise the hierarchical status of the child. If you have an older child (aged 8 years and older), prove to the dog that he, too, has the right to control her behavior. To do this, become an instructor trainer for a while.
Take the dog on a leash and the child by the hand and find a quiet place to practice. At the first stage, keep the dog on a leash yourself. She should be to the left of the child, and you should be to the left of the dog and slightly behind. Let the child give commands familiar to the dog in a clear, loud and confident voice. If she does not obey, you silently but firmly force her to follow the child's commands. It is advisable not only not to say any words, but also not to look into the eyes of the dog - you simply do not exist. But the child should not only command, but also encourage the dog. You force it, and the child praises, strokes the dog, says kind words to it and gives it a treat. Practice all obedience commands in this way.
When the dog begins to obey the child in such conditions, proceed to the next step. Give a short leash to your child, and fasten an elongated light one for yourself - it can be a rope. Give the child more independence, and keep yourself 3-5 meters apart. If the dog does not obey, you must pull on the leash, and if he still does not obey, quickly and silently approach him and force him to obey the command.
At the third stage, you no longer need a leash, just stay close and, if necessary, correct the dog's behavior.
It is necessary to do the same in the apartment.
If the child is small, then you, as the leader of the pack, have the right, firstly, to prove to the dog that aggressive behavior is in no way acceptable when interacting with other family members, that is, you need to correct the existing form of behavior. Secondly, you must let her know that the child is "taboo" in this case, you can use negative reinforcement. Depending on the neglect of the situation, the characteristics of the dog and your relationship with it, negative reinforcement may be a threatening shout, a jerk on the leash, an ultrasonic shock, or pain (see method 4).
Simulate situations: play rudely with the dog, do with it what a child can do (grab by the ear, paw, tail, skin, etc.). But don't terrorize her too much, especially in the beginning. At any sign of an aggressive reaction, apply negative reinforcement and continue to "play" again. If the dog behaves correctly, be sure to praise him.
In relation to the child, any form of aggressive behavior should be "punished". Don't leave it unattended! At the very least, yell at the dog. For the period of behavior correction, it is desirable that she be in the apartment on a short leash and in a noose. So you can quickly and easily prove to the dog that he is wrong. If we talk about orienting braking (see method 4), then when applying it, be careful - you can scare the child.
A more benign mode of behavior correction is to apply methods 8 and 10 (working out incompatible behavior and reinforcing the absence of unwanted behavior). At the same time, you not only persistently prove to the dog that you can communicate and play with a person only through toys and take only toys in your mouth, but you immediately stop all interaction at the first sign of aggressive behavior.
If your dog has already shown aggression towards the child, never leave them alone, do not let him be with the child without a muzzle. Put on a muzzle in advance, before the child appears in the room, so that the dog does not form a causal relationship: the child - putting on the muzzle.
Get a cage and place it there when you are away from your room or apartment. This will not only protect your child, but also save the dog from his annoying harassment.
Cage training a dog
The vast majority of foreign trainers believe that with proper training, a dog can be happy having its own living space.
The cage should be appropriate for the physical strength and size of your dog, i.e. be strong, wide enough for the dog to turn around and long enough for him to lie down in it, stretched out.
It is best to place the cage in the most frequently visited room or in the kitchen, but not next to the radiator and not in a draft, not in your bedroom or in the children's room.
Place bedding and a few items in the cage that the dog could chew on (tendon bones, toys, etc.). If you are going to leave her in a cage for several hours, make sure there is a drinker there.
There are several ways to train a dog to a crate. For example, start feeding her only in the cage and put the food bowl in the far corner. Then proceed as described in the section “Teaching the dog to return to the place.
You can attract the attention of the dog with a toy that is valuable to him, and then give the command in a joyful tone “Home!” (you can come up with any command). Use a toy to attract the dog to the cage, such as tossing it to the far corner of the cage or holding it in the cage with your hand. When the dog enters, praise him and give him the toy. The same can be done using a bone or dog biscuit. Remember, the cage should evoke only positive emotions. When you get your dog to confidently enter the crate to get a toy or food, don't close the door. After 2-3 days of such activities, invite her to go into it without throwing anything there and without showing anything in her hand - food or a toy should appear only when the dog enters the cage. A couple of days later, after the dog enters the cage, lay it there with a team and feed or give a toy. Sit next to the cage without closing the door. During the week of such exercises, gradually increase the time the dog is in the cage. In the next step, try closing the door for 1-2 minutes. If the dog is quiet, open the door, and if it is barking and whining, ignore it. You can praise her if she behaves quietly. It is important that the dog does not think that barking is causing the door to open.
It's also important to let your dog know that you love him while he's in the cage, so once he's out of the cage, ignore him for a few minutes. Continue in the same vein, increasing the time the dog is in the cage. Avoid negative (painful or unpleasant) influences. Be patient, it may take 1 to 2 months for an adult dog to get used to a cage.
When accustoming a dog to a cage, observe the following rules:
- do not use the message in the cage as a punishment;
- do not abuse the content of the dog in the cage;
- do not leave the dog in a cage with a collar and leash;
- do not force the puppy into the cage;
- do not use the cage as an alternative to education and training.
Strictly forbid the child to pester the dog when it is in the cage - this will attract the dog to it even more.
Teaching your dog patience
In this case, you should use the advice of B. Kilcommons and S. Wilson to have a complex effect on the dog, i.e., develop the habit of habituation, increase the threshold of pain sensitivity, correct the form of behavior and, at the same time, engage in alteration of defensive and instrumental aggressive reactions. The same exercises are necessary if the dog has not met or communicated little with children (incomplete socialization).
As we mentioned, from a dog's point of view, children misbehave. First of all, they make loud and unusual sounds, which, in the opinion of the dog, may be associated with trouble. Break this stereotype.
Alone with a dog (so as not to injure others), try to behave like a child. Shout, squeal, moo, yell, roar, laugh and feed and praise the dog at the same time. Make sure she doesn't get excited. You can record children's noise on a tape recorder and feed the dog with sound. Sooner or later she will get used to it.
Try to crawl on the floor and at the same time make the same sharp movements that a child makes - wave your arms and legs, toys, shovels and other children's tools. At the same time, praise, caress and feed the dog, do not hurt her.
Teach your dog to be patient with children's grasps and hugs. While petting your dog, pull on the skin, paw, ear, or tail and praise it. At first, do it slowly and gently, but gradually - more and more.
Hug the dog, literally for 2-3 seconds, then release and joyfully praise, then hug again and praise again. With each lesson, increase the duration of the hug and pull the dog closer to you. Don't forget to praise her. When the dog takes it calmly, do the same with him, but in the presence of the child, and then try to connect him to this, but be careful and careful.
And further. Make sure that the arrival of a child becomes a joyful event for the dog. This can be done like this: there is no child in the room - you should growl at the dog and terrorize it in every possible way, and as soon as he enters the room, you need to feed him and play with him. But all this should end as soon as the child leaves the room.
With the help of the above exercises, many types of competitive aggression (struggle for limited resources) can be eliminated. However, first teach your dog to distinguish your toys from children's toys. And strictly forbid her to use children's toys. No matter how peaceful or controlled your dog is, let him eat breakfast and dinner separately from the child. And when she's enjoying a bone, there shouldn't be a baby in the room.
Influencing the dog is only half the battle. If members of your family, including children, behave provocatively, sooner or later the dog's patience will snap. It is necessary to raise children and dogs in the family. Teach your child to behave calmly in the presence of a dog. Reassure him that she, like him, can also be hurt. Adult family members must stop "punishing" the dog in the presence of the child, otherwise it is possible that as a result of imitation he will not reproduce your actions. In the presence of a dog, be gentle with the child: do not yell at him or spank him. The dog registers all the nuances of your attitude towards him, so do not let him understand that your child is a “whipping boy”.
