Making Choices = Better Behavior – Dogster

Eat at the restaurant or take away? Going to the gym or out for a run? We make a lot of decisions every day without much thought. But what about our dogs? We decide what they eat, where they sleep, have a yard or not, and when they go for a walk. We decide when they play (and often with whom) and even where and when they do business. All of these limitations can make the dogs unhappy. But by giving dogs more options, we improve how they feel, and better behavior often follows.

Dogs face daily challenges living in a human-centered world, so we must help them get along. We can support our dogs by providing choices and opportunities.

Applied ethnologist Kim Brophey says, “Very few modern canine species have evolved, naturally prepared for life as a ‘pet’ dog. Self-control and instincts, the choices and actions that dogs have historically developed are not only unappreciated in most cases but are even considered ‘problematic’ behaviors. ‘. ”

Take, for example, the hunting needs of terriers or the pack needs of the Border Collie. When a terrier digs in the garden or a Border Collie grabs a child’s heel, that’s problematic behavior from a “bad” dog. But dogs need supplies of energy and time to be just dogs.

Kim encourages us to “Let them destroy their own stuff because it feels fun; Let them chew on sticks and pines without diving into their mouths. We can let them stay as many hours as we like in the fenced backyard, enjoying the unattended elements; Take them hiking in the woods on a 30-foot leash in a nowhere and let them stay for a moment away from human madness long enough to remember who they are in their bones. “

Let your dog’s problems take care of it

Choice empowers our dogs, encourages resilience and self-control, and helps boost confidence and independence. It expands their ability to make good choices without direction; a practical skill that prevents us from micromanaging their behavior. Dogs are very good at solving problems on their own if we let them.

Certified dog behavior consultant Laura Donaldson advocates taking choice one step further by giving dogs autonomy, which is the choice to use steroids. “I define agency as dogs who learn that they can affect the environment by using their behavior,” says Laura. They don’t just respond to human ‘commands’ about what to do and when to do it. First of all, give them time and space to think, so they can solve problems and make the right decisions.”

Easy ways to make choices

Giving a dog choice means providing at least two good choices that are healthy, safe, and don’t reinforce undesirable behaviors. Here are some simple ways to get started:

1. Let the dog follow the nose and choose the path when walking.
2. Give him several comfortable places to sleep instead of just one.
3. Let him choose his own toys.
4. If he doesn’t feel a particular workout, stop for the day.
5. Let your dog choose to pet or not: If he leaves, don’t force him. If he wants more, you’ll know.
6. Not all dogs want to be social butterflies. So instead of forcing him to hang out with guests, let him relax under the table if he wants to or provide him with a quiet space of his own.
7. Let it go the other way when a stranger or strange dog approaches on a walk. Don’t force.

By respecting dogs’ decisions, we help prevent problems like learned helplessness, where our dogs feel like they have no control over the environment, and floods, which occur when a dog is forced they have to go through something they find scary. Both make the dogs unhappy.

Certified dog behavior consultant Allie Bender explains, “Some bad behaviors are exacerbated by or may even be caused by a lack of choice and/or control. When we give our dogs the opportunity and skills to make better choices, we open the door to working with them, rather than against them, to solve behavioral problems.” Win-win: When dogs have more control over their lives, we see less unwanted behavior.

Check with your dog

In any case, check your dog’s body language. If he doesn’t want to do something, give him the freedom to say no. Never underestimate a dog’s attempt to communicate to you that they are uncomfortable.

Reading a dog’s body language is a big picture, but here are a few suggestions for specific body parts:

The head should be upright and confident; Turning away is avoidance or disrespect, and bowing signals fear or submission.

The relaxed ear can be forward or backward; pinned can mean submission or fear while jutting forward indicates arousal (which may or may not be friendly).

The eye should be soft and may even be crossed; Averted gaze can mean fear or submission; and while eye contact is fine, the stares can be a sign of trouble.

The body should be loose, upright and confident; Stressed or lowered posture can mean that a dog is feeling scared, anxious, or even aggressive.

Ideally, the tail is pulled low to medium, with a relaxed friendly wave; A raised tail indicates arousal (which can be playful or aggressive) and a ponytail indicates fear or submission.

Observing the decision-making process of dogs gives us daily opportunities to learn about their interests, personalities, wants and needs so we can help them live their best lives. . A solid combination of life skills training, meeting their physical, emotional and mental needs, and providing options that help our dogs feel better. And when they feel better, they behave better.

Check out the Simple Toy Hobby

This can be done frequently and is very helpful to create a toy ladder (order relative to your dog) that reinforces desired behaviors:

1. Collect three to five new toys. Look for variety! Dogs see blue and yellow best, so choose those colors when possible.
2. When dogs can’t see you, place toys on the floor a few feet apart.
3. Invite your dog to explore the toy, remembering which one they aim for first, second, etc.
4. Stay away! This is a fun, independent activity, and you don’t want to distort the results of being around your baby or certain toys with your body language or verbal cues.

Check that body language

Not sure exactly how your dog is feeling? Here are some great resources on dog body language:

For more reading, check out Whole Dog Magazine’s articles on sister publication body language at: whole-dog-journal.com/category/behavior/body-language/.