Cause 4 Paws

Patience - weeks 3 & 4

2009-12-21T07:12:00.002-06:00

Progress has been slow but steady in the same areas of training as in previous weeks. Now, before we start our walk, Patience will sit after the leash is on and wait until the door is open and recently has started to wait until I step forward instead of trying to run outside in front of me. We've also created a few rules for the grass; when she stops to spend half the day sniffing one spot of grass, a leash tug and the words "c'mon" get her moving without a tug-of-war. She goes in the direction of leash tugs more willingly without planting her feet and trying to drag me and is more willing to leave the grass at my suggestion.

There are also further indications of increased relaxation with our routines. When she first moved in one of the signs of her anxiety was the need to defecate as much as four times a day. Now she goes twice in sync with how often she's fed and at regular times of the day. She's also becoming more relaxed and confident about physical contact when I pull her to me or check her ears, feet, etc. Instead of jumping to her feet each time I move, she's begun to occasionally just watch as I travel around the apartment. A further indication is that she's found her favorite resting spots around the place and uses them regularly.

One big point of progress is that as she's relaxed she's begun showing more interest in socializing with other dogs. For the first couple of weeks her strategy was ignoring and avoiding contact. Now she's displaying the typical tail-wagging desire to approach unknown dogs. Instead of her investigating alone, I've had the pleasure of watching her run and play with other dogs for brief periods when we're at the dog park.

So as I said, slow but steady progress.

Patience - 2nd Week

2009-12-06T22:05:00.002-06:00

The second week of Patience's new life revealed some more small improvements in our issues. She appears to be turning out to be a submissive and cooperative lady as she becomes more comfortable and confident in her new home. Part of that progress is also a result of my exploration of which techniques work for Patience, and then consistently using those techniques.

The issues at the door are slowly being resolved by sticking to the combination of waiting patiently before putting on the leash (now she'll stop jumping around and sit) to pulling her back behind me before stepping through the open door (she's begun waiting after being pulled back). She's also beginning to interpret the meaning of a few simple hand signals. The hand raised as if to stop traffic has become "wait" or "stay" in her mind and she has begun to respond. When I need some space I point my finger in any direction and tell her "go play" and that has started to work as well. To get the meaning across I had to persistently push her away in the beginning, but now she complies and it hasn't prevented her from approaching at other times. Such simple but consistent signals will aid communication in the future and her confidence in that communication will help her adjust and relax in her new home.

A couple of advances that I think are more than minor because they involve future issues that will persist throughout our time together have shown significant improvements this week. The first is her response to the "Leave It" command. I have a friend with a 2 year old male Dachshund mix named Jake who lives a block away. We've visited a few times in the last two weeks and they've proved to be perfect training opportunities. Jake is intact (not neutered) and is showing some possessiveness issues. On the occasions we've visited there have been two rawhide-type chews on the floor and Jake immediately grabs one when we enter. Patience got the other rawhide on the first few encounters. Jake would be satisfied with one for a while, then abandon it and try to get the second one from Patience. She displayed some hostility (growling, bared teeth and a snap) the first time, so I intended to teach her some visitors' manners. I took her rawhide from her, placed it on the floor a foot or so in front of her and used the "leave it" command. (It's the same command I've used to make her wait for her food and to wait for treats until she's invited to approach them). I had to push her back the first few times, but she eventually gave up. When she did, Jake took that rawhide and I handed her the one he had abandoned previously. Now when we visit, she won't take a chewy object until it's handed to her and will surrender it with the "leave it" command. The same command causes her to walk away from Jake's food bowl and twice this week she has dropped objects she picked up to eat during the walk when I used the command! I will continue practicing the "leave it" command at my friend's house to reinforce Patience's training, as well as at my own house with treats and her food. It's an important command for a dog to respond to and it will help me keep Patience safe.

The second important improvement is in displays of trust. Patience is slowly relaxing closer to me, allowing me to inspect her feet, ears, eyes and teeth with less protest and is becoming more excited about coming to me when I call. All of these areas were improved by practice and consistency. Each time I called her to me, moved her closer to me or examined her I made sure absolutely nothing uncomfortable happened and she got lavish rewards of affection. Now we are starting to play bite (her teeth, my hands) and other small games that she avoided when she first arrived. Lately she's started jumping on the sofa next to me and has begun to rest her chin on my leg for short periods of time. Besides the obviously gratifying emotional satisfaction I get from these incidents, they are also displays of trust.

One of the important techniques to note is that when I first started checking her feet and ears, she didn't want me to. I had to use corrections to overcome her objections in order to build trust in the first place. The corrections I used were just a forceful "shhh" sound. That plus persistence plus rewards is working quite well. In some circumstances it is necessary to create and enforce rules in order to have the tools to build trust on! Affection alone rarely works. Sometimes a gentle but assertive demand for respect is needed! If used wisely, such demands help, they don't hurt.

More next week. Meanwhile, happy holidays.

Patience - 1st week

2009-11-28T19:54:00.005-06:00

I decided to start training Patience with the walk as a priority. I'm pleased to say there has been some small progress in just one week. I'll start with the behaviors I noticed the day I brought her home one week ago today.

Patience displayed very hyperactive behaviors as soon as I put on a jacket, and those behaviors escalated when I picked up her leash. Putting the leash on her collar was like trying to catch a greased pig. She ran in circles, jumped on me and whined while I was trying to get the leash on. So during the week I started going slow. When I put my jacket on, I simply stood and looked at her until she stopped being hyper. Then I did the same thing after I picked up the leash. Now she doesn't get hyper until after the leash is attached to her collar.

The following behaviors haven't changed much except to become a little less hysterical. Last week, once the leash was on, Patience lunged for the door. I began pulling her back from the door again and again until the lunging stopped. Now she usually only tries once and waits after I pull her back the first time. Then she started lunging again when I reached to unlock the deadbolt, so I've employed the same strategy at that step as well. Now I only have to pull her back once at this stage also. Last week she was lunging again when I turned the door knob, so I've pulled her back repeatedly at this point as well. I still have to do it more than once, but slightly less often than a week ago. Her final bout of lunging occurs when I actually pull the door open and the same strategy is slowly beginning to work in this instance too.

Once we're outside the walking wrestling match begins in earnest. She is absolutely convinced that my job is to faithfully follow wherever she leads and I should keep up or be dragged. I've started by establishing two different protocols: the sidewalk protocol and the grass protocol.

There is a small park a block from my apartment, but every walk starts with the sidewalk protocol until we get there. When we're in the grass I allow her to follow her nose and go where she wishes, but when she pulls me I stop and tug the leash until she stops trying to drag me. Then we resume walking in the direction she wanted to go. After a week, she still tries to drag me but stops with the first leash tug. She seems to understand that we won't proceed until she quits pulling. She still tries, but stops much sooner than she did a week ago. There is another grassy area about halfway through the walk, and the same rules apply there as well. The progress at our second grassy knoll is the same as the park.