Dog aggressive towards older family members
Possible causes of aggression in this case: the dog has a high hierarchical status; the dog has developed instrumental aggression; redirected aggression; a conflict norm of behavior has been formed.
Very often, older family members are at the bottom of the hierarchy and are physically much weaker than the dog to resist it. But there is a more significant reason - they treat a puppy, and then an adult dog, as a grandson or granddaughter. Hence the forgiveness, lack of exactingness, which lead to the unconscious formation of a high hierarchical status of the dog.
Thus, your tasks in correcting this behavior will be the following:
- change in the attitude of older family members to the dog;
- increasing their hierarchical status in the family and in relation to the dog;
- you must prove to the dog that an older person can control her behavior;
- if necessary, you must correct the conflict form of behavior.
Conduct dog training sessions with older family members in the same way as recommended for children. If the dog is only aggressive towards older family members when you are away, isolate it in a cage for that time or leave it in a muzzle.
Correct the conflict norm of behavior as described in the previous sections, but you can use the negative reinforcement method only if you have made the dog a subdominant.
The dog is overly aggressive towards strangers
Aggressiveness of dogs towards humans, as is known, is a positive quality of service dogs, however, it must be “tied” to a certain place and time and strictly controlled by a handler or owner of a dog that is poorly educated, untrained or specially trained, but in the hands of irresponsible persons, can pose a danger to others. Table 4 shows data indicating the aggressiveness of some dog breeds towards strangers.
Table 4
During the survey, some owners of dogs of different breeds noted the aggressiveness of their pets towards children. Below in parentheses is the total number of respondents:
- American Cocker Spaniel (13) - 23.1%;
- English Cocker Spaniel (14) - 42.9%;
- boxer (37) - 8.1%;
- outbred dogs and mestizos (40) - 55.0%;
- East European Shepherd Dog (44) - 61.4%;
- Doberman (38) - 47.4%;
- Great Dane (14) - 50.0%;
- Caucasian Shepherd Dog (24) - 83.3%;
– Collie (16) – 75.0%;
- standard schnauzer (14) - 42.9%;
- Moscow watchdog (37) - 86.5%;
- German Shepherd (81) - 45.7%;
- poodles (18) - 44.4%;
- Giant Schnauzer (31) - 54.8%;
- Rottweiler (66) - 59.1%;
- Central Asian Shepherd Dog (42) - 57.1%;
- miniature schnauzer (11) - 54.5%;
- black terrier (23) - 52.2%;
- Airedale Terrier (21) - 61.9%.
Despite the fact that aggression that is not associated with the performance of any service or manifested without a special command is called spontaneous or unprovoked, there are reasons for it. The first and, perhaps, the main one is the hidden or overt aggressiveness of the dog owner, which was already mentioned above. The owner of an aggressively behaving dog can also be blamed for the fact that he raised and trained him poorly. Biological reasons for dog hatred include territorial and defensive behavior (self-defense and group defense), often associated with its provocation by the victim. Aggressive behavior of dogs is promoted by conscious or unconscious encouragement from the owner and insufficient socialization of the dog. In addition, a dog of a high hierarchical rank is often aggressive.
As we have said, the subdominant members of the pack must obey the leader. So if your dog, even if it has the social role of protector of the pack, decides for itself who and when to attack, your leadership rights are called into question. So optimize your hierarchical relationships and train your dog again. By increasing the controllability of the dog, you can easily stop the brewing conflict.
If you want to make a dog a protector, and such a dog is always socially dangerous, use method 2 (eliminating the possibility of committing unwanted behavior). Walk with her only on a leash and in a muzzle. Before guests arrive, lock her in another room, cage, or aviary, as appropriate.
If you get tired of walking with a "forever rushing dog", socialize it. Although the critical period of socialization to ensure a calm attitude towards strangers occurs at the age of 9-14 weeks, you can try to do this with an older dog. Ask friends and strangers to feed your pet, say kind words to him, stroke and feed him. To do this, you will have to carry the treat yourself and distribute it when necessary. If you do not rule out that the dog may bite, put a muzzle on it, and in case of aggressive behavior towards children, this is simply necessary.
If you raised your dog in an isolated environment, such as a backyard, and then moved to the city, walk it as much as possible in crowded places, such as a park, at first in the distance, and then closer and closer to people. At the same time, observe safety precautions - the dog must always be on a leash and in a muzzle.
To correct aggressive behavior, many trainers recommend using orienting inhibition (see method 7). To do this, you will have to use a certain signal - a sound that can cause surprise in your dog at least. But tentative inhibition is effective only at the very beginning of the development of the conflict. Do not miss this moment, otherwise your influences will increase the aggressive reaction of the dog.
The development of incompatible behavior (see method 8) is also a fairly effective method and can be implemented in two ways. In the first case, you teach the dog to carry some fetching object (a toy, a stick, etc.) on the street. By the way, this will help to correct many other types of undesirable behavior.
The second option is that you must form in the dog the understanding that the appearance of a stranger is an analogue of the call command. To begin with, you walk your dog on a medium-length leash, and then take a long one. As soon as an outsider appears, give the command “Come to me!” and get an immediate reaction from the dog. After the dog approaches you, reward him. The reward must be meaningful in order to cause real pleasure in her. When the dog on the leash is confident to approach on command, try doing the same, but off the leash. Put a muzzle on your dog just in case.
Coping with unwanted aggression is sometimes helped by method 9 (associating behavior with a specific signal). To do this, you must go with the dog to the training area and train it according to some kind of protective course, forming the skill of following commands that cause aggression and stop it. In this case, you should focus on the first command and praise the dog for obedience. Over time, she will understand (in the truest sense of the word) what leads her to a positive result, and she will behave much calmer. She will be waiting for your command. Do not deceive her hopes and visit the training area from time to time. By the way, almost simultaneously with stimulus control of behavior, you will form a dependence of behavior on the situation: she will show aggression only when protecting you. If on the training site to focus on this as well - to oppose the attitude of the dog to the passive and attacking decoys - the task will become easier.
The use of method 11 (eliminating motivation) is that in a brewing conflict situation or anticipating it, you create in the dog a need that is opposite to the defensive one, for example, food or play. In the first case, you attract the dog with a treat and feed it until the situation is resolved - a passerby passes by. In the second case, you offer the dog to play his favorite game or favorite toy. True, it should be remembered that "distraction therapy" is ineffective if an aggressive reaction is already taking place.
If you can't handle a dog's aggressive behavior, neuter it. True, this helps if she is young, that is, if her aggressive behavior has not become instrumental.
Many dog trainers advise using negative reinforcement to correct aggressive dog behavior (see Method 4). To do this, when the dog shows aggression, they make a very strong jerk with the leash when the dog is wearing a strict collar or noose. Lessons using an electric shock collar are very effective, but this is only with the participation of a training instructor. You can also use conditional negative reinforcement. In case of aggressive behavior, “growl” at the dog. If your swear words were once associated with natural negative reinforcement - direct impact on the dog, their use will have a greater effect.
The dog is aggressive towards other animals in the house
More or less real dog aggression is shown towards other dogs and cats if they live together. If we talk about dogs, then in the case of keeping a bitch and a male together, the matter is limited to the dominance of the bitch and demonstrative aggression on her part. The male, as a rule, quickly recognizes his subdominant position. Problems arise when keeping same-sex animals. It is believed that bitches are more intolerant of each other than males.
