Who My Dog Is

By Maggi Forootan – Lead And Love K9

www.leadandlovek9.com

I was at a party recently, and someone there knew I was a dog trainer so they started chatting me up about their dog. It happens a lot…I don’t mind : ) The interesting thing about our conversation was that I very quickly learned that this persons dog had quite the laundry list of bratty, entitled behavior going on. What was even more interesting was that Mr. Bratty Pants’ owner summed things up by saying “Oh well, that’s just who my dog is.” What I wanted to say, but didn’t (I have a rule about giving training advice unless directly asked), was NO! This isn’t who your dog is. It’s who he’s allowed to be!!

The unfortunate reality with many dog owners is that they don’t realize that they have the power to change the way their dog behaves. They just assume that the unwanted behavior is hardwired into their dog from birth, and it’s not. Most behavior, good and bad, is the result of some kind of reinforcement over time. Something practiced over and over becomes a habit. Here’s an example:

I like to take my dogs for a walk in the afternoon around 4pm. As part of our routine, I have my dog‘s go to their Place, lie down, and patiently wait for me to put their walking gear on. I’ve been consistently doing this for a while now and guess what? I always know when it’s around 4pm because my dogs now put themselves on Place and I find them patiently waiting for me!

Let’s consider another scenario: Every day at about 11:45am at Mr. Bratty Pants’ house, the mailman arrives. The instant Mr. B.P. hears the mail slot jiggle he launches into a cacophony of barking, and viciously attacks each piece of mail as it slips through the slot. Mr. Bratty Pants’ owner screams and yells at him every day. “NO, HEY STOP THAT, BAD DOG, NOOOOOO!” This same scene plays out the same way every day. Now, Mr. Bratty can hear the mailman coming from a block away. The signs of impending volcanic eruption are subtle…a low woof, and a bit of anxious pacing ensues. Then, EXPLOSION! Voila, a habit has been formed.

The unfortunate thing is that Mr. Bratty Pants’ owner doesn’t understand that he can stop the madness! He thinks his dog just hates mailmen. Or maybe he had a bad experience with a mailman in the past. Truth is he’s just been allowed to practice unstable, obnoxious behavior for so long that he’s become the worst version of himself.

Dogs that are a joy to live with aren’t born. They’re created by their human’s willingness to help them learn how to be. Whether its pushy brattyness, or fear and insecurity, it’s up to us as great dog owners to show them the way by not allowing them to stay stuck in habits that don’t let their true awesome selves shine.

Oh, and here’s another thing…the same is true for kids too : )