The sidewalk protocol has seen very little progress. Here she can't pull me, run ahead of me or change our direction at her whim. This results in a mile and a half of almost constant leash tugs that slow her down for about three steps...then she tries to take over again. Obviously this is going to be the most challenging aspect of the walk for quite some time to come.

Last week Patience seemed to believe that any edible object on the floor was there for her to immediately jump on and eat. In just a week I have convinced her to wait for an invitation to her food bowl and treats placed on the floor. I simply kept pushing her back from them until she quit trying to approach without an invitation. In one short week she now sits when I place her food bowl on the floor until I invite her, and ignores treats on the floor until I pick them up and offer them to her (unless I leave the room). Since this is obviously new behavior for her, she is somewhat hesitant to approach, but I'm putting that down to learning new behavior. As she learns my signals to approach I believe she will become more relaxed as long as I remain consistent. I can imagine an inexperienced dog owner thinking, "Great! Now she's scared to eat." I don't believe that's what the hesitation is about. I think we're learning how to talk to each other.

The other small forms of progress are probably more about Patience beginning to feel more secure in her new home than about training, but there is one incident worth mentioning. One afternoon when I heard some strange noises outside and opened the door to see what was happening, Patience slipped past me. She didn't go far. In fact she stopped right outside the door and looked back with her tail wagging. When I stepped toward her, she turned to take off and stopped when I failed to come out. Small and friendly persuasions failed to lure her back so I went to big and bossy. Standing straight-backed with my chest out and my fists on my hips, I barked at her to come in while I snapped my fingers and pointed at the floor at my feet. She trotted right in, looking at me like "why didn't you just say so?" She didn't didn't even lunge for the door when I stepped over to close it!

So, there has been some small progress in learning to understand each other, and we're both feeling a little more secure in each others' company.

More to come next week.

Patience

2009-11-25T20:39:00.000-06:00

On Nov. 23rd, 2009 I adopted a dog named Patience. She is a seven year old Dachshund/Spaniel mix with a few minor issues. I'm going to be posting weekly updates on the training methods I use to bring Patience and I to an understanding of how things are going to be in my home. I hope these methods and observations may be of use to others.

I live in an apartment and one of the first things to become clear is that Patience is used to having access to a yard. She loves to go out, but has had very little leash training, indicating that she is used to being outdoors and making her own behavioral choices. The apartment complex has a fenced yard but it is surfaced with gravel which apparently doesn't meet the approval of prissy miss Patience. I will be persuading her that it is okay to pee on rocks.

It also became clear quickly that any edible object on the floor "belongs" to Patience. This is another area where I will become the evil tyrant that unfairly obstructs prima-donna Patience's whims.

Patience is obviously used to taking humans for walks and expects us to go where she wishes, stop when she wishes, get moving again at the speed and in the direction she wishes, and all the while silently and compliantly loving her for it. This too her tyrannical new owner will oppose. Oh, the hardships and disappointments miss Patience is about to encounter. How ever will she survive the trauma? I'll keep you posted weekly, so stay tuned.

Leadership Necessities

2009-09-27T10:39:00.009-05:00

       One of the most commonly used words in dog behavior discussions has seriously negative connotations for humans; dominance. In canine perceptions, however, dominance isn't a negative concept, but a necessary one. In an effort to dispel some of the negative human beliefs concerning this phenomenon, I'm going to attempt to define it yet again.

       When dogs (or any social creature, including human children) are willing to repress their instinctive responses due to respect and trust and behave in ways that are approved by another, that other may be called "dominant" (or a "leader"). In the human social group (the family) behaviorists would refer to the parent as "dominant". Dominance is frequently perceived as involving coercion or intimidation, but it is actually about trust and respect. When members of a social group pattern their behavior after the behavior or wishes of another group member, dominance has occurred.

       As with children, a pattern of respect and trust can be established with dogs by the setting and following of daily behavioral rules. As we teach our children good manners and proper social behavior they develop trust and respect for our guidance. These rules are frequently used by children in emotionally charged situations even when we aren't present. When a pattern of guidance has been established in daily life, then a dog is also more likely and willing to defer to human judgment in emotionally charged situations in which danger or a threat is perceived by the dog (such as encountering other dogs or people outside of the home). Dominance is nothing more than setting a good example and creating a set of consistent behaviors that encourage group members to pattern their behavior after the actions or wishes of another group member they respect and trust.

       While there are many parallels involved however, gaining the respect and trust of canines cannot be done in exactly the ways that are successful with human children. A lot of verbal and written instructions and explanations can be utilized when dealing with humans that aren't possible with dogs. Therefore, dealing with canines requires the use of Behavioral Indications of Status (BIS). In order to have a content but well-behaved dog, humans must tend to their pack BIS.
   Dogs interpret the following behaviors as indications of dominant status:
       1) A pack member that displays dominant postures and body language.
       2) A pack member that exhibits self-control.
       3) A pack member that takes control of the behavior of its followers.
       4) A pack member that takes control of situations the pack encounters.

Displays of Dominance
   When a dog displays dominance it makes itself as large as possible. The head is held high, the ears are erect and the tail is up. Its chest is pushed forward, its legs are spread shoulder-width apart and the feet are turned slightly outward as if ready to take action. It will use sustained direct eye contact and turn face-on as if in confrontation.

       When a human is controlling a dog we should display similar attributes. We should stand straight-backed with our chins up and our shoulders back, pushing our chest forward. Our legs should be shoulder-width apart with our feet turned slightly outward and we should balance partly on the balls of our feet as if ready to step into action. We should make sustained direct eye contact and be face-forward to the dog. In other words, we should display our status in ways dogs will instinctively recognize as leadership postures.

Displays of Self-control
   Many of us have heard the statement "Don't let an aggressive dog see your fear". This is a valid strategy, although it doesn't go far enough. When we experience emotions chemical changes occur in our brains which trigger chemical changes in our bodies as well. Canine noses are sensitive enough to smell these chemical changes, rendering it virtually impossible to disguise our feelings in the perceptions of dogs. To the canine mind, humans experiencing these feelings are not a threat in itself. When our bodies simultaneously display indications that these emotions are overwhelming us, dogs see this event as weakness or threat. Therefore, experiencing fear in the presence of an aggressive dog isn't dangerous, but appearing to be unable to control our fear is. Being controlled by fear can result in unpredictable and possibly dangerous behavior (panic reactions, etc.). Frightened humans aren't seen as dangerous by dogs, but frightened humans who don't control their fear are definitely perceived as a threat.

   This holds true for any emotion. Love is a welcome emotion for dogs to detect in us, but when we love to the point that it is displayed in body language, tone of voice, facial expression and behavior it is perceived as weakness the dog can gain control of. Being controlled by even a positive emotion disqualifies us to lead in the eyes of dogs and instinct demands that they must take control.