The most likely causes of dog conflicts in the family are related to hierarchical and competitive types of aggression. So I remind you: before you engage in special behavioral interventions, increase the manageability of your dog through training and optimize your hierarchical relationship with him.
In the presence of aggressive conflicts, many owners and family members take the side of the "offended" dog - they calm and caress it in the presence of the "offender". From the point of view of many animal psychologists, this does not help, but, on the contrary, increases the number of dog fights and increases their intensity. Why? The dog that we consider to be the initiator of fights and "punish" for it, most likely, is a contender for dominance in relation to another dog. And if humans hadn't interfered, dogs would have quickly figured out "who is who." Then a specific posture, a sidelong glance or a growl would be enough to resolve conflicts. Speaking on the side of the subdominant, people, in fact, say to the dog: “We are on your side, we are a“ friendly couple ”and we will defend your interests together.”
So before you do anything, watch your dogs. Determine their status and act like a leader.
The dominant dog uses the “best” toys, drags all the toys to their place and guards them, goes through the door first, pushing the other dog away, the first one starts to eat, begs more impudently at the table and takes the most comfortable resting place, closer to the leader. She growls more often at other dogs, rarely or never licks their cheeks, although other dogs do this to her all the time. Such a dog can be "jealous" when you pet other dogs who don't protest. It is enough for her to take a specific posture, and the subdominant retreats.
I have already mentioned a one and a half year old female Labrador, which I had to take home from the kennel. She was very self-confident and quickly moved my four-year-old Asian male from second to third place in the hierarchical ladder of our small pack, and for this she did not make scandals. She somehow especially stood up in front of the male, shook her head, and the male faded. This dog did not allow him to approach me, cut off from the place where her bowl stood, and did not allow him to approach his toys, although he did not claim them. Such an "idyll" can last for quite a long time, until the subdominant comes up with the idea of changing his status.
By the way, it is easier to prevent a brewing conflict than to separate fighting dogs alone. If you know your dogs well, you can always spot one of them making a provocative move. Immediately "roar" at the instigator and spread the dogs away from each other. If you heard them growling from another room and don't know who the provocateur is this time, scold both of them and disperse them, and if they ignore you, then as the leader of the pack, you have the right to use force. If you suspect that dogs may fight in your absence, separate them into separate rooms before leaving.
Instead of giving the subdominant hope of rising hierarchical status with your protection, strengthen the role of the dominant dog. Give her attention first, feed her first, give her the most valuable toys. However, don't overdo it! Exaggerating dominance can make a dog more intolerant and aggressive. Dominant is dominant, but you are the leader and have the right to regulate behavior. You have to show your dog exactly what you don't like. Don't let her burrow. Also, don't forget about the subdominant dog. They stroked the dominant - praise the subdominant, gave a piece to the first - give it to the second. If you completely ignore the subdominant dog, the dominant dog will think that your second dog is a doormat.
If you don't have time for long-term behavioral therapy or your dogs are recalcitrant, you can take advantage of the crate by setting the dogs up in shifts. Before lunch, one of the dogs sits in a cage, after lunch - vice versa.
When fighting, scream loudly, grab one dog and throw it into the far corner. Also loudly command: "Place!" - or throw a blanket, blanket, coat over the dogs so as to blind them. Finally pour water over. If nothing helps and there is simply no time to mess with re-education, castration can help, but only in case of aggression of males. A spayed bitch may become more aggressive.
I've always had cats and dogs at the same time. At worst, they quarreled for a week or two, and then established a more or less close peace. To the last adult cat (though having experience of living with a German Shepherd), I took a two-year-old Asian. For three days she hissed, and now she strives to sleep on him.
If you have a small puppy and a kitten at the same time, there is every reason to hope that they will grow up to be great friends and love each other. Most likely, this will happen as a result of a specific form of learning - imprinting, which is characteristic of the cubs of almost all birds and animals. Thanks to imprinting, the first living creature that meets a puppy or kitten is perceived by them as a parent or as a sibling.
A prime example of social imprinting in puppies is this experience. After keeping puppies with kittens under a cat in the period from 25 days to 16 weeks of age, the puppies in the “reaction to the mirror” test, having found their own reflection, reacted to it much weaker and for a shorter time than ordinary puppies. This means that the image of social partners in puppies raised by a cat has already been formed and was "feline". Communicating with puppies of their breed, the "cat stepchildren" were distinguished by passive-defensive behavior and a reduced play reflex.
Almost the same thing happens if you bring a small kitten or puppy into the house with adult animals - they quickly become attached to adult animals. It is more difficult for the latter to get used to the appearance of a new family member, but this is also possible. The problem is easier to solve if the new family member is very small. Firstly, the cub smells of helplessness, and this is an almost universal smell that significantly reduces the aggression of adult animals. Secondly, young animals with no experience of aggressive interaction do not use demonstrative postures without sense and do not understand their meaning when these postures are adopted by other animals. Thirdly, in adult animals, a manifestation of maternal instinct is possible: very often, animals experiencing a period of false pregnancy begin to consider the young animal that has appeared to be their own “child”. However, just as often, the first reaction of an adult animal is cowardice or aggression. Cowardly behavior will soon pass, and aggressive behavior is more imitative than real. After a couple of months, a cat and a dog will become great friends, but for the first week, be attentive to your wards - they can just accidentally injure each other. In possible conflict situations, it is useful to scold an adult animal.
Complications and unpredictable reactions are possible from dogs of hunting breeds or dogs that have previously been set on cats. Therefore, it is better not to bring a new animal into the house if you have a female with puppies or a cat with kittens.
dog protecting food
On the one hand, the dog is right to protect his food. This is a very natural behavior, so it's best not to disturb your dog during his lunch. Moreover, we also do not like it when someone interferes with eating or strives to pull off a tidbit from under the nose. On the other hand, the dog does not allow only subdominants to eat. The leader, I remind you, everything is allowed. This means that the presence of food aggression is a sign of not very correct hierarchical relationships. This type of aggression is also unpleasant because in a cramped city apartment it is somehow difficult to bypass a chewing dog. And the presence of clueless family members, such as young children who do not know the laws of the pack, makes this form of aggressive behavior simply dangerous.
Possible reasons for this behavior: the dog has a high hierarchical status or it has developed instrumental aggression. In any case, go through the training course again and correct the hierarchical relationships (see the section “Correction of hierarchical behavior”).
To get rid of instrumental aggression, it is necessary to conduct a cycle of classes with the dog. Do this for five days. Put the dog's lunch in a saucepan, go to the dog's bowl and put a handful or a ladle of food into it. Wait for her to eat it all and put some more in. Do this until you feed everything. Over time, the dog will learn that your proximity to his bowl is an extremely useful thing, and will even rejoice at your approach. Then change the situation. After placing the next portion of food, take a step to the side, come closer again and walk around the dog so that the next piece of food is placed on the other side. Try to stroke the dog and do not be silent, say something nice to her. When you master this task, start adding food while the dog is still eating. Repeat this exercise for several days. If she growls, you can yell and give the command "Sit!" (By this time you should have reminded her of the basic principles of obedience.) But you can just stop feeding and try again in thirty minutes.
But if everything is fine, go to the next step. Before adding food, move the bowl slightly and only then put the food in. After a couple of days, putting the food in, hold your hand next to the bowl, gradually increasing the delay time. After another 2-3 days, try moving the bowl while the dog is eating, i.e. move the bowl towards you and put, for example, a piece of cheese. For another week, do the same, but more actively, move more often and more freely.
