If you are frustrated with your dog’s behavior in any given situation, the time and place to begin teaching an alternative behavior is NOT during THAT situation.
Planning ahead is important to modifying your pet’s behavior and the underlying emotions associated with, even causing, the behavior…ALWAYS.
Each time you are putting your dog back into THAT situation to rehearse the problems, your dog is learning, even strengthening, associations and unwanted behaviors. You simply can not change behaviors that are being practiced and reinforced on a regular basis.
Additionally, if your dog is experiencing frequently stressful events, more than likely, your dog is also experiencing stress stacking and chronic stress. This can lower your dog’s resilience, and your dog’s ability to cope.
The first step to changing your dog’s behavior is managing to prevent those rehearsals. Ask yourself what you can do to avoid putting your dog – and you – in positions to practice.
What skills will be helpful for you to teach your dog with positive reinforcement, that will support your dog’s success? Practice them over and over, in different environments with different distractions.
Give your dog lots of moments of success! You will feel good about success too!
Gradually move closer to being in the environment where the problem behavior occurs, but ONLY as you and your pet can succeed.
This is a very simplified explanation. Every dog is an individual motivated by different things.
There are dogs who may simply not thrive in certain situations.
There are dogs who may have underlying physical issues.
There are dogs who have different interests.
Every dog has its own learning and personal history.
If you would like help better understanding, please reach out!
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