       Anger is an unwelcome emotion, but anger that causes us to make fists of our hands, clench our jaws, thrust our heads and shoulders forward aggressively and raise our voices is a threat. Then the anger is controlling us, not the reverse. Any display we present that indicates we are controlling the physical manifestations of our emotions is perceived as self-control and is more trustworthy.

       Dogs will respond to any emotion we experience, but when they perceive that the emotion is controlling us, they can't trust us to lead regardless of the positive or negative nature of the emotion. When we perform obvious displays of controlling our emotions our leadership status is reinforced.

Taking Control of Followers
        Canine interpretations of control are different than ours. For example, a dog that is physically in front of a human sees itself as confronting dangers and threats and therefore, the dog is in control of the pack. This is why allowing the dog to be in front during the walk is a mistake. When a dog hears a knock or bell at the door and charges the door, it doesn't see humans as being in control if they are standing behind the dog and grabbing their collar. Being physically behind the dog is being a follower. People who are attempting to control a dog that is lunging against its leash usually fail to change the dog's behavior because in the dog's mind they can't be in control if they are behind the dog; they are followers interfering with the leader's duties and increasing the dog's frustration.

       In the canine mind, those in control confront their followers. Any of the situations mentioned in the previous paragraph can be more quickly controlled by simply stepping in front of the dog and confronting them face-to-face.

       Another behavior dogs interpret as control is persisting until the follower surrenders and complies. If you tell your dog to sit and it doesn't want to, it will challenge your authority by refusing. The one that gives up first is seen as voluntarily surrendering to the others control. If you persist until the dog sits it will see you as taking control and it will elevate your status. If you give up before the dog complies you surrender status. Quitters can't be trusted as leaders!

Controlling Situations
        There are several situations during which we must be in control for a dog to instinctively believe in our leadership. These are situations where a dominant canine pack leader would control the pack followers behaviors and thereby induce an instinctive "respect" response in dogs.
       1) During pack motion (the walk).
       2) During meal times (both human and canine).
       3) During times of relaxation.
       4) During play (socialization practice).

       I'll provide more information about each of these situations in future posts. Meanwhile there is a more critical strategy to consider and it is the one humans most frequently fail to be consistent in.
The Stick and the Carrot
   The single behavior that most often undermines a dog's wish to establish trust and respect for their human companions is the human failing to take any action whatsoever. Unwanted behaviors should be corrected and desired behaviors should be rewarded; consistently! This is the simplest training strategy that can be implemented with any social creature, be they dogs, horses or human children. The need to communicate effectively is absolutely essential to guiding the behaviors of anyone, human or canine. Tell your dog when you approve and when you don't using techniques and methods dogs understand! A leader communicates consistently and effectively.

Learning Disability

2009-09-07T12:24:00.003-05:00

Even with more than twenty five years of experience working with dogs, I am living proof that on the right day and with the right series of mistakes anyone can get bitten on the face. It happened to me last Saturday (Aug. 29).

My first mistake was allowing myself to be persuaded to consider taking a dog based on the circumstances of the people who had the dog, rather than the dog itself. People who want to give a dog to someone else ALWAYS have some series of dire reasons or circumstances for why it has to happen TODAY. On the day in question, I allowed myself to be influenced by the story more than I should have.

My second mistake was arrogantly assuming that the dog’s behavior was ONLY a result of owner ignorance. The dog was very dominant and I assumed it had simply not been trained by previous owners. He pulled everywhere he wanted to go and wasn’t susceptible to persuasion about who was in charge. He marked frequently and ignored his name and instructions.

My third mistake was being taken with the dog’s appearance rather than it’s behavior. He was a Husky/Malamute mix that had perfect husky markings while being large (at least 60 lbs. and maybe more).

Another mistake was accepting the information I was offered at face value. He wasn’t six years old, but considerably younger and more excitable than that level of maturity would create. He may have adjusted to the other animals where he had been, but that is no indication that he would tolerate other dogs or cats in a different environment.

My next mistake was forgetting that canines are carnivorous predators and are capable of disguising their intentions.

When we encountered a smaller, yappier dog at the park Bob-O (the Husky) responded with very aggressive behavior. When I successfully backed him off and calmed him down I thought this would be a good training opportunity. We approached again and I successfully calmed him again. After repeating the exercise a few times, I relaxed and sat on the grass not far from the other dog. Bob-O put on a good show of being calm and sniffing the grass, etc. He was actually maneuvering himself to attack and controlling him from ground level was my final mistake. I pulled him back to me and went to one knee to rise to a standing position. That’s when he turned and bit me on the face.

At the emergency room I had the embarrassing experience of explaining that I am an experienced canine behaviorist who had his face ripped open by a dog. One tetanus shot and several stitches later I was released.

Animal control has Bob-O now for a ten day evaluation that is very likely to result in him being euthanized. It’s very easy to allow our own expectations to overide our common sense where dogs are concerned. It’s necessary to ALWAYS remember dogs are canines with the instinctive behaviors of carniverous predators! I have a new scar to prove it.

Sonny

2009-06-06T20:56:00.003-05:00

About 5 weeks ago a NMAF (New Mexico Animal Friends) foster called me about an 8 year old American bulldog female named Sonny. She’s got problems controlling her aggression around other dogs. During my initial visit I showed the foster how to convince Sonny that her human care-taker is the boss and then how to start controlling Sonny more with her mind than with the leash.

On my second visit two weeks ago there was some minor improvement in Sonny’s behavior. The foster (who works as well as cares for several animals) had been unable to work with Sonny daily, and the other dogs were not reacting well to my presence. Both of these circumstances prevented Sonny from showing her best behavior.

Today we met outside of a Pet Smart where NMAF had an adoption clinic going and we worked at a distance from all of the activity. Dogs were brought singly to the area as we worked with Sonny and she definitely put her best foot forward. At one point, Sonny was lying on her side and totally relaxed within 5 feet of 4 other dogs!

We practiced walking past and then behind other dogs that were being led on leash and we practiced having Sonny sit calmly as other dogs walked past her. We led Sonny within a few feet of a dog as we circled that dog, and at one point we walked beside another handler while she led a different dog. There were some minor attempts by Sonny to react to the other dogs, but she was easily persuaded to ignore them.

Sonny did extremely well and I hope her foster is giving herself credit for the progress they have made. I also hope Sonny’s performance convinced some skeptics that the dog CAN be rehabilitated, no matter how bad her previous behavior has been. Once people learn the keys to dog behavior, NO dog is hopeless!!!!

Sachem and Buddy

2009-05-31T21:39:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I went on a follow-up visit to a couple who had called about a dog that was beginning to display aggressive behaviors. I had seen them two weeks ago and had given them some unexpected advice. Their German shepherd mix Sachem was the dog they had called me about, while reassuring me that the other dog, Buddy, was friendly but hyper active. I suggested that Buddy’s hyper activity was what was stressing Sachem, and if they concentrated their efforts on calming Buddy down, Sachem’s behavior would mellow as well.