When the dog is happy and calm about your manipulations, let the rest of the family do the same, but under your supervision.
You can immediately start feeding the dog by taking the bowl in your hands and sitting on a chair. If she refuses to eat, do not insist. After 1-2 hours, repeat feeding. Sooner or later the dog will be hungry enough to eat under these conditions.
To illustrate the use of method 4 (negative reinforcement), we will use the advice of the German trainer F. Granderath. At the place where the dog is fed, a reliable ring must be attached to the wall and a leash from the parfors (or stranglehold) put on the dog should be passed through it. The leash is picked up by the most physically strong in the family and stands 3-5 steps away from the dog, and another family member brings the dog a bowl with a small part of the food. When she empties the bowl, she must try to take it in order to refill it. If the dog shows an aggressive reaction, you should jerk sharply by the leash and drag him to the wall so that he cannot bite the one who takes the bowl. Now they put another portion of food in a bowl and put it in front of the dog. This is repeated several times during each feeding, until the dog stops showing an aggressive reaction to a person approaching the bowl. When this happens, try to sit down before placing the bowl in front of the dog. So she will be calmer.
Do not rush to use force methods. Sometimes they can cause even more dog aggression.
Dog shows aggression when chewing on a bone
Quite often it happens that a dog chewing a bone is too zealous about its occupation: it growls at people and can even bite. To resolve this conflict situation, the easiest way is to use method 2 (eliminating the possibility of committing undesirable behavior). Just give the dog bones there and then, where and when no one will interfere with it. And respect her property rights. However, in many cases this behavior can be dangerous, so it is desirable to change it. To do this, you can use method 8 (producing incompatible behavior) by attaching method 9 (associating behavior with a specific signal) to it.
Prepare in advance some tasty food for the dog, and one for which he could exchange his bone without regret. Give her a bone and after a minute, repeating the word "Give!", With your right hand (in an open palm), offer the dog a piece of treat.
When the dog leaves the bone, take it with your left hand. Give the dog another bite of the treat and return the bone. While she chews on the bone, do 5-6 such exchanges. And that's it! Gradually hold the bone longer and feed the dog often, but over time increase the pauses between giving treats. Once your dog is comfortable with your "barter deals", it's very helpful to make him sit for a while. And if at first you immediately showed her a treat, then over time, start taking the bone first and only then get a tidbit. The same can be done using two dice, offering the dog an equal exchange from time to time.
A small or young dog is easier to handle, so method 4 (negative reinforcement) can be used. At the same time, just as before, you approach the dog gnawing a bone, say: “Give!” – and try to pick up the bone. If she growls or resists, you yourself begin to growl menacingly at her, take her by the scruff of the neck (preferably by the collar) and lift her up. If the dog deserves it, you can shake it. After taking the bone, calm the dog and pet it. You can give her a piece of goodies, put her in a team, and after a short pause, return the bone.
In more serious cases, you first put a noose or a strict collar on the dog and fasten two leashes - a long one and a short one. Tie the dog securely with a long one, and take a short one in your hands. Make sure that the long leash is always taut. Stand in front of your dog and offer him a bone. After a minute, try to take the bone. It is still advisable to warn her of her intentions with the command “Give!”. If the dog growls or resists, make sharp upward jerks with the leash, forcing him to release the bone from his mouth and submit. If he tries to lunge at you, a long leash will prevent him from doing so, but a jerk will make the dog feel uncomfortable, which can also be considered as a negative (aversive) reinforcement.
After taking the bone, talk to the dog calmly, sit it down and after a short pause, return the bone. After a couple of minutes, try picking it up again. Do 3-4 of these approaches and leave the dog alone. When she becomes more comfortable with your claims to the bone, try offering her a treat. Over time, let other family members try to take the bone, but under your control.
The dog grabs the offered food aggressively
Put a noose or parfort on your dog and fasten two leashes. One of them can be tied to a secure mount or given to an assistant, and the second one can be picked up. Show the dog food in an open palm, but in a way that it cannot reach it. If she rushes towards her, stop her with jerky leashes. It is advisable to precede the physical impact with some command, for example, “Hush!”. Food should be offered only when the dog calms down and sits for a while. It is important to let her know that she does not take food herself, but is given to her, that is, sit and wait.
If your dog grabs his fingers while taking a treat, be careful. Pull it in time, punishing for sharp and rough movements. Make sure that she is somewhat hesitant (slowly and carefully) approaching your palm with food.
Do not withdraw your hand while exercising. The dog will instinctively try to catch it and may pounce again.
Dog guarding objects
The dog can be quite aggressive in guarding toys, slippers, socks and other small items that can usually be used as play items. The main reason for this type of aggression, of course, is the hierarchical superiority of the dog, because only the dominants or the leader have the right to property, or rather, to the possession of limited resources, which they must protect. Often such aggression is instrumental and is brought up in the game. Almost every owner likes games of "guard your property" and "come on take it." Here are the consequences!
Naturally, until you repeat the course of obedience (see method 12.) and balance the hierarchical relationships (see the section “Correction of hierarchical behavior”), using any other methods will be problematic. However, often these two events are enough.
In many cases, the barter method, the principles of which are described above, helps to solve the problem. As an exchange, you can use tasty food or another toy that is more attractive to the dog.
If the dog is young, small, or not very aggressive, use method 4 (negative reinforcement). Try to take a toy from her, and if she growls, take it by the scruff of the neck and shake it like a pear, or fasten the leash (you can use a noose or a strict collar) and pull it properly. It is advisable to precede your actions with some command, for example, “Give!” or "Spit!".
If the dog is mature, big, and can actually bite hard, take the advice of Canadian trainer Ed Frawley: “If you decide to force the outcome and win the toy war against a strong dog, you need to do some preliminary preparation. First, put a second hard collar on your dog. Secondly, tie the leash to a solid strong object - a "post" (which would not move). When the dog takes the toy, lead it by the leash to the second leash that is attached to the post. Attach the second leash to the second hard collar on your dog. Now the dog is wearing two leashes, each of which is attached to its own strict collar.
Now order the dog to drop the toy and, moving away, pull so that the dog is between the post and you. Apply enough force to make the dog spit out the toy. Once she does this, praise her. If you can approach without fear of being bitten, approach and praise your dog reassuringly. If she tries to grab the toy again when you approach, don't freak out, just step back and pull again. On the part of the owner, this process should not be somehow wild or unnecessarily feverish. Control yourself and stay calm. Keep pulling the dog for as long as he keeps trying to get the toy back when you approach. If you don't have the courage to pick up the toy, just kick it away with your foot so the dog can't reach it. Always remember that it's only worth getting into a fight when you can win it." And it is better not to get involved until you have adjusted the hierarchical relationships.
Aggression towards strangers
The main reasons for your dog's intolerance towards strangers can be:
- territorial aggression;
- sexual aggression;
– hierarchical aggression;
- defensive aggression (protection of oneself or members of the pack);
– instrumental aggression;
– predatory aggression (possible from large dogs to small ones).
Despite the fact that there are seemingly objective biological laws of dog aggression, its presence, frequency and severity depend on genetic characteristics, conditions of education and conscious or unconscious influence (training) on the part of the owner. For example, the presence and severity of territorial aggressive behavior is determined by the breed of dog. There are breeds that are intolerant of all dogs found on the street. Rarely, but there are owners who like the aggression of their dogs towards other dogs. And they can bully their dogs.
However, even without any inciting, you can contribute to the development of this type of aggression in your dog. How? Be indifferent to her aggressive behavior. Because what is allowed is repeated, and what is repeated is fixed.
