I work in the homes of the people. Lots of it. I'm about dogs with any kind of problem, but it seems as if the problem is people who feel humiliated aggression. Believe me, they have a right to be embarrassed. If this is not the dog-dog aggression, it is aggression towards people or aggression towards the cat or the postman or a crack in the sidewalk or a snowman. At least that's how people feel when I come into the picture. Not only are they dealing with their own dog, but the reactions of others in the park and in their neighborhood. They can as they walk down the street the other pet owners for miles to cross the street to avoid them to see.
You leave the house with a sense of foreboding instead anticipation. They find it impossible to be able to tell what's going on "set their dog from": This is the real challenge in dealing with dogs that are reactive. It is so difficult to know exactly what, when or who it was that caused the dog Cujo turn, and it seems even more difficult to avoid them in future. I am here, my friends, to try to help you, you can place a little. I may not be able to cure your dog in a blog post, but I can certainly get you a long way in understanding the complexity of living and working conditions with an aggressive dog.
Anyone who has ever taken my class or worked with me has probably my "Empty Glass" analogy is. I've never been to explain a simple way why a dog might be good most of the time found, but only loses his mind, when you least expect it. What is it that causes a dog, some days and not others react? Why should a dog for ten years living in perfect harmony, and then one day the proverbial dog sh * t hits the fan?
The Empty Glass. Imagine that every dog has his day starts with an empty glass. There is nothing in it. It is clean and fresh from the dishwasher. Now imagine that every time something happens, stressful, a little (or a lot) of water into the glass. For example, there is a thunderstorm you pour some water into the glass. Now your dog is running in a dog he had a fight with the last week-pour some more water into the glass. One of the kids grabs his face still pour more water in. Each dog, no matter how tolerant, finally overrun. This is what we trainers call "reaches threshold" or "upset". It is when fights happen. It is when people get bitten. We want to avoid this scenario at all costs, if we can.
Now here's the really hard part. Some dogs just because of who they are, you might start the day with a glass that is already three-quarters full. Think fearful dogs, breeds or hyper-adolescents to name a few. These dogs will not leave you with much room. It will take much less for those dogs, as it would be "upset" for the big sloppy Newfoundland whose glass is empty so you would think it had a hole in the ground. The Newfoundland was exposed to exactly the same stressors throughout the day, but never tip over, to overflow because it takes a lot more his glass. Do I make sense?
Our job as coaches and your job as an owner is to figure out how to always overflows the glass. Even better, how to dump the water back as soon as it was poured in.
Keeping the Glass Empty. Become aware of stress signals: Start your research. Find out how you know when your dog is the glass fills. You can do this by reading his body language. If the glass fills, you will know it. You'll see, lip licking, yawning shake, and many more, depending on how your dog is expressive. If you see the signs, pour a little water in order to change the situation or even the distance from the situation.
Learn exercises Caution: Sometimes only teach your dog to focus on you can go a long way to go. The more he is able to fix on another dog or person, the more likely it is that his glass is overflowing. Find a great coach (I can recommend a few!), Allows you to use a clicker to your dog fixation on you instead of the world around him. Over time, you can introduce these stressors in his life again, but for now, to return to work him to Ground Zero.
Discontinue often play: I think that's the number one reason that happen, fighting on the dog park. As you play your dog, the water is slowly trickling into his glass. The longer it is allowed to continuously play, the more likely the game will tip into aggression. Use a well-trained callback to call him out of the game and empty the glass a little. You have a much easier dog and you'll have a much more convenient handler.
Avoid the "rehearsal effect." If you never put the glass of water in the vicinity, it is not likely that it will ever have a chance to overflow! Let your dog near situations that "trigger" is him before he is ready. We are all better on things that we do. Practice on and that applies to problem behavior as well The more your dog is allowed on a leash, fight in the park, jump on people or bark at the mailman pull, the better he gets at it. We do not want our dogs to be good at jumping on people, though I meet all the time ;)
Most of us never have a dog tilts aggression. Although, do not be fooled. Your dog could spend his whole life, just below the rim to spread about, but you have been lucky. I would much rather not rely on luck. I would rather do what I can to keep my own dog glass as empty as possible so that I can be full of ... of happiness, that is :)
Danielle Hodges, CPDT-KA Follow the Leader Inc. is a Toronto-based dog training school that specializes in group training, and asked private in-home behavior. It is by certified trainers Jon Fowles, CPDT-KA and Danielle Hodges, CPDT-KA co-ownership. Feel free to email or call us if you. Questions about any dog and we have to be sure to help you...
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