I demonstrated some techniques to convince both dogs that the humans in their pack are in charge and they’ve implemented those techniques for the last two weeks. There was a noticeable improvement in the behaviors of both dogs and things were going well, though slowly.

The ring of the door bell creates immediate havoc by Buddy and Sachem gets caught up in it. I showed the couple how to produce calmer behavior in Buddy by ignoring his demands for attention and was immediately rewarded by Sachem with some enthusiastic face-licking. He then proceeded to lie down and relax. While we were working with Buddy, Sachem made frequent efforts to calm his pack mate down by mounting and humping, as well as nipping at Buddy’s neck. All of these behaviors were the indicators that verified that Buddy is Sachem’s problem and when the couple has succeeded in calming Buddy down, Sachem will follow suit.

When the couple revealed that they had purchased a back-pack, we loaded it with canned goods and put it on Buddy. The calming affect was immediate and obvious. He was far from completely calm, but vastly improved over previous behaviors. I suggested they have some people come for a visit and put the pack on Buddy fifteen minutes before the expected arrival. I also suggested they put the pack on him any time he started to become too hyper, as well as during the walk.

This profound behavioral change is due to the dog’s understanding of what is being asked of him. In a normal situation he has free reign to choose his own social behavior, but no instinctive knowledge of human social rules. When the humans in his pack become dominant by Buddy’s canine standards, it will convince him that the humans in the pack are qualified to give him behavioral directions. However, this is long-term rehabilitation. Putting the pack on his back gave him a job and he knew he was now required to “carry a load.” This provided some of the behavioral instruction he was missing and had an immediate calming affect on him. Giving a dog a job they can understand will frequently alter their behavior dramatically.

Canine Behavioral Influences

2009-05-23T08:45:00.002-05:00

Domestic dog behaviors are subject to three major behavioral influences:
1) The dog’s breed.
2) The dog’s personality.
3) The immediate environment.

The most important of these, and the only one we have control over, is the environment, which includes the presence and emotional and mental states of the dog’s pack members. In the dog’s eyes, this includes us.

We humans have the ability to create “what if” scenarios in our heads and form a plan based on a chain of logic to deal with or alter our environments. The parts of our brains that make these things possible don’t exist in dogs. Canines can only view their environments based on what they perceive through canine senses at that moment, and then react with canine behaviors to that environment. They can’t alter the environment based on what they create in their minds or alter their behavioral options based on “what if I were human” speculations. This means that all of the behaviors dogs exhibit in a human environment are canine reactions to that environment. They can’t imagine a different environment and form a plan to alter their living conditions. They can’t even escape that environment since fences and doors hold them captive. Therefore, every unwanted or dangerous behavior a dog displays is a reaction to the environment we subject them to.

This is all a very round-about way of pointing out that we are responsible for the behavioral reactions of our dogs…even the ones we don’t appreciate. Our dogs can’t alter their environments and thereby create different reactions to that environment.

From the 1997 edition of Webster’s Universal College Dictionary

“environment 1. the aggregate of surrounding things, conditions, or influences…3. the social and cultural forces that shape a person or population.”

Notice the use of the words “social and cultural forces” in this definition. When our dogs interpret our behaviors through canine eyes and choose a canine response to what they perceive, we have provided the social and cultural forces that shape their behavior. We actually create their behavior by choosing how we present ourselves to our dogs. People who lack accurate knowledge of how dogs perceive and react to our human presentation frequently encourage unwanted or dangerous behaviors in their dogs. In order for dogs to be safe in a human environment (and for humans to be safe while keeping a predatory species as a pet) we must realize we are dealing with a species that doesn’t interpret our actions in the same way we do, and therefore won’t respond to our actions the same we would. Canines have their own social and cultural rules of behavior that are appropriate for predators living in wild conditions. It is essential that we understand those rules.

Behavior Sources

2009-05-21T08:33:00.003-05:00

Although this is grossly simplified, dog behavior can be said to consist of differing amounts of four basic components: animal behavior, species behavior, breed tendencies and personality influences. The differing blends of these components are what make every dog a unique individual.

Animal behavior includes basic survival skills such as a willingness to pursue and grasp prey with the mouth. It also involves the defensive skills, such as the willingness to confront a threat or run from one. In other words, the “fight or flight” instinctive responses all animals rely on for survival.

Species behaviors are those behaviors employed by canines specifically, and in the case of domestic dogs, pack behaviors. These include canine methods of communication and canine social rules. Some were discussed in the posts concerning PIBs.

Breed behaviors are those behavioral tendencies common to certain breeds. It’s important to note that these behaviors are tendencies only and not behavioral rules carved in stone. Animal and species behaviors are behavioral rules carved in stone.

The personality influences are obviously those behaviors that are the result of the individual dog’s physical, emotional and mental characteristics determined by the dog’s genetics.

Every dog is a unique blend of these four behavioral sources. Some dogs are much more primal (animal) than others, while some are more social (species) than others. Some display both behaviors in a placid way while others are more volatile. What’s important here is that all dogs will present animal and species behaviors that are then influenced by breed and personality traits. Most dog owners are well aware of their dog’s personality and many become acquainted with the tendencies of their dog’s breed. For some reason denial sets in concerning animal and species behaviors. We often want our dogs to be little humans so badly that we become convinced they’re not animals at all. However, the animal and species behaviors of dogs are the two behavioral sources that determine what all dogs are most likely to do at any given time. The breed and personality traits are merely influences that affect how the dog will present their animal and species behaviors.

The PIBs discussed in earlier posts are brief descriptions of species behaviors that dogs instinctively rely on and these are the behaviors I most often teach customers experiencing unwanted or dangerous behaviors with their dogs. In my opinion, these are the things rescue groups should be teaching dog owners. This knowledge will result in a much better understanding of dog behavior and how to control it.

When to be Bossy

2009-05-19T09:39:00.002-05:00

There are three critical activities during which human leadership will convince a dog the humans are in charge; during feeding times, on the walk and during shared activities such as play.

Canine instinctive knowledge creates some necessary meal-time rules. The pack leader eats first, undisturbed by the rest of the pack. Failing to understand this is the source of many dog behavior problems. In the canine mind subordinates share their food with more dominant pack members on demand. If we share our food while we are eating, we‘re telling our dogs we are subordinate. A dominant dog will require a subordinate to keep its distance while the dominant one eats. If the dominant dog is willing to share, it will leave some behind when it’s finished and the subordinate dog is free to scavenge the remains. For those of us who insist on sharing human food with dogs, if we wait until we’re finished and leave some behind for the dog we can avoid declaring a subordinate status.