You can reduce the number of inter-dog conflicts only by achieving good obedience of your dog. If she does not always obey you, check the level of your hierarchical relationships and, if necessary, correct them and continue training the dog. I could be wrong, but I don't think it's possible to completely eliminate a dog's aggressive behavior towards other dogs. However, the intensity of walks can be reduced. If your dog is aggressive but well controlled, you can always stop him with a restraining command as he approaches a passing dog.
As for territorial, sexual and hierarchical aggression, Method 6 (habituation) is unlikely to help you here. I'm afraid that an adult dog will not agree with your pacifist sentiments. Moreover, the aggression of your dog can be provoked by the behavior of a stranger. Even dogs raised together, often seen on walks, test each other from time to time.
Socialization can help to some extent in removing defensive, instrumental or predatory aggression. To do this, find yourself walking partners with playful, young and non-aggressive dogs. Take care of the safety of your partners and put a muzzle on your dog before meeting. If you use method 11 (eliminate motivation) at the same time, behavior modification will be more successful. You must make it clear to your dog that the appearance of strangers on the horizon is a signal for the onset of joyful events. To get started, just keep your dog on a leash away from other dogs and play with it. After a week or two, cut the distance in half and start feeding your (preferably hungry) dog as soon as a strange dog approaches you. Just stop and feed. You don't want the outside dog to get too close at this stage. But in the future, your "gladiator" will no longer react aggressively to passing dogs.
It’s easier, of course, to correct the dog’s behavior by method 2 (eliminating the possibility of committing unwanted behavior), that is, walking with it on a leash and in a muzzle, and to facilitate behavior control, you can also put a noose on it. Better yet, use method 8 (generating inconsistent behavior). Teach your dog to wear and never (!) throw a play item out of its mouth.
For young dogs, method 7 (orientative inhibition) may be helpful. Prepare a chain for throwing (it can be replaced by a strict collar, a metal choke, etc.), a metal can with nuts, a loud sound generator, etc. When walking a dog on a leash, throw all these rattling objects at him as soon as he will attempt to lunge at a passing or approaching (non-aggressive) dog.
If your dog is uncontrollable, he can be neutered or resorted to Method 4 (Negative Reinforcement). Hurt him with all attempts at aggression. Put a noose on him, a strict collar and stop him with very strong jerks of the leash. If that still doesn't help, use a stun collar or whip.
It is believed that a dog walking on a leash or without a leash, but next to the owner, is more aggressive. Sometimes it is advisable to take your dog to the opposite side of the street, sometimes to let him off the leash. When off-leash dogs approach each other, owners should quickly disperse to call them off.
If a fight breaks out, don't try to stop it by hitting your own or someone else's dog - that won't help. Do not try to grab the dog by the collar or by the skin at the withers. Both your own and someone else's dog can bite you. Grab the dog by the tail (if it has one), lift and pull. After pulling, give some command to bring her to her senses, lower and intercept by the collar. If the dog is tailless, grab it by its hind legs.
The correction methods described above can be used if your dog is overly aggressive towards other animals.
Pursuit of cars, motorcycles, bicycles and joggers
Many animal psychologists and trainers believe that stalking is associated with the manifestation of instincts in a dog - hunting, guarding and shepherd. Accept that the initial reaction may actually have a biological cause. Later, however, stalking becomes a skill quite independent of basic needs.
Rapid instrumentalization of pursuit is associated with its powerful three-stage positive reinforcement. Firstly, if they flee from you, it means that they are afraid of you! Secondly, the fact of victory is obvious, because the enemy cowardly left the battlefield, and the feeling of victory is sweeter than a sugar bone! And thirdly, the chase itself is pleasant, so very often dogs turn the pursuit into just a game.
Correcting hierarchical relationships and repeating obedience training help to cope with persecution. All this will increase the controllability of the dog.
You can avoid unwanted behavior by walking your dog on a leash (see method 2). If necessary, the dog's attention should be redirected to play, food, or a command (see method 11).
For young dogs and those in which the unwanted behavior is not very well entrenched, the use of orienting inhibition (see method 7) is effective: when walking with the dog on a long leash, throw rattling objects at it when necessary or make loud unexpected and unusual sounds .
More often, to correct the pursuit, it is advised to use negative reinforcement (method 4) in two versions.
In the first case, the dog's own owner becomes the source of unpleasant consequences for the dog: he puts on a strict collar, a noose, an electric shock collar, or armed with a whip. All this comes into play as soon as his dog rushes after someone. First train the dog on a short leash, and then on a long leash.
In the second case, the source of trouble is what the dog is chasing. And this is where advice from M. Hoffman's book “Your Four-Legged Pet” can come in handy: “Fill a few balloons with water and place them in the back seat of your friend's car (this car should be unfamiliar to a dog). Your other friend should be nearby and keep the dog on a long leash.
Move slowly around the house. When your dog rushes after the car and is within a few steps of it, ask a friend to stop. At this point, start throwing balls towards the dog. She will be stunned and will think twice next time before rushing after the car.
Repeat this technique daily for a week. It doesn't always work, but some dogs may benefit. Just don't forget to reward your pet with treats when he controls his impulses and just watches the car go by."
You can also follow the advice of Barbara Wodehouse in her book Difficult Dogs: “For the simplest and most effective method, you will need the help of a car buddy. Ask him to drive you slowly past the dog that is chasing the car. And as soon as she starts to attack, throw at her with all the force you can, some thick hardcover book. Be sure to hit the dog with this book. The shock that this gives the dog is so frightening that I have never had to repeat this technique more than twice, even if before that he had been chasing cars for years. When throwing a book, try not to lean out of the car, otherwise the dog may associate you with it, and you need the shock to be associated with the car.
…Recently, I managed to wean corgis from chasing motorcycles by asking a motorcyclist to hold a mug of water in one hand and pour it over a dog that ran up. This had to be done three times, but now, when the motorcycle approaches, the dog tends to hide in the ditch, and this can save her life.”
Following this advice, you arm the victim and he will use the weapon against your dog. In my opinion, this use of negative reinforcement is not very good. It is not at all necessary that the dog be afraid of moving objects. The dog needs to be treated with indifference.
excessive barking
Barking is very natural for dogs and very useful for us. If dogs didn't bark, they would lose half their user value. However, frequent and excessive barking can be a problem for both the owner and others. This can be compared to our speech. She, speech, is a very useful thing, but no one likes to communicate with a talker.
It is believed that dogs bark for several reasons. First of all, barking is a means of communication. A dog may bark to get attention, to announce itself, to warn an enemy, or to announce that an area is occupied. Often barking reflects a functional state - the more excited the dog, the more willingly it barks. Almost all types of aggressive behavior are also accompanied by barking, and it is especially characteristic of territorial aggression, which is most pronounced in guard dogs.
Excess barking at home
The reason for excessive barking in an apartment or house can be territorial aggression, which can easily turn into instrumental aggression: barking quickly becomes habitual and occurs on every occasion. Table 5 shows data from a survey of owners of dogs of different breeds regarding the severity of guard barking in their pets.
Table 5
For example, a dog is dozing in the hallway, and on the floor above the door opens and steps approach. Here you involuntarily sigh either from sleep or from fear - there is no difference. Vzbrekhnul - and the steps began to move away. It is clear: the enemy is scared! A few such coincidences - and the dog will understand what needs to be done to get rid of the "terrible" noises outside the door, and realizing this, he can begin to bark at any rustle.
Another example. This is the first time you leave a puppy alone and walk away. He escorts you to the door and barks after you, indignant and offended at being left behind. But you quickly return, because you only went out to the mailbox. But try to prove to the puppy that it was not his barking that brought you back to the house. I'm afraid it won't work.
