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

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

But no less often they write to me, call me, contact me personally with cases that the language does not dare to call simple. And in this situation, everyone suffers - both the dog and the owners. Thank God that I have enough practical experience and theoretical knowledge to successfully solve such problems with the support and help of the owners. And often I hear from the owners of such dogs the words that they have already asked for help, and either they were not helped, or made worse, or simply did not come. And sometimes they diagnosed "not being corrected" and sent them home.

It is impossible to be a professional and stand in one place - I constantly read something, I am interested in the opinions of "colleagues in the shop", I ask my students - what they saw, heard, read. After all, it is very interesting and useful to learn new things. But for several years now, I have stopped bumping into new types of behavior correction and I myself began to teach others, as crazy as I am, everything I know and can do.

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

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

- inability to perform problem behavior(for example, a cage or a muzzle - the peculiarity is that the presence of the owner is not necessary)
- avoiding problematic behavior(for example, halti - requires the presence of the owner)
- negative experience through environmental conditions(e.g. coating furniture with pepper/bitters)
- change of conditions(e.g. moving house or new owners)

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

- desirable behavior training
- prohibition of unwanted behavior
- reinforcing the absence of unwanted behavior
- incompatible behavior training(for example, wearing clothes for a barking dog)
- association of unwanted behavior and signal(e.g. "voice" command for a barking dog, followed by a reduction in command frequency)
- deferred punishment(feature - can not be applied to dogs with weak NS, traumatic experience, mistrust of owners or aggression of fear + can be used only if the dog knows for sure that he did something unacceptable)
- training(feature - teaches the owner to be more understandable to the dog, and teaches the dog to obey the requests / requirements of the owner, but the problematic behavior itself does not always correct)

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

- extinction of conditioned reflex connections(i.e. non-reinforcement of unwanted behavior)
- addictive(e.g. "shooting" a dog that is afraid of shots. Strongly not recommended for dogs with weak NS and traumatic experience)
- approximate deceleration(planned distraction of the dog when trying to misbehave)
- development of incompatible dominant behavior(for example, the "stand" command, brought to a dynamic stereotype)
- switching the dominant behavior(e.g. "apport" command to a play dog when attempting misbehavior)
- change in conditioned reflex connection(most often used for "overtraining" symptom)

4. Correction of the psyche (psycho-correction)
(extremely underrated area of behavior modification)

- correction of the balance of mental processes(for example, the systematic training of a hyperactive dog to relax and calm down, or vice versa, "disinhibition" of an overly calm phlegmatic dog)
- realization or sublimation of the unrealized needs of the dog(e.g. long walks for dogs lacking movement or protection training for dogs with advanced human aggression)
- development of breed qualities and intelligence of a dog
- correction of hierarchical status and creation of a loyal alliance(meaning both the increase and decrease in the status of the dog in relation to the owners)
- host behavior modification(from teaching movements, intonation, praise to psycho-correction in case of nervousness, choleric or phlegmatic hosts)
- creating a comfortable environment and increasing the number of positive emotions
- creating a positive connection(e.g. between eating and being touched by the host)
- increased pain threshold and stress tolerance threshold(e.g. learning to respond with joyful excitement and not slow down when brushing, rough tactile play, and leash correction during training)

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

- with the help of food(diet, vitamins, short hunger strike - for example, with false pregnancy)
- with the help of medicines and phytotherapy
- with the help of physiotherapy(massage, swimming, running, exercise equipment)
- direct effect on the hormonal system(castration, sterilization)
- indirect effect on the hormonal system(hunger, shock, the ability to "reset" aggression - requires knowledge of the physiology of the dog, the connection of the central nervous and endocrine systems, the basics of psychophysiology and practical experience in applying these types of correction. It is used only if all other methods of correction are impossible or do not give a result)

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

Believe me - one of the most neglected and difficult to correct cases, when the owners tried to "fix" their dog's behavior on their own. Worse than this - only when professionals who did not have sufficient qualifications took up the correction.

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!

Types of aggression:

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

Unfortunately, the aggressive behavior of domestic dogs is quite common, fortunately - correctable. There are a huge number of reasons for this behavior, and for each type - a separate correction technique. The general rule is one - aggressive behavior it won't go away on its own, the dog will not "outgrow" it, and as a rule, over time it can only get worse. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you start correcting aggressive behavior as soon as it appears. Our zoopsychologist will help you identify the causes of aggressive behavior and eliminate it as soon as possible.

2. Cowardice

Common fears:

Fear of loud sounds
Of people
dogs
busy street
Elevators, stairs, entrances
Other fears

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

3. Howl and bark in your absence

Often left alone all day, the dog begins to howl or bark, for many reasons. At the same time, the classic "Pavlovian" training is powerless here, since it implies interaction with the dog at the time of the action or almost immediately after. Here zoopsychology comes to the rescue, which allows you to work with a dog not as a soulless mechanism, but as a person. Helps to identify and eliminate the causes of such behavior. Our zoopsychologists have the appropriate qualifications and can easily solve such problems that are beyond the power of most other cynologists.