Those people who use automatic feeding devices so their dogs can eat at their whim are making a serious error for their own convenience. In the dog’s mind, possession is control. When the dog is free to possess food whenever it wishes, then it controls the food. Dominance controls, therefore the dog must see itself as dominant. The most obvious clue to this canine attitude is the fact that food aggression only occurs after the dog possesses the food. The dog stands over its bowl and warns others to keep their distance. If we provide enough food for a single meal only, the dog sees that we possess and control the food and therefore we are dominant.

When the pack is in motion, dogs take leadership very literally. If we walk our dogs with them in front and us following, they believe they are the leaders and in control. Taking control away from the dog by making them stay beside us makes us the leader in the dog’s eyes. When the dog believes it is the leader, it also believes it is their job to respond to possible threats, challengers or prey. This is why so many dogs lunge at other dogs or take off after cats, squirrels, etc. When confronted with these conditions, the dog believes whoever takes control is in charge. When a dog lunges at these targets, we must gain control of the dog’s mind and require them to choose a different action in order to convince them we are in control.

When we are engaged in an activity that the dog wishes to join in, we must also control how and when they participate. These are all moments when the big and bossy posture is a positive tool for displaying dominance. A dog’s behavior is always based on who it perceives as being in control and the proper posture at the right moment will convey the message of how we perceive our own status compared to the dogs.

Being a Leader

2009-05-13T10:46:00.004-05:00

Looking at the list of needs in the previous post, it’s clear that the only way to provide for all of a dog’s needs in a human environment is to be the dog’s leader. This isn’t a condition we can just decide exists, however; the dog must believe it. So how do we convince them? Using the same methods dominant dogs use.

When a canine mother is correcting members of its litter, the puppies learn to respect her. She is the source of many of the consequences of the puppy’s actions. She’ll use a series of increasing consequences until the puppy surrenders to her will, and it’s very effective if we create a series of human equivalents to those corrections. First she’ll use direct, sustained eye contact and a bossy posture. If that doesn’t work, she’ll take a step forward while increasing the intensity of her gaze and add a sound (growl, bark, etc.). If that doesn’t work she’ll use physical contact such as a bump with her nose or placing a paw on the puppy. If that still doesn’t convince the puppy, she’ll pin it to the ground until it surrenders.

There are a few important aspects of this process that we should notice. First, the mother takes action to gain control (necessary to be dominant) and persists until she succeeds. Next, she will consistently use the same series of actions so the puppy learns each stage of the consequences of its actions. As the puppy learns this series of consequences and begins to understand that others will follow, it begins surrendering sooner during the process and fewer consequences become necessary with time. Finally, she has demonstrated to us the most successful forms of corrections to use with dogs; posture/eye contact, sound, touch and forced submission. Since every dog is familiar with this series of consequences due to its experiences with its own mother, we can use the same series regardless of the dog’s age and they will work.

There are only two postures needed to train a dog successfully; big and bossy and small and friendly. The big and bossy posture is used to correct or teach and the small and friendly posture is used to reward, play or share affection. The big and bossy posture consists of standing tall with the shoulders back, the chest pushed out and the hands on the hips. The legs should be shoulder width apart and the feet turned slightly outward as if you’re ready to take action. A serious facial expression and direct sustained eye contact should be included. The small and friendly posture consists of getting as close to eye level with the dog as possible with the arms held close to the body. A smile and brief glances should accompany this posture.

The best sound to use is whatever gets the dog to look at you. I use a “shush” sound but other people have chosen “hey” or an “aagghh” sound. It doesn’t matter what sound is chosen, as long as it is used consistently and it always means the same thing; “Look at me!” This sound should also have a slight bark to it indicating a serious need for the dog to pay attention. A wimpy sound is easy to ignore.

The best touching methods are those that dogs use on each other. I use two fingers to simulate the feel of fangs when I touch (not jab or pinch) the side or back of a dog’s neck.
Dogs bump and shoulder each other and a bump with the knee or a push with the hand will simulate these methods easily.
Describing the submission (pinning the dog to the ground) in written words would require a lengthy post that wouldn’t adequately explain it anyway. I described it in my book “Trainer Train Thyself” and never felt it was really a very effective way to pass that particular information to others. The best thing to do is watch the television program “The Dog Whisperer” and see it demonstrated.

True Dog Needs

2009-05-11T09:51:00.002-05:00

Since the eight PIBs are important behaviors dogs exhibit instinctively, these are the behaviors we have to make adjustments for in a human domestic setting. These PIBs describe the environmental and behavioral needs of domestic dogs. The PIBs themselves are needs, and each PIB creates a subset of needs that are derived from it. So by examining them, it’s possible to list the needs that people must address for dogs to be comfortable in their homes.

1) Assess, classify and respond- Dogs need a reliable source of information to simplify their lives. The instinctive knowledge data base provided for this PIB is one such source, a list of learned responses could be another and a recognized human authority figure could be yet another.
2) Obsessed attention- Dogs need human guidance and control to prevent their instinctive behaviors from allowing them to harm others or themselves in a human environment.
3) Join a pack- Dogs require social structure, which creates a need for:
a) Sharing risk, responsibilities and rewards. To do this, dogs need:
1) Companionship
2) Behavioral consistency in the pack.
3) Peer approval.
b) Environmental familiarity. To obtain this in a human environment dogs need:
1) Common language.
2) Knowledge of social rules.
3) Knowledge of geographical boundaries.
4) Packs must have leaders- an instinctive need that creates a need for:
a) A higher authority to set behavioral standards.
b) A higher authority to settle internal disputes.
c) A higher authority to enforce status.
d) A source of behavioral consistency.
5) Follow a leader- A hierarchy of leaders and followers creates a need for:
a) A set of responses for leadership qualifications, including:
1) Willingness and ability to set and reinforce boundaries (geographical
and behavioral).
2) Consistency.
3) Guidance in a common language.
b) A set of responses for follower behaviors (passive acceptance).
6) Life is earned- Dogs need a source of self-esteem, which creates a need for:
a) A clear understanding of their status.
b) A clear understanding of their tasks.
c) Participation in daily survival activities.
d) Guidance in a common language.
7) Constant testing- Dogs need to know that the pack and its members are
strong.
8) Life is motion- Dogs need to be in motion, which creates a need for:
a) Physically challenging activities.
b) Mentally challenging activities.
From this list of canine needs, it’s possible to determine what a dog owner should provide for their pet in order for a dog to be safe, secure and happy in a human environment. There is only one critical need that encompasses all of the others, and it is frequently the one owners fail to provide: TIME. It’s impossible to provide for the needs of a dog if an owner is too busy with their own lives to interact with the dog. All too often people claim to love their dogs but don’t have time to share with their pet. A dog in this situation is merely being kept in captivity, and is not enjoying a good and healthy life for a dog. People who lack time to share should consider getting something other than a dog for a pet.
The needs of dogs create the guidelines for what a dog owner needs to be and provide:
1) A dominant leader. To be this we must provide:
a) The willingness to be a source of information about behavioral and
geographical boundaries that will allow the dog to be safe and secure in
a human environment.
b) The control that prevents the dog’s instinctive responses from allowing
it to be a danger to itself or others in an environment it can’t
understand.
c) The willingness and ability to control ourselves, the dog and the
situation.
2) The willingness and ability to provide a structure the dog can understand and feel
secure in. To do this we must provide:
a) The consistency of behavior that creates effective communication with
the dog.
b) The willingness to use methods of communication and guidance the
dog can understand.
c) The willingness to learn what is necessary to understand what the dog is
telling its owner.
d) The patience to allow the dog to challenge, and the assertiveness to
insist the dog must follow the rules anyway.
e) The willingness to provide physical, mental and social challenges for
the dog.