When left alone, dogs may bark out of boredom and a little bit out of fear. These pack animals experience so-called social stress when they are left alone, and barking helps them reduce anxiety.
When all family members are at home, dogs can bark both for the above reasons and to attract attention (wishing to play, demanding to open the door, feed, drink, etc.).
If your dog barks a lot when he's home alone, try taking him for a walk until he's tired before leaving. Intense physical exercise and games will not, of course, eliminate barking, but will significantly reduce the excitability of the dog and, therefore, the likelihood of barking. And besides, a tired dog will just sleep most of the time. You can keep the dog busy with something interesting: leave him plenty of toys or bones. If barking is provoked by noises, try masking them. Leave the radio on, drape the windows tightly.
Salvation from loneliness can only be a friend, so if possible and if you wish, get another puppy or kitten.
If your dog is barking to get attention, get up and leave the room every time he starts barking, or silently turn away from him. Sooner or later, she will realize that barking has become useless and, most likely, she will stop barking. However, this will not happen immediately.
Learning will speed up if you pay attention to the dog after a silent pause. To get started, wait quite a bit and call her for affection, play, or satisfy her other requests. As your dog understands the situation, increase the time of silence.
Method 8 can also be helpful in correcting excessive barking. Teach your dog to behave inappropriately for barking. For example, teach her to bring you a toy in response to the doorbell. In the end, when leaving, you can turn off the phone and the ringer.
If you are sure that the dog thinks that barking brings you home, try to change his worldview.
On your next weekend, pretend you're leaving forever. After closing the door (not with a key) and moving away from it a little, stop and wait. Even the most bullshit dog makes pauses between barks. During the next pause, quickly enter the apartment and arrange a fun meeting.
Repeat the lesson after 5-10 minutes. The more often you train your dog in this way, gradually increasing the pauses between leaving and coming, the more hope that he will believe that it is her silence that brings you back to the house.
Excess barking outside
You can bark on the street for many reasons: out of fear, out of anger, because it's fun and in order to force the owner to do what is needed.
A significant influence on the tendency to bark (i.e., to bark for any reason) is exerted by the breed characteristics of dogs. Table 6 shows data from a survey of owners of dogs of different breeds regarding the barking of their pets.
The tendency to bark is influenced by the dog's lifestyle (loneliness, lack of physical and intellectual activity), early sensory deprivation and associated fears, health problems, unintentional (unconscious) learning on the part of the owner. Provoking factors include hostilely behaving people, dogs, and a change in habitual lifestyle.
Before you do anything, reassess the situation. Try to identify the causes of excessive barking and the factors that provoke it. If the dog lives in the yard, check if it is cold, if the booth is leaking, if it is cramped for the dog. Check if the dog has water, toys, or other items that provide him with intellectual activity.
Take your dog to the vet again to make sure he is healthy. Discuss your dog's diet with your veterinarian.
Start training or repeat training exercises. This will not only contribute to the obedience of the dog, but also give meaning to his life. It doesn't matter what you do with your dog, the important thing is to do it. Intersperse activities with a fun game that requires muscle tension.
At the same time, conduct classes on the socialization (addiction) of your dog to other dogs and people. By the way, this will help not only your dog.
How to stop barking
This can be done in different ways. You can, after some command, for example, "Hush!", Carefully and gently cover the dog's mouth with your hands. Do not squeeze your palms strongly - this will cause active resistance and the next time she will not trust you with her face. If you constantly train your dog in this way, sooner or later he will start to close his mouth on command. However, this method is not suitable for all dogs.
You can work out the stop command in a different way. When your dog barks the number of times you want, praise him. Then say "Hush!" and show her something very tasty or interesting (favorite toy). Most dogs stop barking immediately. While the dog is silent, repeat the command and praise it. First, give her what was shown after about 5 seconds, and in the next lesson, demand that she be silent for 7-8 seconds. Repeat this exercise several times, reinforcing in the dog the concept that silence is very useful for him. Then gradually increase the time of silence. If the dog barks prematurely, scold him immediately. The success of classes depends on how interested the dog is in getting what you distract him with. If food or an object is important to her, in one session you can teach her silence for 1-2 minutes.
You can also do this: after the command, give the dog something to chew on. If that doesn't work and she starts barking again after swallowing food, use a household water sprayer, a water gun, or a plastic water bottle. Give the dog a command and at the same time splash water, trying to get into the nose or eyes. This will not cause any harm, but is unpleasant enough for the dog that he will quickly learn that after the command it is better not to bark. Or use the effect of orienting braking - play some incomprehensible and unusual sounds for the dog. It is better to do this after giving any command.
Very often, dogs begin and continue to bark when there is a noise made by dogs or people. If so, try using method 6 (addiction), the essence of which is that reactions (including barking) to insignificant stimuli, i.e., do not carry any useful information, do not have any significant consequences for a dog, decrease and disappear over time.
Very often, dogs react violently to unusual and unfamiliar stimuli for them. Therefore, engage in expanding the horizons of the dog. Try to introduce her to as many stimuli as possible. Pay attention to those noises that provoke excessive barking. Offer them to the dog (at first, less intensity and frequency), distracting his attention with a game, some kind of activity, or forcing him to perform any commands.
In your yard, place your dog on the far side of the yard away from the busy street - this will reduce the amount of provocative stimuli. This will also lead to the replacement of a mesh, for example, a fence with a deaf one.
Don't forget to praise your dog when it's silent!
Very often, to correct excessive barking, it is recommended to use method 9, according to which the unwanted behavior is associated with a specific signal. First you need to teach the dog to bark at the right time and in the right situation, that is, teach it to bark on command. To do this, you need to call one of the states when your dog barks, remembering to give a command beforehand, for example, “Voice!”.
Most often, a dog is excited by showing it, but not letting it grab a piece of food, a toy, an object to fetch, playing with it or even causing trouble. It takes very few repetitions for her to understand what you want from her. If desired, you can teach her to bark a certain number of times at the right time, clamping the dog's mouth, occupying it with food or an object for fetching. And that's it!
It remains only to make barking habitual in cases where you consider it necessary. To do this, you will have to help the dog several times with the team, serving it in the situation you need and encouraging the dog. After she has developed this habit, you should let her know when, where and how much to bark. Now you can control the behavior of the dog, and this will not be difficult to do.
If the dog barks a lot and annoyingly on the street, you can solve this problem by teaching him to wear a fetching object or from time to time forcing him to bark on command. Never reward barking without command (reinforcing the absence of unwanted behavior), and even scold her for it, but after a minute invite her to bark again with praise (using both positive and negative reinforcement). Try to use the method of extinction: having taught the dog to bark, at first often, and then less and less, allow it to do so. Sometimes it helps.
It is often recommended to use unpleasant or painful influences (aversive negative reinforcement) on a barking dog. Leave it as a last resort. After all, it may happen that she begins to avoid you, avoiding punishment, but continues to bark, or she begins to be afraid of her own barking and does not bark even when it is necessary. And if the dog barks out of fear, then your influences will not reduce it. But, one way or another, such a method exists. Here is what F. Granderath writes about its use in the book “Dog Training and Training”: “It happens that a dog left alone at home howls and barks so much that the neighbors complain. This can be corrected in the following way: tie the dog in its place on a chain, put on a parforos, draw a long cord from it through some hole or slot in the door, into the corridor or kitchen or other premises far enough from the dog, where it will not smell a person; there should be an assistant hiding there. The owner should leave, stomping loudly on the stairs, and the assistant will pull the cord as soon as the dog starts howling or barking, and saying “no”, and then “in place”. This method is very effective when used correctly.”