4. Pick up from the ground

This problem is very relevant in recent years, due to the frequent deliberate persecution of dogs. It is extremely important to teach the dog not to pick up anything on the street, because even with the most favorable outcome, this behavior threatens with permanent illnesses, allergies and digestive disorders. Turning to our center, you can be sure that after training your dog will no longer pick up anything on the street.

5. Destructive behavior

We often have to deal with the fact that during the absence of the owners, and sometimes even with them, some dogs gnaw on various things not intended for this: shoes, furniture, clothes, wires and even walls. Many people think that this is an age problem and it will pass with time, but as practice shows, the dog grows up, but the problem remains. Our experts will help you determine the cause and eliminate such behavior using modern methods of training and correction.

6. Toilet training

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

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

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

There are various classifications of aggressive dog behavior. The most common classification is based on characteristic stimuli or situations. In this case, the following forms of aggression are distinguished: maternal (protection of bedding, toys, puppies from people and other dogs); game (inadequate game behavior); aggression caused by fear or pain; territorial (protection of a certain territory); protective (protection of owners from people or dogs); intraspecific (aimed at individuals of their own species); redirected (when the achievement of the desired is hindered); food-related aggression (food guarding); proprietary (protection of toys and other items); dominance-related aggression; hunting behavior and idiopathic aggression. Most of these forms are undesirable, however, some types of aggression are used in the training of working dogs and are desirable in certain conditions. So, in particular, territorial aggression is used to train guard dogs, defensive aggression and hunting behavior - in the training of sport and police dogs. Therefore, in practical dog breeding, the task is often to develop the desired form of behavior, but at the same time prevent undesirable forms of aggression from manifesting themselves and correct them in time.

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

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

To correct undesirable behavior in our cynological center, methods of behavior modification and pharmacocorrection were used. So, 33% of those who applied needed behavioral therapy, and a standard course of obedience was enough to correct the behavior of the rest.
24% were satisfied with the results of behavioral therapy, 6% refused therapy, citing being busy, 3% were referred for a consultation with a veterinarian-neurologist, in particular, regarding status epilepticus.

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

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

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

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

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

Causes of Aggressive Dog Behavior

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

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

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

It is important to know that the choice of dog breed should be approached responsibly. Peace-loving and calm people are categorically not suitable for beagles, terriers and huskies due to their natural restlessness. But lovers of sports and jogging are advised to purchase shepherd dogs, schnauzers and other active pets.

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

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

How to cope with a dog at home?

Consistent correction of the behavior of dogs at home begins with the displacement of the pet-leader from "from his position." Sometimes even small decorative pets, which are pampered by the owners, allow themselves to snap at a person and steal food from the table, which is unacceptable.

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

Experienced breeders advise to deprive the dog of all privileges, namely, to stop feeding the dog with delicious pieces from the table, not to let it run and enter the house ahead of the owner, to feed it after all family members have eaten.

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

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

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

And to achieve the best result, you should contact a professional who will help achieve the obedience of the animal and consolidate the result.

It's no secret that a small puppy is much easier to teach commands and behaviors. However, raising an adult dog can also be effective, the main thing is to be patient.

For disobedience, the dog must be properly punished, avoiding the use of physical force. The harsh tone and intonation allow the animal to follow the instructions, so this aspect should be given special attention.

What to do if the dog refuses to come when the owner calls her? This behavior is the result of indulging the requests of the dog and fulfilling all his desires, and since a person is not a leader for a four-legged friend, then it is not necessary to obey him. First of all, teach your pet the "Come" command and do not forget to reward him with a treat, however, do not feed the animal with tidbits. Collar and leash should be must-have accessories for a walk.

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

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

At home, you can achieve exemplary behavior from a dog by observing the following rules:

refusal to feed food from the table;
Does the dog have its own bed?
participation in the right games with a pet.

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

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

In advanced cases, the pet does not want to sleep anywhere except the owner's bed, so it is problematic to drive the animal out of the room. A dog that considers itself the leader will fight for "its den" and may bite a person. Timely correction of the behavior of an adult dog helps to avoid misfortune.

The dog handler will give advice to keep the door to the bedroom always closed in order not to provoke a conflict once again. And also at home, you can put a small four-legged friend in a special cage for the rest.

When playing with a dog, do not forget to always be above the pet, in no case lie down on the floor and do not sit next to it. All this signals the elevation of the animal over the person and becomes the cause of the aggressive behavior of the dog. On the video you can see examples of the correct game with four-legged friends. And even more so, you can’t forgive your pet bites, show him that it hurts you and forever wean you from a bad habit.

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

In general, each owner will be able to cope with problems and pacify a small aggressive pet, and in an advanced case, overexposure and the help of a dog handler will be required. You should not experiment on your own and use a strict collar without good reason, the main thing is not to ignore the bites and barking of your pet, and you also need to praise him for his exemplary behavior.

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