Summarizing this list is easy. Owners should willingly assume the position of dominant pack leader according to their dog’s definition and understanding of that social position. By assuming the role of dominant leader according to canine standards an owner will fulfill all of the needs of their dog, allowing their pets to be safe, secure and happy in a human environment while still being a dog.

Life is Motion

2009-05-10T08:54:00.000-05:00

This PIB is the result of the lifestyle of canine packs in the wild. Canine packs are migratory and they change locations in response to the changes in seasons, as well as the migratory patterns of their prey. The daily lives of canine packs involve being in motion as well. Hunting and patrolling the territory keep canines on the move many hours of the day. This is another instinctive pattern that many dog owners don’t address, and failing to do so can result in additional stress and anxiety for domestic dogs.

The importance of this PIB is motion with purpose. Dogs instinctively understand the purpose of the hunt and of patrolling a territory in the wild. When dogs are confined to a human yard or house, they frequently seek (and can’t find) a purpose for the motions available to them. Many unwanted dog behaviors are frustrated attempts to perform actions they understand in a restricted environment such as:
1) Barking endlessly.
2) Digging for no apparent reason.
3) Jumping repeatedly for no reason.
4) Running in circles.
5) Sniffing endlessly.
6) Chewing continuously.
Often domestic dogs perform these (and other) behaviors frantically or obsessively. They are frequently performing behaviors they understand, but to an extreme because they don’t know what else to do in a human environment. These otherwise normal behaviors are overdone to relieve the dog’s stress and anxiety. Instinct drives a dog to perform behaviors that contribute to the well being of the pack, but lacking human instruction, they are limited to the behaviors they know how to do. So they overdo those behaviors.

A couple of thirty-minute walks per day and thirty minutes of active play per day will go a long way toward alleviating this kind of stress and anxiety. Frequent visits to places outside of the yard will also help. Opportunities for the dog to socialize with other dogs outside of its own territory provide relief as well. Training and play can occur outside of our yards too. These are all activities with purposes that dogs can understand and they address the instinctive need for the dog to be in motion.

Dogs are provided with the drives and energy levels needed to survive in the wild. If we don’t find ways for the dog to consume its energy, the energy will consume the dog.

Constant Testing

2009-05-09T08:38:00.001-05:00

The “Constant Testing” PIB is a result of the law of the jungle; the strong survive. This is a necessary canine attitude in a kill-or-be-killed environment and dogs believe it instinctively. Since a human domestic environment isn’t the wild, dogs have toned down this attitude considerably, yet it still influences their behavior. The rough and tumble play dogs engage in is not just entertainment, but tests of each others strength as well. Another manifestation of this PIB is the need to challenge authority, especially if any weakness is detected.

Many customers have said, “I told my dog to stop, but he (or she) didn’t listen, so I gave up.” In giving up, these people told their dogs that the humans didn’t have the strength to win a challenge and therefore weren’t qualified to be the boss. This frequently occurs prior to the walk and the dog bursts out of the door convinced that its human wants the dog to be in charge. Then the human confusingly tries to take control when the dog sees another dog (or cat, squirrel, car, person…etc.). This is one of the major sources of stress for dogs; humans that behaviorally signal that they don’t want to be the boss, and then try to control the dog.

A dogs need to test the strength of their human pack members is instinctive and they can’t help it. This is why people who have an objection to being their dog’s boss experience so many behavior problems with their dogs. They don’t know when they are being challenged or tested and don’t realize when they fail in the eyes of their dogs.

The rules for being a pack leader are;
1) Take action to gain control.
2) Persist until the other pack member surrenders.

Testing the strength of pack members is necessary for survival. If the human surrenders first during testing, the dog is in charge. Dogs can’t see it any other way.

Once a dog becomes convinced it is the leader, its only source of behavioral information is instinct, which is appropriate for a pack of canines in the wild. A dog is not required to take instructions from followers, and is instinctively driven not to do so. When the dog encounters a situation that raises its emotional level (confrontation, sighting prey, excitement, etc.) people don’t matter. Only the dog’s instinctive instructions are important. The obsessed attention PIB kicks in and the dog often becomes uncontrollable.

Life is Earned

2009-05-08T06:23:00.001-05:00

There are a lot of people who insist dogs don’t feel things like self-esteem. I disagree. The PIB “Life is Earned” tells dogs that they must work for their right to be part of a pack. They must contribute to the day-to-day survival of the group in order to earn a share of the food and protection obtained by being in a pack. Their methods of contributing are instinctive knowledge and how well and eagerly they perform those tasks determines the pack leaders willingness to support their status.

Those tasks are the first things that disappear in a human domestic environment. Participating in the hunt and patrolling and defending the pack’s territory are the two major contributions of pack members in the wild. Teaching and protecting the litter are others. When we take these instinctive tasks away by bringing a dog into our homes and replace them with nothing, dogs often become stressed and confused. How do they earn their status? How do they contribute to the well being of the group? Why do they have the right to be with group? In order for a dog to feel comfortable and secure in a human home, we should find some way to answer these questions.

Dog trainers and others have recommended sit-down-stay training for years, and for some reason most dog owners aren’t interested. The best reason to engage in these activities is so the dog can feel it is performing tasks that are required in a human environment and thus earn its keep. I use short training sessions each time my dog gets fed (twice a day), each time she gets a treat and each time we go for a walk. On the walk she carries a back pack with twenty percent of her body weight as a load. Besides the fact that these techniques help convince her I’m the boss, she also earns her way in her own mind. She’s a very happy dog (and well behaved)!

One of the cases I worked on in Albuquerque was a very dog aggressive Husky that everyone (vets and adoption groups) suggested should be put down. I evaluated him as being aggressive to protect himself because of low self-esteem. I recommended a vigorous daily task he could believe was a job. The foster got a pulling harness and had him drag an old tire around her yard every day. A couple of months later I met this dog at a dog park and he was peacefully socializing with other dogs.

Dogs have a very serious work ethic and some effort on our part to provide for this need will always help our canine companions. They aren’t rocket scientists, so any activity done daily can be perceived by them as necessary for the well being of a human pack, even if we typically call it fun. Fetch the ball or Frisbee, if done daily and consistently can be seen by a dog as a necessary contribution to the well being of the pack.