There are collars that, in response to barking, spray any substances with an unpleasant odor for the dog (for example, citronella, which has a lemon scent). If all else fails, use a radio-controlled electric collar, but it is better if you purchase an ultrasonic or electric collar that causes discomfort to the dog, turning on from the sound of its barking.
According to French trainers who conducted a comparative study of the effectiveness of collars with citronella and electric shock collars, the latter turned out to be less effective, although collars with citronella are effective in no more than 80% of cases. The vast majority of consumers prefer the lemon collar because of its safety.
It is more difficult to deal with barking, which you yourself consciously or unconsciously reinforced. Remember, did you follow the dog's lead too often when it barked? Didn't you start paying attention to her, didn't you open the door for her, didn't you start or continue the game, following her "persuasion"? If you don't rule out this cause, you can change the behavior by entering a pause with a latching command. After the dog has barked (don't let him bark a lot!), lay him down with the team - lying down is very difficult to bark, and after a short pause, do what he asked. Lengthen your breaks over time. It should be noted that it is more effective to forestall dog barking ahead of laying. If we talk about eliminating unwanted behavior (method 2), then you can use a muzzle that does not allow you to fully open your mouth. It is said that a special anti-bark muzzle does not prevent the dog from drinking, breathing and does not exclude barking, but effectively reduces its intensity and duration.
If all else fails and you don't really need a barking dog, use the surgical method: cutting ligaments is more humane than exposure to a shock collar.
Sometimes dogs howl. In general, this is also a fairly natural means of communication for them. But most often they howl from loneliness and to the music. If dogs howl to music, you can work out a wonderful circus act on this basis, and if from loneliness, try using the behavior correction methods described above.
The review of this problem should begin with the statement that correction of the behavior of an adult dog is possible. Of course, this difficult process requires some effort from the owners of the pet. This article will provide practical examples for self-study correcting and correcting dog behavior, but if the owner no longer has the strength to deal with this problem on his own or there is not enough knowledge and skills, then it is better to seek help from professional dog handlers. Our cynological center "Instinct" will help to achieve adjustments to your dog's behavior in Moscow and the Moscow region, including problems of aggression and strong fear. At the same time, what you should pay attention to first of all:
- Raising and training a dog. Any problem can be solved, but in order to avoid the emergence of new difficulties, it is better to start raising a dog right away. Complete dog behavior modification it goes better in special groups under the supervision of an experienced cynologist;
- Punishment. Punishing a dog (unfortunately one of the most common methods of correcting a dog's behavior) should be moderate so as not to harm the training process. Up to 3 months of age, only threatening intonation is allowed. Then you can punish with a palm in the croup area or with a jerk of the leash. Punishment should be applied only during the commission of an offense on the part of the dog. In addition, you need to use the "Fu" command at the time the pet performs an unwanted action;
- Natural need. It only takes a little attention to toilet train your puppy. The best option would be a separate room or an arena covered with newspapers. There will also be a place for a puppy and his plate. When the owner is at home, you need to take the puppy outside on time. As for an adult dog that “does not observe toilet hygiene” in the house, then you need to actively use the “Fu” command when the pet just sits down to go out of need. When the dog goes outside, the owner needs to vigorously praise him for it. If the dog did not go out of need during the walk, then you need to continue the walk;
- Refusal of the dog to come when called. In order to change this tenacity, you can use treats and praise. Punishing a dog for refusing to approach on command is not recommended;
- Picking up from the floor. This task is a little more difficult, and will require attentiveness and exactingness from the owner. Correction of dog behavior initially involves accustoming pets to the fact that it is impossible to pick up from the floor. At home, you need to use the “Fu” command, on the street, a leash or a slap with your palm will come to the rescue. You can also provoke your dog by throwing treats outside to test his reaction;
- The dog barks outside or at home. To solve the problem of barking in the apartment, when the dog ignores the "Fu" command, you can use a slap with your palm on the back of the torso. But, if the dog barks at a knock on the door, then it should be praised. If the pet barks when the owner leaves the apartment, then you need to go back and use the “Fu” command, then go out and wait 5 minutes near the apartment. In case of repetition, a more severe punishment (correction) should be applied;
- Solutions to the problems of aggression. If an animal (puppy) shows aggression towards a cat, then it must be punished, especially at the time of the throw. The “Fu” command can be accompanied by a slap to the croup. If there is a real threat to the cat, then it is best not to get one until the dog is raised. In some cases, it is better to invite a cynologist. As for dogs, it is better to introduce them after a joint walk in neutral territory;
- Solving the problem of fear. In the event that the owner knows that there will be a salute, then the dog must be put on a collar. During the shots, you need to seat the pet near your leg, not allowing it to move away. To completely eradicate fear, you can buy 3-4 firecrackers and start using them at a safe distance in the park after a day's walk, using a leash and the same "Sit" command. So, over time, your dog will develop endurance;
- The dog jumps on the owners. To solve this problem / correct the behavior of the dog, you need to ignore the pet, turning your back on him. Use the "Fu" command and punish the dog at the moment of the jump. If the dog jumps on passers-by, you need to use the “Next” or “Sit” command.
Behavior correction includes a list of necessary measures to influence the animal in order to apply them in time to prevent unnecessary dog behavior in the future.
The most common causes of aggression in dogs are:
- execution of commands;
- vehicles;
- noisy and playing children;
- other animals;
- sudden movements, etc.
After some time, the animal calms down, the conflict situation is resolved, but this does not mean that all this cannot happen again. The dog's aggression can flare up again at the same second, with renewed vigor, if she doesn't like something.
How to correct aggressive behavior?
Behavior modification is done in three ways.
The simplest and most common is to teach a dog to. It is not easy to take and forbid the dog what is not worth doing. If this continues, the animal may become angry. Therefore, it is always necessary to orient the dog to alternative behavior. The naughty behavior will stop and you won't need to punish her. Most often, after a training session on the site, the pet may react inadequately in relation to many things (passers-by, runners), if they seem suspicious to her. At such a moment, it is necessary to use the “No” command and be sure to pull the leash at the same time, which will serve as a reinforcement of your command.
Over time, your pet will remember that aggression is undesirable at such moments. The dog will be able to perform better on the training ground, but this may lead to the fact that the pet will not be able to protect you in the place where you forbade him to show aggression. This requires an alternate method. Let's take an example. When, having gone for a walk, one of the passers-by approaches you, tell the dog the command “Near”, the pet should stop, let the walker pass. If the dog obeys the command, be sure to praise the animal.
There is an exercise that develops in a pet to carry out a command even at home. True, you will need an assistant to complete it. Tie up the dog. To do this, you can use a harness, a long leash. It is desirable to carry out all training sessions in a strict collar.
If suddenly the pet begins to show any signs of aggression, repeat. The assistant may leave, after a certain period of time, you must try again. After several trials of this exercise, change the command, tell the dog "Guard". After this command, praise the dog for its aggression. Thus, alternately perform exercises during training with a pet.
Read also: How to train a puppy at home
After a certain period of time, when you see that the dog has memorized the behavior pattern in such situations, it is necessary to complicate the exercises. Take a few more helpers (two or more) to help you. With these simple training exercises, the dog will begin to understand that its aggression can only be shown in specific cases, for example, to protect its owner or its territory, and also learn to calmly react to people passing by during a walk.
You also have the task of explaining to the pet what the critical distance is. The animal must distinguish how far a passer-by can be allowed to approach its owner. In this case, the most important thing is that the dog does not react aggressively if the person is at an acceptable distance.