Follow a Leader

2009-05-07T12:16:00.001-05:00

This PIB requires a dog to follow the instructions of pack members it sees as having a higher status then itself. Those people who object to being their dog’s boss should recognize the fact that obedience to authority is instinctive in dogs, and therefore no harm or distress is being caused by humans being in charge. Many of the dogs I’ve been asked to help have exhibited stress and anxiety and had been acting out because there was no other authority in the pack. They were required to lead in an environment they didn’t understand and they needed someone to tell them how they should behave in human environments and human social situations. Being social, they were aware that there should be rules, but no one was telling them what those rules were.

This is one of the biggest differences between human and canine thinking. Humans want to believe in social equality and canines can’t. Instinct tells dogs in a pack that there must be bosses. If we aren’t the boss, dogs believe they must be. For a dog, it isn’t optional.

A pack follower is instinctively driven to follow the leader. One of the clearest examples of dogs following instinctive instructions due to lack of leadership are those dogs that want to pursue prey or fight other dogs during the walk. A follower waits for the leader to act and then either actively supports the leader’s actions or passively accepts those actions. Dogs with no recognized leader act independently and defy attempts to control them. Another example would be those dogs that greet visitors as if the dog is insane, regardless of whether those greetings are friendly or hostile. Lacking leadership, they choose the actions that instinctively seem right to them and express their anxiety through hysteria.

Other examples include dogs that “can’t be trained”. In the dog’s eyes, the humans attempting to train them aren’t the boss and therefore aren’t qualified. Another example is dogs that exhibit aggression toward pack members. Aggression is the last option of a leader whose followers are refusing to learn or obey. If the dog was a follower, it would never exhibit aggression toward a higher-status pack member.

All of these unwanted behaviors are produced by people who refuse to lead because they want to feel like kind dog lovers, but don’t understand canine instinctive needs. They are actually gratifying their own emotional needs at the expense of the dog’s feelings of security and confidence.

Packs Must Have Leaders

2009-05-06T06:50:00.002-05:00

Instinctive knowledge tells dogs that packs must have a hierarchy. In their minds the issue is unalterable. Those with higher status in the pack have the right and the authority to direct Fido’s behavior and teach new behavioral responses, even though it may require Fido to override instinctive responses. Those with lower status in the pack can be ignored at Fido’s whim and instinctive responses will rule Fido’s behavior. Since canine instinctive responses are designed for living with a pack of canines in wild conditions, many of those responses are inappropriate or just plain dangerous in a human domestic environment.

In order to keep our dogs safe from being hit by cars, electrocuted by household appliances or being deemed dangerous by animal control and euthanized, we absolutely must have a higher position in the pack in the eyes of our dogs. Many dog owners don’t like the thought of being their dog’s boss, but for the animal’s own safety it is absolutely essential. They cannot understand the dangers or consequences of their actions in a human domestic environment.

This PIB instinctively requires dogs to seek and follow a leader. Canine standards for leadership are easily identified and have only two rules. A leader will:
1) Take action to gain control.
2) Persist until the subordinate pack member surrenders to their will.
Any human displaying these behaviors with their dog will be seen as a dominant pack member with the right and authority to direct the dog’s behavior. Those humans who don’t display these behaviors are followers and the dog must take over because there must always be a leader. As the leader, the dog must follow its own instinctive behavioral programming.

That sounds way too simple because there are some conditions attached. First, the dog must see the human as being in control, but canine standards don’t recognize being restrained by a leash as control. We must control the dog’s mind, not just restrain its body. Second, in order to qualify as suitable to control a dog, we must control ourselves. If we appear to be out of control (afraid, angry, impatient, overwhelmed with love, etc.) the dog can’t believe we are controlling ourselves and therefore, we can’t be trusted to control the dog either. Third, the dog must believe we are in control of whatever situation we and the dog find ourselves in. If we freeze in front of an oncoming vehicle, we aren’t controlling the situation and the dog will take over.

According to canine standards there are postures, body language and facial expressions that indicate dominance as well. One of the easiest behaviors to implement with dogs is the use of posture to convey messages. There are only two that matter: small and friendly and big and bossy. When correcting behavior or teaching new ones, big and bossy is the posture to use. For affection, play or getting the dog to come to us, small and friendly is the best choice.

Simply knowing about canine instinctive behavioral requirements allows us to communicate more effectively with our dogs and keep them safe and controlled in a human environment without hating ourselves while we do it.

Join a Pack

2009-05-05T06:21:00.001-05:00

Dogs are social animals and the drive to live with a group is very strong. How comfortable the dog feels within a certain group is determined by how well the dog understands the group. The canine pack shares risks, responsibilities and rewards as well as a common language. Unfortunately, instinctive knowledge only allows dogs to understand the canine versions of these things. If a dog joins a human pack and those humans don’t make an effort to share these ideals in ways the dog can understand, the dog becomes anxious, frustrated, confused and uncertain and will begin “acting out” to express its discomfort.

The risks of pack life in the wild involve struggling for the survival of the group. The responsibilities include feeding and protecting the group. The rewards are security and safety within a kill-or-be-killed environment. Obviously, as soon as a dog joins a human group in a human domestic environment everything changes.

If a social animal that believes its position within the pack is determined by how well it hunts and defends the group, should become part of a human pack where these tasks are no longer necessary, how will that animal earn its self-esteem and the right to be part of the group? If that group doesn’t communicate in a language the dog understands how can the dog discover what its new responsibilities are or that its instinctive behaviors are no longer appropriate? If a social animal knows that group-living requires rules of social behavior but it doesn’t understand the rules of that group, how can it avoid becoming stressed and frustrated? If an animal that understands the environment and conditions of living in the wild, should become part of a domestic situation, how can it understand what is necessary for survival in that environment? The answer to all of these questions is: they can’t so we must tell them in ways they understand!

The fact that so many humans don’t explain things to dogs in ways the dogs understand is the source of many unwanted dog behaviors. If we communicate with dogs as if they are human, they won’t understand most of it and they’ll need three forevers to understand the rest.

For example, when a dog wants to wrestle and play with another dog, it will run up and plant both front feet on the other dog. If that other dog wants to wrestle and play, it will stand up and plant its front feet on the other dog as well. When a dog jumps up on a human and that human doesn’t like it, they put their two front limbs on the dog and push them away. The human is saying, “Stop that!” Unfortunately, the dog is hearing, “Okay! Let’s wrestle and play!” A dog can only interpret our behaviors in a canine way. They cannot understand what we do in a human context.

So when that dog jumps on a human and the human responds in the typical way, that dog believes it is being rewarded by getting what it wants; to wrestle and play. The human is actually teaching the dog to do what the human doesn’t want it to do! The same situation arises in dozens of dog behaviors that people don’t appreciate. Frequently we reward them for performing unwanted behaviors by not being aware of how the dog interprets our actions. The dog ends up living in a group that is confusing and unpredictable. They become stressed and frustrated and start acting out.