To achieve this effect, you can use the following exercises. Your helper should try to attack the dog, only to do this when he has overcome a critical distance. The moment the dog shows any emotion, the helper must stop. The workout should be repeated two to three times. And then this skill must be trained in motion. In this case, you need to keep the pet on a leash and command "Next". And the assistant must move continuously, the movements should not affect the dog, you can just walk around or run. If the pet does not pay attention to this, then he deserves praise. And if the dog shows aggression, again command her "Next". Keep practicing until you get the desired result.
Fears that manifest themselves on walks in puppies and young dogs.
A dog (puppy) can experience strong emotional discomfort even from anticipation of the very situation of a walk, starting with the owner’s preparations, leaving the apartment, the entrance. At the same time, fear increases dramatically when certain situations arise on walks. For example, it can be the owner’s attempts to get the dog into the elevator, going down or even going up the stairs in the entrance, loud sounds, being in the entrance and meeting people and dogs, strollers, children, buses, janitors’ carts and other irritants typical of Moscow and other cities.
How you look like a manifestation of fear.
The dog resists the owner's attempts to lead it on a leash, while in facial expressions, posture and movements there are signs of emotional depression, fear (a frightened, anxious look, ears pulled back, tail tucked in, trembling, etc.). When meeting with frightening stimuli, the dog tries to run away to the side, rests on the leash, the signs of fear intensify. Sometimes at the same time the dog shows aggression, growls, barks.
Causes of problem behavior.
Typically, these problematic behaviors occur in puppies or young dogs who start walking outdoors after the vaccination period is over, or sometimes in older dogs after moving with their owners to a new place of residence in an urban setting. In this case, fears come from the inability of the dog to independently adapt to the specific conditions of life in the city due to the genetic characteristics of the psyche and the lack of the necessary experience in mastering these environmental conditions (the city) at an early age - that is, during the corresponding sensitive period of development of the psyche. After the end of this period, independent adaptation to completely new and difficult living conditions may be difficult. However, fortunately, in many cases, dogs can be helped to cope with this.
In this case, the dog perceives the environment and perceived stimuli as completely unfamiliar and therefore potentially dangerous. At the same time, avoidance reactions (manifestations of fear) are much stronger than manifestations of orientation reactions (an innate desire to explore something new). In fact, the manifestation of orienting reactions turn out to be suppressed and the dog mostly experiences one desire - to run back to the apartment, the entrance, just run away, hide behind the owner, etc. And often the dog just in this way independently finds ways to reduce his emotional discomfort, and very soon this behavior takes on a stereotypical character.
So, in order to teach a dog not to be afraid, it is necessary, through special training exercises, to form in it an alternative experience of alleviating emotional discomfort through active interaction with the trainer (owner) in specific frightening situations. At the same time, the dog has an internal opportunity to begin to get used to situations that previously frightened her, now as familiar and safe. Gradually, the alternative experience accumulates and generalizes in the mind of the dog and the behavior changes radically or, at least, improves significantly.
The methodological support for these trainings should be developed and provided to the owner of the dog by a cynologist-zoopsychologist (canine psychologist), who is also an instructor-methodologist. Naturally, for this, a specialist must have relevant experience and reliable methodological developments in this area. At the same time, at the beginning of work on correcting the dog's behavior, he must conduct the necessary analysis of the causes of such behavior of the dog and an analysis of the possibilities for correction, characterize the prospects for correction, and then organize the training process in cooperation with the owner of the dog.
Dogs' fears of certain categories of irritants.
B o i z nR e c k and xs v u k o v.
The dog may be afraid of shots, firecrackers, the sound of metal being hit, etc.
The reasons for this behavior can be both congenital and acquired.
If such behavioral responses are predominantly genetic in nature, then behavior correction will be ineffective even with the maximum effectiveness of the training process. However, if these fears are due to a predominantly negative experience of the dog, then in many cases the behavior can be corrected or improved.
Fear of not knowing people or dogs.
Most often it is the result of a negative experience, when specific strangers or dogs showed aggression towards the dog or accidentally scared it. In this case, the dog may identify for itself as potentially dangerous those people or dogs that resemble its offender, especially if the offense occurred in early puppyhood.
PRINCIPLES FOR CORRECTING THIS PROBLEM.
In this case, the correction of dog behavior is carried out through special training with the help of a dog handler-zoopsychologist (canine psychologist), aimed at creating an alternative positive experience of the dog's perception of situations that previously frightened her, associated with the presence of people or dogs.
Sometimes this behavior is genetic. This may be due to the dog's predisposition to extreme isolation from strangers (not members of its pack) in combination with the predominance of passive-defensive reactions. In fact, the dog perceives all strangers or dogs as very dangerous enemies and feels the desire to protect himself from them.
Fear of certain situations.
Dogs can be afraid, for example, only of doctors and medical procedures, vacuum cleaners, strollers with children, etc. In this case, the cause of fears, as a rule, is the negative emotional experience of the dog at an early age.
PRINCIPLES FOR CORRECTING THIS PROBLEM.
Such variants of manifestations of fears are corrected by the formation of an alternative positive experience when the dog is exposed to previously frightening stimuli.
As a rule, under the words "correction of behavior" a person means correcting the aggressive behavior of a dog shown by a dog towards strangers or other dogs or towards its owners.
And in other words, this is the correction of mistakes that a person made in his time while raising his dog or in general the lack of raising a dog.
Each owner is responsible for the behavior of his pet - this person put the dog in such conditions in which it began to show aggression.
In my classes, from the first lessons, I try to convey to a person that it is impossible to reason like this: The dog does not do what I ordered it, or it did before, but now it doesn’t want to, from here many people have the conclusion “how stupid I teach her , but she does not understand anything or refuses to comply”
Thus, a person justifies his lack of ability and understanding, and sometimes not the desire to communicate, educate and train his dog.
The dog always behaves as its owner allows it to behave. And the perception of the situation by a person with the undesirable behavior of his pet should be this: I did not manage to convey to my dog. … I failed to teach my dog … etc.
Aggressive behavior of a dog can manifest itself due to different situations, for example: you have a leader puppy in your house, and you don’t notice that, passing by a dog chewing a bone, the puppy growled at you, and sometimes it’s even funny for you, but the puppy noted for himself that “I roared, and they didn’t take away the bone from me,” although no one tried to do it, but 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 roar in the direction of the owner, which seemed to be funny.
Also, situations that have arisen on the basis of the dog’s insecurity, well, for example: on the street she feels vulnerable due to her small stature and fear of large dogs, but she still wants to show herself somewhere and she finds a way to break away on 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 from its insecurity and fear towards them, and then it sees that people begin to shun it and be afraid. she begins to like it and she herself begins to look for a reason to bark, and then bite passers-by. In general, there are different cases, but the reason, as a rule, is always the same - This is the lack of upbringing of the dog or its inept upbringing.
And if your dog shows aggression, and you are determined to correct his 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 an instructor after several lessons, then this does not mean that she will also behave with the 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 relationships 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, then you need to castrate him.
In fairness, I do not know much about veterinary medicine, but I can definitely refer to my experience. And it follows from it that if the male was aggressive to people or dogs, then after castration he definitely will not become white and fluffy and will not bring flowers to your bed in connection with this morning and blur in love with his former enemies. And for a better 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 have been outlined in this article, then I advise you to deal with your dog as early as possible. Be very responsible in choosing a dog, learn as much as possible about the breed that you are going to have. And of course, you need to calculate your moral and physical strength. And then your pet will only please you!