Obsessed Attention

2009-05-04T07:24:00.001-05:00

When a predator is hunting, the ability to focus on a target and exclude all other distractions determines whether it will eat or not. The same is true when confronting a threat. When a dog focuses on a target, it becomes so obsessed that it will block out sounds, sights or smells that may distract it. When your dog catches sight of the neighbor’s cat, you can stand in front of the dog to try to block its vision and it will simply look around you as if you’re nothing more than a tree or a boulder. You cease to exist as a living entity and become nothing but a distraction to be ignored.

This is the process that occurs when people walk their dogs and their pet focuses on another dog it sees. The dog classifies the other dog as a threat or a challenger (for possession of its pack) and focuses intently on the target. The longer the dog focuses, the more obsessed it becomes. Eventually the dog will become overwhelmed by the need to confront the target and start lunging, barking etc.

This PIB is instinctive, and once again the dog resorts to this behavior due to the lack of other instructions from a dominant pack member. All of you with dogs who exhibit this behavior are saying to yourselves that you take control and it has no effect. In the dog’s mind, hanging on to the leash to prevent the dog’s approach to the target isn’t taking control, but interfering. In order for the dog to see you as being in control, you must control the dog’s MIND, not simply physically interfere with its intent. You must convince the dog to willingly choose a different behavior. It must surrender to your will for you to be in control.

The most effective method for doing this is to do the same thing a dominant dog would do. Bump, block and confront the dog until it’s willing to look at you instead of the target. Interfere with the dog’s FOCUS, not its body. When the dog is willing to focus on you, make it sit or turn its back to the target. This requires the dog to surrender to your will, and in doing so it acknowledges that you are sufficiently dominant to direct its behavior. You’ve taken control of the dog’s mind rather than its body.

The same holds true for dogs that become obsessed about food, prey, etc. If you break the dog’s focus and provide an optional behavior and persist until the dog performs that behavior, you are dominant and in control. Note that the dog must willingly surrender before you are in control. If the dog resists and you give up, you raise the dog’s status in its own eyes and lower your own status. You’ve surrendered to the dog’s will!

Utilizing these techniques to gain control of the dog will be the very behaviors that convince the dog you are a higher status pack member and have the right and the authority to direct the dog’s behavior.

Assess, classify and respond

2009-05-03T09:01:00.001-05:00

Assess, classify and respond is the most basic PIB and is used more often than any of the others. Dogs assess the creatures around them, classify them and then choose an instinctive response appropriate for that classification and situation. The basic classifications are:
1) Food.
2) Foes.
3) Friends.
4) Potential friends.
5) Unknown.

Food are the creatures that provide a nutritional resource; prey. Foes are threats, challengers, competitors or intruders. In other words, any creature that could threaten the well-being of the pack. Friends are the creatures that share the dog’s day-to-day struggle for survival; the pack. Potential friends are creatures outside of the pack that pose no particular threat and may be suitable to join the pack. Unknown is self-explanatory.

These classifications are instinctive and not subject to change. If subordinate male and female members of the pack decide to mate, they will be driven from the pack to start their own pack. The original pack cannot classify them as ‘used to be friends.” They become a pack competing for resources and must be classified as foes.

When a dog has chosen how to classify a creature, it then has access to a group of instinctive behavioral responses to that classification. A dog that is always friendly and charming to the family it survives with can become an aggressive threat to someone it classifies as a foe, such as a mail carrier or a meter reader. The instinctive response for foes is to drive them away aggressively, or fight until they leave or are defeated.

Many people believe their dogs become temporarily insane at the sight of other people entering the dog’s territory. That isn’t true. The dog is displaying an instinctive response to someone it has instinctively classified as a threat. So here is the statement that defines the entire purpose of this blog:

When a dog is displaying instinctive behavioral patterns, the dog is lacking instructions from a higher authority within the pack!

Dogs can rely on three informational sources to govern their own behavior:

1) Instructions from a more dominant member of the pack.
2) Learned behaviors that have been taught by a more dominant member of the pack.
3) Instinctive behaviors that are appropriate for living with a canine pack in the wild.

A dog that displays instinctive responses hasn’t been convinced that the humans in the pack are of higher status and have the right to direct the dog’s behavior, or the dog hasn’t been instructed in ways the dog can understand.

PIBs

2009-05-02T07:44:00.000-05:00

While there are dozens (and perhaps hundreds) of canine PIBs, there are only eight that need to be addressed in order to keep a dog safe and happy in a human environment.

1) Assess, classify and respond.
2) Obsessed attention.
3) Join a pack.
4) Packs must have leaders.
5) Follow a leader.
6) Life is earned.
7) Constant testing.
8) Life is motion.

Each of these PIBs describes a pattern of behavior canines have developed to aid survival in the wild. They are necessary behaviors that domestic dogs cannot abandon just because we wish them to. Some of them can be changed if the proper approach is used and others can be controlled, again, with the proper approach. None of them can be changed by the dog without our intervention. They are instinctive and therefore are innate canine behavioral patterns.

Attitudes

2009-05-01T09:42:00.000-05:00

When most of us decide to get a dog, we’re usually looking for something to love. Generally, we get dogs for our own emotional gratification. Okay, fine. But all too often we forget to examine the animal we’re acquiring. It’s not a dog, but “a member of the family”, “my child” or “a person in a fur suit”. Unfortunately what we want dogs to be doesn’t determine their behavior. Their behavior is based on what they really are: a social animal (they live in groups) and a carnivorous predator. Every behavior dogs engage in are based on these two facts and when or where those behaviors occur is taught to them by us.

As members of the canine species, dog behaviors are instinctive knowledge developed through evolutionary development in wild conditions. These behaviors are appropriate for living with a pack of canines in a kill-or-be-killed environment. They are instinctively programmed to kill to eat and to defend their territory and pack. Just because we wish them to be “my child” doesn’t mean these instinctive behaviors will go away.

Every unwanted, inappropriate or dangerous behavior dogs engage in are created by us, because in refusing to acknowledge what dogs really are we fail to prepare for what might happen. I was called by a lady who didn’t know how to handle her dogs increasing levels of aggression. When I asked her why she got a dog in the first place she said, “I wanted someone to love who couldn’t tell me I was doing it wrong.” The dogs’ aggression was the dog telling her she was doing it wrong. This woman was trying to love her dog like it was her human child and that wasn’t working for the dog.

Dogs can’t pretend to be something other than dogs. If we learn about what dogs truly are, then it’s possible to love them in a human environment and keep them safe, polite and content.

This brings us to instinctive behaviors. Canines have developed “Patterns of Instinctive Behaviors” (or PIBs) designed to assist pack survival in the wild. These are behaviors dogs must utilize because they are canine. Learning about them provides us with the ability to allow our dogs to be dogs and still behave appropriately in a human environment.